Page 10 of Nikki Sinatra: For Her Lover

Mick only entered the small, storefront restaurant when he saw Teddy’s Corvette pull into its pothole-laden parking lot and Nikki, not Teddy, stepped out.

He was back in town after a meeting at his hotel in Manhattan and was taking the backroads in.

When he saw Nikki step out of Teddy’s car at a place like that, he was curious on two levels.

Why wasn’t she driving her own car, number one.

And why was she at a place like that, number two.

Was she meeting a new informant he didn’t know about?

His instincts told him that wasn’t it. And that was why he swung his big, white Cadillac Escalade into that parking lot, got out, and went inside. He sat at the bar and looked around.

In seconds he saw Nikki seated at a table with a man who appeared to be in his mid-thirties. They were talking, seemingly intensely. But when he placed his hand on top of Nikki’s hand, Mick hopped up from that bar stool and made his way over to their table.

Juda saw him coming their way, but he had no idea who he was.

He was rich, he knew that, by the cut of that tailored suit he wore.

And he carried with him a look so intense, even down to the droop of one of his eyes and that cleft in his chin, that he could see why Nikki seemed unnerved just from the sight of him.

He’d heard of Mick the Tick, but he’d never met the man nor had he ever seen a photo of him.

But he wondered if that man, coming their way, was the legend.

But he concluded it couldn’t be. Because it wouldn’t make sense. Why would the great Mick Sinatra be caught dead in some hole-in-the-wall, rathole place like where they decided to meet up? They didn’t want to be seen, that was why they were there. What would be his excuse?

But whoever the guy was, he didn’t sit right with Juda. Mainly because he was standing at their table staring unabashedly at Juda, even as Nikki was trying to talk to him.

“Hello sir,” Nikki said to Mick.

Mick said nothing. He continued to stare at Juda.

“I didn’t expect to see you here.”

Mick didn’t break his stare.

“What are you doing here?” Nikki finally asked.

And Mick finally looked away from Juda and looked at her. “That’s the wrong question. The question is what are you doing here?

Nikki hadn’t prepared an explanation. She had no idea she’d run into anybody she knew. And especially not him! “I’m having a quick drink with a friend of mine.”

Mick looked skeptically at her. “A friend of yours?”

Nikki didn’t mean to call Juda a friend, but that was what came out of her mouth. Now she had to stick to it. All of this subterfuge was so not her! “Yes sir.”

Juda expected her to introduce them since they were so-called friends, but to his disappointment she didn’t.

Mick continued staring at Nikki as if he knew there was more to this drink with a friend story than she was telling him, but she didn’t say another word. So he did. “Let’s go,” he said impatiently.

Which shocked Juda. “Go? Why should she have to go? Just because you said so?”

But Nikki knew Juda was out of his depth. “Stay out of this,” she warned him.

“Your ass had better stay out of this,” warned Mick.

But Juda could be a ticking time bomb himself, and he quickly stood on his feet. “And what if I don’t?” he asked that arrogant bastard.

Nikki quickly stood up and got between the two men. She knew Juda meant well, and Mick didn’t have to go there, but that was how Mick rolled. “It’s okay,” she said to Juda. “I’ll be okay.”

But that only irritated Mick. He grabbed Nikki by the arm and shoved her away from her so-called friend. “Take your ass outside,” Mick ordered her.

To Juda’s shock, Nikki, who never took shit from anybody, took it from this sleepy-eyed asshole. She actually began leaving.

But Nikki knew what she was doing. Mick could break Juda in two if he became angry enough.

Not to mention what he could do to her. She wasn’t sacrificing herself nor Juda to prove some point to Mick.

No way was she going to win that battle.

That was why she didn’t say a word. That was why she left.

Mick looked at Juda one more time, but left behind Nikki.

Juda looked at Nikki as she was leaving.

Why was she taking that bull crap from that guy?

But when Nikki glanced back at him as she and Mick were about to exit the restaurant, it was in that moment that Juda realized that it had to be Mick the Tick.

He was the only somebody that would even try to handle Nikki that way.

That man he tried to protect her honor from was Mick Sinatra!

It had to be him. His heart began to pound once he realized who he had just tried to go mano-a-mano with. And he sat back down.

Outside, Mick ordered Nikki to go to his SUV to talk to him for a moment and he walked behind her.

She could feel his stare, which only made her even more self-conscious than she usually was around him.

But he did open the front passenger door of his Escalade for her, placed his hand on her back to help her up on the front seat, and closed the door behind her.

She leaned her head back and took a deep breath while he walked around to the front driver side door. She hated the feeling, but to this day that man still terrified her.

He got in and closed the door. Then he turned to Nikki. She expected him to lead off with who was that guy and what were they up to. Or similar questions like that. But he didn’t go there. “You were in an accident,” he said instead.

Nikki inwardly frowned. How would he know about that?

Did Teddy tell him? Or, she thought with sudden dread, did he have a security detail on her at the time of that chase she had with Emilio?

But had that been the case then they would have ran up on Emilio’s Maserati while they were waiting on that train, or they would have chased him down after she crashed in that ditch.

She knew he kept tabs on Roz that way even though Roz hated it.

But why would he keep tabs on her like that?

Why would he continue to allow her to be the second-in-command of his syndicate if she had to have security everywhere she went? That would make no sense.

But then how did he know? “How did you know I was in an accident?” she decided to ask him.

But, as usual, he asked a lot of questions but rarely answered any. And, Nikki like everybody else, gave in. “Yes sir,” she said. “I was in an accident.”

Mick looked at her when she confirmed it. “Were you harmed?”

Nikki shook her head. “No sir. Thank God.” She appreciated his concern, which seemed genuine, but she still wasn’t about to give any great details. “I ran off the road,” was all she was willing to say.

Mick stared at her as if he knew there was more to that story too, but he didn’t pursue it. “I didn’t know you had an accident,” he said. “You and Teddy don’t tell me shit about shit. Which is generally okay. I have enough on my plate.”

“Then how did you know?”

“I didn’t. It was a fishing expedition. I was driving by and saw Teddy’s Corvette pull into this place. When you got out instead of Teddy, I knew something was up. So I pulled in too. And went inside.”

Then he looked at her. “I know who our informants are. Every single one of them. That guy isn’t one of them. Now tell me who the fuck he is and it better not be any bullshit friend story.”

He gave her that look that chilled her to the bone. But she looked right back at him and didn’t bat an eye. Because she knew he could smell fear. She was terrified of him, but she also wasn’t afraid to go toe-to-toe with that terror. “He’s a friend of mine,” she said again.

She saw him look down at her large breasts and then back into her eyes. “What kind of friend?”

There was no way in hell she was telling that man the truth about her past. There was no way. He’d be the last one she told. “He’s a friend,” she said yet again.

She could see disappointment in his eyes. “It’s usually Teddy who’s fucks up,” he said. “Now it’s your turn? Is that it?”

What did he mean by her turn? “That’s not it at all, sir. No sir,” she said to him.

“I’m not blind, Nikki.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

When he didn’t say more, Nikki was dumbstruck. She didn’t know where he was going with that. What did he want her to say? No, sir, you aren’t blind? This was getting awkward as hell!

But Mick continued. “I know Teddy’s done some shit. Hell I’ve done more shit than probably any man alive.” There was a pause when Mick made that confession, as if he didn’t mean to make it, but also as if he was coming to grips with who he truly was himself.

Then he looked at Nikki. Nikki was already staring unblinkingly at him.

“I understand you’re a very desirable woman.

I’m certain there are too many men who view you as the gold standard.

I am among them. But don’t get it twisted.

If you break my child’s heart, I will break you. Do we understand each other, Nicole?”

Nikki’s heart was hammering. But her face remained sincere and unwavering as she spoke up. “That may be you. And that may be Teddy too for all I know, although I don’t believe so. But don’t you put that shit on me. That ain’t me.”

It was Mick’s turn to stare unblinkingly at Nikki. She stood up for herself against him, which very few men, let alone a woman, could do. She was one of a kind in his eyes. Just the best. She’d never know how much he loved and respected her.

“Is there anything else?”

To Nikki’s shock, Mick actually smiled. It was weak and barely noticeable, but she noticed it. “I understand Marco’s in town.”

“Yes sir.”

“Are those shipments back on track?”

“Yes sir. He made certain of it before he left Peru.”

Mick nodded.“Good.”

For several seconds, nothing was said between them.

“Is there anything else, sir?” Nikki asked him.

“No, Nikki, that’s it. You’re free to go.”

Had it been anybody else Nikki would have told him she was free to go the entire time.

But she could never disrespect Mick for disrespect sake.

He still gave her heart palpitations, and not in a good away, but there was something about him so decent and kind to her too, as if she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that if she needed him he would move mountains to help her.

And not just her but every single member of their family.

She loved him. And she believed he loved her.

Just not in the way those rumors declared. She believed they had a bond.

She opened the door to get out. But just as she did she felt a hand on her back. A big, comforting hand. She turned and looked at Mick.

“The truth is,” he said to her and then looked her dead in the eyes with those steely green eyes, “I wouldn’t break you. I could never do that to you.”

Nikki smiled a big, genuine smile. “I know.”

Mick even smiled. Not nearly as grand as Nikki’s smile, but it was a real smile this time. “I’m a big Teddy Bear at heart.”

“Well sir, to be honest with you: I wouldn’t go that far,” Nikki boldly said and Mick, caught off guard by her boldness, laughed out loud. She was amazed at how heartily he laughed.

“Get your ass out of my truck,” he said playfully, which warmed Nikki’s heart, but she got out of his truck. And he pulled away.

She was still smiling as she made her way to her car.

But when she remembered her car was totaled last night and she was actually driving Teddy’s car, her smile slowly dissolved.

Reality returned. And that dread of being found out, and wondering if Mick would still be fond of her once he knew the truth, overtook her again.