He pulled her in for a hug and yelled. “Surprise!”
I almost puked my guts out right on the sidewalk then pulled Nixon’s gun on him and fired two rounds.
The Hell?
Before she could even say anything, Chris was kissing her mouth.
Correction. My mouth.
My body.
I licked that body, up and down, inside and out.
I swayed on my feet and watched, waited for her to push him away, to say he wasn’t what she wanted.
Instead, she hung her head and then smiled up at him. “It’s good to see you too.”
The knife twisted into my gut, and twisted, and twisted. She looked past him, directly at me.
And then looked away.
Like I was just a figment of her imagination.
Like I didn’t exist at all.
I don’t know how long I stood there, watching them walk to class, it was at least ten minutes until I was able to shove the angry haze of jealousy far enough into my brain to actually function by putting one foot in front of the other.
I was completely useless during class and only managed to catch half the material my business communications professor said.
When class ended I jumped out of my seat and went in search of El.
Her class wasn’t out yet.
I waited by the door.
When I saw the outline of her body, when I smelled her perfume mixed with that shampoo that smelled like peaches, I snatched her back against me, pinning her against the wall.
I tilted her chin toward me, her skin was softer than I remembered six days ago, her eyes more clear.
Her lower lip trembled.
I ran my thumb across it and closed my eyes as I leaned forward and inhaled. She’d always smelled so damn good, like fruit and vanilla cream.
“You left,” El accused.
“No choice.” I kept my eyes closed, if I looked at her, I’d want her more than I already did and my control was already snapping with every inhale, with every small innocent touch of my hands against her skin.
“If you didn’t want me around you could have just told me, you didn’t have to flee the house, Dante.”
My eyes snapped open. “Is that what you really think? That I don’t want you around?”
Her glare said it all.
“My tongue was inside you,” I reminded her. “You were naked, shaking beneath me, I spread these thighs,” I kicked her legs apart, shoving my knee in between them. She let out a little gasp. “Licked between these gorgeous legs,” I hissed. “And you think I don’t want you around?”
El didn’t say anything, her cheeks tinged pink as she swallowed and looked down. “Why?”
“Because you aren’t mine,” I pressed my cheek against hers, my lips rubbed against her ear. “Had I stayed. You would be. In every way. And I’m not that much of a bastard to take everything from you — when you’re leaving.” She was quiet. “You are leaving still, right?”
Her eyes locked on mine. “Give me a reason to stay.”
“I’m carrying a gun in my jeans, a knife in my boot, and hits on three different people right now, you wanna stay? For that?”
“No.” She kissed my cheek and whispered, “But I would stay for you.”
Before I could ask what she meant, she was already shuffling through the crowds of students going to class.
I slammed my hand against the wall, hey at least it wasn’t the steering wheel this time.
“Lady troubles?” Andrei’s voice was really starting to grate on my nerves.
“Always,” I lied. “Something I can do for you?”
“Business… is good.”
I nodded. “Great. What’s that have to do with me?”
“You help us with the next shipment, distribution, and we’ll give you a big cut. How’s that sound?”
“Sounds like a really easy way to go to prison.” I sighed. “So I guess I’m in. Does this mean I get to find out who we’re working with?”
I used we on purpose so he’d think of me as being on their side.
When I wanted to kill them all.
“You don’t need details.”
I gritted my teeth. “Actually since it’s my life I think I do need details. Especially since I’m most likely doing all of this against my own family — I joined you — basically spat in the Italians’ face and now you say I don’t need details?”
He shoved me against the wall. “Not here.”
“Where then?” I was done being patient.
He looked from left to right. “It would be presumptuous to assume that you’re irreplaceable.”
“Then call me presumptuous.” I grinned.
He scowled. “We’ll be in touch, it’s a big shipment, there will be no fights this week, we have to keep a low profile during this time.”
By we, he meant him.
The only son left in the Petrov family.
The youngest of them all.
And somehow, the most dangerous.
Because a man who had nothing left to lose — against men who had everything to lose?
It never ended well.
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
El
SINCE CHRIS SURPRISED me, it seemed only natural, normal even to have a giant family dinner.
On a Wednesday night.
Wine was poured.
And I was seated directly across from Dante. It would have been easier if he ignored me. Instead, his eyes had been locked on my face since we all sat down. His blue eyes so intense that I had trouble not squirming in my seat. And I was reminded about our conversation.
About his tell.
About him looking at my soul.
I grabbed my water glass with a shaky hand and took a sip.
Frank stood. Everyone closed their eyes and bowed their heads.
Everyone but Dante.
No, he kept his eyes glued to mine.
“Amen.” Frank made the motion of the cross.
“So…” Chris passed me a plate of something I wouldn’t be able to stomach if Dante didn’t stop staring at me. “Business as usual?”
The sound of forks scraping across glass plates had my nerves on high alert because they suddenly all. Stopped.
“We try not to talk business during meals,” Nixon reminded him in a lethal tone that had Chris paling a bit next to me.
“I see.” Chris cleared his throat and suddenly didn’t seem fazed. He grabbed another piece of chicken, while I tried not to pass out.
“So,” Chase smirked in my direction. His face promised trouble. My stomach clenched. “Chris.” And here we go. “Once you take El back to Seattle with you, what’s the end game? You gonna start trying for kids right away? Maybe buy a nice mini-van? A small dog? I say dream big, am I right?”
Dante reached for Chase’s wine and started chugging.
I didn’t blame him.
Nor did anyone stop him.
“Actually,” Chris beamed, the guy beamed as if he was so damn proud of whatever idea was about to float out of his perfect little model head. “I was thinking we’d move out of the parents’ house and—”
“Parents?” Chase, Dante, and I said in unison while Tex and Nixon shared a look across the table. Even Phoenix was smiling down at his chicken. What the hell?
Chris laughed. “Yeah well why move out when we live in a ten thousand square foot house? It’s not like I live in their basement and play Warcraft all day.”