Sebring

His family called him Nicky when he was a kid. He loved it until it was the time in a boy’s life to hate it. No one had used that name for years. Decades.

He loved it again from Olivia.

“I don’t know how I’m gonna do it, I’m just gonna do it,” he stated. “I’m gonna do it so you’re safe, I’m safe. Everyone’s safe. No worries. Just free. You just gotta give me the time to figure it out. And as much as I’d like to see that happen right now and do that by callin’ the cops and lettin’ them know your dad committed homicide today, I’m thinkin’ my plan’s gotta be more intricate than that. So we brave it out, suck it up, eat taco extravaganza, whatever the fuck that is, and I’ll get you safe as soon as I can.”

“I’m not sure that’s possible,” she replied.

“I am,” he returned quickly and firmly.

Her eyes registered surprise.

Then her mouth whispered, “You believe that.”

“Absolutely.”

It took a few beats. It came slow.

But that was when pure beauty entered her gaze.

“Why is it that you believing makes me believe?” she asked in her gorgeous, delicate voice.

“Because I’m the man who’s gonna eat taco extravaganza, whatever the fuck that is, just because you made it. I’m also the man who’s gonna put the effort into making you come for me after, more than once, even though it’s highly likely taco extravaganza is gonna sit in my gut like an anvil. And I’m also the man who knows every day I wake up you mean more to me than you did the day before. And I’m the man who knew you meant a fuckuva lot to me yesterday, so you meaning more today means everything. And I’m the man who’s got two priority missions. To get you free of a life you hate and to get you to a place that you smile, frequently and easily.”

The beauty in her green eyes didn’t leave.

But it did get watery.

So Nick had no choice but to lift a hand to her cheek so he could catch the wet that leaked out with his thumb.

“Right, that’s why you believing makes me believe,” she said, again with that soft, sweet, gorgeous voice. A princess voice. His princess’s voice.

“That’s why,” he confirmed.

Wet leaked out of her other eye where he didn’t have a thumb to catch it. Seeing as he didn’t want to take his arm from around her, he had no choice but to sweep it away with his lips.

This he did.

She slid her arms around his middle and held tight.

Since he was there, he dropped his forehead to hers.

She took in a deep breath that hitched.

He just stayed close.

She got it together.

He pulled away a couple of inches but only to look toward the kitchen.

He did a quick inventory and looked back.

“An entire bottle of French dressing?” he asked.

“Trust me,” she answered.

“Boxed mac ‘n’ cheese?” he went on.

“Trust me.”

“What is taco extravaganza?” he asked dubiously.

And then it happened. A moment he knew he’d never forget. Not in his life.

She gave it to him.

Open and out there and once it was, for the first time, it didn’t fade away.

She smiled as she repeated, “Sweetheart, trust me.”

Oh yeah.

Fuck yes.

She owned him.

He’d never been owned.

Not even by Hettie.

But he was hers. All hers.

Olivia’s.

He knew it in that instant because he also knew in that instant he’d do anything, absolutely anything, beg, borrow, steal, kill, crawl, lie, cheat, die, eat taco extravaganza…

All just for her smile.

* * * * *

8:58 – That Night

Her cheek to his thigh, his hand in her hair, she was flat out on the sofa at his side while he had his feet up on the coffee table and they were watching TV when he heard Knight’s car.

“He’s here, Liv,” he muttered.

“Pause, honey,” she muttered back.

He paused the program and she pushed up.

She’d brought the groceries.

She’d also brought a bag and was now casual in soft, black, loose-fitting drawstring pants and a gray ribbed tank.

“I’ll start the dishes,” she said.

“Help when I get this done,” he replied.

She reached out to touch his collarbone through his tee before she glided to the kitchen, no less graceful in bare feet.

He went to the door, turned the bolt and slid it open.

He walked out to the landing, sliding the door closed behind him, seeing his brother nearing the top.

“Not feelin’ big on this habit you’re gettin’ of summoning me,” Knight stated, still two steps down.

“Livvie’s here,” Nick replied.

“And?” Knight prompted when he hit the landing and stopped.

“And until shit is sorted, I got the opportunity to be close and bein’ that, know she’s safe when every day I gotta suck it up when she goes to work for those lunatics, I’m takin’ it.”

Some of Knight’s irritation faded.

“Wouldn’t call if it wasn’t important,” Nick went on. “And would tell you over the phone if I could risk it.”

“I gotta get to the club so you wanna lay it on me?”

“Vincent Shade murdered Drake Nair today.”

Knight’s head jerked back before he ordered, “Repeat that.”

“After I got her through freakin’ out that her bein’ in my life means this kind of shit bein’ in my life, she briefed me. Nair was with Shade to try to get him to partner up, percentage off the backs of your girls when he takes them over after he takes you out. To make that sting, he had plans of putting a hit on me. Shade didn’t feel like taking up that offer. Nair got ugly. Shade shot him in the face with a .45.”