Nico (The Rossi Mafia)

Chapter 23 - Kennedy

"We'll find a way to keep in touch, I promise, Ava," I told her while she sobbed. My eyes were filled with tears too. She was my oldest friend, the person I'd grown up with. The only girl who had given the nerd in me a chance in school.

I kissed her cheek and she finally drifted away from me.

"I guess I should go and let you guys figure it out," she said and I nodded.

"Will you...call me? Or text or something? Before you leave," she added as she walked to the door. Ava was wiping the tears off her cheeks.

I nodded again and then she was gone.

I turned to Nico who remained standing there with his shoulders drooping. He looked like a broken man and I wanted to fix him. I wanted him to know that I trusted him and I relied on him and he was making the right decision.

"She's right, Kennedy, you deserve so much more than this," he said in a quiet voice.

I reached for his face, grazing my palm along his stubbled handsome jaw.

"I didn't even think I deserved you, Nico, but now I know I do. I've made a decision and I'm sticking to it. I don't care what happens next because I know you'll keep us safe," I replied with a weak smile.

Nico held my hands and squeezed tightly.

"I know you don't want to leave Seattle," he began and I looked down at my feet. I'd never lived anywhere else. This was the only place I knew. It was home. Leaving this city was a decision I wished I didn't have to make.

"But Kennedy, it's the only way we can be safe. We need to protect our baby," he continued and I nodded my head.

"Yes, I know and I also know it'll be hard but I want to do it with you. Tell me where we're going," I said.

"Italy, Rome," Nico replied and I jerked my head up to look at him.

My brows were crossed, my cheeks were flushed...we weren't even going to be in the country! Not even in the same continent!

"Kennedy..." he said my name softly and I drew my hands away from him.

"I don't know what to expect there," I said, turning away. Nico placed his hands on my shoulders tenderly.

"I'll be there with you the whole time," he said.

"When are we leaving?" I asked.

"In the morning."

I whipped around to him. Nico was searching my eyes. I could see that he was pained by this. He was blaming himself for what was happening. For plucking me out of the place I knew and loved.

"I know this is crazy," he said and I shook my head.

"We'll be fine," I spoke softly.

He kissed my lips and then brushed my cheeks with his thumbs.

"If we didn't have the baby on the way, maybe we could have fought it out here," he said and I nodded, smiling at him.

"Maybe, yes, we could have. But we have a little Merlin or Avery on the way and it deserves the best life possible. If that means we have to leave Seattle, then that's what we'll do."

Nico reached in his jacket pocket and brought out a paper bag.

"These are our new passports," he informed me.

I looked in the bag and took out the fresh documents. He'd used an old passport photo of mine and created a new ID. Kenni Ferguson. I was going to lose my name. The good, strong name my parents had chosen for me.