Page 46 of The Prices We Pay (Vittori Enterprises #1)

Josephine

H oly fuck.

I wake with a groan, feeling like there is literally a two-ton boulder draped over me. Make that a two-ton boulder that feels like it’s a hundred degrees.

Except when I open my eyes, I realize it’s not a two-ton boulder and is actually just Dante. I never would have guessed it in a million years, but Dante sleeps like a fucking koala. And a hot one at that.

His tree trunk of a leg is pinning me to the bed, and his head is nuzzled deep into my neck.

At some point in the night, we lost our blankets, which was most likely my doing, considering I can feel myself sweating even though the only thing I’m dressed in is Luca’s shirt and Dante’s wearing nothing but his briefs.

But despite the fact that I feel I might become a permanent part of Luca’s mattress at any moment, there’s not a single part of me that wants to move.

When Dante carried me upstairs last night, I could feel myself fading fast. The events of the day hit me like a brick wall, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

And like he always does, he knew exactly how I needed him to help me.

He sat me on Luca’s bathroom counter, where he brushed my teeth before brushing his own with a spare Luca had, and then braided my hair.

When I asked him how he knew how to braid, he just winked and said, “I was in the Navy, Mama. You should see the things I can do with a rope. A braid is nothing.”

If I hadn’t actually been watching as he said that in front of me, I would have thought the cheesy line came from Enzo.

Dante proceeded to lather my legs in lotion, deliciously digging his fingers into muscles that I didn’t even know I had.

And when I was practically comatose, he scooped me back up, laid me in bed, undressed himself, and crawled right in next to me.

The last thing I remember was resting my head against his chest and his arm tucked beneath my neck as his fingers played with my hair.

It was… well, I don’t have any other word to describe it besides… lovely .

A girl could get used to all of this pampering.

Not wanting to pop this peaceful morning bubble quite yet, I blindly reach across the bed toward Luca’s nightstand, where Dante plugged my phone in.

Grabbing it, I pull up the text thread between my brother and me. He doesn’t have a competition any time soon, which means he’s already awake and working at the ranch.

Me

Hey, Jas. I know you and the guys are probably busy playing Cowboys, but can you call me when you have a minute ?

I nervously tap at the side of my phone, waiting for it to ring. If he doesn’t already know about Dad, I want him to find out from me.

Instead of a call, a text message comes through:

Jasper

No pretending here, Joe Joe. Breaking in some green colts today. Can I call you tonight?

Jasper

Everything okay?

I mean… no, not really. But there’s no sense in worrying him all day. Because I know that as soon as I tell him, it’s going to take everything in me to convince him not to hunt Dad down and kill him himself.

Me

I’m good. Just call me tonight when you’re done. Tell Lawson to call me if he needs me to come show you boys how it’s done .

Jasper may be the rodeo star, but they all know I can ride with the best of them.

I couldn’t even count the number of times the five of us would jump on the back of a horse and race to the river for a swim.

I won more than any of you will ever admit, and to this day, they will tell you they let me, but regardless, a win is a win.

It’s the sunrises and sunsets where I find myself missing Montana the most, though.

I love the life I’ve built for myself here, despite the uptick in dangerous acquaintances recently.

I don’t necessarily miss Billings. Shit, I don’t miss it at all.

But what I do miss is Lavender Hallow Ranch and the family that gave me a piece of heaven when my life felt like it was a living hell.

I miss climbing on a horse and chasing the sunrise, and camping out in the hallow and watching the sunset.

Jasper

Beau and Linc literally just laughed out loud.

Me

And what did Law say?? ?

Jasper

… he said to have your phone on standby.

I smile widely at my phone.

Me

That’s what I thought. Now, get back to work.

“What are you smiling at over there?” I look up to find Enzo leaning against the bedroom door frame, smiling like a loon, with his phone pointed right at us.

His sweatpants are hung sinfully low. His dark brown hair is sticking out in all directions, and his sleepy green eyes have their ever-present mischievous twinkle.

“Did you just take a picture of us?”

“The two of you look cute as fuck. Couldn’t pass up the opportunity.” He tucks his phone back in his pocket and crosses his arms over his bare, tattooed chest .

“Was just texting my brother,” I answer his initial question, not bothering to lecture him about taking creepy pictures of people because that’s actually really fucking adorable.

“About your dad?” he asks as he pushes off the door frame and walks toward my side of the bed.

“Yeah, I wanted him to hear it from me. But he’s working at the ranch, so he said he’d call me tonight.”

“Sometimes, I forget you used to be a country girl.”

I point my finger at him and pin him with a glare. It might actually look threatening if I weren’t wearing a smile that matched his. “Don’t tell anyone. It’ll ruin my bad girl’s reputation.”

Enzo chuckles. “You’re secret’s safe with me, Sweetheart.” He kisses me on the forehead and adds, “However, Big Daddy over here might like it if you took him line dancing.”

“Stop calling me Big Daddy,” Dante grumbles into my neck.

“Notice how he said nothing about the line dancing?” Enzo pokes at his thigh .

“I’ll go if you go, Enz.”

“It’ll be a cold day in hell before I subject myself to a night of country music.”

This conversation is so ridiculous, but I can’t help myself. Batting my eyelashes at Enzo and sticking out my lip, I ask, “Not even for me?”

“If you wear a sexy little sundress, and Dante wears the tightest pair of jeans he owns, I’m in.”

I belt out a laugh, and Dante just grumbles some more, “And to think I was sleeping so peacefully before he walked in here.”

“Oh, you love waking up to me, and you know it.”

Dante dramatically grabs the pillow and throws it across the bed, hitting Enzo square in the chest. “Morning, Mama,” his raspy voice says before kissing me on the lips. “Sleep good?”

“Mhmm,” I answer as I run my fingers through his beard. “Like a log.”

“Good. I’m going to go get ready for work. You need anything, just come find me.”

He kisses me once more before climbing out of bed. He moves around the foot of the bed toward the door before Enzo calls out, “Hey, what about me?”

Just when I think Dante is going to say something smart and walk out of the room, he slowly spins on his heels and makes his way toward Enzo. Grabbing him by the face, he plants a dramatic, wet kiss on his cheek and says, “Good morning, Lorenzo.” Then he turns around and walks right out the door.

Enzo stands stunned for a moment, then mumbles under his breath, “What is happening around here?”

I laugh to myself. “Is there something I can do for you this morning, Mr. Santoro, or do you just like staring at people while they sleep?”

The wonder in his eyes clears, and he looks back down at me. “One, only one of you was sleeping. And two, I’d stare at you anytime, any place, Ms. Jenkins.” I can practically feel my cheeks blushing. “But I did come in here to ask if you wanted to come somewhere with me this morning?”

I raise my brows in suspicion. “Where is that, exactly? ”

Enzo suddenly looks… nervous . “You’ll see. Just get dressed for work, and we will go right there after.”

“Will you buy me coffee and a chocolate croissant?”

He scoffs. “And risk Dante punching me for taking his self-appointed job. Nuh-uh.”

I climb out of bed and stand in front of him. Patting him on the face, I answer, “I’ll tell him you have it covered.” With a soft kiss on the lips, I walk into Luca’s bathroom and call out as I go, “Be ready in forty-five. Nice hickey, by the way.”

“Sooooo, you want to tell me how you got that?” I ask Enzo before taking a sip of my latte as he drives us to wherever it is that we are going .

He clears his throat and shifts in the seat of his Chevelle. I shove a bite of croissant into my mouth to keep myself from giggling. “It may or may not be from Luca… or Sebastian. I’m really not sure.”

Well, holy shit.

“Pretty great, right?” I ask him, knowing all too well how amazing it feels to be between the two of them.

“It was pretty fucking great.”

“Was that… was that the first time that’s happened?”

“Yeah, it was the first time.”

My hand wraps around his thigh. Despite how much I want to ask him for the details, I know that’s not my place.

If he wanted to tell me, he would, and that’s not how I want this to work.

They each have a right to privacy in that aspect of their relationships with one another.

I don’t want any of them to feel like they owe me an explanation when they are with each other without me, sexually or not. “I’m happy for you.”

He looks at me despite the busy New York traffic. “Are you okay with it? ”

I don’t even need to think about my answer. “Sweetie, I have four boyfriends… I’m not exactly one to pass judgment. Plus, it’s like Seb said—the five of us are one unit. As long as it stays within this relationship, it doesn’t bother me in the slightest.”

“I like that.”

“What? Us being one unit?”

“No. Well, yes. But… you calling me Sweetie.”

I swear to fucking god, my heart swells in my chest. I grab his hand in mine and lift it to my lips, planting a soft kiss on his palm. “Good.”

Suddenly, I realize the car has stopped, and Enzo is putting it in park. I look out the window and see the building that we’re parked in front of and ask, “We’re going to church?”