Page 44 of Brutal Devil

“There’scoffee?”

I haven’t had coffee in over a week, and I would happily surrender my life for one drop of it on my tongue.

I stagger toward the table like an extra on the set ofThe Walking Dead. “Cream?”

“And sugar.”

“I’m in love.”

He grins. “I know I’m irresistible, but so soon?”

I shoot him a glare. “With the food, gangster. Not you.”

He flattens a palm over his chest. “I’m wounded.”

The tattoos tracing over the back of his hand catch my attention again, along with the fact that he’s changed out of his wet shirt.

“Where’d all the food come from?”

Some of the harshness in his face softens for a second. “ZiaMaria sent it.”

“I think I’m in love with Maria too.”

His eyes narrow. “She’s a bit old for you.”

I shrug just to annoy him. “I love the age-gap trope.”

“The age-gap trope?” he repeats, lip curling in a sneer.

He says it like it’s a foreign language.

“It’s a romance novel thing. Where’s the coffee?”

He steps to the side and reveals a whole carafe of delicious, caffeinated brew. At least, I hope it’s caffeinated.

“It’s not decaf, is it?” I’m already reaching for the handle as I ask. At this point, I would drink anything.

“No. Why? You got a problem with caffeine or something?”

“Not at all.” I pour a steaming stream of coffee into my mug, sighing with contentment. “I’m a grad student. I live on it.”

“Not anymore.”

I set the coffeepot down with more force than necessary. “You can’t just expect me to cancel my future.”

“To cancel it? No. But circumstances change, Luna.”

“Yeah? WellIhaven’t changed. And you don’t get to play God with my life.”

“I’m not playing anything. You’re my wife. We’re joining the families. Your place is at my side.”

“It’s too early for crime-lord shit.” I reach for the small jug of cream and pour some into my coffee, then go for the sugar.

“Too early for reality?”

I grab a spoon and stir violently as I sit at the table. “That’s not what this is.”

“Yes, it is, and the sooner you reconcile yourself to that fact, the better off you’ll be.”