Page 32 of The Temptation

“That’s easy for you to say. Try standing in my shoes for a day.”

“Fuck, Romeo. Chill out. Buy some headphones, blast some music while she’s …” He stops midsentence as his facial features harden. “Unless?—”

“Unless what?”

“You wish you were the one getting her off.”

I look away, exhaling, hoping the truth might be carried away with my breath, but my best friend isn’t stupid. He can read between the lines.

“Holy fuck,” he mutters. “You do.”

“No. Maybe … fuck,” I murmur, dragging both hands through my hair and clutching my skull like that might somehow stop the chaos in my head.

This time Dante spins around, gives me his back, and takes a step towards his car. “Where are you going?” I ask.

“To get my gun.”

“Are you fucking serious?” When he glances over his shoulder and smiles like a motherfucker, I shake my head. “Remind me again why we’re friends.”

“Because I’m awesome and you’d be lost without me.”

He’s right, I would be, but I’d never admit that out loud.

Dante was the first person to show me there was more to life than the miserable existence I knew … that not everyone is on the take.

The helplessness I felt the day he was shot is something I’ll never forget. He’s the only person I know with all certainty who has my back. I trust my men, but my relationship with them is different.

He spins back around to face me, shoving his hands deep into the pockets of his trousers. “So, what are we going to do about this little problem you’re having? You want me to pull you off the job and get someone else to watch her?”

The question hits me like a punch to the gut. The thought of someone else—anyone else—being near her, watching her, breathing the same air as her day in and day out, makes my jaw clench so tight it aches.

I don’t want to share her.

I don’t want her sleeping under the same roof as another man.

I don’t want her laughing at someone else’s jokes or cooking for anyone but me.

“No,” I say fast and firm. “That’s not the answer.”

“Then what is?” he shoots back.

I shrug. “I don’t know.”

“I’m going to say something and do with it what you will.”

“I’m listening,” I say, hesitantly.

“If you touch her … taint her in any way, she’s yours to keep.Capire(Understand)? Lucia is not like the other women you’ve had over the years.She’s special.She’s like Arabella … that once-in-a-lifetime girl. She deserves to be cherished. If you can’t do that, then you need to stay the fuck away. If you don’t, we’re going to have a problem.”

“What are you trying to say?” I ask, confused.

“If you can give her what she needs, treat her how she deserves, including a lifetime commitment, you have my blessing.”

With that, he turns and stalks back to his car without another word.

He slides into the driver’s seat, starts the engine, and pulls away without so much as a glance in my direction, leaving me standing there, completely dumbfounded.

Chapter 8