clear. You did not pay him.”
Marietta thrust something in his father’s face.
Nico tried to keep from smiling. The little kitten had claws. Not many people would dare accuse one of the original families of Venice of dishonesty.
“In light of your loss, I will ignore this grievous insult.” Savio stepped around her and opened the door to the hallway. “Now, I must ask you to leave, as I have other business to attend to.”
A few seconds ticked by in which Nico waited to see what Marietta would do, but then she turned and marched out of the room. He would probably regret it, but he had to ask the old man. “So, is she right? Did you cheat the painter?”
“The family finances are none of your business,” his father said in a cold voice. “Now leave me.”
Feeling like a ten-year-old boy being sent to his room, Nico’s face burned at his father’s harsh command. “As you wish, but if you have need of me, I will be out chasing anything with breasts.”
His callous remark met no response from his father, who was already fumbling with the lock on the desk drawer. Nico chuckled at the idea that popped into his head. He hurried from the room to find Raul.
ou want me to do what?” Marietta asked for the third time.
“Paint my portrait.” Each time Nico said it, the words came out more slowly. This last time, he added an exasperated sigh for dramatic effect. “You need patrons. I need to hurt my father where he’ll feel it the most. It’s a win-win situation.”
She would be a fool if she agreed to his proposition. Marietta bit her bottom lip and eyed the coin purse he juggled from hand to hand. His offer was well above the usual price for a portrait. It would cover two, even three portraits—or one large fresco. She resisted smacking her forehead at the realization. “You want to pay me for my father’s work.”
Nico shrugged his shoulders dismissively. “I want to pay you for painting my portrait. That is all.”
“So when the elder Signor Foscari shows up at my door demanding refund of his money, what do I do?”
“Let me worry about my father,” he said with a wave of his hand. “Do we have a deal?”
When she didn’t answer, Zeta let out a small squeak from the corner of the room. Mesmerized by her visitor, Marietta had forgotten they weren’t alone. She looked over at her friend and knew she had no choice but to agree. They needed the money. “Fine, but you must pay in advance. I find your family rather . . . untrustworthy.”
Nico gave her a sly grin. “I’d have it no other way.” He tossed the coin purse and landed it on her lap. “Inside, you will find a key and directions to my private apartment. I will be there every day from two o’clock to five. Shall we start tomorrow?”
She opened the bag and pulled out a brass key and a slip of paper with directions. “What’s wrong with using my suite? All of my supplies are here.”
“You’ll be more comfortable in my apartment, I assure you.”
She doubted she’d ever relax in his presence. “I will bring Zeta with me.”
“If you must, but you needn’t worry about your reputation. The apartment entrance is very discrete.”
“Entering the building does not concern me. Being in the building does.”
Nico held out his hands. “You have nothing to fear from me, Kitty. I will be a perfect gentleman.”
“You forget that I have seen you in action, Signore.”
He offered no denial but a hearty laugh. “Make out a list of your needs and send it to Raul. I expect the portrait to be as handsome as I’ve been told I am.”
He flashed another wicked smile before Raul led him away.
“I’ll do my best,” Marietta said under her breath. She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. She felt like she had just made a deal with the devil.
“That man’s trouble, child.”
She opened her eyes to find Rosina in the doorway with both hands on her ample hips.
“But look how much he’s going to pay her,” Zeta said
Marietta thrust something in his father’s face.
Nico tried to keep from smiling. The little kitten had claws. Not many people would dare accuse one of the original families of Venice of dishonesty.
“In light of your loss, I will ignore this grievous insult.” Savio stepped around her and opened the door to the hallway. “Now, I must ask you to leave, as I have other business to attend to.”
A few seconds ticked by in which Nico waited to see what Marietta would do, but then she turned and marched out of the room. He would probably regret it, but he had to ask the old man. “So, is she right? Did you cheat the painter?”
“The family finances are none of your business,” his father said in a cold voice. “Now leave me.”
Feeling like a ten-year-old boy being sent to his room, Nico’s face burned at his father’s harsh command. “As you wish, but if you have need of me, I will be out chasing anything with breasts.”
His callous remark met no response from his father, who was already fumbling with the lock on the desk drawer. Nico chuckled at the idea that popped into his head. He hurried from the room to find Raul.
ou want me to do what?” Marietta asked for the third time.
“Paint my portrait.” Each time Nico said it, the words came out more slowly. This last time, he added an exasperated sigh for dramatic effect. “You need patrons. I need to hurt my father where he’ll feel it the most. It’s a win-win situation.”
She would be a fool if she agreed to his proposition. Marietta bit her bottom lip and eyed the coin purse he juggled from hand to hand. His offer was well above the usual price for a portrait. It would cover two, even three portraits—or one large fresco. She resisted smacking her forehead at the realization. “You want to pay me for my father’s work.”
Nico shrugged his shoulders dismissively. “I want to pay you for painting my portrait. That is all.”
“So when the elder Signor Foscari shows up at my door demanding refund of his money, what do I do?”
“Let me worry about my father,” he said with a wave of his hand. “Do we have a deal?”
When she didn’t answer, Zeta let out a small squeak from the corner of the room. Mesmerized by her visitor, Marietta had forgotten they weren’t alone. She looked over at her friend and knew she had no choice but to agree. They needed the money. “Fine, but you must pay in advance. I find your family rather . . . untrustworthy.”
Nico gave her a sly grin. “I’d have it no other way.” He tossed the coin purse and landed it on her lap. “Inside, you will find a key and directions to my private apartment. I will be there every day from two o’clock to five. Shall we start tomorrow?”
She opened the bag and pulled out a brass key and a slip of paper with directions. “What’s wrong with using my suite? All of my supplies are here.”
“You’ll be more comfortable in my apartment, I assure you.”
She doubted she’d ever relax in his presence. “I will bring Zeta with me.”
“If you must, but you needn’t worry about your reputation. The apartment entrance is very discrete.”
“Entering the building does not concern me. Being in the building does.”
Nico held out his hands. “You have nothing to fear from me, Kitty. I will be a perfect gentleman.”
“You forget that I have seen you in action, Signore.”
He offered no denial but a hearty laugh. “Make out a list of your needs and send it to Raul. I expect the portrait to be as handsome as I’ve been told I am.”
He flashed another wicked smile before Raul led him away.
“I’ll do my best,” Marietta said under her breath. She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. She felt like she had just made a deal with the devil.
“That man’s trouble, child.”
She opened her eyes to find Rosina in the doorway with both hands on her ample hips.
“But look how much he’s going to pay her,” Zeta said
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