Enforcer’s Obsession

Chapter 31

THIRTY-ONE

Nico

“What are you doing, cousin?”

I ignored Enzo and tapped the bar.

The bartender, gave me a lingering look before he refilled my class.

I went to lift it, but Enzo plucked it out of my fingers.

“You’ve had more than enough of that.”

I looked over at him, furious, though even in this state, I could admit that my anger wasn’t directed at him.

Still, I didn’t let that deter me.

“Give me my drink, Enzo,” I said.

“No,” he responded.

He tossed back the shot himself, and then grinned.

“I should break your fucking teeth,” I grumbled.

“You could to try, but in this state, you wouldn’t be able to touch me,” he said. Then he shook his head as he looked down at me. “If a woman is going to do this your, maybe it’s best you don’t have one.”

“Fuck off, Enzo,” I grumbled again, desperate for another drink.

“Such a shame to see a great man fallen by something as petty as love,” he said, frowning at me.

“I’m going to shoot you if you don’t leave me alone,” I said.

He smacked me on the back.

“You won’t, especially not when I tell you who I brought with me,” he said.

“Enzo, I’m not interested in your whores,” I said.

“Good, because I don’t share. But Hope’s here, and I suggest you pull yourself together. It’s not respectable to let her see you in this state.”

I glared at him, then shoved him. “You think that’s fucking funny,” I said.

“Sure don’t,” he said.

Before I could lunge at him, he turned and walked toward the door.

I slipped back down in my seat, trying to hold on to the vestiges of the buzz my cousin had so effectively killed.

That was particularly cruel, which wasn’t like Enzo.

But to throw Hope in my face…

I hadn’t said anything, but Enzo wasn’t an idiot, and neither were the men.

Everyone could see that I was in a terrible state, and it wasn’t too hard to guess why.

For him to joke about that. To try to turn her absence against me was?—

“Nico, are you drunk?”

The surprised, soft voice sounded so much like Hope as I thought it was real.

But I kept my eyes glued to the table, not looking toward the sound, not ready to handle the disappointment.

It been two days, but that didn’t matter.

I understood Hope, knew what she wanted out of life.

Knew what she could never tolerate.

And that was why I had done what I did.

Killing though Federico had killed any fantasy she might have had about me.

Left no room for her to doubt who I was.

His death had killed the love between us.

I knew she could never tolerate a man like me and even though I wanted her, craved her, loved her more than anything, I couldn’t pretend.

I’d known she’d have to walk away, and soon, eventually, some day, I’d get over it.

“You are drunk, aren’t you?”

The voice somehow managed to be amused and irritated.

Still, I kept my gaze on the table.

Eventually I get used to her being gone, but until then, I’d console myself with drink and try to keep from embarrassing myself too fucking much.

“Nico!”

This time, the voice was accompanied by a hard shake of my shoulder, and at the contact, I looked over.

Locked eyes with the woman who haunted my dreams.

The one who had wormed her way into my soul.

“Are you real?”

Her eyes widened slightly, and she arched brow.

“Yeah, definitely drunk. Enzo, can you help him stand? I don’t want him to collapse,” she said.

“I don’t need any fucking help,” I grumbled.

I stood, wobbled, and ignored my cousin smirking as he propped me up.

“That’s what I thought,” she said pointedly.

“Why are you here?” I said.

“That’s a conversation for another time. Let’s get you home,” she said.

I used what little bit of functioning brain I had left to make my way into the car.

I kept my eyes on Hope the entire drive, Enzo smirking as he looked at me through the rearview mirror.

When we got to my place, Enzo helped me upstairs and unceremoniously dumped me on the couch.

“You need help?” Enzo asked Hope.

“I think I got it from here,” she said.

“I’ll stick around. He does need to be alone right now,” Enzo said.

“It’s okay,” Hope responded. “I’m not going anywhere.

Those were the last words I heard before I let to sleep take me.