Chapter 12
Finishing breakfast lost its allure after River went back upstairs to get dressed.
Pity about the whole getting dressed thing. He rather liked her half-naked in his kitchen.
OK, that was an understatement. He fucking loved her half naked in his kitchen. But since he was quite sure she wasn’t ready to hear about just how much he loved it, he downplayed his interest and pretended he didn’t have a giant hard-on while carrying her out to the aviary.
And for whoever might be interested: carrying someone while sporting a hard-on was not easy.
He was dumping the remnants of his coffee down the sink when Van came in, looking like he hadn’t slept in a decade. “You look tired, my friend.”
Van shoved a hand through his already messy hair, leaned a hip on the kitchen counter, and crossed his arms over his chest. “The Russians keep shitty hours.”
Nico chuckled. “Or perhaps you’re just getting too old for this business.”
“Fuck, aren’t we all?”
True. Way too true. “Was the sleepless night worth it?”
“Yeah, I think so. It’s clear none of Alexi’s lieutenants were in on whatever Ricky and Lang had planned.”
“How do you know?”
“They’re all still alive,” he said dryly.
Fair enough. “What else did you find out?”
“Alexi is just as spooked as we are about a potential mutiny. His team was working all night, looking for any other contacts between our guys and his. It doesn’t seem like he found anything. Not yet, anyway. And according to Ren, their guy isn’t having any luck finding Lang, either.”
Nico chuckled. And if he knew Ren, the Russians’ hacker would continue to have no luck finding anything. He’d make sure of it. “What about River? Are they looking into her as well?”
Van hesitated like he always did before delivering any bad news.
But, like always, it was only a brief hesitation because Van knew how impatient he was in business matters.
“They’re looking into her hard. No one believes that someone with her background would ever even meet someone like you, let alone end up engaged to you.
Especially given where she lives and how poor she is.
No way would Nico Fortunado let his woman live like she does.
Or dress like she does, for that matter. ”
There were several things that bothered him about what Van was saying, and none of them involved the Russians looking into River. He’d assumed that would happen. “Where does she live?”
“West side.” He rattled off an address.
Jesus Christ. She practically lived in a crack den. And also… “What’s wrong with the way she dresses?”
He hadn’t meant to growl the words like a feral animal. But he had. The thought of anyone judging River based on her clothes made him feel violent. Well, more violent than usual, he supposed.
Van set his cup down and raised his hands in supplication. “Look, no offense. She’s a cute girl. But she dresses like a schoolteacher.”
He frowned. “She is a schoolteacher.”
“I’m aware. But the wife of the head of a mafia family does not dress like a schoolteacher. Look, all I’m saying is that her lifestyle is not lending any credibility to your relationship. Alexi isn’t going to react well if he thinks you’re fucking with him on this.”
He held in a deep sigh. He liked it much better when he had no contact with the Russians at all. Fucking Ricky. “Any word on where Ricky might be hiding?”
“Enzo checked with his family and his girl. No sign of him yet. Ren says Ricky’s off the grid, but that he’s too dumb to keep that up for long. He’ll find him.”
Of that, Nico had no doubt. Ren was scarily good at his job. “And Lang?”
“Same.”
So, they had jack with a side of squat. Great. Still, he gave Van a congenial shoulder clap. “Get some sleep. You’ve earned it. Enzo will stay with me today.”
He looked grateful but was still professional enough to ask, “What do you have planned for the day?”
It was Nico’s chance to sigh. “I suppose I’m taking my fiancée shopping.”
Van winced. “Yeah, well…good luck.”
And with that, the coward disappeared. Nico almost wished he could do the same. Because something told him that while many women would love an all-expenses paid shopping spree, River wasn’t one of them.