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“I came out to see what was taking so long,” Ophelia replies in a sheepish tone.
“Who is that,amore mio? What’s that girl doing with you?” Bianca peers past me, lunging against Nico as he plants his boots into the concrete, grunting as he holds her back.
“No one, Bianca,” I say. “Just?—”
“No one?” Ophelia sniffs.
Bianca isn’t only unhinged—she’s dangerous.Think fast, Haze. Keep her safe.
I gesture behind me. “This is Liam’s little cousin we’re bringing back from the airport.” I take my eyes off Bianca only long enough to turn my head over my shoulder and stare daggers at Ophelia as I shout, “Get your ass back in the car. NOW!”
“Fine. Fine.” Ophelia puts her hands up in surrender. “I’m going.”
I watch Ophelia until she’s back in the car with the door closed.
“Boss,” Nico says, getting my attention. His hand slides toward the pocket of his trousers. “I hate to use it, but I don’t think we have another choice.”
Seeing no alternative, I nod in agreement. “There is no other choice.”
“What do you mean?” Bianca’s head snaps frantically from Nico to me. “What are you talking about? No other choice than what?” Her eyes widen, and a feral look drops over her face. “You’re going to kill me?”
One arm still firmly around her, Nico pops the cap off a syringe and has it firmly planted in her buttocks before I can reach him to help.
“Merda! That freaking stings. What the hell? What have you done?” She swings her head back to see what’s been stuck in her ass. The meds hit her as she turns. Suddenly, she sways, unsteady on her feet. “Oh… oh…”
I watch with relief as Bianca slumps into Nico’s waiting arms. “That was fast.”
“’Course it was.” Nico braces himself, pulling her up. “A full dose of Dr. Bruno’s magic potion on a woman that can’t weigh more than a few sacks of flour. Plus, she doesn’t eat. Remember?”
I’d forgotten about Bianca’s signature diet of red wine and licorice. This should have been a red flag sooner in the relationship, but it became a source of contention on nights out. I love to eat.
Moving quickly, I check to see that Ophelia’s door is still shut, then cross the road to where he stands. “Let me help you get her to the car.”
I edge an arm under one of Bianca’s, redistributing some of her weight from Nico to me. She may not weigh much, but when you’ve had a hefty dose of our serum, you go boneless, and your body becomes like a sack of stones.
Nico and I take her back to the Porsche and settle Bianca in the passenger seat. I pull the safety belt over her chest, click it into place, and close the door.
“I’ll have someone drive her home.” I pull out my phone and send the order for two men. One to drive Bianca and the Porsche back to her apartment. The other to follow them in one of our cars. I type out a long-overdue message to Liam as well. Slipping my phone back into my pocket, I admit, “I think it’s time I finally took Liam’s advice and put a team of eyes on her.”
“Si! You’d best get eyes on Bianca 24/7,” Nico laughs. “Unless you want to find bunny rabbits boiling in pots on your stove.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask.
“American movie reference,” Nico clarifies. “I swear, we Italians have seen them all. How have you not watched Fatal Attraction? Glenn Close is pure gold.”
“Boiled bunnies in pots?” I laugh. “Sounds like a five-star film. Luckily, I don’t have pets. We’ll wait in the Alfa ‘till someone comes to collect her.” I head back to our car as Nico pulls the Porsche off to the side of the road and parks it on the shoulder.
I open the back door of the Alfa, finding a very curious Ophelia peering up at me. Her blue eyes are wide, she’s clutching her olive jacket to her chest, and I can tell she’s ready to fire off her latest string of burning questions.
She doesn’t hesitate, and they come like missiles. “What was that all about?” she demands. “And who was that woman? Did she say something about a baby?”
“Can I at least sit down first?” I ask.
“Sorry,” she mumbles, scootching over. I slide in beside her, closing the door behind me.
“That,” I say, “was no one.”
“Oh. Great!” She sniffs. “A no one, just like me!”