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I started to follow, but Sticks blocked me. “Please don’t get me into trouble, too.”

“That’s blackmail,” I exclaimed.

“I’ll have to put my hands on you, and I don’t think boss is gonna like that either.”

I tried to get around him, but for a man of his bulk, Sticks was annoyingly agile.

“Look, let Sandro make things clear with Miller. Boss knows he hasn’t explained to the rest of the crew just how close they’re supposed to get to you.”

“This is ridiculous. Then why isn’t he the same with you?”

“For one thing, he knows I’m crazy about my wife and he’s known me for years.”

“Miller’s been with you for two.”

Sticks raised a brow. “Just how chatty did Miller get? The man’s private.”

I shrugged. “I didn’t give him a choice.”

Sandro

I stormed ahead of Miller and into the outside patio, away from the bunkhouse where the other guys could see and hear.

Miller was a good bouncer. He ignored the girls who flirted with him to gain entrance to the club and single-handedly took care of belligerent or drunk patrons twice his size. So it was a shock to see him all flustered and staring atmywife like he’d fallen in love with her.

I spun on him. “What the fuck?”

“Boss?” His brows furrowed.

“What was that in there?”

“Your wife was offering me a taste of her minestrone.”

I clenched my fists, trying to fight back the red clouding my vision. What I was hearing was,Your wife was offering me ataste of her lips. As I blinked, cruder words formed and red turned to murderous.

I sucked in a giant, ragged breath. “That’s the last time you’re going to be around Bianca alone.”

“Boss, it was all innocent, I swear.” He swallowed. “I just have never seen…ah fuck…”

“Never seen…” I gritted. A muscle in my eye started jumping. “Finish it.”

He backed up a couple of steps. “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Finish what you were gonna say,” I growled, deleting the distance between us until our faces were a breath apart.

“She’s gorgeous and…she just has this energy around her. I mean…it’s hard not to get drawn in. I was doing my job…but she’s so nice to me. No girl has ever been that nice to me unless they wanted access to the club.”

Ah, fuck. His words punched holes into my jealous rage and it leaked out. Miller was one of Sticks’s pet projects. Three of the bouncers at the club were military veterans who’d come home from their deployment with PTSD and were abandoned by their families. I financed their recovery and offered them jobs as long as they stayed clean and regularly attended their veterans’ group meetings. Miller joined us two years ago, and from the looks of it, he was able to take back his life and find a purpose.

As long as his purpose wasn’t drooling over my wife.

I wasn’t immune to Bianca’s charms and guileless gaze. She had enough practice on the men in her family who had spoiled her rotten. Another thought occurred to me. “Has she asked to use your phone?”

“No, boss.” Miller scratched the back of his head. “Sticks made that clear. Total isolation.” There was an accusing tone lacing those last two words. Dammit. This was dangerous. I’d briefed my men on dealing with crime family business:Alwayslook the other way and do not get involved. If something bothers you enough, come to me first.That was before I became boss. An oncoming headache pressed against my skull.

“Come on,” I grumbled. “Let’s make sure my wife knows she can’t use any of my men to defy me, either.”

When we returned to the kitchen, Bianca had a glower on her face. She and Sticks were in a stare-off. Palpable relief crossed her face when she saw Miller was unscathed.