Page 79
“Marzano, let me the fuck in!”
Bennett’s voice echoed in the front entryway, causing Nico’s muscles to lock into place. How the fuck did Bennett know to find him here? This was going to cause talk among Nico’s men, and that was the last thing Nico needed right now. He had to set Bennett straight.
“Nico?” This was Filippo, asking what to do.
“Fallo entrare,” he called. Let him in.
Seconds later, Bennett came charging into the living area, his gaze scanning the room until he spotted Noah Brown on the couch. Bennett’s shoulders relaxed slightly, something probably only Nico would notice because Nico noticed everything about Bennett Verreault. Like the gray t-shirt clinging to broad shoulders, how the fabric molded to his pecs. The dark hair still wet from a shower, the strands untamed and rumpled, like he’d been running his hands through it. The plump bottom lip begging to be bitten. Cheeks full of furious color, and lines of outrage creasing his forehead.
All of it combined made Nico long to push Bennett onto a bed and tear him apart.
But he hid his reaction easily, as natural as breathing. “You are not needed here,” he said simply before taking another drink, his eyes never leaving Bennett’s over the rim of the crystal.
“Bullshit.” Bennett came forward until he stood between Brown and Nico. “You’ve kidnapped my friend and teammate.”
“I have done nothing of the sort.” Nico slipped his free hand into his trouser pocket. “And this is a private meeting.”
“I’m staying.”
Madonna mia, how that caused Nico’s dick to twitch. Stupid, stubborn man. Always trying to protect everyone around him, even at great personal risk to himself. Something Nico understood well.
But Bennett needed better self-preservation skills. Nico would have a confession tonight, no matter how he got it. “You are leaving.”
Bennett had the nerve to cross his arms across his chest and glare angrily at Nico. “No way am I leaving Noah here alone with you.”
“Benny,” Brown said softly. “You shouldn’t get mixed up in this.”
“Yes, Benny,” Nico taunted. “You should return to your room.”
Bennett didn’t budge. “I’m staying. Whatever you have to say to Noah, you can say in front of me.”
Nico let the words hang as he considered what to do. He wasn’t used to anyone having the balls to stand up to him, a novelty that occurred so rarely, even with his own men. Yet Bennett had no problem voicing his opinion or telling Nico what to do. It was annoyingly sexy—a kink Nico never would’ve dreamed of having buried somewhere inside him. If they were alone, he would already have Bennett groveling on the floor right before he choked on Nico’s dick.
But Bennett wanted to know? Fine. Bennett would know.
Nico finished his drink and set the glass down, then he tipped his chin in Filippo’s direction. His cousin came forward with a tiny bottle, which he held up in front of Brown. It was the same bottle they found in Brown’s home gym. “We found this hidden in your home. Do you know what it contains?”
Brown looked down at it, then up at Nico. “It isn’t what you think, I swear.”
“You don’t know what I think,” Nico said blandly. “But I am very interested in hearing you try to explain it.”
Brown croaked, “It’s clonazepam. I-I was having panic attacks.”
“That sounds like a reasonable explanation,” Bennett said.
“Does it?” Nico asked quietly, with steely menace, gaze locked on Noah Brown.
“It’s true,” Brown said. “I started having panic attacks when my wife got pregnant. But I didn’t want her to know. I didn’t want her to think I wasn’t happy about the baby.”
“Did you know,” Nico started, “that Clonazepam when mixed with alcohol is a sedative?”
“But you said your cousin was drugged with GHB.” This was from Bennett, who took a step closer to Noah. “That’s a different drug.”
“I assumed GHB,” Nico said. “But I never had her tested. So, it could very well have been Clonazepam.”
“But it also might not be,” Bennett argued.
Nico leaned against the windows, the cold seeping through his dress shirt. It did nothing to cool his anger. “You understand how this looks, no?”
