Page 22 of Taming Nikki

I stepped up beside her and leaned against the counter. I couldn’t quite pull off casual. I was too pissed off. Morelli’s sons knew about the deal, so they were aware that Nicole belonged to me now. If they hurt her, it would be a sign of disrespect towards me. I glared at her brother. If he tried to hurt her again, I’d have to make an example out of him.

“Count me in. Meat lovers,” her cousin chimed. His aunt scowled at him, but Morelli flashed her a look. He was done with the arguing and expected her to stay silent. I doubted I’d ever be able to get Nicole to do that.

“You still owe me from last time, asshole.”

“Nicole.” Morelli’s voice was sharp and low. She shot him a bored look. “Take that elsewhere. We’re trying to eat.”

She slid off the counter and grabbed her bag, ignoring me. I jerked my chin at Frankie before nodding at Morelli. He didn’t need to ask why I wasn’t staying. We followed behind Nicole and her cousin, and my eyes strayed more than once to her ass. She was still in her bathing suit, uncaring that she was so exposed. I had to fight the urge to demand she go change.

She looked like she was headed toward the stairs before Viola’s shrill voice cut through the air. “Nicole! You better not sit on my furniture in wet clothes!”

A flash of a grin crossed her face before she did an about face and headed straight toward the living room. She dropped onto the couch, going directly against Viola’s wishes.

“Come on, Nikki. I’ll pay you back.”

I perched on the arm of the couch next to her and snorted when I saw where she was ordering from. “Pizza Hut? Really? You know you’re Italian, right?”

“Not fully,” Bianca snickered, as she strolled past. Nicole didn’t even look up.

“At least I’m not a soul sucking bitch like you, B.”

Bianca shrieked and stormed away, and I couldn’t help but grin. “Are the bitchy comebacks off the top of your head, or do you do research before bed every night?”

Frankie laughed as he sat down next to her. She shoved his head, but not in a cruel way. She was treating him like she treats her little sisters, which was the point of him coming today. He put her at ease. At least she wasn’t trying to kill me. For now.

I plucked the phone from her hand and dropped it into my pocket. “Go get dressed. I’ll take you out for real pizza.”

She rolled her eyes. “Not on your life. Give me my phone.” She held out her hand. I glanced at Frankie. Let’s see how much he learned today.

He nudged Nicole. “Come on. My uncle’s place is the best. You can bring your cousin in case you want someone to shoot Leo for you.”

She snorted. “One, if anyone was going to shoot him, I’d do it myself. And two, there is no place on earth better than my Uncle Nino’s restaurant, little boy. Don’t kid yourself.”

Her cousin groaned. “Oh, come on, any place but there.”

That’s what ended up getting Nicole to agree to go. A slow grin passed over her face before she met her cousin’s gaze. He snarled and stormed away, but he was back a moment later.

“Fine. Only because I don’t want to eat with them.” He tipped his head toward the kitchen, his arms crossed. “You going in your bathing suit, or are you going to get a fucking move on? I’m hungry.”

Everything he said only made her draw it out. She stretched leisurely as she stood and sauntered toward the stairs. I had to fight to keep my expression neutral because I almost matched Frankie’s open-mouthed stare. She looked like she belonged in a fucking magazine centerfold, her long dark hair spilling down her back. When I saw her by the pool earlier, dripping wet and smirking, I had to put my hands in my pockets to hide the obvious erection. She was turning me into a damn fool, drooling after her, and I wasn’t fucking happy about it. This was supposed to be a punishment for her, not me.

While she changed, I stepped outside for a smoke. She set me on edge and I needed to keep calm around her. I knew she’d try and get a rise out of me during this meal. I had to show her that her bratty attitude wasn’t going to affect me.

She stepped outside with the guys a few moments later. She’d tossed her long hair into a ponytail, throwing on shorts that were too damn short and a shirt that looked like it used to be a t-shirt, but she took scissors to it until it was barely a covering. You could even see her bra from the side. Combined with sandals, her outfit was barely covering more than her bathing suit did. I actually choked, coughing on smoke as I looked at her.

She flashed me an unimpressed look and plucked the cigarette from my fingers. She put it between her lips, inhaling slowly before blowing the smoke at me. She didn’t bother to say anything, she just walked away toward the driveway. I grabbed her elbow and scowled.

“Go change.”

She kept her face blank as she jerked her elbow free. “Fuck off and die, Vitale.”

Frankie’s eyebrows flew up. “Damn. Going straight for the jugular.”

Her cousin snickered and followed her. “Might as well give up, Vitale. Not even her own papa can get her to change if she doesn’t want to.”

Just like that, she was already testing my control. I wanted to grab her by the hair and haul her back inside, but then she would win because I lost my temper. Frankie would have more luck with her right now and that just pissed me off more. I stalked after them, watching her laugh and shove Frankie away when he asked to try the cigarette.

She tried to demand they drive separately, but her cousin, who introduced himself as Piero, adamantly refused.

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