Her big yellow eyes widened. “So, I’m just supposed to sit here, in my ivory tower, safe and secure, while my friend is possibly in danger? Are you kidding me?”
“Quit talking like that!” Phoenix thundered. “You’re not a goddamn prisoner here, Francesca! And, so help me God, if you keep alluding to the fact, I will turn this into your prison. See if I fucking won’t!”
“Okay,” I jumped in. “Everyone, calm the hell down.”
Frankie started pacing and I could see that she was genuinely worried. I also knew there was no way Phoenix was going to let her go to Cedar Creek. I also knew that if she ran to Luca, he’d side with her husband. Unfortunately for us, Frankie was stubborn enough to make all our lives a living hell if she didn’t get her way.
“How about if I go to Cedar Creek?” I offered. “I can drive over now and find out what’s going on.”
Frankie scoffed and I could see why Nix wanted to strangle her at times. “Yeah, Ciro,” she sassed. “Because I’m sure Robbie’s just waiting for you to grace her front door to invite you in for tea and crumpets.”
“God, grant me mercy,” I muttered.
“Amen,” Nix added.
“To hell with the both of you,” Frankie vented, but a quick look from Nix drew out a mumbled apology. Phoenix was always laying the world at my sister’s feet, but one thing he didn’t tolerate, was her cussing him. That was a no-no in the Fiore household.
“Look, Frankie. There’s no way you’re going. And you can call Luca all you want, but you know he’s going to side with us on this one,” I told her. “If you really are worried about Robbie, I can go check on her.”
Frankie crossed her arms over her chest. “If that’s the order, then why can’t Phoenix go to Cedar Creek?” Because Robbie was fucking mine.
The immediate response felt like a sucker punch to the head.
I didn’t say that, however, but that’s how I felt. Maybe not in the sense as my woman, but whatever it was I felt for her, she somehow became my responsibility.
“Because he’s needs to stay here with you to make sure you don’t go off half-cocked,” I deadpanned, and I swear the girl wanted to rip my eyes out.
“You’re an asshole, Ciro,” she retorted.
I chuckled. “You’re not the first person to tell me that this week,” I replied, throwing her a wink.
She shook her head and I could see all the fight leave her. She looked back and forth between me and Nix and said, “I’m just worried about her.”
Nix went over to wrap her up in his arms. “I know, baby,” he muttered against the top of her head.
“She doesn’t have anyone,” Frankie continued. “Her parents live in Missouri, and she’s not close to them. She has other friends, but their casual. Robbie’s alone and-”
“Enough, Francesca,” I grumbled. “You’ve made your point. I’ll wear kid gloves.”
Her eyes sliced my way. “I don’t trust you with her, Ciro,” she replied, and it fucking hurt like a knife to my chest.
“Frankie-”
She hurried to explain herself. “I just mean…I trust you to get to the bottom of whatever’s going on. I just don’t trust you’re not going to be a dick while you do it, is all.”
Her explanation did very little to ease the disappointment of her words. “Do you want Mary fucking Sunshine, or do you want to find out what’s going on?”
Frankie flipped me off and I returned the gesture.
We were brats.
“You claimed you wanted to make amends,” she reminded me. “Don’t be a dick and all will be forgiven.”
I shook my head as I turned to walk out the door. “You two suck ass,” I tossed back as I walked out and made my way to Cedar Creek.
Chapter 12
Roberta~
The knock on my front door felt like a doom’s day omen.
I glanced at the clock hanging off the partition that created a separate space from the kitchen and the living room and saw that it was past ten.
No one should be visiting me this late.
Oxygen became nonexistent, and I could feel my palms begin to sweat. We had agreed to meet on Tuesday. Why would they be here now? Maybe they saw me go to Randy’s and…and I didn’t know what, but I needed more time.
I was almost in full-blown panic mode when a voice I never expected to hear rang through the wood of my front door. “I know you’re home, Robbie,” Ciro Mancini called out. “Answer the damn door.”
What in the hell?
My first thought was I needed to change into some real clothes. Being past ten, I was already dressed for bed in a tank top and loose-fitting shorts that used to be pajama pants until I cut the legs off them years ago.
I was only two steps towards my bedroom door when his annoyance got the better of him. “Open the fucking door or I will break it down, I swear to God,” he snapped. Christ. You’d think for a man who was used to torturing people for hours on end, he’d have a little more patience.
My feet picked up the pace in fear for my front door. When I swung it open, on my doorstep, stood an irritated Ciro Mancini. “What do you want?” I asked, trying to impart some bravado in my voice.
“Don’t act stupid,” he snapped. “You know why I’m here.”
In a momentary weakness of hysteria, I hoped he was here to kill me and just put me out of my misery. It would solve all my problems. However, I doubted he’d use the front door if that were the case.
“I know that whatever reason you’re here, it’s none of your business,” I retorted.
Ciro shook his head at me. “Christ, woman, it’s like you want me to kill you,” he replied. “Now, let me the fuck in.”
“You’re not welcomed here, Ciro,” I told him.
He stepped closer until I had to tilt
