Page 12 of Forgotten Comeback (Parisi Family #5)

Chapter

Eleven

Gavin

“Whatsup?” I stick my head inside Inferno’s makeshift office at the warehouse. “I need to get the bar prepped.”

“This won’t take long.” Wearing a mask with glowing Xs for eyes, he motions to a chair across from his desk. An identically masked John sits across from him.

Wondering what I’ve done this time, I close the door behind me and take a seat.

Inferno slides over the newspaper.

My wide eyes land on the obituary.

“Antonio Parisi’s dead?” I say, my voice sounding weirdly hollow. Thought I’d be happy for this day to come, but I don’t feel much of anything.

“‘Heart attack.’ Convenient, considering his AC capo Sergio and Sergio’s little weasel of a son Matteo are also dead,” John says bitterly.

“What does this mean for us?” I say, my voice barely a whisper.

“It means we’ve dicked around and missed our opportunity.” Inferno slams his fist to the desk.

“It means three fewer Parisis stand in our way,” John counters.

“Do you want me working the Mia/Sal angle or not?” I ask, secretly hoping they say no.

“Yes,” they say in unison, and so much for hoping.

There’s a weird undercurrent of tension between the twins, and after an uncomfortable beat of silence, I rise. “Alright, well, I’ll be manning the bar if either of you needs me.”

Returning to the front, my neck gets a roll, and then my shoulders, trying to rid myself of the odd sensation that’s lingering.

My phone buzzes, and I fish it out of my pocket.

Hey, I’m not going to be able to make it tonight. My friend called in sick, and I’m picking up her shift at The Diamond. I’m really sad I don’t get to see you…

My thumbs hover over the keyboard. While I need Mia here tonight so I can work the Sal angle, I can’t say I’m too upset about her absence. In fact, the idea of having to bang Mia again makes my skin crawl.

I should wrap up around midnight. Where’s the afterparty?

Depends. WYA on that situation we discussed?

My cousin wasn’t at Sunday dinner, so I didn’t get a chance to chat with him. But I promise I will the next time I see him.

Deciding not to push too hard, I heart Mia’s message before pocketing my phone and getting to work.

Taylor and her dealer friend Kat enter the basement, chatting it up and laughing with each other. Taylor rarely smiles. Or maybe she rarely smiles around me. Either way, she should do it more. It lights up her entire face, making her beautiful jade eyes sparkle.

Catching that thought, Christ, I do need a haymaker to the head, because when the fuck did I start noticing a woman’s eyes?

With a frustrated growl, I grab a knife and busy myself with cutting lemon wedges. One squirts in my eye, and I curse.

See, what I fucking get.

Checking the ice situation below the bar, I pop back up in time to watch Taylor’s friend mosey my way.

“Hey, how’s it going?” Kat bellies up to the bar.

I flash my best smile. “Even better now that you’re here.”

There. That’s more like it.

“How did I know you were going to be a shameless flirt?” Kat teases. “Could I bother you for a water?”

“No bother, gorgeous.” I wink, handing her a bottle.

She drops a dollar in my tip jar. “Thanks.”

“Feel free to drop your number in there.” I flash another flirty grin.

See, this is who I am, not a simp creating odes to Taylor McKenna’s fucking eyes.

Shaking her head with a little laugh, Kat says, “I’m guessing your tip jar runneth over with numbers. Thanks for the water.” She walks off.

I duck beneath the bar in search of a bottle opener, popping back up to find those jade eyes shooting daggers at me. “The ball gag also applies to hitting on my friends,” Taylor informs me. “If you feel the overwhelming urge to be your typical fuckboy self, pop it in your mouth.”

“Green is such a good color on you, Taylor,” I poke her.

Her eyes narrow to slits. “Don’t flatter yourself. Can I get a water?”

“Only if you beg for it.” I’m just messing with her, but my dick likes the sound of that.

“See, this is one of those moments. Open wide, and bite down on the ball.” She snaps her teeth.

“How’d the new vibrator work out? Not as good as me coaxing an orgasm from you, but nothing would be,” I muse.

“Please, Gavin,” she says in a breathy tone that goes straight to my dick. “I want you…to go fuck yourself.”

I clasp my hands, leaning over the bar. “Weird way to ask me to masturbate with you again, but I’ll consider it.”

She rolls her eyes. “I’ve never met a man more in love with his own dick.”

“Don’t leave out your girl; she’s a big fan of my dick. Interesting Mia wants the D but not the P, yet she’s in a ‘relationship’ with a woman.”

Taylor flips me the bird, storming to her table.

My smile turns into an all-out grin. Why would I want to fuck myself when it’s so much more enjoyable to fuck with Taylor?

Guests begin arriving, and I turn my focus to slinging drinks. It’s not that I hate bartending; I’m actually pretty good at it. But what chaps my ass is neither of my brothers takes me seriously as a contender. If they don’t, then why should I?

I glance across the room at Taylor. Like me, she appears to be proficient in her job, but also like me, she’s going through the motions.

That’s when I see it: A man walks behind her, reaching out and grazing her ass. She spins around, and words are exchanged before the man holds up his hands and comes sauntering to the bar.

“Hey, buddy, can I get—”

My fist connects with his nose.

He squeals, bringing his hands up to catch the spraying blood.

“That was a love tap, buddy,” I warn him. “Don’t ever fucking touch that woman again.”

Russell comes hustling over, eyeing me and the bleeding man.

“This gentleman got himself a lifetime ban,” I tell Russell before turning my attention back to the asshole. “Don’t show your face around here again.”

“You’re a psycho!” The man cries, but wisely moves toward the exit when I hop over the bar.

Russell sighs. “What’s going on with you, Gavin?”

“Nothing.” I cross my arms.

“And you’re sure everything’s alright? Up here?” He taps his temple.

“Keep your fucking mouth shut about this to the boss, unless you want your nose broken,” I warn him, returning to my position behind the bar.

My coach mutters something as he wanders off.

Taylor cranes her neck to see what all the commotion’s about. We lock eyes for a brief moment before she jerks her head back around.

I finish out the night, closing down quickly and making my way to the alley for my one cigarette. Leaning against the wall, I pack them with my right hand.

Taylor and Kat exit through the back door, with Taylor giving me an eat shit look. Kat eyes my cigarettes; she’s practically salivating.

“You want one?” I offer.

“She just quit. Come on, Kat,” Taylor says, pulling her friend along and leaving me in the dust.

Dropping a cigarette into my hand, I light it and take a long drag, holding the smoke in my lungs. Self-reflection has never been my strong suit, and I’m not about to unpack whatever the hell that was earlier.

I finish my smoke break and return inside, helping Russell pack it up for the evening.

“Let’s pause on training tomorrow; get some rest.”

“Yeah,” I say, because maybe that’s what I need.

Rest.

And definitely not breaking noses over Taylor McKenna’s curvy ass.