Accidentally Yours (Merffy Kizzmet) novel Chapter 157

Chapter 157

Enzo

The room was still vibrating with laughter when he finally shook his head. Dom’s wheeze rattled like broken glass, Gino was bent double against the wall, and Nico had given up pretending not to laugh, shoulders jerking behind his hand.

It wasn’t how he planned it. He’d wanted quiet–just her and the duck, something soft to keep her company while he handled the bloodier parts of their world. Instead, it turned into a goddamn comedy show.

He muttered a curse in Italian, pinching the bridge of his nose. But when he looked up, the corner of his mouth betrayed him, tugging crooked. Because Lola–eyes red, cheeks blotchy, clutching that ridiculous duck like a crown jewel–was laughing. Really laughing. It carved him open and stitched him back together in one breath.

“Alright,” he said, voice low but even. “Enough. You’ve had your fun.”

Dom tried to smother his grin. Gino snorted. Nico just shook his head like he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Enzo let them keep it. They’d earned the release same as him.

“But tonight,” he added, his tone softening, “we sit down together. All of us. Family dinner.” His gaze slid back to Lola, warm steel. “She hasn’t eaten a real meal since before the blast. That changes now.”

The jokes quieted, replaced with nods. Agreement. No one pushed back.

Then she tilted her chin, spark burning through the bruise–shadowed face. “Good. Because if there’s pasta, I’m about to put you all to shame.”

Dom muttered, “Not hard,” Gino barked a laugh, and Nico smirked.

Enzo leaned in, his thumb brushing gently across her cheek. The weight in his chest loosened as he murmured, just for her: “Then I’ll make sure there’s enough to shame an army, amore [love].”

Her smile answered, brighter than the lamp light, brighter than anything.

Dinner felt almost normal. Almost.

The table stretched long, loaded with steak, bread, red wine–Dom’s idea of morale food. But no amount of meat or wine could soften the silence pressing down. Forks scraped, knives dragged, nobody ate like themselves.

Lola sat beside him, upright, stubborn as ever. Bruises painted her skin, bandages peeked from under her shirt, but her chin lifted like she dared the world to notice. Her eyes were clearer now, brighter. Alive. And Enzo hadn’t let go of her hand since they sat down, thumb brushing her knuckles, grounding himself in her pulse.

Halfway through the meal, she set her fork down with quiet finality. Fingers drummed once against the table before she stilled them, gaze sweeping the room–steady but sparking.

“I need to tell you something.”

“I’ve been working at the Russians‘ club-”

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Chapter 157

Chairs scraped, Nico already half up, Enzo’s muscles tensing with him.

“But not really,” she rushed, cutting off the explosion she knew was coming. “I’d walk in with the girls, act like I belonged. Got to know them. Picked up a tray, moved around looking busy. No one touched me.” She leaned forward, daring them. “So sit down so I can finish.”

Nico sank back, jaw tight. Enzo didn’t move, but his grip on her hand locked harder.

“They talk when they think you’re one of them,” she continued. “And I listened. Dmitri’s planning a move on Long Beach. He wants the port, wants fentanyl flowing through faster than trucking it up from the south.”

The room went silent but for knives scraping plates.

Her gaze flicked to Gino, then back to Enzo. “That’s not all. Bellandi’s bar–I played piano there during a few lunch shifts. Easy to sit close, catch stray pieces of conversation. Nothing solid, but I heard enough. They’re planning to steal something from the Russians. Big. A package that’s supposed to change everything. Priority one.”

Gino swore under his breath. Dom shook his head like he wanted to knock sense into her.

Nico’s fist tapped once against the table, controlled, but his voice came tight. “And you didn’t think to tell anyone?”

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