Page 51 of Nikki Sinatra: For Her Lover
Nikki knew she was crossing a line, but in his eyes she was already on the other side. “I have offshore accounts to protect my family’s financial future,” Nikki said.
When Mick didn’t respond but continued to stare at her, Teddy and Roz quickly realized why Mick didn’t go for her throat. Nikki was talking a language Mick understood. The language of ruthless. The language of protecting your family at all costs. The language of the ends justifying the means. The language he respected.
But Teddy was frowning. It felt like a slap in the face to him. “Why would you need to protect our financial future? How is that your job? That’s my job, Nikki. Always was and always will be. And I don’t need you helping out!”
“I know that. I’m not doing it for that.”
“Then why are you keeping a secret like that for? Why are you doing it?”
“If anything were to happen to you,” Nikki started saying.
But Teddy cut her off. “Anything like what?”
“Like your father kicking us out of his organization, which has happened before. Like us being forced to go on the run and we can’t get a hold of your funds or any family funds. But we’ll be able to get a hold of my funds. They’re under a different name, a different everything. And also if you and me . . .”
Teddy waited. “If you and me what?”
Nikki couldn’t finish her sentence, but Roz could. “If you and her don’t make it,” Roz said, “she wanted backup. She wanted to make sure that if your ass started sleeping around or acting a fool she could grab her baby and start a new life away from you and this family.” Roz looked at Nikki. “Am I right?”
Nikki nodded. “Yes. That’s right.” Then Nikki frowned. “ I don’t wanna be, but I have to be prepared.”
When Nikki said those words, Mick nodded his head in agreement. “Sometimes your ass gets on my last nerve withsome of your choices. But I respect that choice. That’s a boss move right there. Keep thinking like that.”
Nikki audibly sighed relief. With Mick back on her side, she had her bookends back: Mick and Teddy. “Thank you, sir,” she said to Mick.
But Marco grinned. “Boss move my ass,” he said. “That’s a gangster move right there. Kudos, Ma. And I figured you would like that one, Boss,” he said to Mick.
Teddy leaned forward. They were all celebrating the game, but he didn’t like the way Nikki was playing the game. She could have told him. She didn’t have to keep it a secret from him. Just like she kept her past life from him. It was too much.
He stood up. “Marco, go get your sister. We’re going home.”
Nikki stood up too. She could see the anger in Teddy’s eyes.
“Why the baby gotta go?” Roz asked as she stood up with them. “We haven’t seen her all week, and we haven’t seen Marco longer than that. You and Nikki go home. Y’all asses need to talk anyway. Let Kimmie and Marco stay the night with us.”
Marco smiled. “I am a grown man, Ma. I think I can make that decision for myself.”
Teddy gave him a hard look.
“Or not,” he said with a grin.
Roz smiled too. Marco was the most charming young man she’d ever encountered.
“We still have unanswered questions,” said Mick.
Teddy and Nikki looked at him. “Who killed Emilio?” Teddy asked.
“And was he their only target,” Mick added. “Whoever was behind it got away. Remember that. I don’t care how youfeel about this shit you don’t let that get in the way of your duty. You protect your wife.”
Teddy and Mick stared into each other’s big green eyes. Because it was a reality check for Teddy. Except for maybe Teddy’s best friend, mob boss Frankie “The Monk” Paletti, his father knew better than any human being alive how sensitive Teddy was. How Teddyfelteverything. And when it came to Nikki, how he felt it doubly hard.
That was why Teddy didn’t lash back at his father. More than any human being alive, he knew his father had his back. His father was telling him nothing but the truth. “Yes sir,” he said.
And then he allowed Nikki to walk in front of him like the gentleman he was, and then they went to the game room to say their goodbyes to their baby. Marco, who loved being a part of that family, went too.
Roz let out a hard exhale and then went over to Mick and sat on his lap. She leaned against him and rested her head on his broad shoulders. “Their asses better stay together,” she said.
“They will,” Mick replied. “Nikki’s ride or die come hell or high water, and my boy is too. Nobody loves deeper than Teddy.”
