Page 66 of Made in Love and Blood

Just like that, her heart went into overdrive.

9. — gowns and goons...

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Union, New Jersey

Nico, Big Mike’s Deli

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“Close the door, Vauhn,” Big Mike ordered the man at the private room’s doorway. The door minder did as he was told, but not before locking eyes with Nico and giving him a once over. Only then did he shut the door completely. “He’s sizing you up, kid.”

“Yeah, tell me about it. I thought when you said you wanted to see me, that you’d have good news. That guy looks like he wants to smash my fucking head in.”

“Well, you did just become another thing to check off his daily list. It keeps growing, and he doesn’t like to delegate. Make sure you get his contact when you leave. From here on out, I should only see your face if someone is dead, dying, or needs to be. Otherwise, you run interference for my time and approval through him. Do you get me or what?”

“What constitutes the last one?”

Big Mike cocked one eyebrow higher than the other. “Excuse me?”

“I need clarification. For...possible reference. Allegedly.”

The man just stared, open-mouthed. “Seriously?”

“No,” Nico returned, shrugging it off. “I know when people need to die.”

He’d just never had to do it. Yet.

“Vauhn seems friendly,” Nico noted, slightly sarcastic, but hoping to move the conversation along. He had a deadline today.

“You should see what he can do with a knife,” Big Mike deadpanned.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Do. He also hates thieves.”

Nico smirked. “This must be a hard career for him. Aren’t we all thieving in a way?”

“Thieves who steal from me,” Big Mike added with a chuckle. “You really are something else, kid. It’s good you’re a conversationalist, because you’re gonna need to talk your way out of a lot of shit over your lifetime. Especially if you’re going where I think you wanna go in the future.”

Nico had given up on telling people to stop calling him kid at this point, so he just folded his arms across his chest and said nothing.

Big Mike seemed fine with that. “I’m gonna see you once a month for a while, less if I need or want to. I hear you’ve got something like a hundred k left over from the money you made off my drugs, so make sure you’re putting that to use to get you a respectable due the next time I come calling for you to pay up. Be busy. But I don’t want to hear about people seeing you, if you get my drift.”

“You want me to stay out of Carcoli’s joints, is what you’re saying. The guy’s got a network of clubs across three states, but I’ll do my best.”

“For starters, make sure you do. Or try. I do have a bit of leeway there seeing as how Carcoli and I have an agreement about my distributors in his clubs.”

“You’ve got people dealing out of his joints?”

“Like I said, some leeway. I also heard you’ve got a lot of problems with your older brother, and those two, well...”

“Trust me, I know,” Nico responded dryly. He remained calm externally, but inside...a festering hated burned and raged at the mention of Marco and Anthony.

“Vauhn can link you up to guys on the crew whenever you need something. Don’t cause problems, and I won’t become one for you. That’s the rules. Got it?”

“Got it,” Nico said, nodding.