Free Web NovelChapter 26: Next Step
Carmen
I still had to go to work the next day, even though I had barely slept for a few hours. Was I relieved that Nico and I had come to an understanding? Yes. But that only made me wonder—was it my enemies or Nico’s that had tried to kill us the night before?
The problem was that I had no information, something I realized had to change as I got dressed. I packed my hair tightly into a ponytail, my movements precise, controlled. A bit of makeup was compulsory before I stepped out of my room—nothing excessive, just enough to maintain the image expected of me.
It had been a while since I had seen Vera, and I preferred it that way. Especially since I still felt a tinge of guilt over her losing her toes. Still, I had more important things to figure out as I headed to the entrance, waiting for Nico to pass before stepping out of the house.
I had only been standing there for a few minutes, dressed in a cream blouse with ribbons on each sleeve and fitted black pants, when Nico stepped out—immaculately dressed, as always. I very much doubted that any fault could be found in his appearance, even under an X-ray.
He wore a dark grey suit, perfectly tailored, with polished shoes that gleamed under the morning light. A crisp white shirt and a dark blue tie completed the look. He smiled the moment he got to me—something his servants most likely found strange.
"We should find somewhere nice and have breakfast," he said by way of greeting.
"...the cafeteria at the company is very nice," I pointed out, even though I was certain he already knew that.
Still, where we had breakfast didn’t matter to me, as long as we could talk about the things I desperately needed to know.
I got into the car, and Nico followed right after me. But the moment the door shut, he pulled me closer to his body without warning.
He smelled expensive—clean, sharp, dangerous. I had to remind myself that it was simply his way of getting under my skin.
I wanted to ask my questions right then and there, but I knew better. Nico wouldn’t discuss such things in front of the guards. He could trust his men to protect me, but that wasn’t the same as trusting the driver not to sell secrets for the right price.
We stopped at a mostly empty café and ordered coffee. We sat opposite each other outside by the sidewalk, where we could watch the few early risers passing by.
"Aren’t you worried about snipers?" I asked bluntly. Whoever killed my father wouldn’t hesitate to try something like that.
"You’re assuming my men aren’t already on the rooftops," he said calmly, like the possibility of death was just another detail he had already accounted for.
I bit into my toast. I usually ate breakfast, but it wasn’t easy when Nico insisted on leaving the estate before the sky had fully brightened.
"Father’s will should be read in three days’ time. Gordon said as much when I called him," Nico continued.
I nodded slowly, taking another, bigger bite of my toast. It smelled perfect—and tasted even better.
"Once we find out what he wrote, we should be able to move forward," he added.
I understood. The contents of that will would determine whether I had any real claim to the territory.
After a few more bites, I finished my toast and took a sip of my coffee before finally speaking in full.
"How are we going to find out who killed Father? You must have some kind of lead."
A slow smile crept onto his face, but he didn’t answer immediately.
"I’m keeping my end of the bargain," I reminded him, hating how rushed I sounded. The faster we found my father’s killer, the sooner this contract would be over and the sooner I could get away from him before I forgot why I should. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
"No. You’re being impatient," Nico said, a hint of annoyance in his tone. "...it makes me feel like I’m being too soft on you."
He set his coffee down and beckoned to me, tapping his thigh.
"Come sit on my lap," he said, like it wasn’t a request.
I didn’t hesitate. I got up and moved over, settling onto his lap with deliberate ease, draping my arms over his shoulders—just to show him that sitting there didn’t bother me in the slightest.
But the moment I sat down, my eyes widened.
I met his gaze—cool, calm, controlled—nothing like the hardened evidence of his arousal pressed firmly against me. I felt every bit of it.
It took everything in me not to jump off his lap.
His arms wrapped around my waist, holding me in place, possessive and unyielding. One of his hands slid down to my thigh as he began to speak, his voice low and steady, as though nothing about this situation was unusual.
"Yesterday, I got the video of the incident. The woman was traced. I have her, and I’m planning to speak to her myself this evening."
His words were barely above a whisper, but my heart thundered in my chest.
It would be a lie to say I wasn’t attracted to him—and that was the problem. Men like Nico didn’t just ruin lives. They owned them.
His hands moved slowly—down my back, stopping just short of my butt.
I fixed him with a look, daring him to go further.
Instead of pulling away, he held my gaze and let his hands slide lower, finally cupping my butt as he continued speaking.
"...you aren’t to reject my advances," he reminded me.
A tingling sensation spread through my belly, betraying me as his fingers lightly drummed against my skin. I hated how fast my heart was racing because of him.
"Can I come with you?" I asked, forcing the focus back to what mattered.
He nodded, almost as if he had expected nothing less.
"Your father’s death, on the other hand—we’re going to have to start with Nolan," he said, his voice shifting, turning cold—the version of him I was more familiar with.
"...even if he’s innocent, we’ll have to torture him to be sure."
I took a sharp breath, fully aware of what that meant.
"...if we torture him, then we can’t let him live," I said quietly. "He’ll come back for revenge. A loose end."
Nolan was one of the people I had been close to.
And it was hard—almost impossible—to believe he had anything to do with my father’s death.
