Page 36 of Taming Nikki

“I’m guessing Leo wants you to make sure I don’t leave.”

He bobbed his head. “Pretty much. I don’t mind the job, though. I like hanging out with you. How’s Amara?”

I moved quick to capture his chin and tilted his face away from me as I kissed his cheek, leaving a large mark behind. He squeaked and jumped back, his face bright red.

“I wonder how Leo is going to react to the fact that you’ve got his fiancée’s lipstick on your face.”

His eyes widened in horror as he brushed his fingers across his cheek. When they came back smeared in red, he paled. I pointed behind him.

“Pretty sure the bathroom is over there. If you hurry, he might not find out.”

Given that Frankie was still just a kid, I knew he wouldn’t second guess my suggestion. He ran for the bathroom without hesitation. I shook my head as I made my way outside. I didn’t bother to call Enzo. It would take too long for him to get here and Leo would figure out where I went. Instead, I lifted my hand and caught a cab. I always had cash on me, so I rattled off my address and took one last look at the club behind me. Hopefully, this little stunt wouldn’t get Frankie killed.

ChapterSeventeen

LEO

The meeting hadn’t even begun yetwhen my phone rang. My lips quirked up. That was faster than I thought.

“Where is she?”

“Hopped in a cab. Looks like she’s headed home.”

“Good. Follow her, make sure she gets there safely.”

I hung up, shaking my head. I was under no illusion that Nicole would stick around after what I did. She looked panicked, her eyes unfocused, as I left. I sent Frankie to stall her, but he apparently didn’t have what it took against that kind of turmoil. He was still in training, so I couldn’t even kick his ass for it.

The meeting took some time. The club owner who approached me was looking to move away, but given that he and his club belonged to me, he wasn’t going anywhere without my permission. He tried to haggle, he needed money for the move, but that wasn’t really my problem. Instead, he left with only about a third of what his club was worth. Since it came with the guarantee that we wouldn’t go after him, he took it without question.

Once he left, I pulled up the security feeds for the club and gaming hall and called for Frankie to join me. While I waited for him, I rewound the feed to watch Nicole’s escape. I smirked when she started applying the lipstick. I knew what she planned, and I laughed out loud as I watched Frankie panic and take off.

He came in a moment later and was hovering by the door nervously. Mikey was behind him and gave him a small shove to get him moving. He shuffled into the room, his eyes on the floor.

“I’m sorry, Leo. I didn’t realize…”

I pulled out a cigarette, but I wasn’t irritated with him. I was still on edge from my little game with Nicole, and I had a lot of shit to do tonight. Mikey guided Frankie into the seat across from me with a hand on his shoulder. I shook my head as I lit the thing.

“Don’t hold it against yourself. Putting you up against Nikki was like dropping you into the deep end with cement shoes. I knew she’d manipulate you.”

His head whipped up, and he gaped at me. “Seriously?” When I nodded, he scowled. “Why'd you send me out there, then?”

“I wanted to see what she’d do. And now you know to never walk away from someone I told you to keep around.”

He made a face, but eventually agreed. “Yeah, alright. What now?”

“Now, it’s past your bedtime. Go home.”

He growled, jerking out of the chair as he stormed to the door. I stopped him before he walked out. “If I find my fiancée’s lipstick on you again, I’ll kick your ass. I don’t care if she started it.”

His shoulders went up around his ears and he grimaced. Once he fled the room, I chuckled and leaned back in my seat. Mikey snickered while shaking his head at me.

“Dick move, man. He never saw it coming.”

I exhaled, aiming the smoke away from him. “I’m aware. It’ll keep him focused for next time.”

Mikey threw himself into Frankie’s abandoned seat. When he lifted his legs like he was going to put his feet on my desk, I glared at him until he put them back down and grinned at me.

“Think she’ll do it again?”

---