14. 14 Tori

Chapter fourteen

14: Tori

N ico leads the way to a small staircase along the wall, leading to a singular room that overlooks the floor through a massive window. His office smells of cigar smoke, the stench sticking to the walls like a lingering reminder of the horrific deals made in this space.

The dark wood paneling absorbs the low, red light, creating an atmosphere that's both luxurious and foreboding. A sleek, oversized desk dominates the room, cluttered with stacks of cash and discreet files.

In one corner, a plush, leather chair faces the door, softened by a few strategically placed rugs around the polished concrete floor. Surveillance screens flicker on one wall, constantly monitoring the club below, where laughter and music mask the darker undertones of the night.

Nico waits for us all to enter before shutting the door and taking his seat behind his desk. He gestures for us to sit on the red velvet couch across the room from him. It's too small for all four of us to fit on, leaving me to sit on Ryder's lap.

“Why is it that you're here, Blaze?” Nico asks, clasping his hands together in front of his mouth as he leans on his elbows over his desk. He's using everything in here to his advantage, putting all the pressure of the world on our shoulders. He wants to keep us feeling intimidated… small beneath his foot on our necks.

I worry as to why Nico knows Blaze by his first name, but that may very well be because the guys have been here before.

Have they? Would they participate in a place like this?

“We're looking for someone who's known to come here often,” Blaze answers in an equally calm voice, not an ounce of fear shown as he holds Nico's gaze. It's something unliked by this crime lord, his facade cracking slightly, creasing the corner of his eyes.

“And who might that be?” It's information needed, and odd not to share, but also it's a name we don't want to give.

“A coward,” I mutter under my breath, pissed at the amount of trouble he's still causing.

All eyes land on me. The boys are scolding me with their glares, wondering how I could be so reckless. I wonder about that all the time, guys. Nico, however, is staring at me with too much interest.

“Do go on,” he urges me, sitting back in his chair now, looking amused as he raises his feet onto his desk.

“I can't.” I shake my head, knowing if I continue, I'll get myself killed.

“And why is that?” The corners of his mouth lift subtly as his eyebrows arch, a hint of laughter dancing in his gaze.

Ryder squeezes me, cautioning me as I answer, “I'll probably offend you.”

“Consider my interest piqued. I'm a big boy; I'll keep my feelings separate from the matter,” he promises, wanting me to continue.

Blaze is throwing nonverbal warning signals, practically flashing like a caution light. His thoughts are so loud, screaming at me— don't do it. Ryder is holding me so tight, I think he'll snap me in two any second now as his nerves get the better of him. Meanwhile, Thorne thinks his eyes will be enough to kill Nico, glaring daggers at the man.

“I shouldn't.” I shyly shake my head, biting my tongue so hard, I can taste the metallic tang of blood.

“Boys, if you would be so kind as to step out. It would appear that your woman is too well trained to disobey your not-so-subtle hints to stay quiet.” Nico's still smiling, but there's an undeniable undertone in his words—do as you’re told.

The boys glance at one another, not a single one willing to budge. Once again, I've inadvertently caused trouble and put us all in danger.

Ah, yes. Here's that bad decision train you never got off of, Tori. We're chugging along great. Next stop, death.

“We're not comfortable with that,” Blaze speaks up, the only one able to rein in his emotions enough to respond rationally.

“And I wasn't comfortable with the idea of the ex-senator's son prancing about my casino causing issues, yet here we are,” Nico bites back, his amusement vanishing instantly, replaced by annoyance. Feeling the need to avoid escalating the situation further, I open my mouth once more.

“It's okay. I'll be fine.” I pat Ryder's arm, trying to get him to release me.

Very reluctantly, the boys rise, staring at me with a level of concern I’ve never seen before. I offer them a small nod, trying to instill some confidence, but it falls short. They're so tense, I could stick coal up their asses and get a diamond within seconds.

“We'll be right outside that door if you need us,” Thorne speaks without breaking his gaze from Nico, as if to warn him to keep his hands off me while they’re out of the room.

They slowly file out, closing the door with one last glance in my direction. I stand in front of the couch, staring at the door, feeling exposed without them by my side. It’s unsettling, but more than anything, it’s terrifying to be alone in this room with Nico and my big mouth.

“You sure have them wrapped around your finger, don't you?” he asks, a devilish smirk returning to his lips as he leans forward slightly, his eyes narrowing with a predatory gleam that sends a chill down my spine.

“I wouldn't say that.”

He hums in response, leaving us in silence for a moment as he drums his fingers against one another. “So, tell me. Who is this coward you seek?”

“He's a piece of shit.” The words slip out of my mouth with ease, and once those come out, the others just seem to follow like a steady stream. “He acts all sweet and innocent, takes me out on a date with plans to sell me to you at the end. He owed you money and I guess he thought a cheap date to the movies was a decent enough exchange for a shitty life owned by you.”

My hands are clenched at my sides, gripping the sequined, black fabric of my dress. It’s so short that my knuckles brush against my thighs as I let my arms hang loosely. The reminder of Bren has my blood boiling, more so at how he's still complicating my life.

Nico rises and strides around his desk, each step echoing in the tense silence. He circles me slowly, his gaze sweeping over me with a cold, appraising interest. As he closes the distance, his knuckles graze my bare shoulder, an intentional touch that feels invasive, as if he’s inspecting merchandise.

I try to stand my ground, but my heart races, feeling more like an object under his scrutiny than a person. Anger simmers beneath my composure, mixing with an unsettling fear that tightens my chest.

I'm not a show cow for sale .

“Too bad it didn't come to that. If I'd come across you, you wouldn't be working the floor. That's for sure.” He stops circling me, pausing behind me as his lips brush against my ear, leaning in so his chest is pressed against my back. “You'd be working me. ”

His words hang in the air, and a rush of heat floods my face despite myself. A mix of disgust and fear twists in my stomach, but beneath it all, there’s an unwelcome flutter that makes my pulse quicken.

I try to steel myself against his proximity, feeling the warmth of his chest against my back, a suffocating reminder of his power. I take a shaky breath, fighting to keep my composure as I whisper, “Good thing that's never going to happen.”

Did a crime lord just hit on me? Did I just reject said crime lord in his own office without anyone around to save me? Yes, yes I did.

It's official—we're one hundred percent not surviving tonight. Way to go, Tori!

He chuckles softly, the sound low and amused, as if my defiance only makes things more interesting for him. “I admire your spirit,” he replies, leaning in slightly closer so I can feel his lips brush against my ear. “But you might want to reconsider that confidence.”

He steps away to open the door the boys left through, finding, to my horror, three large men with rifles pointed at each of their heads. “See, Love. I could easily kill them and just take you for myself. So what's to stop me?”

“I don't think you will. Otherwise, you would have done so already rather than putting on this show.” I'm betting my life, and theirs, on the fact he's bluffing, because surely he wouldn't actually shoot them, not when he was concerned about who Ryder's parents were.

Nico chuckles once more, enjoying whatever game it is he's playing with me. “I like you.” He waves his hand, having the men lower their weapons. My shoulders fall as the guns do, relieved to know I was right. “But you did cause trouble, and you are asking me for a favor, so payment is due.”

Blaze locks eyes with me, trying to convey some message that I'm not picking up on. “Payment?” I question, seeing Blaze close his eyes in frustration like that's not what I was meant to ask. The complete opposite in fact.

“I don't mean money. I make enough of that all on my own.” He gestures to the large, tinted window, looking down at his illegal casino.

“Then, what do you mean?” I furrow my brows as I try to keep up with his twisted brain.

“You have a choice,” he starts. “You can decide which one of these young men you'd like to help you when I collect my payment.”

It doesn't take much brain power to know my best option is Blaze, as the other two are too emotionally charged to think clearly. “Blaze,” I respond with ease, confident in my answer.

“Interesting,” he muses, a glint of enjoyment dancing in his eyes. He waves his hand once more, having the guard in charge of Blaze stand him up and push him into the office. Nico then closes the door again, cutting us off from Ryder and Thorne.

I hate not being able to see them, surprised to find that I'm genuinely concerned about their safety. My stomach twists with nerves, my body's been so pumped with adrenaline for so long now, that I feel ready to snap and have a whole mental breakdown.

“Nico, you know the blame lies more with your customer than with us for what happened on the floor. You can't expect us to pay for that,” Blaze wastes no time in negotiating, trying to undo some of this damage.

“I will give you that much. However, your boy's reaction was over the top and caused business to stall. When business stalls, I lose money.” Nico is quick with his response, circling us right back to where we started.

“I don't get it. You say you don't want money as payment, but then you say you lost money because of us. So, what exactly is it that you're wanting?” I can't take this tense atmosphere any longer. The suspense is literally torturing me, and at this point, I just need the band-aid ripped off.

“You're so innocent, aren't you?” His finger runs along the edge of my jaw as he taunts me. “For now, we'll leave it at a favor owed.”

“That's fucking ominous,” I jut out, my filter so broken, it doesn't even realize we're going to get ourselves killed.

“You are something else,” Nico smirks, almost admiring me as his eyes linger. “Tell me the name of the person you seek. I'll find him for you.”

There's a pause, a long moment in which Blaze and I stare at one another, attempting to communicate with our eyes alone. It's not working, because understanding how Blaze thinks is nearly impossible.

“Bren,” Blaze finally answers, deciding the favor owed is worth it.

“Brown hair? Green eyes? Tall?” Nico describes him, giving me hope that all this might not have been for naught. The guns, the fear, the whole damn mess.

“Yes, that's him!” I answer excitedly, hoping that with this, at least one of our problems will be solved.

“Oh, he's dead,” Nico states matter-of-fact, as if Bren's life was nothing more than a speck of dirt beneath his shoe, wiping the smile off my face instantly .

Fuck!

“Dead?” Blaze questions, his muscles tense once more.

I can read this face. He's internally cursing in every language he knows.

“It seems he came into a small fortune and decided to bet it all, losing again. Payment was due, and he had nothing. So we took what we could from him.” Nico's lost interest in the conversation, thumbing through the files on his desk.

A picture of a woman is paper-clipped to the front of the file, fully naked, tears in her eyes. My heart clenches, my stomach drops, and my throat feels suddenly dry, as if someone sucked all the moisture out of the air. I'd almost forgotten who we were dealing with, what this whole place really is.

We just made a deal with him.

“A kidney here, a liver there—you know how it is. Rich people need transplants, and they don't want to wait,” he shrugs, opening the file as he purses his lips in thought, reading its contents.

“What did you do with his body?” Blaze keeps his voice steady, but I can hear the disgust hidden in his tone.

At least the Iron Triad isn't as callous as this. They may be my monsters, but that's all they are. My monsters.

“Cremated at the funeral home I own. I know how to dispose of my messes appropriately. Don't worry, he won't be bothering anyone anytime soon.”

If only.

His death has just made our lives a thousand times more complicated.

Let's get real—you did that on your own by opening your mouth and talking with the police officer, Tori. You should have just let things be.

“Right,” Blaze nods as if he could understand the choice, but I can see the tic in his jaw as he rolls his tongue in his mouth.

“Well, if that's all,” Nico lifts his eyes to us, signaling he's done with this entire thing. “Feel free to leave. I'll come knock on your door when you're needed. ”

Blaze doesn't waste a second, grabbing me by the hand and pulling me out so fast, my head snaps back. Thorne and Ryder stand up, the guards’ guns following their movements until Nico calls them into his office.

“Time to go,” Blaze tells them, rushing us all out. We're almost sprinting as we make our way to the exit door. The street lights hum in the silent night air, feeling as bright as the sun as we exit the dark casino.

We may be leaving unscathed, but I feel as if a part of me died there. My ignorance, my innocence, and my trust in people are forever crushed.

There are some truly evil people on this planet.

“Well?” Ryder impatiently asks the moment we're all in the car, leaning forward to look at Blaze in the passenger seat. Thorne is silent, his focus split between the road and Blaze's answer.

“He's dead,” he answers, his anger boiling over as he punches the dashboard.

“Dammit, KitKat. You've really screwed the pooch, haven't you?” Ryder sits back beside me, shaking his head as he rubs his forehead under his shaggy hair.

“How the hell was I supposed to know he was going to get himself killed?” I snap, the guilt too heavy for me to swallow.

“Leave it. It's not her fault,” Thorne surprisingly defends me, all eyes now on him.

“Let's just get home for now. We'll figure this out tomorrow.” Blaze silences the car once more, festering in his seat as the cogs in his brain turn.

He'll find a solution for this, right? I can count on him, can't I?