Finding Betsy (Betsy Jones Book 2)

Chapter 32

Nick had never considered himself vindictive.

Competitive? Sure. Nick liked to win after all. It got him far in business.

But, when someone committed a wrong against him or his business? He always made a point to settle the score in a way that left a message. He rarely had to explain himself twice. His adversaries learned not to cross him again. Most were clever and learned the lesson before the infractions grew too great. They learned before the punishments grew more severe.

Nick had never enjoyed that part - handing out the punishments.

And yet, this time was different. This was personal. His fingers tapped an impatient rhythm over and over again.

Nick was going to enjoy this. A lot. Probably a lot more than he should but, in the end, his prey made it easy by being so dirty he left a rotten trail through all of his dealings. It was just an unfortunate accident he hadn't been caught sooner.

Leaning back into the leather of his car seat,  Nick peered up at the London townhouse through the windscreen. It was still. The lights were off with no sign the occupants were even awake. Hours before, Nick had watched the Giannopoulos outcast stagger through the front door with his latest hook up on his arm. He had been so intent on shoving his tongue down her throat he hadn't even realised he was being watched as he entered the property.

The same property that was bought from so much dirty money Nick could almost see the soot clinging to the paintwork.

Nick's hands tightened on the steering wheel as he rolled his shoulders. It was almost time. The minutes had ticked by slowly but also too fast.

The skies overhead were just starting to lighten with the first blush of sun rise. It was sure to be one of his top sunrises of all time. It was a sunrise he would never forget.

And it was a sunrise he was not spending alone.

"Thank you for helping me with this." Nick stated, turning to smile at the man seated beside him. His step brother shifted in his seat, burrowing further into his thick coat. "You didn't have to but I do appreciate it."

"I wasn't about to let you go through this alone." His brother leaned forwards, his balding head glinting in the light of the street lamps. "I'm just glad I could do something to help. Though it would have been nice if you had brought some coffee and if we didn't look like we were the ones up to something." 

Nick sniffed in response, his fingers gripping the wheel harder so that his muscles blanched before he sighed. This. A part of him was unwilling to dredge up the past and break this fledgling truce between them. It didn't matter that the animosity had been one sided. The new peace between them was so fragile he was determined not to break it.

Sighing, he glanced in the rear view mirror. He rolled his eyes at the less than subtle SUV parked further down the street. For once, Nick had foregone his own drivers and the warning of his security team. This was something he wanted to see firsthand. It didn't stop his security team from ignoring his orders and following him anyway.

"You don't have to try so hard."

His brother turned his head. The expression was one Nick could not read. The silence between them heavy. And then, after a moment, a chuckle escaped his mouth. It grew louder until his entire body was shaking with the force of his laugh and tears were forming in his eyes.

"You've got to be joking." His face flushed as he gasped out another chuckle, his hand slapping on to his knee. "You're one of the hardest people to impress. I've been trying to get your attention for over a decade, Nick. I've been apologising to you for a decade over something your dad did. Over something I had zero input in."