Page 40 of Taming Nikki

Morelli nodded. “I appreciate it. She seems to think she’s invulnerable. Someone sometime is going to catch her off guard, and I don’t want her alone when it happens.”

We shook hands as I left. I needed to figure out how to control Nicole. I would not have her disrespecting me like Viola just did to Morelli. This was why I didn’t want to get married in the first place. I didn’t have time for this shit.

I followed Morelli’s advice and sought the cousins. Frankie had texted me during the meeting that he was with them in the basement once Viola made the girls leave with her. I was just heading down the basement stairs when I ran into Nicole’s brothers.

They scowled at me with stoney eyed silence as I paused, blocking their path.

“Nicole is loyal enough that she refused to rat you two out. That doesn’t mean I’m unaware of what you did. It’s only the alliance with your father that is keeping you alive.”

DiAngelo snorted. “Nicole isn’t loyal to anyone. She keeps her mouth shut because she knows what’ll happen if she doesn’t. Don’t threaten me, Vitale. I’m not afraid of you.”

Pent up rage threatened to boil over, but I kept my face blank. “Next time you and I are alone together, I won’t hesitate to kill you. Watch your back, Morelli.”

Gino lunged forward but was stopped by his brother’s hand lifting. He glared at me. “I guess we have an understanding then. Good luck with her. She’s a real piece of work.”

When I didn’t move out of their way, they both looked pissed and tried to stare me down. It wasn’t until their father bellowed their names that they stepped off the stairs to let me by. I gave them my back, showing them I wasn’t afraid of them. It was a dangerous move. They could try and rush me, but I knew they wouldn’t. They would end up starting a war and I was more than capable of handling them on my own anyway.

I stepped into the room Frankie told me he was in. All three boys were seated around a television, playing video games. Piero gave me a two finger wave.

“Yo. Nikki’s not here. Pretty sure she’s not allowed down here anymore.”

Frankie snorted. “Has that ever stopped her before?”

They all laughed. Knuckleheads.

“I know she’s not here. I need the name of her tattoo artist.”

Marco didn’t even look away from the TV as he spoke to me. “Yeah, we aren’t going to tell you that. I know she was headed there this morning. I also know for a fact she doesn’t want you around, so no thanks, I value my life.”

“Doesn’t seem like it since you’re keeping shit from me,” I growled. I admired their loyalty, but it wasn’t going to help me find Nicole.

Marco leaned to look up at me. “Look, man. I know your reputation and yeah, I wouldn’t want to meet you in an abandoned alley, but Nikki is so much worse. She won’t beat the hell out of you. She’ll destroy your entire life before she even thinks about pulling out a weapon. She’ll sell your information to your enemies, put all your private shit on the internet, expose every secret you’ve got and she’ll do it with a fucking smile. She’s scarier than you are.”

That was a first and honestly a little irritating. And I knew laying a hand on her cousins would give Nikki all the ammo she needed to break our deal and do exactly what Marco described. I scowled, and he grinned at me.

“You see? You don’t piss off Nikki. It’s like the number one rule in this house.”

My phone rang, saving the grinning shit’s life because at that moment I was going to kill him. I yanked it out of my pocket with a growl.

“What?”

“Woah. Sorry, thought you wanted us to find your girl?”

“Where is she?”

“Tattoo shop downtown. I’ll send you the address. She already started, though. We didn’t find her fast enough to stop her.”

My patience ran out, and I barked at Gio. “God dammit! You’re all fucking useless! Nikki could probably find you blindfolded! Send me the goddamn address. Now!”

I hung up without waiting for his reply. The address came in almost immediately. “Frankie, let’s go,” I snapped.

He dropped his shoulders, ready to pout and argue.

“Now, Frankie!”

He yelped and jumped from his seat, tossing the controller to Piero. “Alright, alright. I’m going!”

I narrowed my eyes at Nicole’s cousins as Frankie ran from the room. They watched, wide eyed, before their gazes settled on me. “Once she’s married to me, her business is mine. If you want to keep working with her, you’re going to need me on your side. Think about that.”

---