“I have a job to do, Jakub.” She plants her hands flat on the kitchen island that separates us, taking a battle stance.
“A job that can wait a day or two.” I match her glare. The club is safe, but I can’t be there today. And if I’m not there, I don’t want her there either. Not until I’ve had a chance to sort out the trouble with the Kaczmareks.
“I don’t get paid vacation days for another four months. I need the money.”
I blink hard.
“Money? You’re worried about money right now?” Has she not been paying attention to the last twenty-four hours?
Then again, maybe she has.
“What are you going to, Nicole? Are you going to hop on another train and head to California maybe? Michigan? Where do you think you can hide that they won’t find you if they want you?” I lean forward across the island, bringing my eyes level with hers.
Nicole may have been raised on the outskirts of the mafia, but she never learned how to school her expressions. She has little flickers of her lips when she’s nervous, and she chews the inside of her cheek when she’s trying to control her temper.
Right now she’s chewing.
“Henry just needs time to cool off. The charges will get dropped on him in New York, and he’ll finally see I had nothing to do with it.”
“So, you’ll just run until that happens?”
“It’s not running,” she snaps at me.
“Then what is it?” I demand. We don’t really have time for this argument, but I need to understand her thinking. Because from the outside it seems as though she’s not thinking at all.
Her nostrils flare and her cheeks burst into a blush.
“Fuck. I don’t know.” Her words pop out of her mouth with frustration.
Somewhat satisfied, I ease back from the island.
“You’re not going anywhere. And you’re not stepping foot in the club until I can be there with you.”
She brings angry eyes up to mine.
“You can’t just bark out orders, Jakub. I’m not some puppy.”
The image of her wearing one of those fluffy puppy tail butt plugs makes my cock hurt. If I keep this up, I’m gonna mess myself.
“I sure as fuck can. When it comes to your safety, you’re damn right I’m giving you orders.”
“Well, I don’t have to follow them.” She shoves away from the island, forgetting all about her coffee and rounds the island heading full steam for the stairs to the loft.
I grab her arm just as she reaches the stairwell and spin her back to face me.
“I killed that asshole in your apartment, Nicole. The Kaczmareks aren’t happy about it.”
She yanks her arm free of me, stepping backward up onto the first step. This brings her closer to my eye level, but not quite.
“I see. You want some form of payment?”
“Killing him put me and my family into this mess. So, until it’s resolved, you aren’t going anywhere. You’ll stay with me, here, where I can keep an eye on you until it’s all done.”
She stares at me in silent anger. The wheels are spinning, but she’s maintaining an even calm.
“Last night was a mistake. I shouldn’t have let you touch me.” She shakes her head. “You think because you had your dick in me, you own me, and that’s not how this works.”
“That’s not how what works?” I narrow my gaze; she’s gearing up for a blowup.