Chapter 6

Nico's POV

In a few strides, I reached the car and forcefully pulled the door open. Beth shrunk back in fear as she saw my face. I wasn't smiling so I understood her reaction and it came as no surprise.

From her reaction, she clearly knew that something was wrong. I looked at her hands and saw that she had put away the evidence which pissed me off further.

“Where is it?” I asked, stretching a hand in her direction.

“What are you talking about? Where is what?” She replied with an innocent face which further drove me over the edge.

I heard my men come up behind me and before they spoke, I already knew that they were itching to beat her up.

“Boss, should we search her body?”

“Don't worry, I'll handle it myself. Clean up so we can go, the damage is already done.”

They nodded in unison and left to do what I said. I looked back at Beth who was watching them and I banged my fist on the car door to get her attention.

“We all know what you did and I called my men off so I'm going to ask you one more time. Where's your phone?”

“I don't know, I must have lost it,” She said defiantly and I saw her eyes shift to the side for a second. I knew instinctively that that was where she had hidden the phone.

I followed her gaze and spotted the faint bulge in the seat. Without hesitation, I reached over and tried to take the phone out. She lunged for it at the same time but I shoved her back into the seat.

“You think you’re clever?” I growled, fighting her firm grip but she didn't give up.

“You don’t understand—” she began, but I cut her off.

“I understand perfectly,” I snapped, finally pocketing the phone. At this point, she was thrashing around but before she could protest further, I struck her temple with just enough force to knock her out.

She immediately went still as she slumped and rolled over on the seat.

“This is on you, Beth,” I muttered.

I stepped back from the car, gripping the phone tightly as I glanced at her unconscious form. Her head lolled to the side, the hair falling over her face hiding it from view.

I turned toward my men and barked, “Hurry up and finish! We don’t have all night.”

They scattered about and moved with practiced efficiency as they tried to get it done. The crash of glass and muted thuds around the place signaled their progress.

My patience was wearing thin, but I couldn’t leave anything unfinished. Beth had already created enough trouble as it was and a rival gang could quickly capitalize on it.

The phone in my pocket vibrated slightly against my leg and I ignored it, willing myself to stay calm.

I couldn’t risk looking at it yet; whatever she had been hiding, I’d deal with back at the house.

One of the men approached, wiping his hands on his pants. “All done, boss. The place is clean.”

“Good. Let's start going,” I ordered, nodding toward the waiting cars.

Sliding into the driver’s seat, I glanced at Beth’s still form in the rearview mirror as two of my men carried her to the backseat. They settled her in without a word. The others piled into the second vehicle, engines rumbling to life.

As we pulled away, leaving the wreckage behind, I gripped the steering wheel tightly. My mind raced as I was actually more shaken than I cared to admit, but this was far from over.

The drive back to the house was tense, filled only with the hum of the tires against the asphalt. She wouldn’t escape the fallout when she woke. I’d make sure of it. For now, I had to focus on what was coming next.

The drive back was heavy with silence as I tried not to think about it. I kept my focus on the road despite the tension I was feeling. Occasionally, I glanced in the rearview mirror, where Beth’s limp body slumped awkwardly against the seat.

Despite the anger coursing through me, there was an ache in my chest that I didn’t want to acknowledge. She brought this on herself, I reminded myself, clenching the wheel tighter.

When we pulled into the driveway of the house, the glow of the lights cast long shadows over the gravel.

The others parked behind me, their faces unreadable as they stepped out. I got out first, adjusting my jacket and waving them off before they could offer to help.

“I’ll take care of her,” I muttered. “You all know the rules. No one breathes a word of what went on this night, not to anyone yet until I talk to the family. Got it?”

A chorus of nods and murmurs followed. “Got it, boss.”

Satisfied, I opened the back door and scooped Beth into my arms. She felt lighter than I expected, her head rolling against my chest as I carried her inside. The maid, an older woman with sharp eyes and a no-nonsense demeanor, met me in the hallway.

“Another one?” she asked, her voice calm but tinged with exasperation.

I ignored her tone. “Get her cleaned up and into one of the guest rooms. Keep an eye on her. Don’t let her leave.”

She nodded, taking Beth from me without hesitation. “Anything else?”

“Not for now,” I replied, already turning away. I needed space to think. My head was pounding, but there was no time to rest.

I headed for my office, locking the door behind me. My hand slipped into my pocket, pulling out Beth’s phone. The screen lit up instantly, but before I could unlock it, my own phone buzzed on the desk.

I frowned, picking it up. The caller ID made my blood run cold. It was Luca, a high-ranking enforcer from the DeLuca family.

I hesitated for a moment as I had an idea of why he was calling. Whatever this was, it couldn’t be good. Sighing, I slid my thumb across the screen to answer.

“Nico,” Luca’s deep voice greeted me. “We need to talk. Now.”