Chapter 55 Nick
NICK
Idon’t think I’ve ever been this spent in my life.
I never realized how great makeup sex could be—probably because I’ve never had to make up for my asshole ways before.
But after Josh dropped off Melanie’s suitcase, I devoured Melanie like a man starving.
First in the kitchen. Then in the shower.
Then again, on the couch, where she fell asleep in my arms. This morning, I woke up to her riding me, her hands braced against my chest, breathless and desperate.
“Please,” she whispered, her voice raw with need. “Give me what I need.”
And what kind of husband would I be if I didn’t deliver?
Now, as I stand at the stove making her a light brunch, she’s curled up on the couch, looking content but utterly spent.
“You checked your blood sugar, right?” I ask, flipping an egg.
“Yes, Captain Controlling.”
I glance over my shoulder. “After all the orgasms I gave you, you’re more susceptible to passing out.”
She rolls her eyes, but the corner of her lips twitches. Before I can fire back, a sharp knock rattles the door.
Not just a knock. A deliberate one. The kind that sends a warning straight down my spine.
Melanie glances up, tucking her legs under her. “Expecting someone?”
I shake my head, setting the spatula down and turning off the burner. “No.”
Another knock—louder this time. Not impatient. Just… official. I cross the room and yank the door open. Two men in dark suits stand on my porch, their posture rigid, military-grade. The taller one lifts a badge.
“Special Agent Carter, Army Criminal Investigation Division. This is Agent Mills.”
ACID.
I feel Melanie sit up behind me, the air in the room shifting, thickening. Carter’s expression doesn’t change. “We need to talk. It’s about your marriage.”
Melanie pushes off the couch, crossing her arms. “Our marriage?”
Mills barely spares her a glance. “We have reason to believe it’s fraudulent.”
A beat of silence.
Then I let out a sharp, humorless laugh. “You’re serious?”
Carter doesn’t blink. “Very.”
My jaw tightens, but I step aside. “Then come on in.”
They move with precision, stepping into my house like they already own the place. Melanie lingers close to me as I shut the door, and I can feel the tension rolling off her in waves.
Carter flips open a folder. “Niccolo Consele, staff sergeant and tier one operator, United States Army. Married Melanie Thompson three months ago. Shortly after, she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and started incurring medical debt, right after working at your restaurant.” He lifts his gaze, eyes sharp. “Interesting timing.”
I fold my arms. “So what?”
Mills gives a tight smile. “So, you receive BAH, medical benefits, and additional entitlements because of this marriage. And yet, before that? No engagement. No history of a serious relationship. Just two strangers—coworkers—suddenly husband and wife, right when she needed financial help.”
Melanie’s hands curl into fists at her sides.
Carter turns to her. “Tell me, Ms. Thompson, where did your husband propose?”
She lifts her chin. “It’s Mrs. Consele, sir. And Nick proposed in Las Vegas. On a trip we took together first as friends, but we fell in love.”
Carter’s lips twitch. “How convenient. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” His voice is laced with something that makes my skin itch. “And how long were you dating before that?”
A hesitation. Barely a second. But they catch it.
“We met through mutual friends,” Melanie says smoothly. “It’s how I got the job at his restaurant. Abigail is getting married to Colt Killian, and Colt and Nick have been friends since they were little. So, being around each other more, we started taking a liking to one another instantly.”
It’s not a lie. And she’s doing damn good at adding details.
“A liking?” Carter raises a skeptical brow.
I step forward. “What exactly are you trying to get at here? Is there a right way to fall in love?”
Carter doesn’t flinch. “What I’m getting at, Sergeant Consele, is if this marriage was for financial gain, it’s fraud. A federal crime. Punishable by fines, dishonorable discharge… even jail time.”
Heat creeps up my neck. “You don’t know a damn thing about us.” My voice is even, but I feel the vein in my forehead pulse.
Mills flips another page. “We know you were cut off from your parents when you moved here, Melanie. You’re the daughter of Michelle Thompson, the wife of Richard Thompson, and a very successful film producer.
We know you got married right after your diagnosis.
That Nick moved you into his home fast.” His gaze flicks to her.
“We also know you weren’t listed as an emergency contact until after the wedding.
Not during deployments. Not when he was injured last year.
Not even when he was hospitalized after that explosion.
” He pauses.“And the loss of his k-9, Chaos.”
A sharp pang slices through my chest, but I lock my jaw.
Carter’s voice remains steady. “I just find it funny that after fourteen years in the military, never taking a liking to settling down, this all happened so fast. Within weeks, when you really think about it.” He meets my eyes. “So tell us, Sergeant Consele—why now?”
I could feel Melanie’s breathing pick up beside me—shallow, uneven. Her fingers twitched at her sides, and I knew she was barely holding on. She hadn’t eaten. Hadn’t had a second to process any of this.
This was bad. Real bad.
Before I could step in, she squared her shoulders and spoke, her voice cutting through the room like steel.
“Because I was drowning, and he threw me a damn life raft.”
Carter’s face was unreadable, but Mills’ brow lifted slightly.
Melanie’s gaze darted between them, her chin high, her body taut like a bowstring.
“Because I couldn’t afford insulin, and he wasn’t going to stand by and watch me suffer when he could do something about it.
” She exhaled sharply, her breath shaking for only a second before she forced it steady.
“Because he’s the only person who’s ever had my back.
My best friend. The one person who’s helped me in ways my own family never did.
” She swallowed, her voice thick. “And you can’t put a timeline on friendship or love, Sergeant Carter. ”
Mills cocked his head. “That almost sounds like an admission of fraud.”
Her jaw clenched. “No, sir,” she bit out. “It sounds like love.”
A flicker of something passed between Carter and Mills. A silent conversation. A calculation.
I stepped forward, voice low and firm. “You wanna dig? Fine. But you won’t find fraud. We might not have done things traditionally, but that doesn’t make this fake.”
Carter studied me for a long moment before finally snapping the folder shut, making a loud thud noise. “We’ll see.”
Mills pulled a card from his pocket and handed it to me. “Don’t leave town. We’ll be in touch.”
They turned and walked out, their footsteps sharp against the hardwood. The second the door clicked shut, Melanie let out a long, shaky breath and pressed a hand to her forehead.
“Shit.”
I stared at the closed door, muscles coiled so tightly I thought I might snap.
This wasn’t over. Not even close.
“I’m sorry, Nick,” Melanie murmured. “I panicked. I just—I kept seeing us getting arrested, and—”
“Shhh.” I turned to her, pulling her against me. She melted into my chest, gripping my shirt like it was the only thing keeping her grounded.
“It’s all my fault,” she whispered. “I shouldn’t have said anything. If they arrest us, it’s because of me.”
“No.” I exhaled, my fingers trailing up her back. “If anything, it’s my fault.” I hesitated. “I never should have gone to see your dad.”
Her entire body went rigid.
Slowly, she pulled back just enough to look at me, her eyes dark and wary. “What are you talking about?”
I sighed, releasing her, running a hand through my hair. My chest tightened as I leaned against the counter, bracing myself.
“When your dad was staying at the Stoney Creek Lodge…” I met her eyes. “I went to his hotel room. Had a chat.”
Her lips parted. “A chat?” Her voice was wary, like she already knew it was worse than that.
I scoffed. “Really? I’ve tracked down high-value terrorists for years. You don’t think I could find your predator stepdad?”
Her expression flickered—frustration, agreement, something else maybe?
She took a step forward, arms crossed. “What the hell happened?”
I hesitated. Just for a second. Then let the words flow out of me like a volcano exploding. “I demanded he pay you for what he did. That he compensated you and your mom for everything And I made it clear that you weren’t testifying against him.”
Her throat bobbed. “How much?”
“Five million each.”
Her breath hitched. “Jesus, Nick.” She ran a hand through her hair, shaking her head. “I know that didn’t go well.”
I let out a humorless laugh. “No. It didn’t.” My fists clenched. “That’s when he told me he had footage of us staying in separate rooms before and after the wedding.”
Melanie froze.
Her voice was barely a whisper. “You’re fucking kidding me.”
I shook my head. “No.” Crossing my arms, I exhaled sharply. “And he said if I don’t leave you, he’ll make me pay.”
She swallowed hard, panic flickering in her eyes. “What does that mean?”
I hesitated. My throat felt tight. “It means… he’d put me behind bars, Mel.”
Her breath caught.
“I didn’t tell you because—” I rubbed my jaw, frustration twisting in my gut. “Because you told me you might be pregnant.”
Her lips parted slightly. “Nick…”
“And all I could think about was…” I sucked in a breath, shaking my head. “I can’t be locked up while you’re pregnant. I won’t be.”
Her fingers trembled as she reached for me. “Nick, I—”
“I panicked, okay?” The confession was ripped from me. “The second you said you might be pregnant, all I could hear was his fucking voice in my head, threatening to take everything from me. To take you from me.” My voice dropped to a whisper. “I can’t let that happen.”
She closed the distance between us, her hands pressing against my chest. “We won’t let it happen.”
I covered her hands with mine. “I don’t regret marrying you, Mel. But I do regret not protecting you better.”
Tears gathered in her eyes, but she blinked them away. “You have protected me, Nick. Every single step of the way.”
I shook my head. “Not enough. And Richard is right; he has the money and power and can destroy me. Us.”
She cupped my face, forcing me to look at her. “You’re wrong, we have something more powerful than money. We have each other, and we’re in this together. No matter what happens.”
I exhaled, resting my forehead against hers. “We just have to make them believe we’re truly in love.” My voice was rough. “We might’ve started out fake, but this?” I pulled back just enough to meet her eyes. “This is real, Melanie. I just need everyone else to believe it too, including you.”
She stared at me, her breathing slow and steady. Then, finally, she whispered, “Do you? Are you—”
“Yes.” I didn’t let her finish. “Melanie, I didn’t listen, and I fell in love with you.”
Her breath hitched, her fingers tightening on my shirt, holding onto me like I was the only solid thing in her world.
And maybe I was.