Page 34 of Niccolaio Andretti (The Five Syndicates)
Because whenever I look at him, I see what I’m not.
But worst of all?
I see what I can be.
It takes about ten minutes for Dex to get his dick out of some girl and send her on her way.
But until then, John, Red Senior and I wait. And after the first four trying minutes of listening to the asshole on the ground moan out in pain, I clock him roughly on the back of the head with the base of my trusty Smith and Wesson, knocking him out cold.
That earns me a shocked gasp from Red Senior.
John pats her reassuringly on the shoulder, whispers something into her ear that makes her smile, and glares at me. “Did you have to do it like that, Niccolaio?”
“Nick,” I correct absentmindedly. I look at my Smith and Wesson with a frown before tucking it back into my jeans, safely positioned beside my beautiful Colt, which has an intricate drawing of a cobra etched into its handle. “And yeah. I didn’t want to get his germs on my Colt.”
After all, I like the Colt better than the Smithy. I trusted it more, and more importantly, it came from better stock.
John rolls his eyes, and the three of us stand together in silence again. I scan the streets, keeping my eye out for any more low lives, while I lightly kick the guy on the ground to see if he’s still out.
I wouldn’t partner up with this sad sack of shit for a billion dollars, but who knows?
Some idiot might have.
If so, he might still be out there.
And that has me on alert, until finally, Dex emerges from his front door with a tiny brunette stumbling behind him. She’s dressed in a slinky dress with one of Dex’s suit jackets over her thin shoulders. A few seconds later, a car similar to the one that picked Red Junior up pulls up to the curb.
Dex opens the door for the girl, who leans back to give him a sloppy kiss. He pats her roughly on the ass and shuts the door for her once she slides herself into the backseat of the car. He has a carefree smirk on his face when he casually walks our way.
Once Dex notices that John is out here, too, he asks, “Cameras?”
I nod, and the two of us stare at Red Senior, who stares at John.
Sighing, John says, “Fine. Give us a moment.”
I reach down and grab the unconscious guy’s leg. Dex and I walk up to my brownstone with the guy dragging on the ground behind us. In the background, we faintly hear Red Senior huff in protest before silently entering John’s place.
I wait for John to join us before I press some buttons on the new security system. After a quick retinal and hand scan, the little gadget on the door handle pricks my skin, drawing a drop of blood. After it analyzes it, the door opens on its own, and the three of us step in.
I drop the guy’s leg and wave for John and Dex to stay back as I walk down the hall, the floor sensors picking up my gait print, and disarm the security system for John and Dex to follow after me.
Dex eyes the guy on the ground before sighing and reluctantly grabbing his leg. Even with his relatively above average build, Dex struggles to pull the attacker’s weight behind him. When he, the attacker and John pass the entry hallway after closing the door, I
quickly rearm the security system.
Dex drops the guy’s leg beside me. “Overkill,” he decides, which is probably saying something, since he lives and breathes tech. He even has a stellar, top notch security system of his own.
“Necessary,” I counter in the same tone, not commenting on the very relevant fact that I have a five million dollar bounty on my head, courtesy of one pissed off, unforgiving and ignorant little brother.
They don’t need to know that.
If they find out, they’ll probably vote me off the island out of self-preservation.
And then, I’d have to kill them for pissing me off.
And I actually like Dex.
John? Not so much. He kind of just takes up space and air.
