Page 36 of Joey

“I’m what?” Joey snaps. “A girl?”

You’re fucking mine.“She’s too good for this life, D.”

Joey jumps to her feet. “This ismyfucking life, Max. It’s all I’ve ever known. If you think I’m going to spend all my days sitting at home painting my damn nails, then you don’t know me at all.”

I growl at her. “I never said that.”

“No? You’re thinking it though, right? Just a spoiled little princess.” She leans down, bringing her face close to mine as she glares at me. “Well, I am a fucking princess, Max. Chicago royalty. Heir to the goddamn Moretti empire, and don’t youeverfucking forget it.”

Then she storms out of the room, slamming the door closed behind her.

“Fuck,” Dante sighs, rubbing a hand over his face as he leans back in his chair. “Why couldn’t I have only had brothers?”

“It would have been easier.” I sure as shit wouldn’t spend almost every hour of every day thinking about being inside his brother.

“She’s going to be a part of this, Max. How can I refuse her when she has a point? If I stop her because she’s a woman, aren’t I as bad as him?”

“You’re nothing like your father.”

“I know she’s young and naive in a lot of ways, but with some experience, I think Joey could be an asset to our business. Don’t you?”

I nod because we both know it’s true. “I can’t help worrying about her though, D. The kind of people we deal with…they see women as easy targets. She could be the easiest way to get to you or Lorenzo.”

“Then we have to make sure she’s not an easy target,” he says with a shrug. “Lorenzo is teaching her how to handle a gun. She almost knocked Toni unconscious with her roundhouse yesterday.”

“She’s a fucking firecracker.” I smile because there’s no denying that. “But it’s more than being able to handle herself, D. I know she’s smart, but she’s also too fucking naive about so many things, and that makes her vulnerable.”And that fucking terrifies me.

“I know, compagno.” He nods in agreement. “But I can’t keep her under lock and key forever. So we make sure that the message is out there that anyone who touches her will die a very slow and agonizing death. Yeah?”

Now that’s a sentiment I can get behind. “Yeah.”

ChapterSixteen

JOEY

Iswat away my tears and stomp up the stairs to my bedroom. Screw Max DiMarco. I am so over him treating me like a goddamn child. Like he knows what’s best for me? Asshole!

So he doesn’t think I have what it takes, huh? I stand in front of my mirror and pull out my hair tie, shaking my long hair loose. He thinks I’m just a spoiled little princess, then that’s exactly what he’ll get from now on. He can go to hell with his overprotective bullshit and his “I can’t be one of your choices, baby girl”crap.

When I’m showered and changed an hour later, I head back downstairs, hoping to go straight out and avoid Max completely, but just my luck, he walks down the hallway right as I come down the stairs.

“Joey.” He glances over my outfit—no doubt thinking that my jeans are too tight or my top is too revealing. Good thing I don’t care what he thinks anymore.

“I’m going out. I don’t have time,” I say as I breeze past him.

He catches my wrist, pulling me toward him. Goosebumps prickle along my forearm at his touch, and I wrench away before he can notice. “Take your hand off me.”

“I didn’t mean…” He frowns as he goes on staring at me like he wants to say something more but can’t. Or won’t.

“I don’t give a shit what you meant, Max. I am a part of this family, and I am not a fucking child. Now I’m going out with my friends, people who treat me like an equal and not some pathetic little girl who can’t think for herself, so get the hell out of my way.”

His eyes darken. “Don’t, Joey.”

I step closer until we’re barely an inch apart. His breathing grows heavier and the thick muscles in his neck tense. He might push my limits, but I test his too. Every single one of them.

“Or what, Max?” I whisper, running a painted nail over the buttons of his shirt.

“I am fucking warning you, baby girl,” he says with a growl from deep in his throat, and I swear my pussy purrs in response.Traitor.