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Filippo choked on a laugh and Nico nearly kicked him under the table. He fervently wished for this topic to never be raised again. “That will not happen.” There would be no way to explain it. Sneak Bennett inside the estate? How, with all the guards around? Word of Nico’s bisexuality would spread within hours.

“What is the saying?” Filippo asked with a sly grin that set Nico’s teeth on edge. “Never say never.”

“Faccia di culo!” Nico shot back. Assface.

“Faccia . . . di culo,” Sofia repeated slowly, as if committing it to memory. “What does it mean? I know faccia is face⁠—”

“That is not one you should repeat.”

“Oh.” Her smile grew wide. “I just figured it out.”

Filippo rubbed her head affectionately, like he was proud of her. “Keep up with your language app. You will be fluent in no time. Then you can play bocce with Nico and the old men.”

Sofia kept her head down, eyes on her plate, as she asked evenly. “You’re playing bocce with old men?”

“The secret meeting yesterday was a date,” Filippo whispered out of the side of his mouth—and Nico suddenly wanted to murder his cousin. Painfully. Slowly. Creatively.

“Oh, really?” Her expression remained interested, but oddly composed. Nico would have assumed much more excitement over learning this piece of information, based on her reaction in the kitchen yesterday. “A bocce date. I want every detail.”

Nico burned Filippo with his gaze. “You will pay for that.”

“Don’t be mad at him,” Sofia said. “I think it’s sweet. Your secret hookup is taking you on dates and trying to lock you down.”

Thanks to her TV shows, he knew what that phrase meant. “That is not what is happening.” The words fell flat. He wasn’t stupid. Things with Bennett had taken a turn, one Nico hadn’t been expecting, and he wasn’t sure where they went from here. Most likely more secret, harmless fun. That was it. “It’s harmless fun,” he repeated aloud.

“Do they know that?”

“You don’t need to worry,” he told her, even if he wouldn’t meet her too-perceptive eyes. “We are on the same page.”

“Hmm.” She ate a bite of meatball. “But the date was fun?”

“If I answer, will this be the last time we speak of the date?”

“Yes.”

Why didn’t he believe her? Still, he answered honestly. “It was fun. Reminded me of home.”

“Will you take me some time? To Milan, I mean. I want to meet nonno in person.”

“He would like that,” Nico said. “Maybe this summer, when you finish your classes.”

“Yes, please. Can we take your jet?”

Filippo snickered. “Please. As if he would fly commercial. Dai, principessa.”

“Private is safer,” he said to the room, but both of them were too busy laughing at Nico’s expense to listen.

“Maybe your secret hookup could come with us,” she suggested casually, while peeking at Nico through her lashes to see his reaction.

“My secret hookup won’t still be around then.” The words tasted like ash in his mouth, but they were true. By summer the player who drugged Sofia would be dead. Bennett’s guilt and anger over that would surely drive a wedge between him and Nico, and he would disappear, block Nico’s number. Even if Nico wished otherwise, this was the only ending possible.

“That’s only two months from now, zio. You’re sure you won’t still be seeing them?”

“I am sure.”

“I disagree,” Filippo said to Sofia. “I think this one will stick around a while.”

She grinned. “Oh, good. I hope so. He’s been far less cranky recently.”