Page 102 of Niccolaio Andretti (The Five Syndicates)
With it still in my hands, I say to Ashley, “Scream, and this will go into your mouth.” I grimace. “We got it from Dex, so who knows where it’s been?”
Even now, I’m holding it by the end of the leather strap, unwilling to touch more of it than I need to.
Can I get an STD like this?
To her credit, Ashley’s face remains neutral, and when she nods, John seethes, “You fucking bitch. If you touch a hair on Ashley’s head, I swear to God, I will slap a lawsuit on you so fast, your grandchildren’s grandchildren will still be paying it off.”
I smile brightly. “I think we’re beyond lawsuits.”
And Niccolaio, I kid you not, slaps John. Like an actual slap. Flat palm and everything. John opens his mouth, and Niccolaio slaps him again.
“You… You slapped me,” John splutters, as if he can’t believe it.
To be honest, neither can I.
Niccolaio shrugs. “You don’t deserve my fists.”
John lunges for Niccolaio, but it’s a pathetic attempt, especially with his limbs all tied up. He ends up falling on Ashley, who groans under the weight. I wince sympathetically and move to push John off of her.
In the back of my mind, I register happiness at the fact that I no longer have to touch John, and other men like him, out of my warped sense of need. I no longer have to gold dig, and that makes my good mood even better.
Niccolaio says, “I met your friend David.”
John replies, “I have no idea who you’re referring to.”
I lean back and watch the exchange, curious as to how Niccolaio will get John to talk but confident that he will.
“I found your number on his phone.”
John’s eyes flash. “Impossible! I blocke—” his voice falters as he realizes his mistake.
“You blocked it. Is that what you were going to say?” At John’s silence, Niccolaio continues, “You know, at first I thought you used our cameras. But then I saw the picture of me on David’s phone again and realized the quality was shit. You had someone hack into the city’s CCTV cameras, didn’t you?” He doesn’t wait for a response. “Now the question is why.”
“I didn’t do anything.”
“Your fiancé here is beautiful.” Niccolaio winks at me before turning to Ashley. “Ashley, is it? This all started when she showed up that first time.” He inches closer. “If it isn’t you, John, was it your girl?”
I know Niccolaio won’t hurt Ashley, but John doesn’t, and Niccolaio is a pretty damn good actor.
John’s nostrils flare, and he struggles against his binds, the rigor of the movement causing me to forget his age for a moment. “You fucker. Leave her alone. I did it. Okay? Is that what you want to hear?”
“Why?”
“Because Ashley came back into town, and we picked up where we left off. Because I was determined to make sure our relationship had no problems this time around, and you were a problem. Or you were going to be. I’m going straight, and I was just tying up loose ends. Nothing personal, okay? I didn’t need you coming after me now or in the future, so I came after you first. Helps that there’s a hit on your head. I saw an opportunity and I seized it. You can’t fault me for that. You would have done the same.”
“You’re a fucking idiot.”
“Excuse me?”
“I wouldn’t have come after you. You’re not important enough. Who the fuck do you think you are?”
John flinches, his face red from embarrassment. “I—you would have.”
“Yeah? Why?”
“B-because we have past dealings.”
“I have past dealings with a lot of people, and most of them are they’re still alive.”
