ruthless

chapter 53: grilled cheese

I pull out my phone and go through my contacts and click the one I need to find and let it ring.

"niki? it's 2am?"

"yea sorry maria i just have a question about coke" i hear some tussling in the back

"yea what's up" she yawns through the phone

"how do i get rid of it" i press my lips together and look at the bag

"How much are you trying to get rid of?"

I take a deep breath. Maria never asks questions, she just gives you the information you need.

"it's a little bag, almost empty" I hear a yawn on the other end.

"just flush the contents and then throw the bag out" i nod

"okay thank you maria" i hang up the phone and walk downstairs into the furthest bathroom from our bedrooms.

As I walk towards the ballroom the air gets cooler and I make a right. I open the bathroom door and shut it, being as loud as I want.

I flush the coke down and throw the bag out. Okay, good. I turned around, opening the door and making my way back into the hall "nicoletta?" my head snaps as I pass the living room.

"Dad, what are you doing awake?" i step towards him "what are you doing awake" i shrug my shoulders "just walking around" dad tilts his head "i heard you on the phone with maria'' i press my lips together well shit

"He relapsed , didn't he?" I freeze "it was bound to happen" he walks into the living room and I follow "what do you mean?" i sit on the couch next to him.

"i knew within the next 6 months of her dying that these last 2 years were going to fail him" dad turns the lamp on "is he sleeping now?" I nod "yea" dad takes a sip of water.

"these next few weeks are going to be hard for him" dad runs his fingers through his beard "why's that?" Dad sets the glass down "cocaine withdrawal will make him aggressive and not think clearly" I chew on the insides of my cheeks.

"we're going to new york in 2 weeks" i'm sorry what "huh?" dad laughs a bit "two weeks from today we will be on the jet to new york" i nod that soon "just help him niki,i think it will be good for him" alright.

I bring my knees to my chest. "I'm still mad at you" I look at him and dad nods "can you explain why?" i look at him "i feel like you didn't try. you knew how crazy she is and you just left me with her" i face him.

"I knew the power she held, I didn't know she'd take the path that she's on now. she would never hurt you brothers, i don't know why she treated you the way she did" that sentence alone makes my throat tight.

"oh." I nod "we're gonna get her nicoletta. Dad touches my knee. "I know," I smile softly. "we have two meetings next week" i nod "we?" Dad smiles.

"Yes, one of them is informing the mafia about our plans for New York" oh alright "the other is to talk with another small italian mafia to join our numbers,you're going alone" my eyes widen "what?"

"that's mafia boss business shouldn't you be going?" i tilt my head "i'm really busy,it's good practice for you" i furrow my brows "practice for what" dad sighs "go to bed nicoletta it's almost two in the morning" he pats my thigh before standing up and going into his room.

Okay, weird.

...

"relapse?" hazel tilts her head as alice sips her tea "yes i just-" i sigh "i'm not mad that he didn't tell me,i'm just upset that he didn't wanna tell me he was struggling with something like that" i lean on the table "he told us" i snap my head towards the two brothers.