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“Vinnie, this is my cousin, Nico,” Malachi says. “Nico, meet Vinnie. She’s a DHMC prospect.”
“I’ve heard a lot about ya, but it’s nice to meet you anyway.”
Malachi laughs. “Get back to work, Vinnie. He doesn’t need to hear about how much Peppermint bitches about him.”
Ignoring the line of conversation I really want to pursue, I focus on Vinnie. “Nice to meet you too.”
When she steps back from the car, Malachi rolls his window up and proceeds to drive through the gate. I want to take in my surroundings, familiarize myself with every inch of the place, but I can’t take my eyes off Malachi and his smug expression.
“Seriously?”
“What?” he asks, feigning innocence.
“Does she really bitch about me that much?”
“Put it this way,” he begins. “Everyone knows she’d as soon slice off your balls than have a conversation with you.”
My hands immediately cup my junk and Malachi laughs. He parks the car in front of a cinderblock building. I recognize it from photos, but it’s even more impressive in person. I lean forward to get a better look out the windshield.
“It’s not much to look at, but it’s a fortress.” He shakes his head. “It wasn’t always that way, though. Did I tell you about the first time I came here?”
I sit back and chuckle. “Yeah, about a hundred times.”
“Yeah, sorry about that.”
“No, you’re not,” I joke. “And it’s okay. I’m glad you found Harlow. I’m glad you’re happy.”
“I really am,” he confirms with a wide grin. “I’d be even happier if Nicholi were dead, but we’ll get there.”
“You and me both.”
As I follow Malachi inside, I scan the row of motorcycles pulled up to the building. I recognize Peppermint’s Harley immediately. It’s all black except for the gas tank, which is painted to look like, well, a peppermint, with red and white stripes.
When we step inside, I take in the large black room. There’s a logo painted on the floor, as well as behind the bar that’s situated along one wall. Several tables and couches are spread throughout the space, and there’s a large flat screen television mounted on the wall. The ambiance is rounded out with a pool table and some dart boards.
I don’t know what I expected as far as a crowd goes, but it certainly isn’t what’s in front of me. Besides Malachi and me, there are only five other people here, all of them women. Harlow is easy to spot because she’s currently rushing toward us with her sights set on Malachi.
Ignoring them, I lock my gaze on the only other person in the room I care about. Peppermint is currently dancing in the middle of the floor, her body moving to the beat of some rock song I couldn’t care less about. And my cock is rigid at the sight of her.
“Don’t let her catch you doing that.”
I pull my attention away from Peppermint to look at the woman standing on my left. She’s wearing a smirk and her eyes are fixated on my hand which is not so subtly adjusting my jeans.
When she lifts her gaze, her smirk turns into a full-blown smile. “I’m Giggles.” She holds out her hand for me to shake, which I do. “You must be Nico.”
“That’s me,” I confirm but my focus is already returning to Peppermint.
“Yeah, you’re fucked.” Giggles pats me on the back and walks away.
How is it that a woman I barely know can have such a pull on me? She hasn’t even noticed me, and it still feels like we’re the only two people in the room, like she’s dancing just for me.
I watch her for a few more minutes, mentally gearing up to go say ‘hi’, but before I can move, a small hand grips my forearm. I turn to my right and see Harlow and Malachi standing next to me.
“Thank you for coming,” Harlow says as she rises to her tiptoes to wrap her arms around my neck.
I return her hug and a strange sensation settles in my chest. It’s one thing to know someone over the phone, but it’s another when they’re right there in front of you. I’ve grown to love Harlow over the last year, like I imagine I’d love a sister. Definitely more than I loved my brother.
“Not much would have kept me away.”
