to an understanding about the safety of all the women who attend Sterling.” He grunted, but I didn’t remove my foot. “My name is Nico Rossi.” I heard Mia gasp, and that told me she’s heard of me. “That would be N-I-C-O R-O-S-S-I, Stephen.” His face was turning red, but I knew I had some time. Again, I had been taught by the best. “I don’t expect you’ve heard of me, but maybe you’ve heard of Ciro Mancini? Phoenix Fiore, perhaps? Luca Benetti? You know, The Holy Trinity?” Stephen’s eyes widened with each name I mentioned, and his face went from red to white.
“Nico, I think he’s suffocating,” Mia quietly commented. I stood up and took my foot off his neck. Not because he was suffocating, but because I could tell Mia was worried, and I didn’t want her worried.
As Stephen gasped for air, I continued with my little production. “Well, I work for that particular organization, but that’s not all,” I said with enough flourish to be annoying. “Mia, here, is a personal favorite of The Son. Ciro Mancini considers Mia a friend.” Stephen started sputtering, but I stopped him. “Her brother is also Michael Morelli.”
“I…I’m…so…sorry. I didn’t-”
I waved away his apology. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. You didn’t know,” I finished for him. “However, that leaves all the other women on this campus who aren’t part of the Benetti Family, and that causes me great concern, Stephen.”
“I-”
I stomped my foot on his chest and watched him fight for air. “Shut up,” I snapped. “Right now, the right to avenge Mia isn’t mine. However, I’m going to hand over your wallets and phones to her brother since that right does belong to him, and I’ll let him decide what to do with you two assholes.”
“I…sor-”
I removed my foot from his chest and stepped back. “You’re lucky I don’t kill you where you lay,” I told him because he was.
“Nico, I think we should leave,” Mia said as her hand ran down the back of my arm.
I almost groaned at the contact.
It’s the first time Mia’s ever said my name, and she was touching me at the same time she was saying it. It was a miracle I didn’t drop down on one knee and propose.
I grabbed Mia’s hand and wove my fingers around hers. One last look at Stephen, with a PH, I said, “Go to the cops and I don’t have to tell you what will happen to you, your families, and anyone you ever came in contact with.” I didn’t wait for his acquiesce as I walked way, Mia in tow.
We walked in silence, but as soon as we neared the block that led to her dorms, I couldn’t keep my mouth shut any longer. “Why in God’s name do you carry mace if all you do is stuff it in your backpack?” I asked, fed the fuck up that I didn’t have a cigarette. She must have taken exception to my tone because Mia’s first response was to try to pull out of my grasp.
I tightened my fingers around hers.
She stopped mid-stride, forcing me to stop too. I turned to look at her, and she had a brow raised in superiority. “I’ll answer your question, if you answer one of mine,” she said, and I nodded in agreement. “Did I hear you right earlier? Did you call me, baby?”
Chapter 4
Mia~
Talk about being in deep shit.
Christ, why did he have to be. So. Damn. Gorgeous?
He even had a sexy name.
Nico Rossi.
I mean, didn’t that sound like it was mean to be moaned in the throes of some hot sex?
Nico Rossi.
When he had appeared like magic, I immediately knew he was with the Benettis. It had been too coincidental. Besides, my brother was too not involved with my life to not be involved with my life. I just didn’t know exactly where Nico fit in.
His voice had hit me like a ton of bricks right between my thighs when he had come out of the woodwork. It had been rough, like maybe he smoked, and full of controlled authority. And he hadn’t batted an eyelash knowing it was two against one.
Turning around at that commanding voice, I couldn’t stop my eyes from bugling out like a cartoon when I got a good look him. I was only five-two, so I had to tilt my head back to get a good look at him because Nico was tall. And since I knew Michael was six-foot-one, I put Nico at around six-three.