Page 75 of Joey

I brush my fingertips over her cheek. God, I want to take her to bed and stay there with her for the rest of my goddamn life. “Are we okay?”

“I guess,” she whispers.

That’s not exactly the emphaticyesI hoped for, but it will have to do for now. “I need to talk to Dante and Lorenzo.”

“Do it tomorrow. Rest today. There’s a room ready for you upstairs.”

“The one on the other side of the house from you?”

“Well, we did make that one up for you. It was supposed to be for you and Kristin, so I wanted it as far away from me as possible.”

“I’m sorry, baby.”

“I know.”

The fact that she was still willing to have me here, both of us, well, that reminds me how fucking incredible this girl right here is. “You were going to let me stay here? Me and Kristin?”

“Yes. Although I guess you won’t want to share a room with your kid sister?” She laughs softly, and the sound makes my heart beat faster.

I brush my fingertips over her cheek. I’d much rather share one with her, but how do I tell her that I can’t, maybe not ever? How the hell do I trust myself around the one person it would kill me to hurt?

Her eyes darken as the skin on her neck turns pink. “I guess you could stay in my room,” she whispers seductively.

A ball of emotion lodges in my throat. I want nothing more than to stay in her room with her. Go to sleep next to her soft, warm body and wake up with her in my arms. Fuck her every single night and every single morning for the rest of my goddamn life.

“I need to talk to your brothers, baby,” I say, struggling to sit up.

She steps back, frowning at me while she chews on her lip. “Kat told you to rest.”

“She stitched me back up. I’m good. Besides, I’m going to shuffle down the hallway and then sit in their office. Nothing heavy. I promise.”

“Please don’t get into anything now, Max,” Joey pleads. I take her hand and pull her back to me, brushing my bandaged fingers through her hair. “I only just got you back,” she whispers.

I press my lips close to her ear, and she shivers in my arms. “Baby girl, I promise you I’m not going anywhere, okay? But I need to speak to your brothers. I have to do this right.”

She stares into my eyes, and even though I know she wants to fight me on this, her shoulders drop in defeat. “Fine. I’ll wait for you in the den.”

“Good girl.” I don’t miss the way her breath catches at those words, and my cock throbs. Thoughts of her kept me sane while I was tied up and tortured, and I’m fucking desperate to feel her again. To taste her. To claim every single inch of her as my own. But I need to make things right first.

When I reach Dante and Lorenzo’s study, there’s a guard outside the door as usual. I wonder if he’s been given orders to keep me out, but he nods a greeting and opens the door for me, which I take to mean that the Moretti brothers didn’t keep me alive just so they could kill me themselves.

“Max,” Dante says with a nod.

“Take a seat.” Lorenzo indicates the chair opposite them, but I remain standing for now.

“We’ve been thinking about who might have taken you and why—” Dante begins, but I cut him off.

“Before we get into any of that, I need to ask you both something.”

They stare at me, and I suddenly realize what it must feel like to be on this side of the desk for a change—metaphorically speaking.

“I want your permission to date your sister,” I say, my hands stuffed into the pockets of my bloodstained sweatpants.

Dante’s eyes narrow. “And if we say no?”

I shrug. “I guess it doesn’t change the outcome. I’m going to date her anyway, but I’d prefer to do it with your blessing.”

“You swore, Max. Joey was off-limits.”