“No, but the drugs that turned up on the toxicology reports are unique to the Ricci’s old…enterprises.”
My mind flashes to the shit my father and uncle had created to keep their merchandise cooperative. A shiver races through me when I imagine how many people had that concoction pumped through their veins… me included.
“Nico?” Malachi prompts. “You okay? You’re lookin’ a little pale.”
Malachi doesn’t know about that though. No one does. And he doesn’t need to know. Not right now anyway.
I wave away his concern. “I’m fine.”
“So you’ll come back with Malachi?” Harlow asks.
As hard as it will be, there is no other option. I need to be a part of taking out Nicholi just as much as they do. Maybe more so.
“Yeah, I’ll come back with him.”
“Seriously?” Malachi asks.
“Did you honestly think I was going to say no?”
“I wasn’t sure, to be honest,” he admits. “You’ve stayed away for the last year so…” He shrugs as he lets his words trail off.
“Motherfucker!”
My eyes snap to the phone at the sound of Peppermint, my favorite spitfire. How she’s kept her mouth shut this entire conversation, I’ll never know. She typically jumps at the chance to argue with me.
“Ah,cuore mio.I didn’t know you were on the line.”
Peppermint groans. “How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me your heart?”
“I’ll never stop.”
“Har, I swear I’m gonna kill him when he gets here.”
“Don’t listen to her, Nico,” Malachi says with a chuckle. “She’s just mad because she owes me a hundred bucks.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “You didn’t?”
Malachi’s grin widens. “I did.”
I tsk. “Oh,cuore mio, you should never bet against a Ricci.”
“Fuck you.”
I smile as I imagine her stomping around the room throwing an adult-sized temper tantrum.
“You will… soon.”
“Jesus, my ears are gonna start bleeding,” Harlow grumbles. “Can we please get back to the reason I’m not getting fucked for the next few days?”
Both Malachi and I burst out laughing. Talk about bleeding ears.
Once I catch my breath, I look at my cousin. “So, when do we leave?”
CHAPTER3
Peppermint
“Isit just me or do they keep getting younger?”