Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
NICO
Rod was a thorn in my side.
“Serenity, you’re here because you always belonged to me.”
“You didn’t have to do this, Nico.”
She rises, attempting to flee.
“Sit down…Serenity,” I order. My frustration with her is hard to control.
Good thing I told my staff she’s crazy. That way they’d be ready for whatever crazy she brought.
She returns to her seat. I can feel the anger rolling off her much like that night she blew Bratilia’s brains out.
Just thinking about how Serenity handled that situation always gives me a major hard-on.
“The night you got back at me for Rod, you baited me,” she says through bared teeth.
She tilts her head to the side. “How many more women was I supposed to kill over you?”
“Serenity, you never shot or killed any woman who didn’t deserve it.”
Her eyes widen and her fork clinks against her plate. “You used me as your personal hit woman?”
I smile. “We’re a team, you and me. Once we’re married, we’ll be fucking unstoppable.”
She downs her second glass of wine. “I thought a man like you, all rich and powerful, could get any woman he wants. Yet you move heaven and earth to marry your ex-girlfriend from high school.”
“I get the chance to make my ex-girlfriend’s life a living hell. I can’t pass up the chance.”
“Nico, this will be an Italian marriage, and you’re asking for heirs. I told you I didn’t want children. Let’s not forget how much you hate me because I walked out of your life five years ago.”
“I know what I’m signing up for. You’ll pay for everything you did.”
I remove a green ring box from my inner jacket pocket. I open the box and remove the ring.
“Give me your hand,” I order.
“Wish I was marrying a man who loved me. Every girl wants the man to drop to his knee and propose,” she sighs.
Serenity stretches her left hand toward me.
Taking her hand, I get down on bended knee.
Love. Her private jet left skid marks on it as it burned rubber down the runway.
“Serenity Cichello, you will marry me. You’ll give birth to all my children. We’ll live in hate forever.” I wink, sliding the fifteen-carat princess diamond engagement ring onto her finger.
Her honey-brown face turns a light red hue. I pissed her off again.
Standing to my feet, I lean over and press a kiss to her temple. “We’re getting married in two days. Our wedding night will be one for the history books.”
I snicker as I stroll out of the dining room.
“Fuck,” she roars at the top of her lungs.
I moved up our wedding date because if she thinks we’d sleep apart another night, she’s mistaken. Hands in my slacks pockets, I saunter outside and inhale the freshly clipped grass.
“How are we doing on all fronts?” I ask my soldiers.
They gather before me.
“We’ve beefed up security. Adding another SUV to follow Serenity’s men,” Reacher says.
“Good.” I pull a cigar from my inner jacket pocket.
Miff clips the butt of the cigar. I place it between my lips and puff as he lights it.
“Does she know?” Miff asks.
“That she’s in danger? No.”
“I’ll tell her after we’re married.”
“But Nico, we’re at war,” Reacher states the obvious.
“I get it. Instead of getting married in two weeks, we’ll get married here in two days. I’ll speak to Dillon. Let him know I need the help of the five families. That asshole Novikoff called in help from his friend Vero, who’s built up his army over the last three years.” I blow a few smoke O’s.
“Cairo is with us one hundred percent. They won’t know what hit them.”
I’m convinced Tizáno didn’t have the manpower needed to end Vero from taking over his territory years ago.
It appears Vero and Novikoff have each other's backs when the walls start closing in. I have to be honest with myself. One of the main reasons I gained control of Newark, Delaware is because of my grandfather Demario Marino, the Don of the Cosa Nostra. He wields the kind of power mafia men would kill for. Grandfather has buried a lot of bodies. I wonder if he ever thought about killing Fia’s husband.
I hate that they were torn apart by the demands of the mafia world.
If they could’ve been together when they were young, Serenity and I wouldn’t exist. I’m happy after all these years they were able to be together again.
“Where is that asshole Kobi?” I bite out.
“Ellendale. He took a helicopter there. He’s staying in a gated community.”
“It’s time to bring Brandon and Sebastian in on this. Kobi’s too clean. I understand he has territory in Florence, but does he have territory in the U.S.?”
“Two of Nick’s bodyguards are sitting on him,” Miff says.
“Good.” I nod, looking into the distance. “That will be all.”
Ihated knowing Kobi had been alone with Serenity.
Probably kissed her lips. If he fucked her, I will cut his head off his neck.
Then chop him up into tiny little pieces.
I don’t want men touching her. She’s mine.
Serenity just refuses to accept it. I take another slow draw from my cigar, letting the smoke drift toward the sky.
For the first time in years, the tension eases from my shoulders.
She’s finally where she belongs.
Safe.
Under my roof.
With me.
The thought settles something deep inside my chest that I didn’t realize had been fractured all this time.
I have no intention of letting her out of my sight again.
I stroll through my house, noticing two of her guards posted at the front door. I jut my chin at them as I continue upstairs into my bedroom. I tap the contact on my screen. The phone rings three times.
“Nico, you're still alive.”
“Not funny, Cairo.”
“Just thought you two would’ve killed each other by now,” he chuckles.
“We’re managing. It’s clear she hates me. Wants to tear out all my hair, and not in the good way.” “Will you two make it down the aisle in two weeks?”
“That’s why I’m calling. I need Baylor’s assistant to work a wedding miracle in two days.”
“What the hell, Nico?”
“Look, you know what’s going on. It’s getting hotter. She needs to be my wife right now, but I’ll wait two days.”
“Hold on,” he says. “Can Star and her team create a miracle wedding in two days?
Baylor snickers. “For a shit ton of money, yes.”
I grumble. “I heard her. Thanks Baylor.”
“He said thanks,” Cairo relays the message.
“They’ll arrive at ten in the morning.”
“Wonderful, thanks, man,” I say before disconnecting the call.
After making a few important calls, I take a shower, grab a few files, flip on the TV, rest my head against the headboard as I peer at the recent baseball stats. I chuckle. “Marco owes me money.”
Balancing the paperwork in my lap, I flip to the architectural specs for the new warehouse we’re building near the Delaware Bay. The project is bigger than anything we’ve taken on in years, and every detail has to be perfect.
A tiny black speck appears on the page.
I blink.
Gone.
Weird.
I absently scratch my PJ-clad thigh beneath the papers and keep reading.
A few seconds later, an itch crawls across my forearm.
Then the other.
I scratch both arms while scanning another page.
Something moves.
Three tiny black dots skip across the white paper.
I freeze.
The hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
The dots disappear again.
“What the fuck?”
I throw the files onto the bed and jump to my feet, my eyes sweeping the room for whatever the hell just crawled across my paperwork.
I tap the intercom button as I scratch all over now.
“Yes, sir.”
“Get an exterminator here now. I have a bug problem. I’m guessing fleas.”
How can I have fleas? My dog gets treated for fleas. He’s not even here. My sister has him. I plan to introduce him to Serenity after we’re married. Did Serenity bring the American Bulldog Bruetta I bought her? I hadn’t seen her on the security cameras. I think she’s still living with her parents.
“Right away, sir.”
I run into the bathroom, toss my cell on the countertop, en route to the shower.
I close the shower door behind me. Scratching as I attempt to tear off my clothes.
I discard my t-shirt and PJ pants on the floor in a small heap.
Hoping the hot water will kill the bugs.
I douse myself in shower gel trying to stop the itching.
“Serenity!” I yell at the top of my lungs.
“I’m going to kill you,” I roar.
After a twenty-minute, piping hot shower, I’m no longer itching.
I step out of the shower and stand in front of the mirror.
My eyes move over my reddened body. I don’t see any tiny bugs anywhere.
I move my fingers through the fine hairs on my chest. Again, no itching.
I’ll sleep in one of the guest rooms tonight.
I line my toothbrush with toothpaste and run my toothbrush over my teeth.
I glance at the phone and read a text from my brother.
“Mr. Pitucco, the exterminator is here,” Esmerelda says on the other side of the door.
“Okay, I’ll be right out.”
I rinse my mouth out and mindlessly drop the toothbrush back into the holder, rushing out of the bathroom.
I glance at the exterminator. “Hello, I think they’re fleas. Spray the entire room. And my bathroom.”
“Not a problem, Mr. Pitucco.”
“Reacher,” I holler out.
He steps into the room. He’s one of my number one bodyguard’s so he’s never far behind me. “Yes, boss.”
“Watch the exterminator, pay him, and then see him out.”
His eyes and Esmeralda’s widen.
“Nico, your teeth are blue,” Reacher says.
Esmeralda shakes her head, agreeing.
“Maybe I didn’t rinse the blue toothpaste out of my mouth good.”
I return to the bathroom and rinse again. I flash a smile in the mirror. It’s still blue. I rub my finger over my teeth, and the blue stuff isn’t coming off. “That fucking woman,” I bite out.
I send a quick text to Miff. A grin eases up at the corner of my lips.
I storm out of the room. Esmeralda’s on my heels.
“Mr. Pitucco, which bedroom will you sleep in tonight?”
“The green room,” I tell her.
“I’ll get it ready.”
I nod before stalking down the staircase. I grab some items from my office I use when going to war.
I send another text to Miff.
Me: Meet me at Serenity’s room.
Miff: Will do.
“Reacher and Vex, come with me,” I bark.
They meet me near the stairs and glance at what’s in my hands. Their eyes go wide.
“Nico, are you okay?” Reacher asks.
I walk toward the second winding staircase that leads to the other wing of the mansion. “I was just eaten by bugs, and my teeth are blue. I’m great,” I say as I take the stairs two at a time.
I turn left down the hallway.
Serenity’s team chat and laugh amongst themselves while staring at Mullins phone. They break apart all scowls as they notice me and my men approaching.
“Your boss is in big trouble,” I growl.
“Get back,” I yell.
They draw their weapons. “Nico, you can’t do that?”
“Oh, I can’t? This is my house. But I’ll humor you,” I smirk, showing my blue teeth.
“Serenity, you’ve gone too far. You put bugs in my bed. And fucked with my toothpaste,” I yell out.
I heard snickering behind the door.
I turn the knob. But of course it’s locked.
“It’s time for you to pay. Open the door.”
“No,” she shouts back.
“Boss, he has something lethal in his hand.” Angel tries to reason with her.
Serenity doesn’t open the door.
“Fine, have it your way.” I press a small block of C-4 against the center of the door.
It’s a controlled charge, just enough to blow the hinges and send a message.
Recently, I learned a lot about explosives from Tony.
What I’m using today will shake the foundation, but I’m not worried. This house is built for shit like this.
Behind me, one of Serenity’s soldiers mutters, “He’s fucking crazy.”
“Nico,” Reacher says, “we can take the door off its hinges.”
I shake my head.
“No, I think she’ll get the message after this.” I snicker.
A slow grin spreads across my face.
I raise my voice.
“Serenity, you better take cover.”
“What?” she yells from the other side.
“Boss, get down now!” Mullins roars.
The hallway goes quiet.
I ignite the charge.
“Move!”
We sprint for cover.
A thunderous blast rattles the entire floor.
The walls tremble.
The heavy bedroom door tears free from its frame and crashes across the room as smoke billows into the hallway. Splintered wood and insulation drift through the air while a small fire licks across the carpet at the threshold.
Reacher rushes forward with a fire extinguisher, coating the flames in white foam before they can spread.
I step over the broken remains of the door, my boots crunching across shattered wood as I search the room.
“Serenity?”
The smoke begins to thin.
Then I see the top of her head rise slowly from behind the massive bed.
Her gray eyes lock onto mine.
“Nico, you’re fucking crazy.”
A satisfied smile tugs at my lips.
“That makes two of us, baby,” I growl.
“You thought it was funny, huh? The bugs.” I flash a wide smile. “The blue teeth.”
She’s wearing little shorts and a tank top that puts her breasts on full display.
I glance at her red toenails as she steps closer.
“I’m here, Nico. Against my will.”
“You’re not here against your will. You agreed to marry me.”
“I still don’t want to be here, Nico.”
“Miff,” I call out.
“I’m here. And I got what you requested, boss.”
He places the box in my hand.
“What’s in the box?” she asks.
I step back and place the box on the floor. I lift the door on the box.
“No, no, Nico,” Serenity shrieks, jumping on the bed.
“You know I hate spiders.” She runs around in circles on the bed.
“I do.”
Back in high school, Serenity nearly leapt from the gaming chair in my room when she spotted a daddy longlegs scuttling across the floor. I leaned forward and let it crawl onto my hand.
“Hey, little spider,” I said.
Serenity bolted out of my room.
“Thought a hairy tarantula would make you feel right at home.”
“I can’t stay here.” She leaps off the bed and runs to the balcony.
“Fuck, she’s going to jump to get away from a spider,” I mutter.
I stalk toward her. “Serenity, stop.”
“Oh, no. I can’t live under the same roof as a spider, you know that.”
I catch her before she falls over the railing. Her eyes return to the tarantula.
Serenity inches to the corner of the balcony.
She looks so cute when she’s vulnerable. “I’ll get you out of here, and you’ll agree to sleep with me in one of the guest rooms.”
She dances from foot to foot like the tarantula is moving this way.
Serenity nods. “Yes, okay. Just get me out of here,” she yells, pointing at it.
The woman jumped into my arms, shivering. She buries her face in my neck. I nod at Miff in passing. He can take his pet tarantula home. The creature’s job is done here.
“Because of you, a new mattress is being delivered tomorrow.”
She doesn’t respond.
“No more tricks, Serenity.”
“I was so close to putting Nair in your shampoo and body wash.”
“You love my full head of hair and hairy balls. So you couldn’t bring yourself to follow through.”
“Your head’s too big. You’d look weird bald,” she chuckles.
“I know the real reason.” I place her on the bed.
Her brows bunch together as she waits for my answer.
Taking a step back, I smirk. She’s right where I want her.