Uh, no. I don’t see that happening, but I respond with a smile. My mind lingers on the thought of going to Las Vegas—acity far away from New York City and my family. I wasn’t sure where I would go after graduation, but this is a chance to finally find out. Thanks to the trust I inherited from my mother, I don’t need my father’s approval or support. What I can’t and won’t tell my family is the fact that I intend to stay on the West Coast rather than return to New York once the weekend is over.
I can’t stay here.
Not while I’m drowning in these feelings I have for Nico. Wanting something that I cannot have. Here is the chance I’ve been hoping and waiting for. Finally.
***
“Absolutely not!”
My father’s fork drops onto the dining table with a loud clatter, but I rein in my temper, pushing back that little voice at the back of my mind calling for me to rage—to explode and react as strongly as he has. The dining room falls silent, and I feel all eyes turn to me so I fight to maintain my cool.
“I am not asking for permission,” I say calmly. “I am twenty-two years old and don’t need to ask for permission to leave the city if I want to. I simply thought it appropriate to inform my family that I’m going to Las Vegas—”
“And I said no!” Well, I guess my father doesn’t care much for calm. “Do you have any idea what kind of a place Vegas is?”
“Well, how am I ever going to find out if no one ever lets me leave this city!”
“Gabriella!”
To hell with being calm. Blood roars in my head as I turn fully to face my father. “This art exhibition could open doors and provide connections most fledgling artists can only ever dream of, and you’re blocking me from achieving my dreams because you think I can’t take care of myself? Well, newsflash: I have been taking care of myself for years!”
It’s not fair. Christ, it’s not fair to throw that in his face, and my chest tightens when I see my words hit the target. Myfather’s jaw ticks, and his shoulders go rigid as he watches me. “You are young,” he says, tone clipped. “You do not understand what is out there. My word is final, young lady!”
And just like that, the guilt fades, replaced yet again with indignation. “I don’t need your permission or support,” I finally say when the silence stretches. “I don’t need money. I have the trust Mama left for me, and that’s what I will use for this trip.” And to start a new life, far, far away from this family.
Something like pain crosses his face, but it’s gone before anyone else can see it. “Matteo is the executor of that trust, and, without his permission, you cannot access the funds until you’re twenty-five.”
My head whips to Matteo, who until now has been quietly watching the confrontation. There is accusation in my eyes, and I watch him flinch when he sees it. No one told me about Matteo being the executor of the funds or my not being able to access them for three more years. I can’t wait three more years. They love me, I know that, but their love is suffocating in the way they show it. I need to leave. I have to. God knows I will sell everything I own if it means I can get away.
“Gabby—”
“You never told me,” I say, betrayal heavy in my voice. Of all my brothers, I am closest to Matteo. To think he’d keep something so important from me. Okay, maybe I should be thankful that he’s the executor of my trust and not my father.
“It doesn’t matter,” I say with a shake of my head. “I can access the trust for the trip, right?”
“No.”
“What?”
“Gabby…” I read the conflict in his eyes as he slowly lowers his glass of wine to the table. “I can’t in good conscience let you travel to Las Vegas alone.”
“It’s my choice,” I say, steeling my expression. “And it’s my money. Left to me. By my mother!”
“Look, I understand that you want to go to this exhibition, but you should have told us so we could have made plans in advance. Our business may be based in New York, but we have enemies everywhere. What do you think will happen when someone recognizes you in Las Vegas?”
I can’t hear a word he’s saying. Not with the buzzing in my head and definitely not with the raging anger threatening to close my throat.
“You’ll need an escort.” His tone is final.
Except no one is available. I knew they all had plans that weekend, and that’s why I was excited to leave then, knowing no one would be free to offer to accompany me. With my brothers all busy and my father traveling overseas with Estella, there’s no one.
From the corner of my eye, I spy Sof tug Matteo’s arm and whisper in his ear, but her words carry to me. Her proposal to take a bodyguard with me doesn’t seem to please Matteo much, if the firm set of his jaw is anything to go by, but before he can voice his opinion, someone else speaks up.
“I’ll take her.”
Every pair of eyes in the room turns to the man seated on Matteo’s left, who has been silently watching us argue all evening.
“You will?” Matteo voices my disbelief. As Matteo’sconsigliere,Nico is a busy man, and it makes no sense for him to offer to take me to Vegas.