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“Sex slave?” My eyebrow raises and his laughter stops as though it was cut off by an ax. He abruptly pulls the car over. Panic fills me. Why did I have to ask him that question? Now, he’s probably royally pissed off at me and going to smack me around or–
“Mia, I don’t know what kind of men you are used to but I would never hurt a woman or force her to do anything sexual with me. It isn’t how I was raised and I’d rather die than do either of those things. I had planned to bring you to the house, sit down with you, and offer you a job since I can’t just let you go; however, I don’t want you thinking that I’m so woman beater or sexual predator so if you’d like–”
He hits the unlock button on the door.
“You can leave and I’ll just have a few of my guys keep tabs on you for a while until I feel reassured that you aren’t going to rat us out to the fu– to the cops,” he finishes with his words between clenched teeth.
I’ve offended him to a whole other level. A tough guy like him takes beating and harming women as an extreme insult. I always figured thugs didn’t have a code of honor. Hanna had told me that he had rules; however, I didn’t believe it until now.
Nico can’t even look at me. He has a death grip on the steering wheel and his eyes are locked straight ahead as he takes deep breaths. I shouldn’t feel bad for him; after all, I did witness him stabbing someone, but why is my gut in knots knowing that he’s upset with me?
“I’m sorry,” I whisper. “I am scared out of my mind. I’m new to Chicago and everything has gone wrong. I was just trying to do a good deed and check on the woman screaming in the room next door and now here I am, a witness to a crime. I’m from a small town in the middle of nowhere. I’m not used to any of this. I don’t know the rules of the city and damn sure don't know how I should be acting in this situation. I’m just… I’m just scared. And I’m sorry if I offended you,” I blurt at the speed of light.
“You don’t need to apologize, Mia,” Nico sighs. “You didn’t ask for any of this.”
His grip on the steering wheel loosens. He looks over at me.
“I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to lose my temper. It was supposed to be a simple night but it turned into a complicated mess. I’m a bit on edge and despite how things seem, I’m trying to do right by you,” he states.
“Right by me?”
“Yes,” he nods. “I sent Hanna back to her country so she can go about her life without worrying about me lurking over her shoulder. Your situation is a little more complicated. I can’t just let you go. I could, but I wouldn’t get a single minute’s sleep as long as you were out there and I know you could bring down my entire empire.”
His sudden confession has me in awe. It shouldn’t but it does. I find myself hanging onto every single word he speaks.
“Will you, please, come back to my place? We can talk while we eat, if you’re hungry and figure out the next move. You’re new in town so I can offer you a job.” His words have my ears perking up.
“What kind of job?”
“Any job. Name it and it’s yours.”
“Why would you give me a job?”
“Honestly?” he asks, sighing.
“Yes. Honestly,” I say, bracing myself for impact.
“You’re a loose end, Mia, and I need to keep you by my side,” he replies. “I can’t hurt you. I refuse to threaten you. Keeping you by my side will keep us both safe. If word gets out that I let a witness walk without repercussions, things could get ugly for both of us.”
“For me?” I gasp.
“I know you’re new here, but I’m not just some schmuck off the street. I have a reputation to uphold.”
Why does that sound so sexy?I shake away the thought. Now isn’t the time to be drooling over him. This situation is dire. I should be scared out of my mind, screaming, crying, something; not thinking about how attractive he sounds.
“You okay?” he chuckles, waving a hand in front of my face.
“Yes. Yes. I’m fine. Just…” I let my words trail off.
“I see,” he smirks, clearly amused by me being flustered. “Well, will you do me the honor of at least coming to my house to talk?”
It would be fair. The man could easily have me swimming with the fish or buried six feet underground in the middle of nowhere. I should consider myself lucky that he was the one in charge and not someone from one of the old mob movies I watched when I was younger.
“I accept your offer, Mr. Santoro,” I hold out my hand. He looks at it and smiles before placing his much larger hand in mine.
“Just Nico,” he replies huskily, shaking my hand and sending a shiver down my spine.
I just made a deal with the devil and despite what I previously thought, I’m pretty sure I’m going to like it.
