Page 85 of Ride or Die

“Like hell it is.” Gio loomed between Riley’s desk and Nico’s office.

His shoulders strained the black suit, and his eyes blazed. Spiders crawled over her skin, and she fought to keep still as her hands hovered over her keyboard.

Gio jerked his gaze back to Nico.

“You’re getting cold feet because of her? Do you know how much work I’ve put into this deal? What it’s cost? This is short-term pain. Long-term—” Gio got louder with every question.

“This has nothing to do with her,” Nico clipped out.

She had no idea what they were talking about.

A door closed. Harriet’s face was white where she hovered in the hall. She’d have to pass Gio to get back to her desk. Riley shook her head imperceptibly, and Harriet took a step back, pressing herself against the wall.

Don’t move.

“Enough, Gio.” Nico’s voice was ice, and Riley’s hands began to shake. She dug her teeth into her lip, using the small pain to make them stop.

Gio’s chest rose and fell rapidly, the movement in her periphery, and she tried not to look. Nico shifted, blocking her view of Gio. Ink twisted above Nico’s white collar, up the back of his neck and into his hairline. She couldn’t tell what it was from this angle.

Gio began to laugh, cold and jarring. Riley jerked at the sound, and blood filled her mouth as she bit through her lip.

“Of course. You’re fucking her. That’s why you’re pulling back. Risk assessment, my ass.” Gio stood inches from Nico, rage twisting his face. “ You’ve been fucking your assistant. Have you even looked at the numbers? No pussy in the world is worth—”

“Enough!” Nico’s voice was the crack of a glacier, resolute and impassable as it filled the office.

Gio stilled. “You hypocrite.”

The paper shredder started up, whirring loudly, and abruptly cut off. She swallowed the blood from her split lip, tongue finding the tear.

It stung.

Nico said something in Italian, too low to make out, and Gio shook his head too fast, hair falling into his eyes.

Riley was somehow standing. She held still, and guilt gnawed at her spine, even if it didn’t belong to her.

“You’re killing the best deal I’ve ever brought in because of a piece of ass! What about us, Nico? What about the family?” Gio spat the words and then glared over Nico’s shoulder. “You happy now, bitch?“

The words ripped like thrown knives.

“N—no, I’m not—I—”

Gio laughed and took a step towards her, his chest inches from Nico’s.

“Go, Riley.” Nico pushed Gio back. “Go, now.”

Riley was already moving.

Windows flashed by, and she ignored the shock on Harriet’s face, keeping her breathing steady. She didn’t run, didn’t show fear. You aren’t supposed to run.

The stairwell air tasted like concrete and dust, and the big door closed behind her.

Her knuckles were white on the banister. Hundreds of steps would put her on ground level, even if they spun. She could do it.

No one is coming to save you. Move.

She had her phone in her pocket, but her bag was still tucked under her desk with her wallet and bus pass.

She’d get them another day. When Gio had settled down.