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Everything inside Nico went cold, his heartbeat slowing to a dull thump. Two words, but they carried the weight of the impossible, the happiness just out of reach. He had been fooling himself, risking everything, and here was the proof of his downfall. He forced his brain to focus, to keep himself steady. “You would turn me in.”

“No!” Bennett’s answer was swift and fierce, believable. But the doubt now bloomed between them, a possibility expressly voiced.

“Hmm.” The sound said nothing and everything at once, and it was all Nico was capable of at the moment.

“Nico, I won’t turn you in.” Bennett’s hand found his jaw, forcing Nico’s eyes up. “I won’t, I promise. I wouldn’t do that to you.”

Nico didn’t know whether to believe Bennett or not. People were capable of terrible, horrible things, especially when they felt trapped. Didn’t he know this better than anyone else? Nico never considered what came after, as long as his men were covered. Any regular citizens caught in the crosshairs were not his problem.

But this was different. Because if the police pressed, would Bennett hold out? Why would he, when he and Nico had only fucked a few times?

“I can tell you don’t believe me,” Bennett said, his gorgeous slate-blue eyes searching Nico’s face. “But you have to trust me.”

Nico didn’t trust outsiders. It was literally the entire point of the ’Ndrangheta and their oath—they kept to themselves and secrets stayed buried within the group. And as much as Nico cared for Bennett, he wasn’t on the inside. He was a high-profile professional athlete who lived by a completely different set of rules.

This meant that Nico had to make his rules very clear.

“If you turn me in, if you turn any of us in,” he said, his voice carrying the intimidation perfected by generations of Marzano men. “It will be clear who did it, and my men will demand you pay the price. Do not put me in that position, Bennett. Because you will not come first.”

The other man’s throat worked as he swallowed. “I know.”

Nico nodded once in acknowledgement. There was a pounding behind his eyes now and a sour taste filled his mouth. He shifted, twisting his body to extricate himself from the bed. “I need to go.”

“Wait.” Bennett’s hand landed on Nico’s arm, holding tight. “Just wait a minute, okay?”

Nico didn’t move, his body remembering to breathe all on its own. Bennett sat up on the edge of the mattress and dragged a hand through his hair. “That night at the Loop? It seems unlikely the guy would be stupid enough to drive his own car. He would have to know there are cameras.”

“This is what you wanted to tell me?”

“Yes.”

It was almost sweet, this naiveté. This was why criminals were the best people to catch other criminals—because they knew exactly how criminals thought. Days ago, Sergei had run the entire team against every rental car database. “We have already looked into this,” Nico said, reaching out to rub the back of Bennett’s neck, shaking him affectionately. “Allora, you can stop worrying that you are an accessory, okay?”

“You looked into it?”

“Bello, do not insult me. We are professionals.”

That caused Bennett’s shoulders to relax. “Thank god.”

Before Nico could corrupt that innocent mouth for a second time tonight, he pushed to his feet. As he walked to the washroom, he said over his shoulder. “You may rest easy. We already know he didn’t rent a car matching this description.”

Nico cleaned up quickly, then brought a warm washcloth out to the bedroom. Bennett was still sitting on the edge of the mattress, looking concerned as he asked, “Well, what if he borrowed the car?”

Again, this had occurred to Nico. It was harder to prove. They would need a player to come forward and admit their car had been loaned out to another player. Or for a CCTV camera to show someone else driving—which Sergei’s team was currently working on.

But the way Bennett said it . . .

“Lie back.”

“I can do it.” Bennett held out his hand for the washcloth.

“You will lie back and let me do it.”

He waited for Bennett to relax on the bed, which the other man did begrudgingly. As Nico cleaned him gently with the washcloth, Bennett asked, “Can I ask you for a favor?”

This was new. Bennett hadn’t asked for a favor before. “Of course. Though it does not mean I will say yes.”

Bennett grabbed Nico’s arm. “When you find him—if you find him first—will you please call me before you do anything?”