“Not like that, no. But I know him. He advocated for Roz to be in a couple of his major productions, including his latest one, which was how he earned my respect. They’ve known each other for a long time.”
“I see. So you’re not worried about him coming on to her?” Nikki had forgotten who she was talking to when she so casually asked that question. She waited for the dress-down.
But it didn’t come. Because she was right: Mick needed somebody to talk to. “It’s a concern, yes. Always,” he added with a resigned sadness in his voice. “But as I said, if he can do better by her then why should I stand in the way?”
“You should stand in the way because you love her,” Nikki said.
Mick gave her thatyou’re crossing the line/who the fuck do you think you’re talking tolook again. But then it softenedagain and he looked back at the road ahead. “I don’t chase women,” he said. “She wants him, she can have him.”
Nikki knew he was talking nonsense. He didn’t chase women, yet they were sitting in an empty shopping center parking lot because he had chased a woman to that lot. He was only kidding himself because Nikki knew that man loved himself some Roz. But she also knew he had laid some news on Roz that might just be on the outside of enough for both of them. And both of those titans were stubborn, vicious people who were capable of anything if you crossed them.
She had enough to worry about in their battle with another titan called Monk Paletti.
She was staying out of Mick and Roz’s battle.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
A little over an hour after they left Philly, Amelia’s Maserati drove up to Monk Paletti’s security gate. As soon as they drove up, the gate opened and a small army of aggressive men hurried out with their rifles drawn and aimed directly at the two people in the front seat of the car. The gate closed back behind the men as if it wasn’t already clear that the visitors weren’t welcomed.
“Welldamn,” said Amelia as the men surrounded her car, with all guns still trained on her and her brother. “Monk has never had this kind of security. He must be scared as fuck!”
Big Daddy looked at her. “You’re in a war with a man like our brother. Wouldn’t you be?”
Amelia raised her eyebrows. “You got a point there,” she admitted.
The gate security chief walked around to the driver side door, his rifle still aimed at the occupants in the car. Amelia pressed down her window. Big Daddy leaned over. “I’m here to see my daughter. Now get thesegotdamn guns out of my face!”
The chief recognized both people in the car and quickly motioned for everybody to aim away from the vehicle. Then he phoned the main house.
“What?” They all could hear Monk’s irritated voice on the other end.
“Sorry to disturb you, Boss, but Mr. Sinatra’s at the gate.”
“Mr. Sinatra?Mick?”
“No, sir. Big Daddy Sinatra.”
“Then let him in. What are you calling me for?”
The chief turned away and lowered his voice as he spoke to Monk. “You said nobody passes without your permission. You specifically said that includes Mrs. Paletti’s family.”
There was a hard sigh, as if Monk suddenly realized how complicated it was going to be for him to wage war with the Sinatra clan. “He’s alone?” he asked.
“No sir. His sister is with him.”
Another exhale. “Let’em through,” he said, and ended the call.
The chief then nodded to gate security. The gate was reopened and Amelia was allowed passage through.
“It’s like a fortress in here,” she said as they made their way up the driveway. Grounds security were visible everywhere, which was unusual for Monk’s house. “I remember a time when this place looked like a pigsty outside and a palace inside and nobody dared to even visit him.”
“Ashley cleaned it up outside and changed it to her taste inside too. I thought he had a good idea keeping people away, but I hear she’s got her friends over all the time. Men as well as women.”
“Ladies can have male friends, Chales,” Amelia reminded her brother.
“Not married ladies,” replied Big Daddy. “Not in my book.”
“Thank God nobody has to live in your book but you. And poor Jenay.”
