“Will do,” Jake says.
“I’ll see you shortly.” His deep voice brings me comfort.
“Okay.” I remove the phone from my ear and hang up.
I let out a relieved breath. Thank goodness I didn’t have to witness a shootout. I’m not built for that life. Growing up in the suburbs, I’ve never even heard gunshots in real life. I’m not a ride or die type of girl; I’m more of the ask questions and get verification type.
Not too long after, we pull through a crop of trees and down a dirt road. We pass through an open metal gate and down a long driveway. Up ahead is a large metal warehouse building. Behind the main warehouse are three other smaller ones in a row. There are a bunch of black SUVs parked in front of the main warehouse, and there are about fifty men all carrying large guns.
The moment my G-Wagon comes to a stop, my door flies open. I startle until I spot Nico. His gaze rakes over me before he undoes my seat belt and pulls me out of the car. I wrap my arms around him and let my tears flow.
Call me weak or whatever you want. But you do not know how terrifying it is to have someone following you and you know you’re leading them into a gunfight.
Nico pulls my head away from his chest. He cups my face in his hands and stares down at me.
“Are you alright?”
Fuck no. But I’m not physically hurt.
“Yes, I’m okay.”
“The driver got tipped off about two blocks from the main road,” Jake fills Nico in on what happened with a cellphone pressed to his ear. “Cyrus followed him, but he said he lost the car back on Main Street.”
“Is that my sister-in-law causing problems?” The sound of Sal’s voice pulls my attention away from my husband.
I let go of Nico and rush into Salv’s open arms. Out of all Nico’s brothers, Salvito and I are the closest.
“Dang, girl. I feel like you’ve been avoiding me.”
I chuckle at his remark. Standing beside him like a towering guard is Kazimir.
“Hey, Kaz.” I let go of Salv to give Kaz a hug. He wraps his arms around me, hugging me back.
“You good, Lil sis?”
I only nod. No matter how many times they ask that question, I wasn’t sure I’d ever be good with any of this.
Nico walks over to me. He looks a little nervous. I wasn’t sure why.
“I’m going to take her home,” he says to his brothers. “Can you finish up here?”
Salv grins big. “You want me to finish?” He places a hand on his chest.
Nico shakes his head with a chuckle. “Keep this muthafucker in line,” he says to Kaz while wrapping his hand around mine. “I’ll call and check back once we’re settled.”
He leads me to the SUV.
“Saint,” one of his men calls out, and I flinch. Nico looks over at me, and that nervous look is back. Now it makes sense.
“Get in the truck,” he tells me.
I don’t argue. Instead, I make my way over to the back of the G-Wagon and climb in. I stare out of the window as the men with guns all listen to my husband. He stands among them like ageneral directing his army. For the first time, I’m seeing a side of Nico that I don’t think I was ever supposed to see.
This isn’t Niccolo Basille the hotel tycoon. This is Saint, the man who had me kidnapped. The man who killed my ex on camera and hasn’t worried once about the cops. Saint, the man who has an army of men with guns ready to gun down someone following me. Saint isn’t some made-up villain that Nico created to get me to fall for him. For the first time, I’m realizing that Saint is a real person.
chapter sixteen
Crown
