CHAPTER XII

A fter Nico randomly showed up at the burger joint, insisting on apologizing for being a jerk, and trying to shove the food down my throat, I was left with more questions than answers. How did he even know where to find me? I wondered if he’d show up here at the coffee shop too.

My phone went off while I waited in my regular booth at the diner for Liam.

Tabi

OMG! Look what’s out to rent!!!

She sent me a link to The Crow . She was obsessed with stories about lovers avenging their soulmates.

Before I had the chance to reply, she sent another message.

Tabi

MOVIE NIGHT!!!

I laughed and typed a message.

Me

My place or yours?

Just as I was about to reply, the bell jingled above the door. I looked up to see Liam sauntering toward me, a broad grin on his face and his dark hair tousled. “What’s up, buddy?” he said, sliding into the booth across from me, his grin infectious. “Have you ordered yet?”

“Yes, I did.” I pushed the steaming cup of coffee toward him. Knowing his usual order, I took the liberty of placing it with the waitress before he arrived.

“You’re the best,” he said with a wink, taking a generous sip. “So, how’s Sam doing with the lessons?”

“She’s pretty amazing,” I replied as I beamed with pride.

In so many ways, Sam reminded me of myself at her age. Eager, hungry to learn, and determined to exceed every expectation.

“That’s awesome. She was freaking excited that she could play a whole song without making those scratchy sounds.”

I couldn’t help but giggle.

“She’s going to play ‘Somewhere over the Rainbow’ for her grandparents when she visits them in Colorado for Thanksgiving. Oh, which reminds me. What are you doing for Thanksgiving? Got any big plans?”

“Um,” I said while I looked down and stirred my coffee. “Just hanging out.”

“With your family?”

I shook my head, taking a drink of my coffee.

“Winter?” His voice dropped a bit, a hint of concern creeping in.

I looked up at him and forced a smile. “Just what it sounds like. Tabi and Tristan might come over.”

That was a blatant lie. Tabi and I hadn’t talked about making plans, but he didn’t need to know that.

He nodded thoughtfully. “What about your family?”

My hands wrapped around the warm mug as I contemplated how to respond.

“You never talk about your family,” he said.

“Well, I… I was put in foster care,” I lied, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. “My parents died when I was young. I don’t remember them.”

Liam’s expression shifted, sympathy flooding his eyes. “Wow, Winter, I didn’t know. I’m so sorry.”

I shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. “It’s fine. You get used to it, you know?”

“Yeah, but still.” He paused before speaking again. “Hey! I got an idea. Why don’t you hang out with my dad and me for Thanksgiving? We always have way too much food, and it would be nice to have you there. Bring Tabi and Tristan,” he offered

I hesitated, then said, “I don’t want to intrude. I mean, it’s your family time.”

“Nah, it’s cool,” Liam insisted. “You’re my friend, and I consider you like the sister I never had. Plus, my dad would love the extra company.”

His words made me want to cry. “That sounds really nice. I could come for a little while.”

“Great!” Liam beamed. “So, what’s it like? Foster care?” Liam asked, his curiosity appearing genuine. “I can’t imagine it was easy.”

I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts. “It was… different. But I wasn’t mistreated or anything.”

“That’s good. I’ve heard horror stories about foster care.”

“Yeah,” I replied softly, my heart aching at missing my parents, Uncle Malik, and Kara.

Our food finally arrived, and I felt relieved that I didn’t have to continue this conversation and create lies to make it sound believable. My thoughts drifted back to our Thanksgiving traditions—including volunteering at the shelter. Mom always emphasized the importance of helping others, teaching me to appreciate the little things in life. She always said, ‘Don’t focus on what we don’t have, but rather on what we do have.”

“What about your mom? “ I asked, breaking the silence as I watched him shovel scrambled eggs into his mouth.

He swallowed and took a sip of his orange juice, pausing for a moment. “She died while giving birth to me.”

“Oh, Liam. I’m so sorry.” I felt a pang of empathy for him not knowing his mother, whereas I was able to cherish the time I had with my own.

He shrugged, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “Yeah, it sucks, but Dad’s awesome. He always talks about her, so it feels like I know her.”

My dad was awesome too.

“That’s really sweet,” I said, grateful that he still had his father and that he kept her memory alive.

“Yeah,” he replied, his expression softening. “Family is important, you know?”

I nodded in agreement, feeling the weight of that truth in my shattered heart.

* * *

I’d been back at work for a few hours and had been toiling over the numbers when I remembered I needed to check in on the VIP room and take inventory of the bar. Clutching my clipboard, I exited the office, only to find Enzo leaning against the door. For a moment, his usual serious expression melted into a smile when he saw me.

“Hey,” he said, pushing off the wall.

“Hey,” I replied.

He fell into step beside me in silence as we headed upstairs to the VIP area. Two bouncers acknowledged us with a nod as we climbed the staircase. When I reached the top, my gaze immediately went to Nico in the corner. Thankfully, he hadn’t noticed me yet. He was lounging back with that smug grin, surrounded by his shadows, all decked out in expensive suits and arrogant expressions.

Nico’s presence commanded the room. I hated to admit how sexy and delicious he looked dressed in a black shirt with the collar left open, allowing his chest hair to peek out, and a necklace with a cross hanging around his tattoo-covered neck.

With a quick pivot, I headed toward the bar, desperate to focus on anything other than him. The bartender looked up from polishing a glass, his brow arching slightly at my arrival.

“Winter,” he greeted me with a smirk.

“Hi, Justice,” I replied.

He gestured toward my clipboard, his expression teasing. “Inventory, huh?”

“Yep. I won’t be in your way long.”

Justice shrugged, a grin spreading across his face. “Don’t worry about it. I actually like having you around.” He leaned against the bar and winked. “You’re cute to look at.”

“I bet you say that to all the girls.” I arched an eyebrow, crossing my arms lightly over the clipboard.

“Not all. Just the ones that make my heart go ba-thump.” He exaggeratedly placed a hand over his heart, pretending to swoon like a character from a romantic comedy.

A chuckle bubbled up from within me. “Well, I’m glad I could help you out. Just don’t get used to it,” I teased him, giving him a playful glare.

“Challenge accepted,” he said, his smirk widening.

And for a moment, the world around us faded into a soft blur, erasing all thoughts of Nico.

But our moment was abruptly disrupted as Justice’s smile faded into something serious. He stepped back and left without saying goodbye.

Before I could comprehend the shift in his mood, I felt someone’s eyes on me. The air grew heavy and eerie, as if the presence seemed to cast a shadow over everything, much like birds plummeting from the sky under the influence of a curse.

I turned around and found Nico’s gaze was fixed on me. He beckoned with a slow finger motion. I hesitated, caught between the instinct to run like a bat out of hell and the stubbornness that kept me rooted in place. A flicker of surprise mixed with annoyance crossed his stupid, handsome face.

God, I wanted to punch him.

Finally, I relented and walked toward him, like a pet summoned by its owner, but kept my distance as I stood by his side.

“Was there something you needed?” I asked, my voice tight with annoyance. I fought to keep it from spilling over, but it clung to me like a second skin, ready to erupt at any moment.

“Yeah, you,” he said, his voice laced with an undercurrent of menace.

I didn’t know what came over me when I said, “You’re delusional.” My eyes flickered to the dancer who still gyrated on his lap and looked like she was about to have an orgasm.

Nico’s grin widened, a glint of amusement dancing in his eyes. “Playing hard to get, huh? I like a challenge,” he taunted, his hand trailing along the dancer’s thigh as if to provoke a reaction from me.

Feeling a surge of anger and unease, I took a step back and flicked my eyes to the blonde. “Looks to me like you don’t need to worry about that.”

Nico’s smirk faltered for a moment before he chuckled, a low and sinister sound that sent shivers down my spine. “You sound jealous, Angel,” he said dismissively, his gaze lingering on me like a predator assessing its prey. “Do you want to take her spot?”

“No, thanks. I’m good,” I said with a cocky smirk, even though I could feel beads of sweat coming out of my every pore.

“Come here, Angel,” he commanded.

I squared my shoulders, holding my ground. “No. And my name is Winter. I’d appreciate it if you used my real name instead.”

“When I say come here, you do as you are told.”

“I said no .”

The atmosphere turned tense, and I knew I had screwed up by the way Nico’s beautiful face turned deadly. He held the girl’s hips in a vice grip, and she flinched under his hold.

“Nico,” Matteo sternly warned, his clenched jaw his only reply as he kept his gaze on me.

“I will not be spoken to like that, and I never gave you permission to do so either,” Nico warned.

Was he serious right now? I scoffed and turned away.

“Don’t walk away from me!” Nico barked, and I flinched while the room fell silent.

But Nico brought the sass out of me. So, I couldn’t help but mutter under my breath, “Don’t worry. It won’t be your cock I’ll be riding.”

His face turned a bright red, and the girl in his lap looked at me with horror. At that moment, I knew I screwed up, but my mouth had a life of its own.

“Watch it, Winter,” he growled. “Don’t fucking test my patience.”

My heart raced as I felt Nico’s glare bearing down on me. I tried to play it off with a smirk, but deep down, I knew I had crossed a dangerous line.

“And what are you going to do if I don’t stop?” I taunted.

Nico leaped over the couch, knocking the girl off his lap, and I stumbled back in shock. I spun on my heels and bolted, dropping the clipboard to the ground. I ran toward the doors, a torrent of emotions raging inside me. My heart pounded in my chest as I hurried out of the VIP room. Enzo called out my name, but I didn’t dare turn around and instead ran down the stairs. The chase was a frantic blur of dodging and weaving through the crowd. Right as I was heading into the club to get lost in the crowd, a scream escaped my lungs when strong arms wrapped around my stomach and lifted me in the air.

“You think you’re clever, Winter,” Nico said as he tossed me over his shoulder, his voice filled with a simmering anger. “But you don’t who the fuck you’re dealing with.”

I tried to wiggle out of his grasp, but he tightened his hold on my legs and kept me in place. I started to get lightheaded from hanging upside down.

“No one gets in. And if she tries to get away, restrain her,” he barked at the guards. “And if she gets away, I’ll shoot you.”

I froze. He’d shoot his own men?

Nico dragged me into a room, slammed the door shut behind him with his foot, and tossed me on a leather couch. I bounced from the impact and my skirt rode up.

Nico’s eyes blazed with a dangerous gleam. He closed the distance between us with deliberate steps, his imposing figure casting a menacing shadow in the dim light. His gaze dropped between my legs and his jaw clenched. I quickly righted myself before he leaned forward and caged me in, forcing me to lean back. Fear coiled in my stomach, and I swallowed.

“You may think you have the upper hand, but remember—I hold all the cards in this game,” he warned, his tone leaving no room for argument. “This is your last warning. You ever disrespect me again in front of my men and clients, I will snap your neck.”

My bravado was replaced with fear. I believed him when he said he would hurt me. A tense silence hung between us. Nico’s gaze bore into me as he waited for me to wave my white flag.

I finally spoke, my voice softer. “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

“The fuck it won’t.”

We stared at each other for a little longer, and I noticed how handsome he was even after what just happened. A well-groomed beard framed his angular face, bringing a perfect symmetry to the sharp angles around his jawline. His ocean-blue eyes were framed by thick brows and long, black lashes. I wanted run my hands through his short, jet-black hair while kissing his full lips.

He was all man.

God, I was so twisted. The man literally almost made me piss my pants and I half expected horns to appear on his head.

His eyes lingered on my mouth, and he licked his lips. He pulled away and straightened his shirt. My gaze moved to his crotch, and I almost choked on a cough when I saw his hard dick sticking up and saying hello. When I looked up at him, his face was blank. He ran his hand over his covered dick and groaned like he was in pain. “The next time you sass me, I’ll tie you to the bed and stick my dick down your throat. You won’t eat for a week, and you’ll be pissing out my cum.”

I just stared at him in response.

He opened the door and said something so low to one of the guards I couldn’t make it out. Then he looked back at me. “You’re done for the night. Go home,” he demanded and stormed out of the room.

I had crossed a dangerous line with Nico, and I vowed to tread more carefully.

* * *

NICO

This fucking woman.

I slammed the door and barked at Miguel, one of my guards. “Make sure she gets her ass home and stays there.”

Miguel nodded and entered the room.

Her sass just turned me on even more. I wanted to stick my dick down her throat just to shut her the hell up, but I had to make an example of her. Otherwise, my men and clients would see that she was my weakness, and in this world, there was no room for weakness. And that would put her in as much danger as me.

Maybe it was a mistake to let her get to me, but my heart that had been cold and dead had been brought back to life the moment she walked into my club. This feeling was burning me from the inside out. They were similar feelings I had for a woman from my past who later betrayed me in the worst way possible. My past taught me I couldn’t afford to have feelings like this for anyone, especially an angel like Winter.

There was an innocence about her but also a darkness that was begging to be released. I saw it with the way she challenged me, but I intended to be the master.

Enzo looked behind me then back at me with concern when I walked back to the VIP room. Enzo had come to care about my little angel, and I didn’t know if it settled my rage knowing she was protected by one of my most loyal men or made me want to rip his head off.

“She’s fine,” I gritted when he opened the door to let me in. I swore I saw a smirk on the asshole’s face.

I stood and held onto the railing, trying to control my breathing.

“Well, brother,” Lo said as he made his way to me through the nearly empty room, followed by Luca and Matteo. “Did you kill her?”

I didn’t answer but gripped the railing tighter until my knuckles turned white.

“Fuck, man,” Matteo groaned. “Please don’t fucking tell me you killed her.”

He knew too well what I was capable of, that I didn’t discriminate. No matter who you were, if you crossed me, the ending to your story wouldn’t be a happily ever after.

“No, I didn’t,” I snarled.

But fuck did I want to.

I wanted to feel her life slip away beneath my hands, to see the light fade from those eyes that had mocked me. I wanted to crush her delicate throat and watch her struggle for breath, feel her soft, tan skin yield beneath my fingers while I fucked her until she passed out.

I dragged my hands down my face and closed my eyes as I inhaled her floral scent that she left behind.

Jesus.

What the actual fuck was wrong with me?

“He wouldn’t dare piss Mya off,” Luca said with a chuckle as he leaned against the railing, facing me with a smirk.

“Where is she?” Matteo asked, standing on my other side.

“I sent her home.”

“Good, because she put on a show that caught the attention of the clients, including the mayor,” Matteo added.

Fuck.

Mayor Walsh had a thing for younger, innocent beautiful women with attitude, and my little angel had enough of it to spark a fire in him.

“I’ll make sure he doesn’t touch her,” I replied with determination.

At my words, the mayor stood from his seat and scanned the room before his eyes finally landed on me. A smug smirk crept across his face, and he strode toward me.

“Well, well, well,” the mayor drawled when he was right in front of me.

“Mayor Walsh,” I greeted him with no emotion.

The man was a spineless, useless piece of shit who hid behind his position and thought he could get away with anything he wanted, including taking Winter.

“Quite a spectacle you’ve put on. I must admit, it kept me entertained and... my dick hard,” he said as he straightened his suit jacket.

The fire in me bubbled up, ready to explode like a pressure cooker at the thought of him thinking of my angel that way. But I pushed it back to get through this conversation.

When I didn’t respond, he continued. “Where is the little spitfire?” He looked around as if I had hidden her in the corner. “I’d like to show her how much I enjoyed her getting you riled up.”

This motherfucker.

I clenched my teeth and tucked my hands into my pockets to stop myself from ripping out his tongue and shoving it up his ass.

“Oh, come now, I thought you didn’t mind sharing.” He chuckled, taking a few steps closer. “I could see how much she affected you. I bet she tastes delicious .”

I felt my men stir beside me, their protective instincts bristling.

“Sorry to disappoint you, but I sent her home,” I responded, keeping my tone aloof like I didn’t give a fuck.

The mayor’s eyebrows raised in feigned disappointment. “That’s a shame. I would’ve liked to get up close and personal with her sweet mouth.” He licked his lips and adjusted his hard on. “And every other hole in her body.”

As if Matteo could sense that I was ready to detonate, he stepped closer, a silent warning to keep my shit in control. I couldn’t show any weakness or how much Winter meant to me, otherwise, he would consider it a challenge and go after her. Hurt her, even.

“Unfortunately, she’s off limits,” I told him, trying not to crack my teeth with the way I was grinding them. “She belongs to me, and I don’t share .” I gave him a pointed look so he knew I was not fucking around.

“I see. But you have no problem sharing the others?”

This fucker was baiting me, but I wouldn’t bite. He didn’t have power over me, and I needed to remind him of that. I took a menacing step forward so I was toe to toe with the asshole. “You dare question me in my domain?” I asked, my voice deep and threatening. “You mistake my intentions. This has nothing to do with sharing and everything to do with you overstepping your bounds. In. My. Fucking. House.”

His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, but he held his ground, his eyes flicking to my men, then back to me. “I meant no offense. Given your arrangement, I thought she might be fair game.”

“ I say which girls can be shared. My club. My girls. My rules. Understand?”

He nodded and ran his hand down his tie. “Of course, Nico. I meant no offense.”

Stupid son of a bitch. Didn’t he realize how quickly I could end his life with the flick of my hand?

He held my gaze for a long moment. “Very well,” he said at last, straightening and adjusting his suit jacket. “I’ll play by your rules...for now.”

“Good. See that you do,” I said and lightly smacked his cheek twice like the bitch that he was. “Or next time, it will be more than just words.” I took a step back, dismissing him. “Have yourself a good night.”

He inclined his head, a mockery of a bow. “Gentlemen,” he said and strode out of the room.

The moment he was out of earshot, Luca said, “I hate that guy.”

The mayor was a slimeball. He would only do what I said until he didn’t need me anymore. He thought he was a necessity to me by keeping his mouth shut about the drugs that we smuggled into the US. But he was the one who needed me . He just didn’t know it. One word about his extracurricular activities and secrets would not only tarnish his image, but it would destroy his family, and he’d face jail time. I had secrets about his wife having an affair with her brother-in-law; his perfect princess daughter, a Harvard college student, addicted to opioids; and his son… The son who had a gambling debt that not even his father could save him from. The mayor thought coming to my club and fucking my girls was the only secret I was keeping for him.

I laughed to myself, knowing that when the time came, I had enough ammo to destroy his pathetic life.