Page 164 of Savage Empire

“Has everything I’ve given you not made me worthy of a favor?”

“You said that you were taking care of us without cost,” he replies slyly. “You wouldn’t be insinuating that was a lie, would you?”

Oh, this little shit…

I can’t tell if I’m pissed off or proud.

“You’ve become too bold, Yordan.”

He grins, taking it like a compliment. “Hey, you created this monster.”

Releasing a sigh, I can’t even be mad at the kid. “What do you want?”

“I want to go out, without Rayna tracking my every move.”

His answer is too quick, meaning he’s been thinking about it before today. Rayna doesn’t exactly track Yordan with a GPS, but sheisalways informed of his whereabouts.

I contemplate it and ask, “Do I even want to know why?”

“I’m seventeen, Apollo,” he replies evenly. “Rayna may always see me as her baby brother, but a man has needs.”

Jesus Christ.

That isnotwhat I was expecting him to say.

“You’re sexually active?”

“Sexually active? What are you, my doctor?” He laughs, shaking his head. “I’ll repeat: I’m seventeen.”

He’s killed people, and he’s a made man now. I shouldn’t be surprised by his admission, but for some reason I am.

“Has Rayna had the talk with you?”

“I take it back,” he grimaces, pulling a face. “I’ll tell you how to win her over if we don’t have to have this conversation.”

“Deal,” I say immediately. “But you better wrap it up,every time.If you knock someone up before I’ve finished training you, I’ll put you in the ring with Armani and let him kick your ass. Rayna will probably take a turn too.”

He huffs. “I know about condoms, Apollo. I’ve been using them for years.”

“Years?” I groan. “Fuck, I don’t want to know.”

“Please,” he scoffs. “You have eight brothers who all grew up in this world with you. I can’t believe you find this shocking.”

“You’re more like my son than my brother, Yordan. I honestly forgot that you have hormones and emotions outside of angst and happiness.”

“You think of me like a son?” His tone goes from jovial to vulnerable in a second flat. There’s a hopefulness in his eyes that makes my heart fucking ache.

“Of course I do,” I say genuinely. “Mentoring you has been one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done. I’m very proud of you.”

“Oh fuck,” he breathes, digesting my declaration. “Shit, how do you say things like that without getting choked up? That made me emotional as hell, goddamnit.”

He’s trying so hard to keep his face clear of reaction cues, and he’s failing miserably. “You’re allowed to show emotion, Yordan,” I tell him gently. “I’ve been trained to hide mine as the future Capo, but they still exist. You’re allowed to cry, from happiness or otherwise. I won’t judge you for it.”

“Oh, Jesus,” he sniffs. “There you go again. My dad would have never said something like that to me before. Made men aren’t supposed to cry.”

“Made men watch their friends die,” I start, trying to reassure him. “They got shot, or stabbed, or tortured, or a million otherthings. Crying is inevitable for everyone. Even I’ve done it. Cassio lost his first wife and his newborn son, you don’t think he cried? Armani cried when he tore his ACL as a teen, and Matteo cried when he found out all of the bad things that happened to Jade.”

“Well, when you put it like that.” He clears his throat, still trying to fight the emotion. “I think I have an idea, actually. Something you could do for Rayna to make her open up.”