Page 20 of Blackout: Book Two

“Ritzer doesn’t even know Frankie exists,” Nico replies. “They’ve been sneaking around for two months because the girl knows her father will fucking castrate my brother.” He pauses for a beat, shoving more ice cream in his mouth. “Forget my old man, wait until yours finds out.”

He’s right. Ritzer has had it out for the club for a while, way before my father went against the deal and he indicted my husband. I’m not sure he’s finished with them either. Blackie is a consolation prize for the powerhouse attorney. He won’t settle. Especially if it turns out that Wolf’s son knocked up his little girl.

“I mean, maybe I’m overreacting,” Nico says. “What are the odds of her getting knocked up after one time?”

“You didn’t pay much attention in sex education class, did you?”

“I paid enough attention not to get anyone pregnant in ten years,” he counters.

“That you know of,” I tease, taking another bite. “So, what are you going to do? Are you going to tell your father?”

“Fuck no,” he replies. “I’m not getting involved in this mess. If she winds up pregnant, then I’ll buy a shower gift. Until then, mums the word.”

I laugh at him and he smiles at me. Leaning over he digs his spoon into my pint and shoves some of my ice cream into his mouth.

“Enough about Johnny Appleseed,” he says with his mouthful. “How have you been doing? I’m sorry I jetted on you the other day.”

“I’m okay,” I say, handing him the rest of my ice cream. “Here, I’m full.” He takes the ice cream but instead of digging in, he drops both pints on the coffee table and turns his body to face me.

“You don’t have to pretend with me, Lacey,” he says seriously.

In the little while he’s been here, I haven’t thought about my troubles. It’s almost as if I can pretend I’m normal when I’m around Nico, and I like that. I like it a lot.

“What if I want to pretend with you?” I ask. “You know sometimes it’s nice to forget what a mess your life is. It’s nice to forget your husband is in jail or that you were alone when you heard your baby’s heartbeat for the first time.”

His face softens as he frowns at me.

“I would’ve come with you,” he murmurs. “You know, so you weren’t alone.”

I know he means well, but Nico and I aren’t exactly best friends. If anything, our friendship is just finding its footing and truthfully, he’d be the last person I want accompanying me to the gynecologist.

“That would’ve been weird,” I tell him. “But thank you for offering.”

“Anything you need, I’m there. All you gotta do is call.”

“Why?”

He shrugs.

“Why not? We’re friends, Lacey, and where I come from friends help one another.”

That may be true but in the back of my head, I can still hear him confess that he once had a crush on me. It may be presumptuous to think he still does but relying on Nico makes me feel as if I’m taking advantage of that. I might hate my husband right now and I may never forgive him for what he’s done to us, but I would never allow another man to fill his shoes in his absence. Especially when it comes to our child.

“Shit,” he mutters, slapping his hands to his knees. “I’ve gotta get out of here. I promised Riggs I’d swing by Kate’s and help train the new girl he hired before hitting the hay. Do you have any idea why your father is sending me to the airport at the ass crack of dawn?”

Befuddled, I lose my train of thought. I have no idea why my father would send him to the airport. The only people due to fly anytime soon are my mother and stepfather and while they all get along; I doubt my father would send Nico to pick them up if they had changed their flight.

“Forget it,” he says, rising to his feet. “He wouldn’t have clued you in either. We’re all just Jack Parrish’s minions.”

This is true.

He presses a kiss to the top of my head.

“I’ll talk to you soon,” he says. “Thanks for hanging out with me for a little. I needed to get that off my chest.”

“Anytime,” I reply, motioning to the ice cream. “Thanks for the ice cream.”

“That’s what friends are for,” he says with a wink. “That and pretending.”

I smile.

I suppose there is no harm in that.

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