Chapter 80: Mutual Benefits
Carmen
The first thing I noticed, even before I opened my eyes, was the soreness between my legs. It was a dull, lingering ache that made it impossible to ignore what had happened the night before. Slowly, the memories began to unravel in my mind, one after the other, vivid and unrelenting.
We had done it more than four times. Each time longer than the last.
"Fucking monster," I mumbled under my breath as I pushed myself up into a sitting position, wincing slightly at the strain. My gaze drifted around the room, but Nico was nowhere to be found, which didn’t surprise me in the slightest.
It was just sex.
That was all it was ever supposed to be.
It was already bad enough that we had fallen asleep next to each other or in his case, with him half buried inside me like he had no intention of letting go. The thought made my cheeks heat slightly, and I quickly pushed it aside.
Leaning back against the headboard, I let out a slow breath.
I was exhausted.
Completely drained, both physically and mentally. It felt like I had barely slept at all, and yet my body still hummed faintly with the aftermath of everything that had happened.
Still, I was in Nico’s room.
That alone was enough to force me into motion.
I shifted, pulling the sheets around me before moving to get off the bed and find my clothes. I was still completely naked, and the last thing I needed was to be caught like that—
The door opened.
I froze.
Nico walked in, looking entirely too pleased with himself.
He carried a tray in one hand, and the faint smell of coffee reached me almost instantly, warm and inviting. My eyes narrowed slightly as he approached.
"Is that poison?" I asked.
He didn’t even try to hide his amusement.
If anything, it deepened.
He set the tray down on the bed in front of me while I stayed wrapped in the sheets, watching him carefully. He was half-naked, his tattoos fully on display, and it was hard not to notice the way they stretched across his skin. The most striking was the large dragon inked across his back, its form shifting with every movement of his muscles.
He reached into his pocket and pulled something out, handing it to me.
I glanced down.
Plan B.
"I doubt you’ll want to be—" he started.
"I’m on birth control," I cut in before he could finish, tossing the packet back onto the bed without much care.
That seemed to catch him off guard.
I reached for the coffee instead, lifting the cup and taking a careful sip. The taste was perfect—rich, balanced, neither too bitter nor too sweet.
"Periods are inconvenient," I added casually.
He nodded, clearly relieved.
"Good. Then there’s no problem," he said, straightening as he stood over me, his hands slipping into his pockets.
I studied him for a moment, my gaze drifting over the faint red marks along his shoulders marks I had left there. I was certain I didn’t look much better, considering the way his eyes lingered on me.
I took another sip of my coffee before speaking again.
"What’s the plan?" I asked.
The shift in tone was immediate.
Forren’s address had led nowhere, and we both knew it. Whatever game we were playing, it was far from over.
A smirk tugged at the corner of Nico’s lips.
"I’m not satisfied," he said. "We should have sex again."
I glared at him instantly.
He chuckled, completely unfazed.
"I found new information," he continued, his tone shifting back to something more serious. "I know why the Lowell family is so intent on partnering with me."
That got my attention.
"The government has discovered oil resources on the offshore plain of Marcell City," he explained. "Enough to sustain a ten-year extraction plan."
I didn’t need him to spell it out.
"That means long-term government contracts," I said, already piecing it together.
He nodded.
In our world, that kind of opportunity wasn’t just valuable it was everything. The four dons controlled the city, and any major business flowing through a territory belonged to them. The Lowell family wouldn’t be interested in small operations.
They wanted control.
"You think they’re the enemy?" I asked.
He shrugged slightly.
"I don’t think they’re friends," he replied.
That was answer enough.
"Moreover, they won’t be the only ones," he added. "Not now that Castilo is dead."
I stilled.
I didn’t need him to explain further.
"I’m the weak link," I said quietly.
Or rather, my father’s Northern Territory was.
"It’s also the closest to the sea," I realized aloud, my grip tightening slightly around the cup.
Nico nodded slowly.
"He was probably approached with a deal," he said. "And knowing your father..."
"He told them to go fuck themselves," I finished.
There was no doubt about that.
My father had never been one to compromise. His goal had always been clear total control over the Northern Territory, nothing less.
"...so they killed him because of money?" I asked.
Nico didn’t answer.
He didn’t need to.
I took another slow sip of my coffee, letting the silence stretch as I watched him. He stood there, calm, composed, like he had already accepted everything we were facing.
"How do we find them?" I asked after a moment.
It felt like we were chasing shadows.
"They’ll find us," he said simply. "And they won’t be the only ones."
His gaze shifted to me, and something about the way he looked at me made my chest tighten.
"They think I have everything," I said. "The shares, the businesses..."
"And Bianca," he added.
I nodded.
"She controls half."
"The fact that you haven’t taken it from her already raises suspicion," he continued. "They’ll start looking closer."
"Like sharks in bloody water," I muttered.
"Exactly."
I leaned back against the headboard, my mind racing as I processed everything.
Then my gaze returned to him.
Really looked at him.
Tall. Broad. Controlled.
Every part of him carried a kind of quiet danger that was impossible to ignore.
"What about you?" I asked.
He didn’t hesitate.
"Getting the Northern Territory would benefit me," he said.
Of course it would.
"But two sharks can hunt side by side," he added, a faint smile forming. "As long as there’s enough prey."
I held his gaze for a moment longer before he turned away, grabbing a towel as he headed toward the bathroom.
"I won’t betray you," he said over his shoulder. "Unless you betray me first."
There was something almost reassuring in the bluntness of it.
"Once this is over, we part ways," he continued. "Mutual benefits."
He stepped into the bathroom, leaving the door open behind him.
An invitation? It didnt matter.
I stayed where I was, my coffee in hand, my thoughts far too loud to ignore.
