Chapter 20
chapter twenty
Boom
Nico
Ishould’ve canceled this date. The moment I got that fucking email, I should’ve called Tiffany and told her we would go out another day. I knew I wouldn’t be in the right frame of mind for this. But I didn’t want to disappoint her.
However, my mind can’t focus. The rage boiling inside me is making it hard to concentrate.
All I can think about is the sick psycho that has been able to get not only my email address but also my wife’s phone number, yet we can’t find shit on him.
I went directly to Maseo when I got that email hoping that he could trace the fucking message back to an IP address or something.
Maseo is among the top computer hackers in the world.
He went to MIT and graduated at the top of his class.
Hell, he works independently for the fucking government.
He knows his shit, but not even he could figure out where that message came from.
He says the IP address is routed all around the world.
Trying to find the right location would be like pulling at tangled cords, hoping it leads to the correct source.
He promised to continue working on it, but it may take a while. I didn’t have a fucking while.
“Do you think what Mira said is right?”
I tune back into Tiffany’s conversation. My poor angel has been carrying this date night all by herself. In all honesty, I remember ordering drinks and food, but hell, I don’t even know what I ordered.
“Yeah, sure.” I had no idea what I was agreeing to. My mind couldn’t even come up with one thing she said.
She smiles. “Good, I’ll go first….”
My phone pings, letting me know I have a message. Flipping the device over in my lap, I glance down at the screen.
Rome: I might have some information for you about that crate. Let me dig a little deeper. I’ll get back to you.
Not only did I have this Horseman shit to deal with, but I also still had someone out there fucking with my guns.
It’s one thing to destroy them, but selling them to petty criminals is a problem.
If by some miracle, the wrong person found a way to trace them back to me, I’d have a hell of a legal battle on my hands.
My brothers and I cover our tracks when we’re dealing with our side businesses.
There isn’t anything on those fucking guns that can lead back to me, but you can never be too safe.
Someone has them, someone that knows enough about my organization to steal them from me.
And if they are dumb enough to sell them to small-time criminals, they could be dumb enough to get caught and rat me out.
“I don’t know if my mother and I are actually mending our relationship. I feel like she’s trying, but I’m not sure I’m ready to forgive.” Once again, Tiffany pulls me out of my thoughts.
I feel horrible. Not even how beautiful she looks in that green dress tonight can distract me from the shit going on.
No, you were too weak for that, weren’t you, Nicholas?
That line replays in my head. My fingers tighten into fists underneath the table. That disgusted feeling washes back over me. The memory of hot breath and firm hands on my shoulders. My heart pounds making a swooshing sound in my ears. My sight goes blurry as I shut my eyes to regain control.
“One, two, three.” I try to count in my head to ground myself.
“Babe, are you okay?” Tiffany’s voice sounds miles away.
“Nicholas, you’re such a handsome young man.” Mr. Howard’s voice appears in my head.
A warm touch on my hand has me yanking the appendage back and popping my eyes open.
“Don’t touch me.” The words are snarled out before I can catch myself.
Tiffany’s shocked face stares across the table from me. My breathing is erratic, and the room feels too hot. I yank at my tie trying to loosen the grip around my neck.
No, you were too weak for that, weren’t you, Nicholas?
Those fucking words repeat in my head like a scratched record.
“What’s wrong?” I can hear the concern in her voice. She’s worried about me.
I shake my head, unable to form words.
“Tell her, Nic. Tell her about us.” This time Mr. Hampton’s words aren’t a memory. It’s like he is speaking directly into my head. My fists are so tight my knuckles are pale, and my blunt nails dig into my palms.
“Nico, please, just talk to me. Tell me what’s wrong.” She grabs my hand again, and I snatch it from her.
“Give it a fucking rest, Tiff,” I shout, opening my eyes.
The moment the angry words are out of my mouth, everything comes to a screeching halt. The fear and the panic that were just seconds ago ready to drown me are gone. It’s like I’ve just been sucked into a vacuum, and all sound has left around me.
My wife’s chin wobbles and her brown eyes blur as unshed tears quickly fill her lids.
This time when I get that feeling of disgust, I get it for a whole different reason.
“Baby, I’m so…” Before I can finish my sentence, she snatches her purse off the table and her jacket from the back of the chair, and climbs to her feet.
She doesn’t spare me a second glance as she storms away. I leap to my feet and toss all the cash in my wallet down on the table to cover a two-hundred-dollar meal.
My phone rang, but I ignored it as I followed my wife out the restaurant. I spot Jake, Roc, and Ghost leaning against my black SUV. All three lean up from the ride and make a move toward me. I shake my head, telling them to back down.
When I make it to Tiffany, I grab her arm and turn her to face me. Tears track down her face, further breaking my heart and making me feel like shit.
She yanks away from me, and I let her go because I don’t want her to fall or get hurt.
“I’m sorry. That was uncalled for.” I rush the words out.
She shakes her head. “It’s a new dress, Nico.”
I pause, not sure what that has to do with anything. “It’s beautiful.”
She scoffs, turning away from me. “If you’re bored, say that. I’m not sticking around for you to find a new toy. Me and Noah will be fine.”
What the fuck is she talking about? Bored? A new toy?
“What toy?” I asked, confused. I thought she was angry with me for snapping at her.
She rolls her eyes. “You’re a businessman and you think that you have to find the greatest new business venture like the one you have isn’t good enough. Well, I’m a damn good business.” She punches her fist into her hand.
Now I’m questioning whether she drank a bottle of wine when I wasn’t paying attention.
“Why are we talking about business?”
She shakes her head and takes a deep breath. “You won’t let me in. No matter how much I try, you won’t share anything with me.”
The thought of that has sweat beading up on my forehead.
My phone rang, but I ignore it.
“Tiff,” I reach for her, and she pulls away.
“No. You had your time to explain. I knew something was wrong the moment I showed up. You could’ve talked to me then. Something is bothering you.”
I shake my head trying to deny those allegations. My phone goes off in my pocket again, but I ignore it.
“I’m fine. Can we just go back in?”
She swipes roughly at the tears on her cheeks as she backs away from me.
“I’m tired of waiting for you to let me in. I’m done, Nico.”
Her words cause my heart to race and my world to spin. I have to shut my eyes and breathe. The thought of her leaving me makes me want to destroy everything in my path.
My phone rings again. This time, I pull it out and answer.
“What?” I bark into the phone.
A deep chuckle. “You’re touchy, Nicholas.” The voice causes dread to fill my veins like ice water. My eyes pop open, and I imagine I look like a deer caught in headlights.
Ghost picks up on my alarm; he immediately rushes over to me. Roc stays by my SUV as Jake start to make his way to Tiffany.
“I wish I had more time to talk, but you should have answered the phone sooner. They’re going to kill your wife.”
I glance around the parking lot looking for any signs of threat.
“Don’t you fucking touch my wife,” I snarl.
He laughs. “I’m not going to touch her. I’m not ready for her to die. Which is why I’m calling you. That red car wasn’t there when she pulled up.”
Parked beside Tiffany’s G-Wagon is a red sedan. It looks out of place in this parking lot filled with expensive and luxurious vehicles.
“The owner isn’t inside,” the deep voice goes on to say. “You better hurry.”
The line went dead, but it didn’t matter. I dropped my phone and took off toward my wife.
“Tiffany!” I yell as I race to her.
“Leave me alone, Nico.”
The moment I yelled Tiffany’s name, Jake stopped in his tracks and turned to me. He’s too far from my wife to get to her. Ghost was running behind me. I could hear his heavy footsteps hitting the pavement.
The red car lets out a shrill sound. I grab Tiffany from the back and yank her to the ground away from the cars just as the red car explodes.
My wife and I roll across the pavement a few times before stopping.
Large pieces of shrapnel rain down around us.
I can even feel the heat of the fire nearby.
“Are you okay?” I ask, leaning up from her.
She looks dazed, and there is debris on her face, but she’s alive. I spot blood on her arm as she lifts her hand. She has a few scrapes going up her arm. When she tries to touch her head, she gasps.
“My wrist,” she whimpers.
By this time, Ghost, Roc, and Jake are standing over us. Ghost helps me up, and I immediately pull Tiffany to her feet. Her G- Wagon has been destroyed along with the red car beside it. Had Tiffany made it to that car, I know my wife would be gone too.
Rage boils up in me. The lava moves through my veins like water through a pipe. I’m so on edge my body is fucking vibrating.
“What’s going on?” Her voice pulls me back from the brink of exploding. Her tone is elevated, which tells me she’s in shock.
When I turn to face her, I spot a cut on her forehead that I didn’t see before. The cut is small and nearly in her hairline, but it’s bleeding.
I reach for her, but she shakes her head.
“No. Tell me this isn’t real. Tell me this is all you, Nico. Please.”
The fear in her eyes eats at me. I hate that someone has caused her so much trauma that she’s having this got damn episode. I wanted to protect my wife from this bullshit, but it seems I can’t.
“It’s not me, baby. I wouldn’t do this to you.” I’m not mad at her for asking. Hell, I had her kidnapped, but I would never put her in this type of danger.
Her entire body is shaking. I want to touch her so badly, but I don’t want to freak her out anymore.
In the distance is the shrill sound of sirens. I turn to Ghost.
“Get Maseo and the crew out here. I want this place canvassed before the cops start collecting shit.” Ghost nods before walking off.
Slowly and gently, I approach my wife and pull her into my arms. She comes willingly. I hate to admit how much of a relief that is.
“What’s going on? Why would someone do this? I don’t want to die.” Her words come out damn near on top of each other.
I hold her against my chest as she sobs, trying to make sense of this shit. The entire time I’m comforting her, my anger coils inside me like snakes in a snake pit. The muthafucker came for my wife. There will be no stopping me. I was going to kill his ass.