Page 45 of Nolan (The Doherty Mafia)
I was an idiot.
“I know what you’re thinking. I know how this looks…but Nolan, you have to believe me when I say everything changed once we got to know each other. Aldo lied to me. He lied to me about my life and yours. He manipulated me into spying for him.”
I grabbed a beer from the bar and popped it open. Who’d she think she was kidding? Fooled me once…
“It’s not going to work. Your excuses and your injured bird act.”
“It is not an act.”
“You have lied to me about everything, why should I believe you now?”
“What can I do to make you believe me?”
“Nothing.”
“Nolan…please, you have to listen to me. I didn’t tell Aldo anything. I didn’t actually go through with our mission. I changed my mind once I met you and the rest of your family. I figured he’d lied to me about everything.”
“He put a gun to your head? He threatened you to do this?” I snarled.
Amelia’s nostrils flared as her eyes searched mine. We both knew the answer to those questions—she hadn’t been forced into anything.
“No. I was manipulated by him. Lied to…if you just give me a chance to explain my story…”
“I don’t have the time or interest in stories. All I have are the facts. You pretended to be interested in me and my family so you could get the information you wanted. Is there anything wrong with the facts I just stated? You didn’t do those things?”
Amelia leaned forward in her chair, but not too far because she would’ve fallen. Her ankles were tied.
“I’m sorry for everything, Nolan. I didn’t…I wouldn’t…”
“But you did and you probably would again,” I replied. That was all I needed to say to shut her up.
Twenty-Three
Amelia
I wasn’t afraid of what Nolan might have done to me, even though I knew he was dangerous. Even though I’d liked his family and secretly wished I could be a part of them; I had no qualms about what they were capable of. They were the mafia—Aldo had been truthful about that part.
However, I saw the conflict in Nolan’s eyes. I knew he was still deciding what to do with me and wished he didn’t have to make a decision like that. I hated the fact I’d disappointed him. He’d probably never trust me again…not that I expected to be a part of his life in the future.
But every time our eyes met, our bodies sizzled. Was it crazy I wanted him even more?
Even though he had tied me up and put me in the trunk of his car? That he had me tied up in his living room now?
I wanted him to hold me. I wanted to kiss him. Push down his pants and take his thick hard cock in my mouth. I’d never been this excited by danger before and it shocked me. It felt like nothing about my life was the same anymore—not since I met Nolan.
If only he’d give me a chance to explain.
“He told me to do it for my mother,” I blurted.
Nolan wasn’t even paying attention to me anymore. He had a beer in his hands and he’d walked over to the window to look outside. Almost like he couldn’t bear to look at me. His wide muscular shoulders heaved, and slowly, he turned to look at me.
“Where is your mother?”
“I told you she’s dead.”
“I don’t believe anything you’ve said.”
“She’s dead. He told me he’d known her and before she’d died, she made him promise to look after me. And that’s why he came looking for me. He found me.”
Nolan glared at me, clutching his can tightly. I couldn’t tell if he believed me or not. At least I knew I had his attention.
“I have never had anybody in my life before. Nobody has ever been interested in me, and Aldo showed interest. He said he wanted to help me get into fashion school, but first he needed to get out of this mess with you guys so we could live a normal life. He wanted me to be a part of his life and I was excited to finally have something close to a family. ”
“You want me to believe that you coincidentally just happened to be there when he needed someone exactly like you to infiltrate our family?” he snickered.
“No, I believe he came looking for me and manipulated me with his stories about my mother. He made me think this was my idea. I wanted to help. I was so desperate to belong…Nolan, I didn’t know what I was doing. “
He didn’t come any closer to me, it wasn’t working. But this was all I had because it was the truth.
Then there was a sharp rap on the door.
“Don’t breathe a word. Don’t fuckin’ make a sound,” he growled at me.
I didn’t make a sound. I didn’t want to do anything to piss him off or make him mistrust me any more. I was still hopeful that he might forgive me. That somehow, I’d be able to convince him and make him see that I was Aldo’s victim.
