Page 14

Chapter 14

Ari

“ O h my God, you kissed them both ?” Lola squealed into the phone. “At the same time.”

“No, not at the same time, but within moments of each other.”

“They didn’t care?”

“Not at all. In fact, it was… expected.” I still couldn’t truly process what had happened. I kept reliving it, as if somehow it would all seem to make sense if I kept rehashing it.

“How was it?”

Mind blowing.

Heart stopping.

Fireworks inducing.

“I don’t know.”

I decided to act blasé, to not allow my feelings to show too much for the moment. After all, this was more of a fact-finding conversation. I shouldn’t have kissed Bones. I was pretty damn sure that the moment shouldn’t have lasted as long as it did, and his arms certainly shouldn’t have snaked around my waist while I clung to his neck. And then I most certainly shouldn’t have followed up that performance by kissing Lotto as well.

But now that all those things had happened, I felt like I had to know more about these men. I knew a little from my research and some from our conversations, but Lola had arranged events where they’d both attended. If anyone could tell me more about what sort of men they were, it was she.

“It was just an impulsive act that shouldn’t have occurred. I don’t know what I think about either of them. What I think about what happened. It just was… I don’t know.”

I was babbling and not making much sense, but I’d had the sense kissed right out of me—twice.

“What about Frankie? What do you think he’ll do if he finds out?” Lola asked me in a hushed voice, as if she thought Frankie might overhear us.

“I’m not sure,” I replied cautiously. “I wish this was a simple answer. Frankie and I have never been exclusive.

“Come on,” Lola said, and I could practically hear her rolling her eyes over the phone. “You’re Frankie’s, and you damn well know it.”

“I know it seems that way,” I began, “but things with Frankie and me have never been clearly defined. He has stated before that he doesn’t care if I’m with other men.”

“Other men doesn’t include Bones, and most definitely not Lotto, too,” Lola cut in.

“Exactly. Frankie hates Bones. And putting the gym and professionalism aside, I don’t know too much about this man. What do you think?”

“That’s a tough question,” she said. “I mean, he really does seem like a great guy, and he definitely has a massive heart from the little I saw. I got a good vibe from him.”

That much was true, considering all he was doing for his father. It took a special type of person to be a caregiver.

Lola continued, “But there’s a risk with him.” There was that word again, the word that seemed to sum up Bones Vega entirely. Risk. “There’s the addictive side to his personality, the gambling you can’t guarantee is gone, and the debts.”

Hmmm… I didn’t like the idea of debts. That was something my dad had always told me. Never get involved with a man who’s terrible with money because he’ll never be reliable. My father’s words were something I had always taken to heart.

“Do you know all the details about everything that had happened?” I hoped to get a clearer story.

“There’s a reason your father didn’t like or get involved with underground cage fighting,” she said. “It’s not even MMA. It’s shady as fuck, the people behind it have a lot of money and power, and it’s dangerous. So, it’s only normal that fighters get caught up in all that, too. I don’t think Bones is any different than the rest. He just got caught and burned some bridges. I’m sure he’s not the first fighter who has thrown fights for a big payday in the end. And all I know about Lotto is he’s Bones’ manager, his defender, and the man who tries to keep him on the path. Although he failed when all that shit went down. Or maybe he was part of it. Who knows.”

“Yeah,” I murmured, barely listening anymore.

Instead, my head was all over the place. What the hell was I going to do now? Was I really willing to break all my cardinal rules for this man—wait—these men?

Package deal .

Sure, I felt an intense connection with them, but there was a good chance that it was just a physical thing.

Or momentary insanity.

If that was the case, then it would fade away eventually anyway. So, brief infatuation was really not worth risking my entire life for.

But oh my God, that kiss.

And then that second kiss.

How would I even look either of them in the eye again? How would I be in the same room as them without remembering how they both nearly melted me from the heat of their kisses?

Lotto had been in the room while I kissed Bones.

Watching.

That sent a bolt of electricity straight to my core.

I liked knowing he watched. Watching. Waiting for his turn.

This was the exact reason why I shouldn’t get close to anyone at work. It was damn near impossible to be around them again without those emotions stirring inside of me.

Imagining Frankie finding out about the kiss was enough to have me shutting it all down even more. If he were to hear anything about this, then Frankie would have a genuine reason to give me hell. And that was the last thing I wanted.

He’d kill Bones—or damn well try. And then he’d kill Lotto next.

Pure chaos would erupt.

I couldn’t just kiss the Devil and not expect to be placed squarely in Hell.