Chapter 3

NICCO

I waited in the car for about a half hour.  This was how it usually went when we were dealing with humans.  The boys went in, cleared the home and then roughed up the guy for a little bit.  I would join them later.  Today I was waiting for the missus.

I saw her pull into the driveway and I got out, pocketing my cellphone in my hip pocket.  She watched me cross the street, warily.  I gave her a wide smile, trying not to look threatening.  From the way she widened her eyes, I probably wasn’t successful.

“Amy?” I asked, pleasantly.  She nodded and then looked nervously at the house.  I could hear a muffled scream coming from inside. 

“What’s going on?” she asked, clutching her purse and backing up.  I continued up to her and took her elbow, using my other hand to gesture in front of me. 

“Let’s go inside, shall we?”  I tugged gently on her arm, but she wasn’t having it.  She stayed put. 

“Tell me what’s going on.”  Her voice was flat.  I sighed. 

“We’re having a little conversation with your husband.  He borrowed some money from us, and he had decided not to pay us back.   Not a smart financial decision.”  I was beginning to get irritated with her.  She looked up at me anxiously and her eyes widened.  I knew that she had caught a glimpse of Lupo.

“Who are you?” she asked, fearfully.

“A man who is owed money by your husband,” I said, pulling on her elbow and leading her up to the house. 

Thirty minutes later we were walking out of the house.  Vinnie handed me a handkerchief and I wiped my hands on it before handing it back to him.  We had made sure that Steven Luin was aware that his debt’s interest had compounded and that there were late fees added to the balance.  He had agreed it was in his best interest to have his loan caught up by the end of the week.  When we had left, Mr. Luin was missing the earlobe on his left ear and his wife was sitting in shock.  Neither of them had bothered to walk us to the door.

“What now, Alpha?” Vinnie asked.  “Are we going to head back to New York?”

I shook my head.  My wolf was driving me crazy, and I had to know if it was a coincidence or if I was being set up. 

“No,” I said.  “I think we need to take the car to the mechanic.”

HOPE

I spent the rest of the night tossing and turning, thinking about the sexy man.  I couldn’t get him off my mind.  Every time I closed my eyes, I saw him in my mind.  I could even remember how good he smelled, and I wondered what cologne he wore.

I gave up trying to sleep around six and got up, brushing my teeth with water from a water bottle.  I drove to work, deciding to get there early and start on the cars that had been dropped off the night before.

I put on the hoodie I wore last night and went into the shop where there were already several cars out front waiting.  I got the keys from the night drop and drove the first car in, taking down the information and putting it into a bay.  I snagged the keys of the second vehicle, and I was entering it into the computer when my boss, Earl, came in.

“Thanks, Hope.  I got it.”  Earl hip checked me out of the way and took my place at the kiosk, so I popped the hood of the first car and started the oil change.  The cars kept coming and I had done five oil changes by nine.  I stopped to grab an energy drink from the fridge in back.  I was starting to drag.

The flow finally slowed down and Jase, my coworker, went back to working on a Tahoe with electrical issues while I slid underneath a Toyota Highlander to start draining the oil.  I heard Earl call my name.

“Hey, Hope.  Some guy is here to see you.”

I slid out from under the car and looked up into Earl’s face.  “Who?” I asked.

He shrugged, his lip curling and his look disapproving.  “Dunno.  Want me to get rid of him?”

For a brief moment I hoped it was the sexy man.  Get a grip, Hope, I chided myself. 

I nodded at Earl.  “Yeah, get rid of him.  I don’t know anyone who would be coming here.”  I slid back under the car and continued to work until I heard my name again.

I slid back out, annoyed, this time finding myself staring up into the face of Mr. Sexy.  I could hear Earl yelling from the reception area.  Jase was standing next to the Tahoe and Vinnie was standing next to him, looking menacing. 

“You’re dirty,” sexy man said to me, looking down at me with a look of distaste.

“I’m a mechanic,” I said, sitting up, even more irritated.  Sexy man offered me a hand, but I ignored it, raising myself to a standing position.  I looked through the window into the reception area and saw Earl, furious, and another large man standing next to Earl with a hand on his upper arm.  I could see Earl struggling in his grasp.

I turned an outraged look on to sexy man.  “What the hell?” I asked, incensed.  “Leave Earl alone.”

“I wanted to talk to you.  That guy said that you weren’t here.  He lied.  You are here.”  Sexy guy laid out the facts.  I didn’t care. 

“So what?  He lied because I asked him to.  I don’t want to talk to you or anyone else.”  I put my hands on my hips.  “Tell your guy to let go of Earl.”

Sexy guy turned towards the window and raised his hand up.  The big guy dropped his hand off from Earl and Earl immediately turned on him and began shouting.  Both sexy man and I ignored them.

“You didn’t tell me your name last night,” sexy man said to me.  I glared.

“So?  You were in a bad mood and kind of a jerk.”  I tossed my wrench into the toolbox and walked to the front of the car, slamming the hood down and trying so hard to ignore how good Sexy Man smelled. 

Sexy man followed me around to the front of the car.  Now I was really annoyed. 

“What do you want?”  I was angry with him.  He was acting like a stalker. 

“Your name, to start with.  I heard the old man call you Hope?  What’s your last name?”

I snorted.  “I don’t give out that information.”  I used the back of my wrist to push my hair out of my face and turned back to face Sexy Man.  “Listen.  I don’t know who you are or what you want, but you’re freaking me out.  I really want you to leave.”

He looked at me, slightly amused.  “My name is Nicco Gallo and I just wanted to come by and thank you.  The patch job you did lasted, and we got to town safely.  You left too fast last night for me to properly thank you.”

I shrugged.  “Consider me thanked, then.  You’re welcome.”  I was still glaring at him, and he gave a small smile.  

“I’d like to compensate you for your time and expertise,” Nicco said in his smooth voice.  I shook my head. 

“We already went through this.  I was in the right place at the right time.  It took me less than five minutes.  I don’t want compensation.”  I was tired of this conversation.  I headed into the office, intending to rescue Earl.  Nicco followed me.

“I think it’s time you left, young man,” Earl said, firmly, when Nicco came through the door.  “You aren’t welcome here anymore.”

Vinnie had come wandering in and snorted.  “Do you know who you’re talking to?” he asked Earl.  Nicco held up his hand and Vinnie silenced.  Earl shook his head.

“I don’t care if he is the king of England.  I want you all out of my shop.”

Nicco nodded.  “We’re leaving.  I apologize for alarming you.”  He turned and walked out the front door followed by the two big men.  Earl turned to look at me and I shrugged, turning to go back into the shop to finish for the morning.  I heard the front doorbell jingle as my three unwanted guests left.

I walked through the door into the shop, and Jase almost jumped on me. 

“Hope!  Do you know who that was?”  He was acting nervous.  I looked at him, confused. 

“Nicco Gallo.”  I acted like I knew who he was.  I had no idea.    

“Yeah, Hope.  That was Nicco Gallo.  The youngest Don of New York.”