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I’m gonna have to kill the mayor.
“How did you get her address?” Every word tastes like death on my tongue.
Nikki presses her lips together before answering. “I know a guy who works for the IRS. A phone call and a promise got me what I needed.”
My chest expands as I take a large breath, attempting, and failing, to calm my rage.
“Did you bring the scissors?” I ask Aspen, keeping my eyes on Nikki.
Aspen produces a pair from somewhere inside her jacket. “Sure did.”
“Cut it all off.”
“Cut what off?!” Nikki tries to push the chair away from me but I hook one of the legs with my foot.
“Your hair, Nikki.” Finally, the calm I usually achieve settles over me. “She’s going to cut off all your hair. And if you struggle, she might slip and cut more than that. So, I suggest you act smart for the first time in your life, and sit fucking still.”
Aspen circles around until she’s behind Nikki, keeping her out of the kicking and scratching range.
“Don’t!” Nikki cries when Aspen grips her long shiny ponytail. “Nero,” she reaches for my hand. “Why can’t you see how perfect we are for each other.”
I stay out of her reach. “We aren’t anything for each other.” Aspen hacks through the thick handful of hair and Nikki starts crying. “You purposefully hurt the woman I love. If you were a man, I’d slit your throat where you sit. But instead, you’re going to become invisible.” The ponytail, elastic and all, falls to the floor. “I don’t care where you go, but I never want to see you again.” Aspen grabs clumps of the longer pieces and cuts them off, close to the root. “And if you so much as look at my woman, ever again, I will make you disappear for real.”
Aspen cuts off another handful as Nikki breaks down into loud sobs.
“Grow up!” Aspen hisses, slicing through another clump.
“Nero!” Nikki hiccups, “I love you!”
“No, you don’t. You don’t love anything but yourself. And your appearance. Which is why I’m taking your hair.”
Aspen makes a few final snips before stepping back to survey her handiwork. “Done.”
I nod, pleased, and take a step back. “I’ll send my men by in twelve hours. You don’t want to be here when they arrive.”
Nikki is too busy clawing at her bare skull to respond, but I know she heard me.
I let Aspen get a few paces past me before I turn and follow her back out the front door.
There’s no one in the hallway, and no signs that anyone heard anything, so we keep our strides casual and make our way outside.
“So,” Aspen raises a brow at me once we’re on the sidewalk. “The mighty Nero has fallen in love.”
“You’ll like her.”
“I hope so,” she huffs. “You don’t seem to have the best taste in women though.”
I ignore her comment. “Where’s your car?”
“Down at the corner,” she answers, already walking that way, and I follow.
Aspen isn’t soft, but she’s here because I asked her to be, so I’m not letting her out of my sight until she’s back in her car.
A rustling sound comes from an alley as we move past, causing Aspen to sigh. “Poor guy is still here.”
I turn my head, expecting to see a homeless man, so I’m not prepared to see a scruffy dog sniffing through a pile of garbage.
Aspen keeps walking but I stop. “What do you mean still?”
