Page 24 of Taming Nikki

He just laughed. Nicole’s uncle shook his head. “Alright, no killing each other in the restaurant. Take that shit outside. You gonna order or what?”

ChapterEleven

NIKKI

I keptmy eye on Leo as we put in our orders. If he started shit in my uncle’s restaurant, I’d kill him for sure. Nino, like Nonna, didn’t care much about bloodlines. I was always helpful, volunteered in the kitchen whenever I got the chance, mostly to get time away from my new family, and he loved me for it. He used to say he wanted to leave the restaurant to me instead of his sons, but he let it go after I became successful with my business. He was the one who taught me how to use a gun.

Leo was doing that casual bullshit again, leaning back in the seat, his arms crossed. His eyes scanned the room more than once, probably looking for a threat, but he wouldn’t find one here. This was a neutral zone and besides, no one fucked with Uncle Nino and lived to tell the tale.

Nino walked away to handle our orders, and the tension rose in the group. Leo’s eyes landed on me, and I scowled at him. I’d been trying to ignore him in hopes that he’d take a fucking hint, but apparently not.

“Got a problem, Vitale?”

“As a matter of fact, yes.” He leaned forward and rested his forearms on the table. He looked like he was supposed to be in a meeting with that stupid suit.

“We need to talk about your little business.”

I snorted. “Not if you want to keep our little deal, we don’t. Mind your fucking business.”

His expression never changed, his face impassive. “When I signed the deal with your father, you became my business. I’m not having my fiancée all over town letting people grope her so she can move her product.”

A self-satisfied smile crossed my face. I was wondering if he was ever going to mention that. It technically wasn’t how I handed out the product anymore. I haven’t done it in months, but now that I knew it pissed him off, I had no intention of stopping.

“Good thing I’m not your fiancée. I can move my product however the fuck I want. Be careful, Vitale. I have no problem following through if you break the deal.”

“If you do follow through, it won’t just be me you’ll be putting at risk.” He tipped his head toward Frankie. There. That was it. That was the fucking reason he sent Frankie out to hang with us. He wasn’t a buffer, he was fucking collateral. It basically guaranteed that I wouldn’t break the deal because I didn’t want Frankie to get hurt. He was just a fucking kid.

Acrimony burned in my throat, and I clenched my fists. Neutral zone or not, Leo Vitale wasn’t getting through this dinner unscathed. His face was unmoving, but I could see the satisfaction in his eyes. He thought he'd won.

“There are more ways than breaking the deal to handle you, Vitale. Tell me, did you ever figure out what the product actually is?”

He said nothing, which was all the answer I needed. I knew that one of the USBs had a wrong password the other day. I got alerts for that, but I didn’t know if it was an accident or not until right now. They must’ve gotten ahold of one and tried to hack it. I raised my eyebrows and watched a muscle tic in his jaw.

Frankie was wide eyed as he watched us. “I get the feeling this marriage is going to be short and violent.”

“There won’t be a fucking marriage.”

Leo huffed out a laugh and leaned back, settling on casual again. He seemed to find my adamant refusal amusing. I glared at him.

“You’d have to drug me and drag me down the aisle to get me there. It’s not fucking happening.”

He looked unimpressed. “That can be arranged.”

Uncle Nino came by with the pizzas before I could reply. We ate in relative silence. The only conversation was between Piero and Frankie. Piero was only a couple of years older than Frankie, so I wasn’t surprised they got along. I was just starting to relax when my phone rang.

“What?”

“We’ve got a problem,” Marco mumbled.

“What the– Again?!” My cousins were seriously getting on my last nerve. I needed my fucking computer back. “Don’t fucking touch anything. I’ll be there soon.”

I tossed my napkin on the table with a growl and hoisted myself out of my seat. I grimaced when my skin stuck to the leather. I chose the outfit to piss Leo off, but I couldn’t stand when it was hot and your skin stuck to the seat.

I waved Nino down. “I’ve got shit to handle. What do I owe you?”

He rolled his eyes at me. “Since when have I ever charged you? Go handle business. Let me know whose ass I need to kick later.”

Snorting, I slapped his palm for a high five before I spun around. I hesitated when I remembered Leo drove us here. A warm hand slid across my lower back and I stiffened.

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