Mercenary (Gangsters of New York #3) - Bella Di Corte Page 0,78

the door of Bella Luna. She leaned in closer. “He is fine. I can’t think around him!”

“Always think when the car is moving,” I said. “Or you will fall out of it.”

We laughed as I opened the door to the shop. Brooklyn went in ahead of me and turned on all of the lights.

She spun around. “I love it here! I can’t wait for opening day!”

“Me, too,” I said, looking around. It was a dream come true. I couldn’t wait for the shelves to be stocked and the store to be full of people.

“I’ll go check the backroom. We’ve had some deliveries. I want to check them off my list.” She lifted her phone, waving it at me, before she left me alone.

I sighed. I wanted to keep paper records. I did not trust technology. If it all died today, what would the world do? Be lost. But I would still have my paper trails. I set my jacket over the counter, my sunglasses on my head, and went to the two heads on the wall again. The heads were one of my favorite aspects of the store.

“Alcina?”

“Hm?”

“This is George,” Brooklyn said. “George Halifax. He owns the candy store next door.”

George Halifax stepped forward and we shook hands. “Alcina Capitani,” I said.

“I actually own the company,” he said. “We’re a chain store that strives to be one of a kind. Like this place.” He grinned at me as he stuck his hand in the pocket of his designer jeans. “I’m based in London.”

“This place is one of a kind,” I said. “There are no others like it.”

His grin grew into an easy smile. “You got me there. But I doubt it’ll stay that way for long. I can tell you’re going to have something special here.” Then his eyes narrowed on something behind me.

I almost jumped when I noticed Nunzio. He had stepped into the store and was standing with his back to the wall, watching.

“Well,” George said. “I can see you’re busy, Ms. Capitani. I just wanted to introduce myself. It’s always good to know your neighbors.” He handed me a card from his pocket. “If you have a sweet tooth…drop in sometime. I’m in town for a while. I’m in and out of the store quite a bit lately.”

I lifted the card. “I appreciate it.”

“Does that include her employees?” Brooklyn asked as he walked toward the back entrance again. It did not seem like he wanted to cross Nunzio.

I tried not to grin again when Nunzio moved past me, closer to the back. He was trying to see them—to hear their conversation.

He seemed to relax when there were no more murmurs, but then he slipped into soldier mode when a scream to shatter glass echoed around the store. He ordered me to come with him, one hand on my arm, as we both bolted toward the back room.

He released me when we made it to the door. I stood back, trying to avoid the mess—a hundred or more scorpions, scrambling all over the floor, going in all different directions. They had escaped from the box Brooklyn had just opened.

“Do not move,” Nunzio said to Brooklyn. “These are highly venomous.”

Her eyes were closed tight and she was trying not to breathe.

Nunzio scooped me up and threw me over his shoulder, setting me down on the counter. A few seconds later, he had Brooklyn over his shoulder, but he laid her down.

“Did one of them bite her?” I was scrambling to look at her feet, at her legs.

“She told me no,” he said in Sicilian. “She fainted after.”

I did not see any sting marks. Did they leave sting marks? I wasn’t sure, but I thought…I was starting to panic.

“I think we should call an ambulance,” I said.

He nodded, his phone already out. Before he could dial, his phone rang. He did not say a word, only listened to whoever was on the other side of the line.

Brooklyn started to stir, her eyes opening. She groaned. “Did one of them get me?”

“I do not think so,” I said. “Are you burning anywhere?”

“Only my face,” she said, wrapping her arms over her eyes. “I passed out. That’s so embarrassing.”

“We need to go,” Nunzio said, hanging up, sticking his phone back in his pocket. He looked at the floor, where I could see a few of them crawling around. “Stay there,” he told Brooklyn. “I will be back for you.”

She made a shoo motion with her hands, which were still over her eyes.