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“I don’t trust anyone. Hazard of the job. I tried earlier today with you, and it bit me on the ass. I’m playing by my rules now.”
He ignored the jab and chambered another round. Aim. Shoot. Blue smoke.
He emptied the spent round and turned to her. “We need to do something normal.”
“Fine—”
“I gotta go home. I owe my mom a visit. Since you’re alive, you should see your folks.”
“I called them. Gave them the whole spiel, told them what Witness Protection told me to pass along since I’m out and about and want to keep mobster crosshairs off ‘em.”
“You don’t want to go home?” he asked.
She pulled down her sunglasses, stepped to the line, and fired off her weapon. Different target hit. Green smoke. She didn’t turn around, just stayed, staring down range.
“Nic?” He took a step forward and spoke lower. “Nicola?”
Nicola cleared her weapon and turned. “Look, I can’t handle seeing their faces. Okay? I talked to them. They know it all. They had the same reactions you and Roman did. I’m devil daughter. I get it. I don’t need to see it.”
“Don’t you miss—”
“Of course I do. I’ve missed them every day. Just like I missed you and Roman.”
She turned back toward the last of the wafting colored smoke. He placed his hands on her shoulders. “Let’s go see them.”
“I can’t.”
“Yeah—”
Spinning fast, she stabbed him with a glare. “I’m not strong enough. You happy? Is that what you want to hear?”
“I don’t believe you.”
Nicola glared at him. “They deserve better than me.”
“I know your folks—”
“No you—”
“How about this? I’m going to go see them. You’re welcome to join me. Then we’ll go do something boring and normal, like catch a movie or something. You need to chill, and I’m gonna help.”
“I don’t know.” She looked terrified.
“We’ll go after this. You can sit in the truck while I do the parental drive-bys if you want to hide. Then we’ll go make s’mores or something. Something nice and normal and boring.” They both heard Sugar’s heels before she announced herself. Cash smiled. “Or you can always stay here with Sugar.”
Sugar held Nic’s lip gloss listening piece high overhead. She looked… not pissed. What the deuce?
“All right, Nicole Whatever-Your-Name-Is.” Almost her name. Sugar was in the same ballpark as Nicola. It was progress. Sugar continued, “Cute. Very funny. I respect the effort. Cash, scram. She and I have business.”
Maybe not progress.
Nicola looked at him. “See ya. Have fun at Mom and Dad’s.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Cash took his sweet time leaving, dragging one boot in front of the other. Nicola and Sugar watched. Maybe he hoped they’d call him back. Maybe he was concerned about pitting two lady bulls against one another with no one to enforce ground rules.
Sugar cracked a piece of gum between her teeth. “So, you and Cash?”