Nic’s hand curls into mine and I can’t help but wonder if it’s the need of having me close or if he’s just trying to be a gentleman by helping the damsel in distress. The old Nic would have just scooped me up and carried me out of the alley but the fact that he’s allowing me to at least attempt to help myself tells me that he’s growing. He’s taking a step back and allowing me to dictate what I want and although I’ll never say it out loud, he and I both know that I'm grateful. I need to feel this control and having the boys swoop in and tell me how it’s going to go isn’t going to help with that.
For Nic, this is a massive step in the right direction. It’s a silent message between us telling me that he’s giving me space to finally start making my own decisions and not try to step in and shit all over it.
Maybe he’s finally starting to accept that I’m moving on.
I instantly shake the thought from my head. Now isn’t the time to start decoding Nic’s actions. I could be here for years trying to figure out his motives. It’s not worth the time or the pain.
Sebastian slips out from under my arm and hurries in front of us. The car door is pulled open and just as we reach it, Nic adjusts his hold on me and all but puts me inside the car. He grabs the seatbelt and starts reaching across me to buckle it, but I take the clip out of his hands, more than capable of managing on my own.
After getting it fastened, I look up and meet Nic’s eyes to find him watching me intently. “I’m going to fucking kill him,” he promises me.
I nod, knowing damn well that the correct response is to tell him not to, to tell him to back off and leave it be. The war between the Wolves and the Widows is already at boiling point and this just tipped Nic over the edge and upped the stakes in the game. He won’t stop for anything, for anyone. When Nic is intent to do something, he keeps at it until the job is done.
Mikhail Russo will die for touching me and that’s all there is to it
“I know,” I finally whisper, feeling a pang of guilt that doesn’t sit right with me. Why should I feel guilty for knowing this man is going to die? He was my father’s leader, an evil, toxic man who has ordered more kills than I could ever imagine—kills that my father undoubtedly carried out. I should be happy, I should be jumping for fucking joy, yet I just feel cold inside.
Is this what I’m becoming? An emotionless monster? Someone who is okay with death? Maybe I’m just becoming immune to its horrors.
Nic lets out a heavy sigh, probably already putting his plan into place yet for some reason, he remains hovered in the open car door staring at me. His eyes harden and in an instant, I know exactly what he’s looking for but I can’t give it to him, not yet.
I shake my head ever so gently, holding back the cringe that desperately wants to tear out of me. “Not yet, Nic,” I murmur as Sebastian pretends that he can’t hear a damn thing that’s being said. “I’m still so mad at you. I just need some time.”
Heartbreak settles over his features but in a blink of an eye, the hard Nic is back. “Okay,” he finally says, straightening up and closing the door. He takes a step back and starts to make his way around to the driver’s side, but I hear his grumbled murmur through the open window. “Let’s get you back to your new family.”
I keep my gaze settled out the window as Nic puts the car into gear and takes off down the road, being careful to avoid any bumps. He takes a corner and the momentum from the turn has pain shooting through my burn. I suck in a sharp breath through my teeth, trying my best not to show my pain but failing miserably.
A hand falls to my shoulder and squeezes and I latch onto it with desperation, curling my fingers through Sebastian’s and appreciating every ounce of his comfort.
Every gasp, cry, and groan has Nic pushing his car faster and faster, desperate to get me off the bumpy road and into the safety of the pool house where he can help take the pain away. By the time we reach Colton’s street, his careful driving is all but forgotten as he turns into a mad man, driven by emotions.
We reach the gate and I hastily tell him the code and watch as frustration claims him when it slowly peels back. The gate has hardly opened the whole way before Nic shoots past it and races down the drive, narrowly avoiding knocking off his side mirror.
He doesn’t stop where normal people stop, but drives around the side of the mansion, over Charles’ manicured lawns and only just avoiding taking out archways that Enrique, the gardener, has spent years molding.
His car pulls up right outside the pool house and I look across at Nic as he swings his door wide. “Door to door service, huh?”
“I might have a habit of making shitty decisions but you can never claim that I wasn’t thorough and didn’t look after you.”
I roll my eyes as he smirks to himself and climbs out of his car. Sebastian appears at my door and opens it wide before offering me his hand. I take it gingerly and as he helps me out of Nic’s car, the back door of the mega-mansion swings wide, slamming against the wall with such a loud bang that both of the boys flinch for their guns.
Cora stands at the door, staring at me with distaste. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” she demands. “You just ruined my father’s gardens.”
Nic steadies his gaze on her and as if only now just realizing who it is standing at my sides, her eyes go wide with fear, remembering damn well what happened at Charles’ wake. “You got a fucking issue,” Nic growls. “You can take it up with me.”
Cora swallows back her fear as her face grows so pale that I fear she’s about to pass out, but as if remembering who she is, she stands tall and gives an award-winning huff. “I’m calling the cops to have you arrested for trespassing.”
Nic steps closer and I watch with delight as she shrinks away from him. “Go ahead and call them. Tell them that Dominic Garcia is standing on your property and you want me carted away. Watch how fast they shit their pants and tell you to deal with our own fucking problems.”
Her jaw clenches. “My brother is going to hear about this.”
Nic takes another step and her chest starts rising and falling in rapid movements. “You threatening me, girl?” he demands, snapping his arm out and curling his fingers around her throat. He presses her up against the open back door and leans into her. “Go and get him. Your brother and I have a little unfinished business.”
Shit. I’d almost forgotten about the last time the boys actually saw each other. They beat the living shit out of one another and made everything so much worse. Neither of them technically won that fight and while Colton can let it go, Nic sees it as a score that needs to be settled.
Cora’s eyes flick to mine, silently begging me for help but I let it go. Nic would never hurt her unless she was to make a physical move against me. Our petty bullshit isn’t exactly something Nic is going to bother himself with, especially knowing that I can more than handle a few school house rumors myself.
I raise a brow and prop my hip against Nic’s car, making a point that Cora is on her own here. If she’s stupid enough to provoke the leader of the Breakers Flats Black Widows, then that’s on her.
She slowly turns her gaze back to Nic and after a long, drawn-out pause, Nic smirks and then finally releases his grip on her. “Run along, princess,” he says. “Go and get that brother of yours.”