Mario gave Nico a sidelong glance. His lips stretched out on one side. “Yes, and no. The Black Widow is working on the next batch for the upcoming season.”
“So business is good.”
Mario nodded and rearranged himself in the seat. “Mostly.” He turned to Nico and crossed his arms, “But a brief family reunion isn’t why you asked to see me.”
Nico’s lips twitched, and he leaned forward. “I remember when we used to escape the vineyard. We’d come here looking for girls.”
“Yeah, you’d always find the group of sexy, nerdy ones.” A chuckle escaped Mario. “Remember the one with the braces? When you kissed her, you ended up getting a cut lip because of the headgear she wore?”
Nico’s lips twisted. “Yeah, Annie. Luna was not happy with us.” He still remembered the switch she used on them. They couldn’t leave the vineyard for several weeks without a bodyguard.
“No,” Mario leaned back and put his hands behind his head. The man couldn’t sit still to save his life. “What’s going on, Nico? You dragged me away from an enjoyable diversion.”
“I need you to look for someone for me.” The walk down memory lane vanished.
The reason for this little meeting became crystal clear to him. Autumn wouldn’t have had sex with him if she were working on all cylinders. He knew it had to be because of her house blowing up, and the bombshell may have been because of the woman Autumn knew as her sister.
Nico stopped at his office at the condo before coming to meet Mario. He printed the information his private investigator emailed him. Not only the birth records but everything about Autumn’s kidnapping. There was a detailed history of one David Taylor.
The bastard was unbelievably wealthy. David Taylor had a sister that was nowhere to be found. His daughter, Scarlett Taylor, had her own prominent fashion design company and traveled worldwide. Why would she care about Autumn? If what Autumn said was true, it meant her sister was a fucking psycho.
“Who?”
“Scarlett Taylor.” Nico handed over a picture he found on the internet. They were sitting just under one of the tall light poles, so Mario had ample light to look at the image.
Mario gave a low whistle, “She’s a looker. Doesn’t scream your type, though.”
“She’s not.” His jaw hardened.
“This for work?”
“It’s personal.”
Mario glanced up at him. His eyes moved over Nico, studying him. “I heard about what happened to your cousin. I’m damn sorry to hear about that, bro. No woman deserves what happened to her.”
Nico inclined his head to him, “Grazie, Mario.”
“And then I heard a strange rumor about you,” Mario paused. “Something about a cop?”
Nico’s lips pursed. “She’s not a cop.” He looked over the pier. “And it’s complicated.”
“You are the king of complicated,” Mario huffed out a laugh. “You should have seen Ma when she heard about yourcomplication. It was the first time she cursed around the kids. Little Maria’s jaw dropped as if catching flies.” When Nico said nothing, Mario shook his head. “It’s going to be your funeral, bro. We all know what happened last time you got involved with someone who—”
“Don’t, Mario.” Nico’s jaw hardened. He was trying his best not to think about Aimee or what happened to her because of what his family was.
Mario put his hands up. “Fine, so you want me to look for this woman and what?”
“I want her travel and phone records. And find out if she’s in the city.”
Both men stood. Mario was a couple of inches taller and broader across his chest. A soldier for The Black Widow, his uncle’s biggest competitor in the life.
Luna and Arturo fought over Nico after his parents died.
Nico put a stop to that when he went to law school. Since then, he was neutral territory.
Until Aimee died in your arms.
“I’ll see what I can find.” Mario reached out and patted Nico’s back in a manly hug. Each man clapped the other on the back. “We miss you, Nico.”
