“You’re more than welcome to stay here. Like I told your bestie at the fire, it’s safe enough. And I'm sure my dearZiohas his people ready and waiting to catch you unaware when you least expect it if you change your mind after I leave.” He cocked his head to the side. “Aren’t you a little curious about those cameras you wanted to see so bad?”
Autumn’s eyes lit up at the mention of the cameras, but she was still studying him. “You want me there, Scala. What do you get out of it? And don’t tell me it’s because of some familial duty to your uncle. I could tell you aren’t close.”
Nico hadn’t been expecting her curiosity about his relationship with his uncle. His lips pulled up when he looked down. “You shouldn’t ask questions you're not ready to hear the answers to, Miss Taylor.”
“What makes you say that Counselor Scala?”
The answer might get you killed.
“There’s a bag in your room, Miss Taylor,” he said, changing the subject, “We leave in an hour.”
“Am I supposed to say, Yes, Master as well?” Autumn muttered as she sailed by. The scent of lemons filled his nose.
“It would be nice.” His eyes followed her twitching ass as she walked down the hall.
Nico ran his hand through his hair and looked at his phone. He still smelled the stench of sulfur from the fire on his clothes. He needed to shower and change. But first, he needed to see what his private investigator found on Autumn Taylor.
“She has two birth certificates.”
“That’s what I said.”
Nico blinked at what he saw on the computer screen. It was the same child, but with two totally different birth parents. “That isn’t possible.”
Luke Travis, the PI, was silent over the phone for a moment. “I’m still looking into it, but that’s what I found on your girl...”
As they stood under the awning in the drizzling rain waiting to get in Cat Tails, Nico watched Autumn with her arms wrapped around her body. He wondered if she knew she had two birth certificates. Did it have something to do with her kidnapping or was it something else altogether?
The woman in question with lips pursed, eyes narrowed, refusing to acknowledge him.
“Cold?”
Autumn’s stormy eyes slid to him. A glare so fiery hit him between the eyes he could almost feel flames in the bullseye that had to be plastered to his forehead.
Nico barely held back the smirk. It was the dress. She almost refused to wear it. She could have worn one of her boring black pants and white shirt outfits, but she still opted for the short dress that barely covered her ass and highlighted her breasts. The swells overflowed the top of the corset.
The only reason Nico felt she wore the scrap of silk was she wanted to wear it. Autumn wanted to wear it for him. She just didn’t realize it.
The line they stood in plodded along slowly. Blue Navarro didn’t make concessions for anyone unless they were VIPs. And Nico didn’t use his uncle’s name to get his way. He wasn’t a mafioso, and he was keeping it that way.
When they got to the front, Nico handed a card to the bouncer. “We have a meeting with Blue.” He wrapped an arm around Autumn, who stiffened at his touch.
The bouncer looked at the card, then at Nico. He pressed the earpiece and spoke into a minuscule microphone like he was a performer. The bouncer blinked, then nodded at Nico. “You’re good.” He beckoned them through the door. “He’ll be with you shortly.”
Nico gave a quick nod and with a hand on the middle of Autumn’s back, they went inside Cat Tails.
Just inside the entry, Autumn stopped. She looked down a darkened hallway where one door had yellow police tape across it.
“We have to go inside the club proper,” Nico rumbled in her ear.
He felt Autumn’s sigh rather than heard it. With a little cajoling, Autumn moved toward the dance floor. Her steps were stilted, like a newborn foal.
Nico looked at her as she stood at his side. He leaned down to her and looked into her eyes. Bright neon lasers caught the blue-gray color of her eyes, making them brighter as they skittered around the room.
“What’s wrong?” he asked with both hands on her shoulders. Her skin was cold, and goosebumps formed beneath his palms.
“I don’t come in this part of the club,” she yelled over the music.
“Why not?” he yelled back.
