Page 77 of Where the Wicked Reign

That was… another level. Especially where he was concerned.Sex addictdidn’t quite cover it when it came to him.

“Besides, it also meant last night was one of the very rare instances where you and I hung out without fucking being involved.”

I narrowed my eyes. “You were making a point, after what we talked about.”

“Actually, no. It just happened the way it did last night.” He gave me a withering look as he stretched his arm along the back of the couch. “Not everything is a manipulation, or has double meaning, Milo. You need to fucking relax.”

"Sei proprio uno stronzo,”I muttered.

The slide of the balcony door took my attention, and I looked to see Nico striding back on in. “Julian? Such an asshole? Really?” he said, frowning between us.

I chugged some of my coffee. “That’s right.”

“You’re being ridiculous,” Julian told me.

“He did a fine job last night,” Nico cut in. “Although you already know that.”

Julian tensed. “What are you getting at, N?”

Nico rolled his eyes. “Your timing, even knowing Caterina had burst into that room… you think it didn’t cross my mind that you’d turned on the camera?”

“It was—”

“No need to make excuses. I know it wasn’t your idea. You hate the cameras being there in the first place.” Nico eyed me and it was my turn to tense then.

“Thanks for looking out for me. For both of us, actually.”

What the—what was happening? He hated when he was called into question in any way. Not to mention, it had already been firmly established that he abhorred my interference when it came to Caterina.

He even enforced his comment with a genuine smile.

He was obviously more relaxed than I’d even realized then.

Before I could speak to it, he reported, “My research on possible additional buyers for our coke operations has come through with a viable match for a long-term partner. I just reached out to Tony before my smoke and he’s going to run in-person recon on the prospect for a couple of days to confirm their viability and ensure the dealers are well-versed in the discreet way we do business.”

“Wow, that would be an amazing get and definitely something to calm Leo down when it comes to you.”

“Nice,” Julian said. “He’ll be expecting you to retaliate, so you do the opposite, smooth things over, bring in more business, exceed your financial targets.”

“Precisely.”

I smiled to myself.

Nico was on the top of his game.

Had I been worried for nothing?

Had him wavering been only a temporary thing?

Or…goddammit…did this stabilization have something to do with Caterina? Or, Hades forbid, was it a direct result of her influence over him? Was she actually good for him, after all? I mean, her business acumen was renowned. She’d outdone herself. She was even being awarded for it soon. Maybe thatinfluencecould actually rub off on Nico, instead of it being something negative and dragging him down after all.

Maybe.

It was still worrying. She still definitely impacted him in other ways, too.

If that could be offset with this side of things, all would be well and good.

If not, though, then we were all in a shitload of trouble.

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