Chapter 48 Nick
NICIK
Istormed into the hotel lobby, anger coursing through my veins like gasoline waiting for a spark.
If her mother wasn’t going to fight for her, then I damn well would.
Maybe that’s exactly what she needed—a wake-up call, a slap of reality.
As for that son of a bitch? He was going to pay for what he did, one way or another. And I’d make sure of it.
The double doors swung shut behind me as I adjusted my uniform, smoothing out the crisp fabric. Perception was everything, and tonight, I was banking on the power of a well-pressed military suit. I needed someone easy to manipulate—someone who wouldn’t question why I was here.
And then I saw her.
Young. Bright-eyed. The kind of girl who still believed a man in uniform was something to admire.
Jackpot.
As soon as she noticed me, her eyes lit up, and a slow, sweet smile spread across her face.
“Hi there,” she chirped, practically preening. “How can I help you tonight?”
I let my gaze drop to her nametag before flashing a charming grin. “Hello, Rachel.”
She bit her lip, already hooked.
“I’m here to see Richard Thompson,” I said smoothly. “But I forgot his room number, and he’s not answering his phone.”
“Oh! That’s no problem, sir. I can look that up for you.” She started typing away at her computer, then glanced up, lowering her voice. “And thank you for your service, by the way. I love a man in uniform.”
I dipped my hat at her, leaning in slightly. “I appreciate that, Miss Rachel.” My voice dropped to a whisper, just enough to make her heart race. “Always nice to be recognized for hard work by such a beautiful woman.”
Her smile widened, and she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear before turning back to the screen. “Here we go! Richard Thompson, Room 897—the Deluxe Suite.”
Bingo.
I reached out my hand. “Thank you, Rachel. You’ve been a tremendous help.”
She took it eagerly, but before letting go, I brought it to my lips, pressing a slow, deliberate kiss to the back of her hand.
She giggled, her cheeks turning pink. “You know… I get off in a couple of hours. Maybe we could grab a drink or something?”
I chuckled lightly, tilting my head as if considering it. “Oh, sweetheart,” I murmured, voice dripping with amusement. “I’d love to service that body of yours in ways you’d never forget.”
Her breath hitched, eyes widening slightly.
Hook. Line. Sinker.
But then I held up my left hand, letting the wedding band glint under the lobby lights. “Unfortunately, I’m a married man.”
She gasped, smacking a hand to her chest. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry!” A nervous laugh escaped her lips.
I winked. “No worries. I don’t mind being hit on by a beautiful woman.”
She flashed me one last dazzling smile as I stepped away. “Have a great night, Rachel.”
I turned toward the elevators just as the doors dinged open. Stepping inside, I exhaled slowly, rolling my shoulders. The flirtation had been a necessary distraction—keeping her too flustered to ask questions, to second-guess why I was here.
But now?
Now, it was time to finish this.
Room 897.
I strode down the hallway, my boots silent against the plush carpet, every step fueled by the fire burning in my chest. The moment I reached the door, I knocked—firm but measured. Then I stepped to the side, just out of view of the peephole.
A beat of silence.
Then, the door cracked open.
I didn’t hesitate.
I lunged, driving my fist straight into his nose. The sickening crunch of cartilage shattering beneath my knuckles sent a sharp thrill through me as he stumbled backward, crashing to the floor with a strangled yell.
“The fuck—” He clutched his bleeding nose, eyes wild with shock as he scrambled back.
I kicked the door shut behind me, sealing us inside.
“Nice to see you again, Richard.” I loomed over him, watching him writhe on the ground like the pathetic coward he was.
His breath came in ragged gasps as he glared up at me, blood dripping between his fingers. “I’ll press charges, you psycho! How the hell did you find me?”
I clicked my tongue, smiling down at him. “Because rich assholes like you are predictable.” I crouched down, letting my voice drop into something far more dangerous.
“And you’d be surprised what people are willing to do for a man in uniform.”
Richard spits blood onto the floor, his lips curling into a twisted grin. “You think you scare me just because you were trained to shoot people to survive?”
I step closer, my voice cold. “No. But you should be.”
Richard wipes the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand, his eyes locked onto mine.
“I’ve been surviving since I was a kid, Nick.
When my father put his hands on me, I learned fast—fear is stronger than freedom.
And you know what’s better than both?” His grin widens, dark and taunting. “Money.”
I glare at him, my fists clenched.
He laughs under his breath. “Money buys control. Power. And right now, I control everything. Michelle isn’t coming back to me because she wants to—she’s coming back because I have the money, and Melanie lied.
She told Michelle she made it all up.” He tilts his head.
“So don’t think for a second that Michelle’s with me because she believes I’m innocent.
Her fear of losing me and the life I gave her is stronger than her need for freedom.
She’s with me because she thinks her daughter is a liar. ”
I lunge before he can take another step, grabbing his shirt and yanking him toward me.
“You sick fuck.” My voice is a growl, my rage barely contained.
“Melanie is too scared to press charges because she doesn’t want to hurt her mother.
But I don’t give a damn. If you don’t agree to this, there won’t be a need for a trial—because I’ll kill you myself. ”
Before he can react, I spin him and lock my arm around his throat. He gasps, clawing at my arm, struggling against my hold. My pulse pounds in my ears, adrenaline flooding my system like a drug I know all too well.
“L–let—me—go,” he chokes out.
I tighten my grip. “You’re going to give Michelle the divorce she wants. You’re going to compensate her and Melanie with ten million dollars for every ounce of pain you put them through. And you’ll write a letter admitting what you did.” I lean in, my lips nearly brushing his ear. “Capisce?”
His body goes limp, his fight fading. I shove him away, letting him collapse to the floor, gasping and coughing. I watch him, ready to reach for my weapon if he so much as twitches wrong. Then, through ragged breaths, he chuckles—a low, amused sound. “I’ll do no such thing, Niccolo.”
My jaw clenches so tight it aches. “That right?”
He pushes himself up, straightening his shirt with an air of arrogance that makes my fingers twitch with the urge to break his nose.
“You think you’re the only one who knows how to play dirty?
” His smirk is ice-cold. “I know a guy who’d love to put a bullet in your head.
And all I have to do is name my price.” He pauses, letting the words sink in. “Diablo ring a bell?”
A chill runs down my spine. Diablo. Fuck. If Richard knows that name, then he knows too much.
He sees the flicker of recognition in my face and grins. “That’s right. If I were you, I’d be thanking me instead of threatening me.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” I snap.
His smirk deepens. “Money is power, Nick. So I did a little digging. Hired a private investigator. You didn’t think I’d let my daughter run off with some nobody without looking into him first, did you?
” He shakes his head, fake disappointment dripping from his voice.
“And what do you know? You and Melanie got married after only two weeks of knowing each other. Strange, huh?”
“Stop calling her your daughter,” I seethed.
He ignores me. “And just a few days before Melanie found out she had diabetes, you found out you owed a very dangerous man some money. Big coincidence, don’t you think?”
“I love Melanie,” I snap. “We fell in love in Vegas.”
He hums, rubbing at his scruffy chin. “Maybe. But if it was real, why’d you two book separate rooms? Before and after the wedding?”
I shut my eyes for half a second, willing this to be a nightmare.
Richard leans in. “You see, Nick, you can threaten me all you want. You can take me to court. But it won’t do you a damn bit of good.” His eyes glint with cruelty. “Because I’ll threaten you right back.”
I grit my teeth. “You wouldn’t. Melanie’s at risk too.”
“That’s right.” His voice drops, nearly a whisper. “But she won’t be—if you agree to an annulment and walk away.”
My pulse races. My plan is unraveling, slipping through my fingers like sand. I need to turn this around.
I narrow my eyes. “You have a trail of women ready to testify against you. I don’t need money to put you away—I just need Michelle and Melanie to tell the truth.”
He clicks his tongue, shaking his head. “You could try. But it’s still their word against mine.
To the world, I’m the devoted stepfather who gave two lost women a good life.
” He takes a step closer, his presence suffocating.
“And you? You’re just a desperate common man who married a vulnerable girl to pay off his past. A fraud.
A criminal.” He nods slowly. “They’ll believe me.
They’ll see you for what you are. A man who used a girl to save his own ass. ”
“You son of a bitch,” I growl. Rage blinds me. I lunge. But he’s faster this time. He sidesteps, and I stumble, my fury throwing me off balance.
He straightens his sleeves, completely unfazed.
“Next time you come for me, make sure you finish the job.” He smirks, his voice calm and confident.
“Because unless I’m dead, you won’t win.
Not this fight. Not any fight.” He leans in, voice dropping to a venomous whisper.
“And maybe…it’s my turn to threaten you. ”
“Fuck you.”
He chuckles, dark amusement dripping from his voice. “You’re the one getting fucked here, Niccolo.” His eyes gleam with something wicked. “And speaking of getting fucked—Melanie’s quite the expert, isn’t she? Rides you like a pro, doesn’t she?”
All I saw was red.
Each punch landed with a satisfying crack, my knuckles screaming in protest, but I didn’t care. I might regret this later—but right now? It felt damn good. If I was going down, I was taking something with me.
But as I walked away, leaving Richard furious, blood dripping from his broken nose, regret clawed its way into my chest. Then my phone buzzed.
Hey, I’m at the playground with Faye by the Quickmart gas station near our house. I’ll explain later. Just wanted to let you know.
My breath hitched. The fight, the adrenaline—it all vanished.
Twenty-five agonizing minutes later, I screeched into the gas station lot, my pulse hammering louder than my truck’s engine. I barely threw it into park before launching out, scanning frantically. Nothing. My stomach twisted.
“Melanie? Faye!”
Silence.
Panic surged like ice in my veins. My feet pounded against the pavement as I sprinted, my chest tightening with every step, until I saw them.
Melanie and Faye were huddled together, sleeping. Safe. And just like that, the air rushed back into my lungs.
I walked up to the playground, getting closer. They both looked so peaceful, wrapped in each other's arms. And for the first time in my life, I had something—someone—worth fighting for. Not just for survival. But for them.