His Greatest Liability

chap 7

Rory

"Just go in there, be smart, and try not to piss him off." Koda coaches me as we approach Nico's office.

The swish of automatic doors and the clink of coins falling into machines just downstairs makes my blood sizzle with uncertainty. I've never stepped foot inside of a casino before, and while part of me is intrigued, the other, much more important part, wants to flee.

On the balls of my feet, I shuffle closer to Koda. "Me?" I fake innocence. "How could I manage to piss him off?"

"That," Koda shakes his head once, pointing his lanky finger at my face. "Is enough." He leans his big body over my head and bangs on Nico's office door, and just like that, my smile slips like an ice cream on a child's cone.

I hear his rough voice almost immediately. "Come in."

Koda clears his throat and pushes open the door, and I stand rigid in his shadow.

Nico sits comfortably behind his desk like some sort of god, eyes as dark as his soul and expression cool— stoic almost. He's far enough away to give me the chance to turn around and flee, but the deep timbre of his words reach the entirety of my face and grips my throat with cold, rough fingers. "You look different."

That's what he had to say to me after forcing me to sit in a chair in the corner of his office for three and a half hours last night.

I peruse my lips as my confident façade falters. "And you look the same." I bite out, even as the words floats between the tense air between us. "Pity."

I don't look that different, do I? I mean sure, I'm not dressed like a hooker anymore but a girl can't keep up pretenses forever. I'm dressed in a white long sleeved top paired with my favorite jean skirt to match.

Nico's eyes slide to Koda, jaw tight.

I know what he's about to say before his lips can even form the sentence.

"I want Koda to stay." I blurt out, gesturing behind me at my friend.

"I guess that's my fault," Nico looks at Koda, who runs a hand down his tie nervously, and for a second I feel badly, but it's only fleeting as Nico draws his icy gaze back up to mine. "I'm not sure when I gave you the impression that I gave a shit about what you want, but again, my fault."

I swallow, not even bothering to turn my head and watch as Koda steps back and withdraws the door, sealing my fate with the devil reincarnated.

I stare at the floor a little too long for Nico's liking.

"Are you going to just stand there?"

Jutting my chin up, I leisurely make my way towards the couch where I plop down and try to ignore the feeling of the soft cushion beneath my ass. It clings to my bones desperately and the need to close my eyes makes me clench my teeth. I desperately want to allow myself what I've been denied; a much needed nap.

Nico's jaw clenches with annoyance, and I figure it's because instead of sitting in that stupid time-out chair in the corner, I planted my ass on his couch.

I'm not sitting in that chair.

I won't do it.

In fact— I refuse.

"I brought your jacket back." I say.

"You weren't supposed to take it."

"No one held you at gunpoint and forced you to give it to me."

"I didn't give it to you." He blinks, a dark edge in his voice.

"You-" I stop, sitting straighter. "What?"

"Your friend," He points to the door, a speckle of amusement fighting for room with the coldness in his gaze. "Is the only reason you have my jacket. I was content with letting you shiver in your sleep all night."

That doesn't really surprise me. I'm almost positive that if I had froze to death last night, Nico would've went home and cuddled all his favorite teddy bears and slept like a baby.

"I find you a lot less annoying when you aren't speaking—" He tilts his head, assessing me. "Or moving. Koda doesn't agree. You probed some sort of sympathy out of the fucker and he gave you my jacket."

My heart does a violent flip inside of my chest and I force down the bile in my throat and stand, taking calculated steps over to his desk. I keep my eyes on his jacket, though I can feel his gaze following my every move. It makes me falter more than once, hands sweaty with what I assume is either fear of anger.

I drop my resume on his desk, and his eyes follow.

"Well," My smile is back like it never left. "I kept it safe for you anyways." I hold out his jacket, gesturing with my other hand for him to take it.

He leans back and cocks his head, finger absentmindedly lingering over his bottom lip. I follow, completely immersed. "Kept it safe where?"

I quickly bring my eyes up, catching his dark stare. If he knows I was inspecting his full lips, he doesn't show it. Ignoring the way my cheeks tingle with static, I say, "Underneath my roommate's bird cage. So if it happens to smell like shit, sorry in advice."

He blinks.

I'm so proud of myself that I can barely contain the triumph crawling all over my skin.

"A bird cage." He repeats, and by the flare in his eyes, he doesn't like the sound of that.

I'm approaching very dangerous territory here. Teasing him isn't smart. Hell, he's practically behind a caged fence with a sign that reads, 'Beware of dog' and I'm the stupid someone with a death wish, inching closer to the fence just to see how close I can really get before getting bit.

Still, I remain calm. It's truly criminal the way stupid emotions like resentment and anger can spur me on. "A bird cage." I confirm, my voice light. "His name is Rio, really nice guy. He's a Grey parrot."

Nico's eyes are trained on the jacket, a muscle in his jaw jumping. It mirrors the way my heart is beating inside of my chest. He runs his thumb across his jaw, as if deep in thought, before a deep, rough laugh escapes him. When he laughs, it makes him look devious and more threatening than normal.

I take a step back.

However, I'm not quick enough.

I'm not even sure how he manages to reach over his desk and grab me so quick, but he does. His cold fingers wrap around my throat and pull me in entirely too close. His jacket slips out of my hands and onto the floor, but I don't even bother looking down. My eyes are trained on his murderous ones.

"You want a job here, Victoria?" He asks quietly, and I swallow beneath his grip. It was hard for me to breathe— much less speak. Fear spills throughout my body at the sudden realization that Nico could completely crush my windpipes if he wanted to.

One squeeze and my life will be over.

He brings me closer to his face and I freeze when his thumb slides down the side of my neck. It startles me, causing my heart to thrash restlessly against my ribcage. "Consider yourself hired." Head tilted, he looks at me closely. "Hope it was worth it."