Page 18 of Taming Nikki

I chuckled. It was going to be interesting to see his reaction when I told him I was marrying her. He must’ve told his mother because she called a few moments later.

“Where are you going tomorrow?”

I put out the cigarette, blowing out smoke before I answered her. “Does it matter?”

“Of course it does. He’s only fifteen, Leo.”

He was currently the youngest in the family. Most of my cousins were of marrying age, but just not interested in settling down. And there were significantly more men than women, so there weren’t a ton of arrangements being made. That made him the baby, and he was treated like one too often. It was time for him to step up.

I didn’t speak, waiting for Aunt Carlotta to figure out she was overstepping again. Her voice wavered on the other end. “Okay. I’m sorry. Just tell me he’s going to come home safe.”

“He’ll come home safe. Goodbye Carlotta.”

I hung up, but there was a knock on my door and Gio stepped into my office before I could even set the damn thing down. I couldn’t get a fucking break.

“Heard you had some trouble earlier.” He chuckled, not bothering to wait for my response. “Got more information on the girl.”

I jerked my chin at the chair across from me, and he sat, stretching out his long legs. He seemed relaxed, but I could see the tension in his posture. There was something bothering him.

“What?”

“I found out what she was selling, or at least, kind of. It was a pain in the ass. Her clients are fucking loyal. The thing is, I don’t know the full picture yet and I’m pretty sure that’s why they like her so much. She’s like a fucking ghost.”

I sighed, leaning back. Gio was the best I had at getting information on people, so if he was struggling, she had to have some deep connections.

“What do you have so far?”

He pulled a little baggie like the ones I saw her with at the party and tossed it at me. Inside was a small USB, not drugs.

“Whatever you do, don’t plug that shit into your computer. I tried to hack it and it destroyed my entire system.”

I jerked my gaze to his, and he nodded, chuckling. “I know. I wasn’t expecting it either. Whatever is on that USB, she isn’t letting anyone get to it without the password. One wrong answer, poof. System down. Not even sure if the damn USB works anymore.”

Jesus. Every time I feel like I’m close to figuring her out, Nicole tosses the notion on its ass and heads in a new direction.

“How do you know it’s hers?” She could just be a dealer. She disappeared inside the house before she started handing them out. It could’ve been one of the cousins she wandered off with who was making them.

“I don’t. Not for sure, anyway. I told you, she’s a fucking ghost. I can barely tie her to dealing them. I got a hold of the cameras at the Ricci joint you told me she was at. She moved around the area seamlessly. Not once did it come up on camera that she was handing them out. She lets people get handsy and somehow slips it to them. It was kind of hot, actually.”

I scowled. This was fucking unhelpful. “Send me the footage. I want to see it myself.”

He nodded and pushed himself out of his chair. When he didn’t immediately leave, I raised an eyebrow at him.

“Ever thought of asking her? She’s already told you she’s in business, she might be willing to share the details.”

I scoffed. That shit might’ve worked before, though I seriously doubted it. Now that she was being forced to marry me, I didn’t think I was getting anything from her. I’ll have to have a talk with her about the dealing tomorrow. I won’t have the entire city getting handsy with my fiancée. It’d make me look bad.

When I didn’t respond, Gio lifted his brows, shrugging. “Just a thought. I’ll send you the video.”

Once he left, I scrubbed my face with my hands before pulling out another cigarette. I thought I knew what I was getting into with Nicole Morelli. I keep underestimating her. It wouldn’t happen again. And luckily, I liked a challenge.

ChapterNine

NIKKI

I pacedin my room as I tried to figure out my next move. This had gone fucking sideways in the worst way, and I didn’t have a clue what to do next. When I got home last night, I went straight for Papa and screamed at him to leave me out of his deals. We both got so heated, Gino and DiAngelo had to separate us. They forced me to stay downstairs in Gino’s room for the night while he stayed in mine, so I’d stay as far away from Papa as possible. Not even Marco and Piero would go anywhere near me. I woke up still in a panic and couldn’t seem to get my head on straight.

Amara poked her head around the door, a worried look on her face. I sucked in a breath as I pulled myself together. I would not take my bad mood out on my little sister. When I finally sat on the edge of my bed, she disappeared. I heard her speaking in the hall before she and Gemma came in to join me and sat on either side of me.

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