Page 142 of Steal My Heart

Angelo

I take a seat next to Remi, who’s watching a guitarist audition on stage. She’s too far away, and I grab her chair leg, pulling her closer to me.

There. Better.

She flashes me a warm smile before leaning over a microphone and interrupting the musician. “Thank you, but I don’t have room in my band for divas. You’re out.”

He mutters something, walking off stage.

“Did I miss something?” I raise an eyebrow.

“Me exacting some payback,” she says sheepishly.

“Do I need to exact my kind of payback?” I rise from my seat.

Her eyes go wide as she grabs my arm. “Angelo, no!”

Nola’s lounging on top of the table, still disgruntled.

“I’ve requested reinforced steel in all the duct work,” I tell the cat, settling into my chair. “In the event you need to be prowling around up there again, the vents will easily support your weight.”

She looks at me unimpressed.

I’ll win her back yet.

“Let’s hope that never happens again,” Remi says, organizing her papers.

“How did the auditions go?”

She hesitates. “Pretty good.”

“But?”

“But if I’m being honest, I was sort of hoping Ellis would show up.”

My nostrils flare, and she grabs my hand, lacing her fingers in mine. “So that I could gloat about my lounge. And about my man.”

She can’t gloat because I’ve already killed Ellis, but not wanting to upset her, I don’t gloat either.

But I’ll never tire of hearing Remi call me hers. “Come with me; I have something to show you.”

“Not another surprise; I don’t think I’ve fully recovered from the last grand reveal.”

“This one, I make no promises on how it will be received,” I warn her.

“Well, now I’ve got to find out, because I’m?—”

“Nosy?”

She sticks out her tongue at me. “I was going to say intrigued.”

I carry Nola—because she’s currently on a leash strike due to the cone—where Maks is waiting for us with the SUV.

He silently hands Remi a coffee cup. She takes off the lid and beams. “Hot chocolate with mini marshmallows.”

“Did I miss something?” I growl, irrational jealousy simmering in my chest.

“Oh, nothing.” Remi gives me a quick peck before climbing into the SUV.