“We don’t,” Nikolai countered with a flare of his nostrils, “but you’re gonna need a warrant to dig through my trash. Let alone my paperwork.”
Johnson and Curtson’s faces fell and it was the most vindicating feeling in the world to see two smug motherfuckers turned down. They glanced at each other, sharing a knowing huff, before they turned from him slightly. Johnson spoke with a huff, “Well then, you have a good day, mister…?”
“Nikolai, shop manager.”
“Good day, Nikolai the shop manager. I’m sure we’ll be back for another chat,” Curtson added as he stalked back up thedriveway. Nikolai stood in the center of the asphalt, watching them till they were gone around the fence of the property. Once he was certain they were beyond the sidewalk, he stomped back to the bay. Jessie emerged from the backyard moments after Nik plucked the new light out of its package in the trunk where he’d left it.
“What happened?” Jessie leaned against the side of the car as Nikolai worked to plug everything back in with precision.
“Someone told the enforcers there was something wrong in that last shipment.” Nikolai stood up, wiping the sweat off his hands so he could get dry fingers on the other side. He glanced at Jessie who furrowed his brows, studying the tires. When he looked back, Nik shook his head. He nodded toward the back right corner, the lower bay storage under Bay 1 where things that didn’t see the light of day went. Jessie’s eyebrows shot up on his face. Nikolai leaned into the trunk again, plucking at the other wires while Jessie slipped in beside him. Nik whispered hoarsely, “Either we got a rat, or the Devil does.”
“It ain’t us.” Jessie glared at the dusty trunk liner. He plucked at it mindlessly as he worked the puzzle over in his head. “Well, not us in the shop.”
“You think someone else got upset about Bobby?” Nikolai peeked at his boss, crammed with him in the trunk. His heart skipped a beat. They were too bulky for to be in there together. Their shoulders bumped and the lid could fall down on them at any moment if they so much as jostled the car. And yet, Nik’s only focus was on Jessie’s mouth as the other man worried it. Jessie’s gaze drifted far away as he thought through something. Focus looked good on him and it made Nik’s stomach clench up.
He replayed last night and his fingers flexed unconsciously. Katarina pressed between them, the heat of kisses, touches, her body grinding against him. He was lost to the sensation. To the desire.
And maybe he wondered if they’d let her stay the night in the bed…if that morning would have been different. If he’d wake up to a bed full of bodies that were all jumbled together like a slutty puzzle. Would he have woken to Jessie’s muzzle in his face and Katarina’s face in his chest, their arms loops and tangled? Would Katarina have yawned cutely and scratched his back? Would Jessie have murmured good morning to him with funky breath and sweet kisses?
Instead of waking up alone in Jessie’s bed feeling somewhat used and abandoned?
Nikolai hadn’t let himself feel that fully that since the initial sting of it that morning. Because those kind of feelings only created longing. Katarina wasn’t meant to stay. She deserved a life free of them. And Jessie? Well…Jessie had a lot to deal with other than Nikolai’s silly feelings. The Enforcers being one.
Right. Patience. Right.Nik looked away and returned to fiddling with the damn wires.
“Bobby made it known his feelings were hurt about how we handled it. That’s why Pops showed up this morning. So, it’s safe to say, someone else is none too pleased with me. Maybe you ought to go out tonight?”
“And go where?” Nikolai snorted, not bothering to look at his boss as he finished his work. Jessie left the trunk.
“The casino?” Jessie said it more as a question. Nik extracted himself from the trunk. The mechanic arched a brow at his boss who smirked, “I’ll let the Devil know you’re coming, make sure you get star treatment. Maybe you and his head of security can figure out where the security risk is coming with?”
Nikolai nodded. “I’ll wear my best pants.”
Jessie chucked, winking at Nik. It shouldn’t have, as Jessie winked at him all the time. But for some reason, as Nik closed the trunk and cleaned up the last bits of his mess…he felt a creeping blush under all his fur.
Chapter Fifteen:
~Katarina~
“Andyouwantmeto go with you to dinner?” Katarina giggled, hoisting Isabella up and onto her hip as Jessie caught her moments after they got out of the rental car. While she was still dreaming of fixing up that Reaper, she needed something for the meantime. A nonchalant 4 door in off white and no noticeable details was perfect. It had a full tank of gas and got her to and from Isabella’s school. Then, she stopped by the bank to move out her portion of the money before she cut the accounts in half. Which was then followed by her stopping by the council to file for full custody. Something that wouldn’t be looked at until Gill was out of jail.
But she felt pretty organized, all things considered.Got a lot done.And, when she rolled up at the town house, she expected a quiet evening…minus maybe a rough and rowdy night like the last one.Was it wrong to hope?She fedsowell last night. All day she was glowing with fiendish delight. Her hips were swinging, the birds were chirping, and she definitely still felt their imprints on her skin. Plus, it took her a little more effort than usual to cover up the bite marks on her neck and collarbone.
“You and Bella, yeah,” Jessie chuckled, scratching the back of his head. “Sorry for springing it on ya, my Ma’s really a good cook and my Pops is kind of stubborn like that. It’s just pasta and garlic bread, nothing fancy. But, they wanted to meet you.”
“Why?” She eyed him.
“Well, not to be forward or anything, little momma, but…” he trailed off, grinning easy and waggling his eyebrows suggestively.There’s that nickname again.It seemed when it was just her, she was baby girl. But when she was with Isabella, she was little momma or Katarina. Which she didn’t mind. She liked the idea of different hats, wearing them when appropriate. “Also, free food, yeah? Free food you ain’t gotta make yourself and guaranteed my Ma fawns all over Bella. She’s on this big ‘why don’t my boys want to give me grandchildren’ kick, so I figure I could borrow your kiddo for the night and let her dote on a grandkid?”
Katarina snorted, glancing at Isabella who was already squirming to be put on Jessie’s head like he was her personal motorcycle.Well, it’s just dinner, right?And she’d be lying to herself if she didn’t feel a bit homesick. Her mom and dad were gone, and she missed the messiness of family dinner night.And I definitely am not suffering dinner with Gill’s parents…who won’t stop blowing up my phone.They were demanding to see Isabella so frequently she was ready to block them. She was worried if she did, that they’d escalate.
And Bug could use grandparents right now, with life so chaotic and up in the air. So, what if they’re not her actual grandparents…what was that old fiendish saying? If you can’t summon your own hellfire, storebought is fine?Jessie’s parents could be her storebought hellfire.
What was the harm?
“You know what, yeah, I could go for some family night pasta dinner and overbearing motherly love or whatever,” Katarina chuckled, shrugging nonchalantly. Jessie beamed brighter, scooping up Isabella from her arms and depositing the child on top of his head.
Shit, what do I wear?Katarina immediately started to inventory what she had to wear and how long it would take to touch up her make-up.Just cause they’re not my in-laws doesn’t mean I don’t want to look nice.
