Elle quickly laughed. “Yeah.”
Nero looked at her for a moment then walked over to her father sitting in his wheelchair and held out his hand. “Nice to meet you, too, sir.”
Elle thought time stood still while waiting for her father to shake his hand. “Nero…?”
“Caruso.”
“Good to meet you, too, Nero. Sit down,” her father said, turning his wheelchair toward the couch.
Nero took a seat on the couch and Elle sat down beside him. Her mother sat in the armchair facing the couch, as well.
Elle could tell her mom was dying to talk to Nero. She had always asked Elle to bring over some friends and wondered how she was doing in school. Elle thought she probably should have warned Nero by the look on her mother’s face.
“So, Nero, you go to Legacy Prep with Elle?” her mother asked.
“Yeah, I’m a senior there, as well.”
Elle’s mom smiled wider. “So, tell me, is Elle the most popular girl in school? She tells me about—”
Elle started laughing. “Now, Mom.”
“Elle, let your mom finish.” Nero started smiling and wrapped his arm behind Elle on the couch. “Elle tells you what again?”
I have made a huge mistake.
Elle’s mother’s smile returned. “She tells me about all her wonderful friends and how much she loves Legacy Prep. After her father’s accident, we weren’t sure if she was going to be able to stay, but Elle begged us to keep letting her go there. She said she just loves it there so much.”
Elle glanced down at the floor. Oh, God, this is worse than I could have imagined.
“Yeah, well, she is the most popular girl in school. Everyone just loves her. I had a hard time getting her to talk to me.”
Her mother started laughing.
Elle managed to laugh with her mom while she looked over at Nero. He was enjoying this too much.
“So, are you going to stay for dinner, Nero?” Elle’s mother asked.
“No, I work tonight, Mom. Nero is going to give me a ride.”
“Oh, okay, sweetie. Yes, my Elle of course gets straight As. That pays for some of her tuition. She works at Magical Cupcakes to pay the rest.” Her mother was beaming.
Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh, shit.
Nero’s face jerked up. “Where?”
“You know, Magical Cupcakes. It opened a few years ago in the suburbs. That’s where Elle works, of course.”
Elle looked over at Nero, silently pleading. “Yeah, Nero, I told you that’s where I work. Remember?”
Nero stared back at her for a few seconds then he turned back to her mother. “Oh, yeah. Sorry, I forgot.”
“Honey, why don’t you and Elle go make some snacks. I’m sure they are hungry after school.” Elle’s dad hadn’t pulled his eyes away from Nero.
“Right. Come on, sweetie. Let the boys talk.” Her mom stood up, smiling from ear to ear, and started walking to the kitchen.
Elle looked over at Nero, hoping he understood not to talk too much. Oh, and good luck.
Elle stood and followed behind her mother. She was thankful Nero hadn’t been fazed by the obvious lies she had been telling her parents over the years.
Going into the kitchen, her mother pulled out some deli meat while Elle went to grab the bread, knowing her mom was going to make sandwiches.
“He is so nice and handsome, sweetie. I like him.”
Elle laughed at her mother. She couldn’t be happier that Elle had invited him over. Her mother had begged her for years to bring friends to the house. Yes, Chloe would come over, but her mother always wanted to meet the other kids she said she was friends with.
“Yeah, the nicest.”
* * *
Nero watched as Elle stood to leave the room. He had to be honest; he had been dying to meet Elle’s parents. He wanted to meet the bastards who let Elle continue to go to school where she was bullied. But, damn if her mother wasn’t the nicest woman on Earth. She was just too kind and dumb, believing every lie Elle had spun. Her mom was clearly the completely oblivious type, one of the people who thought there was no such thing as violence.
Then her father was in a wheelchair. What the fuck? At first, Nero was willing to forgive him like he was with her mother, but looking at his glaring eyes now, he didn’t give a shit if the man could no longer walk or not. Nero was starting to get a pretty good idea how bad Elle might have been hurt in the past, and the man staring back at him should have been well fucking aware something wasn’t right at school for her.
Nero stared back at him. He had been raised by much scarier men than him. Elle’s dad was a little bunny rabbit compared to his father. Does he actually think he can scare me?
Her dad kept his eyes pinned to Nero. “I’m guessing Elle didn’t tell you I was in a wheelchair, did she?”
Nero didn’t move his eyes. “No, she didn’t.”
“Figured. There’s a lot that girl doesn’t tell.”
Well, why don’t you fucking make her? “Yeah, I’m gathering that.”
“Your last name’s Caruso. It sounds familiar to me. Would I know your parents?” Elle’s father asked.
No way in Hell. “I don’t think so. My mother passed away when I was younger, and my dad pretty much keeps to himself now.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” His passive tone showed he wasn’t really. “What does your father do?”
Nero had been waiting for that question the moment he’d said his last name. “He owns a casino hotel downtown.”