Deep (Pagano Family #4)(63)

“What are you going to do? Rough me up some more? Shoot me in the back of the head and drop my body in the ocean?”

“Both good ideas. But for now, I’m going to ask you what you want.”

“I want to see Bev. I want to make sure she’s safe, and I want to get her away from you.”

“No.”

Mills sneered. “Is she your prisoner again?”

“You’re not a smart man, Mills. If your brain worked at even half speed, you’d know that nothing good for you can come from challenging me. Making threats against me and my family—these are poor life choices you’re making.”

“I want to see her. I’m her friend.”

“Did you call her a ‘stupid twat’?”

Mills’ mouth had already been open, prepared for the next asinine statement, but in response to Nick’s question, he blinked and shut up.

“That’s answer enough. So you’re not her friend. In fact, I don’t think you ever were her friend, were you?”

“Fuck you. I’ve been her best friend since she was twenty.”

“That’s not true. Not if you want more. You want more, don’t you, Mills? You’re in love with her.”

Again, the idiot only blinked. And then he found his capacity for speech. In fact, he shouted. “So what if I am?! I’m a lot better for her than you are. I know her better and I’ve loved her longer. I’m safer for her, too. You’ve already gotten her hurt twice. She was in the break-in, wasn’t she? I saw her working that night. That was about you, wasn’t it? You’re going to get her killed next!”

With calculated speed, Nick shot his arm out and wrapped his hand around Mills’ throat. Before the man could react, Nick dragged him to the side of the hallway and put him against the wall. Mills’ hands grabbed onto Nick’s and tried to pry him off, but he had no chance. His face turned a livid shade of red that was his physiological response to blood and oxygen constriction mixed with a healthy dose of fear.

“Listen carefully, Mills. If Beverly wants to see you, she will go to you. Or she will call for you. Until that time, you will stay away from her. If you try to see her again, if you come to the homes of any of my family again, or if you make threats against me and mine again, I will kill you, and I won’t be quick.” He squeezed his fingers a little more, deepening Mills’ color to purple. “Do you understand me?”

From above him, a hoarse, strained voice called out, “Nick, stop!”

Without easing his hold, Nick looked up and saw Beverly standing at the top of the stairs, looking over the railing. She wore one of the long t-shirts he’d had brought from her apartment the day before, with her white terrycloth robe over it. Her knees were bare except for the gauze wrapped around them.

“Beverly, go back to bed.”

Mills struggled harder, until Nick tightened his grip enough to still him. He looked back over his shoulder and saw Beverly working her way down the stairs, both hands holding the bannister, putting both feet on each step before moving down to the next. She was in obvious pain.

“Let him go. Please,” she croaked.

“You shouldn’t be out of bed. You’re not strong enough.”

“Nick, please.”

Nick let him go. He left Mills doubled over and gasping and went to the foot of the stairs as Beverly finished her slow slog down. He took her hands and helped her down the last step. “Bella, don’t get involved in this.”

“It’s about me. How can I not be?”

He could hear the effort it cost her to speak. “You’re hurting yourself.”

From behind him, Mills rasped, “She’s come to me. So butt out.”

The guy was either a moron or he had a death wish. Or he was crazy in love. Either way, by the time Chris Mills left the premises, he would be done causing trouble, one way or another.

Beverly pulled her hands from Nick’s and walked slowly around him. “Is what you said true?”

“God, Bev. You’re so hurt! Look what he did to you!” Mills reached out to her, but she stepped back, toward Nick.

“Is it true?”

“What?”

“Are you in love with me?”

Mills stared at Beverly for a long time. And then he stood ramrod straight. “Yes. I’ve loved you as long as I’ve known you. I love you so much, Bevvie. Come with me. Let me take you someplace safe. I’ll take care of you. Please.”

She took another step back. “So you’ve been lying to me since I’ve known you? You only wanted to be my friend so you could get with me?”

Seeing where this meeting was going, Nick supposed he could have felt smug. Instead, he felt worried. Beverly wasn’t strong enough to confront this information now. Only an hour before, he’d told her his story and held her while she cried. She was physically and emotionally broken, and the clear loss of a long friendship was the last f*cking thing she needed.

“No! Not lying. I am your friend. I want to be more, but I am your friend. Bevvie, you know that—think of what we’ve been through together. We’re there for each other. I love you.”

Mills stepped toward her, and she took another step back. She was standing right in front of Nick now, and he laid a hand lightly on her shoulder. He could feel her shaking. When her hand came up to hold his, he felt a small measure of relief. He’d be her strength.