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Chapter 4
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2024-10-29 19:42:56NICCO
“What now, Alpha?” Vinnie asked. He was watching me closely and I was pretty sure that he knew something was up. I wasn’t acting normally. My wolf was driving me crazy, and I was having a hard time thinking.
“Can you get me more information on her?” I asked Vinnie. He wasn’t that great with computers but some of the guys that worked for me were. Vinnie nodded.
“Sure. Give me a minute.” He selected someone from his contacts and spoke for a few minutes. He got a text and checked it, confirming something and then disconnected.
“Joey is working on getting more information, but he was able to access DMV records and found a license for a twenty-year-old woman named Hope Smith. Photograph matches our girl. He did a run on the address listed and pulled up a vacant lot in Provo, Utah. No phone number listed. Joey didn’t find a lot of background information on her initially so he’s going to do a deep dive. He did say that she has a minivan registered in her name.” We both scanned the parking lot and I saw it parked on the edge of the lot. Vinnie raised his eyebrow at me, and I nodded. Nonchalantly he wandered over to it and took a pair of gloves out of his pocket before disappearing around the front of it.
I got in the back of the sedan and pulled out my laptop, pulling up the spreadsheet I had been working on for the last week. I knew something was off with it but couldn’t figure it out. I had resorted to going through it line by line, but it was tedious. The document was fifteen hundred pages long.
I had made it halfway through a page when Vinnie slid into the car and pulled off the pair of nitrile gloves that he had used. I smiled, amused. I was pretty sure she would never know that he searched her car, but he was still worried about leaving prints.
“Well?” I asked.
“Pretty sure she’s living in that van,” he said.
“What makes you think that?” I asked sharply. My wolf howled mournfully in my head, anguished that our mate didn’t have a home.
“A bed, a box of food, a box of clothes and all her important documents hidden in there.” Vinnie stated it matter of fact but there was something in his voice. I looked at him curiously.
“Is there more?” I asked.
He shook his head. “Not really.”
I could tell that he was holding something back from me and it irritated me. “What else, Beta Vinnie?” I asked, pushing out my aura. He flinched but I didn’t care. He shouldn’t have tried to hide anything from me.
“It’s just that, Alpha. There’s nothing more. No photos, no mementos, nothing personal. Just things she needs to survive.”
I shrugged. “Maybe she just left in a hurry and didn’t have time to take anything with her.”
“Maybe,” he said, but he didn’t sound convinced.
“Maybe she’s not a sentimental person,” I said, becoming more irritated. Vinnie wisely didn’t say anything else, just sat silently. I sighed.
“I know you have a theory. I want to hear it.”
Vinnie spoke hesitantly. “I think she’s running from something,” he said. “She travels light and doesn’t have anything personal in case anyone gets too close.”
“You said that there were some documents?”
“Hidden. She pulled out a door panel and welded a little handle on it so she could access it easily. It’s quite ingenious. She has a GED and a bachelor’s degree.”
I raised my eyebrow. “She’s only twenty and she has a college degree already? What is her degree in?” I asked.
“Business,” he answered.
“Then what is she doing working as a mechanic?” I wondered out loud. Vinnie didn’t answer me. I tapped my teeth, thinking. I was intrigued, wondering if there was more to this human that was inexplicably my mate.
HOPE
Jase acted all nervous about Nicco Gallo being in our shop. Even Earl looked a little aghast, but I didn’t understand what the big deal was. I wasn’t even sure what a Don was.
Jase kept trying to explain to me. “It’s like a crime boss. But a family one. You know, like the Sopranos.”
“Who?” I asked. Jase’s mouth dropped. “You don’t know who the Sopranos are?”
I shook my head. “I don’t really keep up with celebrities,” I admitted. Jase shook his head.
“No, it’s not a real family, it’s a TV show. Tony Soprano?”
I looked at him in irritation. “Saying it over and over doesn’t change a thing. I have no idea who or what you are talking about.”
Earl waved at Jase. “She doesn’t know. Leave her alone.” He looked at me, seriously.
“Just know that Nicco Gallo is a dangerous man. You need to keep your distance.”
I nodded. “I have no interest in Nicco.” The words stuck in my throat, and I realized that I didn’t really mean it. Nicco irritated me, barging into my work and acting like he owned the place, but he was really sexy. And he had a quality that intrigued me. Almost like a lost little boy. Just a tinge of it, something I barely caught. But it was there. And he smelled amazing. I wondered if I could buy his cologne just to spray in my van. It reminded me of the good days, the days before my dad died. I felt drawn to Nicco, and I was almost sad that he had left when I asked him to.
I finished my work for the day and went out to my van. I saw that there was an envelope tucked under my wiper blade. I looked around, making sure that I wasn’t being watched by anyone, including Earl and Jase, and I pulled the envelope out, climbing into the driver’s seat. I opened it, revealing a note.
Hope,
I am sorry that I scared you. Since you won’t allow me to pay for your services, I hope you will allow me to treat you to a nice dinner. I have taken the liberty of making reservations at Le Gavroche for 8:00pm. Additionally, I have made an appointment at Poppy Boutique for you to pick out a dress for dinner. They are expecting you at 6:45. I sincerely hope that I will see you there.
Nicco
I turned the note over and looked at the other side. Other than my name, it was blank. I put the note down and thought about it.
It sounded fun, almost like a fairy tale. I haven’t had a lot of fun in my life since running away and this would be a very pleasant interlude. I was a little bothered by Earl and Jase’s warning, but I didn’t pick up from Nicco that I was in any danger from him and I was usually pretty good at identifying threats. It’s a skill you pick up when you’re homeless.
‘Why not?’ I decided.
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HOPEVinnie pulled up to the restaurant and I gave an involuntary gasp. The restaurant had set up a red carpet of sorts with thousands of fairy lights strung up and lighting the way to the entrance. It was a busy night, and the walkway was crowded with couples in varying degrees of fancy dress.Vinnie opened my door and Nicco walked around the car. He put his hand on the middle of my back where the dress dipped lower, and the feel of his palm on my skin did strange things to my body, sending heat straight to my core. I involuntarily shuddered as a vision of Nicco kissing me came to my mind. I looked over at Nicco hoping he didn’t notice my reaction. He had a slight smirk on his face as he led me to the entrance.The maître d' greeted Nicco by name and led us to the back of the restaurant in a little secluded alcove. Nicco waved the host away and held my chair. “Thank you,” I murmured, looking around at the opulence. The restaurant was decorated in the typical Parisian style,
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NICCOI woke to Hope moving. The sun was up and bright and, when I squinted at my watch, I could see that it was after ten. I rolled to my back and watched her, waiting for her to completely wake up. She stretched and she opened her eyes a little bit before they flew open, looking at me with her long lashes framing them, her hair fanned out over the pillow. “Oh my God!” she said, sitting up, pulling the blanket off me. She saw my bare chest and gasped again.“Oh my God!” she repeated, pulling the sheet up and over me. She looked down at herself. I chuckled.“No, I didn’t undress you. It’s a shame. That dress is too pretty for wrinkles and I’m pretty sure you are hiding a spectacular body underneath.”She gave an audible sigh of relief and then looked at me with narrowed eyes. “Why aren’t you dressed?” she asked.“Relax. I’m wearing boxers.” I couldn’t help but burst out laughing at the look on her face. “Would it be so bad to wake up naked next to me?”She bit her lip and
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HOPEMy day turned into a whirlwind. I had given directions to a department store where I could find something cheap and comfortable to wear today, but Nicco nixed that plan. He took me to another boutique shop, and he picked out the outfit he wanted me to wear. I grinned at myself when I saw my reflection in the mirror. He had chosen a white, sleeveless polo dress with a blue belt. I had a pair of white sandals waiting for me when I came out of the dressing room. I had taken the time to braid my long hair over one shoulder and Nicco spent a moment playing with the heavy plait. I put my phone in the new bag he insisted on buying, and tucked my hand in his before leaving the shop.“Thank you,” I said, again, for the umpteenth time. Nicco looked pleased. “I like buying you clothes,” he said. I laughed.“Why?” I asked, genuinely curious. I didn’t really care about clothing, probably because I never had the money to care about the clothes. He looked at me sideways. “You have
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HOPE I lay back, limply, watching Nicco. He gave me a slow wink and then reached beside him, grabbing his laptop. I stifled a groan. I swear the man never relaxed. I stayed in the half-reclined position with my feet on Nicco’s lap and dozed off, waking when the flight attendant nudged me. I sat up, putting my seatbelt on over my now wrinkled dress. Nicco looked distracted; upset over something he saw on the computer. I wondered if I would be able to help but decided to ask him at a different time. The plane landed gently, with barely a bump. I was pleased, having envisioned a landing with a fiery stop at the end. I stood and tried to smooth the wrinkles out of my dress before following Nicco down the stairs. I slipped on the last step, but Nicco caught me. “Whoa. You okay?” he asked, setting me back on my feet. “Yes,” I lied, my ankle throbbing. I had turned it when I stepped and then put my weight on it. It was a stupid mistake. Nicco looked at me, shrewdly, and I p
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NICCOMila’s attitude shifted and her face got dark. “You’re never around anymore,” she complained.“What did you do?” I asked, suddenly tired. I always felt guilty about Mila. The attack that killed her parents had taken place right after I became Alpha. I had been warned that it was coming, and I was too arrogant to listen to anyone. We had found Mila in the rubble, her limbs mangled and her little body limp. It had taken the talents of multiple healers and doctors to get her to where she was. “I just wanted to get your attention,” she said, the tears starting. I forced my emotions to harden. She was manipulating me, and I knew it but my guilt made it easy for her to do so.“Who?” I asked. Mila shrugged. “I don’t know. It came in an encrypted message.”“And you thought it would be a good idea?” I asked, dumbfounded. Mila was never one to consider the consequences.“They only borrowed the money. It was always put back,” Mila said, pushing out her lower lip. “I should k
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NICCOHope and I stayed up the rest of the flight, trying to figure out what the signature meant. She was the one who finally did. She had gone to the bathroom and had come back, her eyes tired. Before she sat down she stopped with a start and softly chuckled, staring at the paper.“We’ve been making this harder than we needed to,” she said.I looked at her in confusion. “Yeah? If you have figured it out, I’d like to know. It’s driving me crazy.” I was irritable. She grinned and took the pen from my hand, writing over the top of the random letters and numbers that we had been working on, transforming them into one word. BITE.“I’d guess the hacker is a wolf,” Hope said mildly. I looked at the word, my vision clouded. I knew who went by that name and I couldn’t believe it. Hope picked up on my fury.“Do you know who this is?” she asked.“No,” I lied. I didn’t need her to know until it was over. I was going to confront this wolf and find out everything. I would get my ans
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Chapter 67HOPE POVI woke up with a start, not sure of what had awakened me. I was laying in the only private bed in the back of the plane with Nicco. I listened carefully and his breathing was still even. Whatever woke me up didn’t wake him.The only noises I could hear were the normal noises of the plane. There was no turbulence. So what had awakened me?I carefully rolled on to my back, trying not to waken Nicco. There was a moment when his breathing changed so I lay still until it went back to normal. Then I slipped out of the bed.I used the bathroom in the dark, not wanting to waken him. Something was still nagging at me. It was like I had forgotten something very important and my brain was trying to remind me.I sighed. I wasn’t going to go back to sleep anytime soon. I slipped out of the bedroom in the back and into the main part of the aircraft. Vinnie opened one eye and looked at me, going immediately back to sleep. Mario and Gina didn’t move.I reached up into
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Chapter 66HOPE POV“I don’t care what he said,” I said, impatiently. “I am sick and tired of staying inside. The beach is out there calling my name.” I tried to get past Mario who was blocking the door to the hotel with his body. He looked terrified of me but I knew he was more afraid of Nicco, so he was doing what he could do to keep me in the room. I didn’t blame him, but it still made me mad.“Luna, we could watch a movie,” he suggested. I shrugged, sighed and acted like I was going to go back to the sitting area. He visibly relaxed and I took that opportunity to dart around him and dash into the hallway. “Sucker,” I heard Gina tease Mario behind me. I took off running for the elevator, giggling as Mario ran behind me, trying to reason with me. “Please, Luna Hope. Alpha is going to kill me,” he begged.“Tell him I forced you,” I suggested. I turned just in time to see him roll his eyes. “Just for that, I’m not coming back with you,” I said, jumping into the open eleva
