Page 24 of Their Deviant Love

“We should,” Connor agrees. “You ready?”

“Yep.” I smile. Dante really is my favorite cousin. They don’t know that, but out of all of them, I want to talk to him the most.

“Hello?” His voice comes through the speakers of the computer.

“Don’t let on that it’s me if you’re not alone,” I tell him.

“Give me a sec,Josh,” Dante says and then I hear shuffling sounds and doors opening and closing. “Where the fuck are you? Are you okay? What do you need?”

“I’m fine. I’m with Connor and I don’t need anything. I just wanted to call you.”

“A… Josh, you know everyone is looking for you,” Dante whispers into the phone.

“I know. I’m sorry. Did you get into a lot of trouble because of the schoolwork thing?” I ask him.

“Pfft, no. Well, your pops was pissed, but mine just said I did the right thing and that I should always help family when they need it.” Dante laughs.

“Good. How is everything else?”

“Same. I miss your crazy ass, though. You are coming home, aren’t you?”

“Eventually.”

“You know you can tell me where you are. I can send you anything you need. I won’t tell anyone. We’ve always stuck together, Aurora,” Dante says.

“I know, but I can’t tell you this. This isn’t just me,” I try to explain.

I can hear Dante tapping at a keyboard, and then the next minute, he curses. “The Maldives? Are you vacationing?”

“Fucker,” Connor grunts and starts tapping away at his own computer.

“How did you do that?” I ask my cousin. “You can’t tell anyone.”

“Because I’m smarter than your boyfriend, and you know I won’t tell anyone,” he says.

“You’re wrong. You are not smarter than him,” I reply with a smug smile, even if my cousin can’t see it. “Also, he’s my fiancé now. I got a ring and everything.”

“You’re eighteen, Aurora. You’re not getting married,” Dante tells me.

“Um… says the kid who was trying to get his girlfriend to marry him at sixteen.” I laugh.

“That’s different.”

“How so?”

“Josie isn’t Irish,” Dante fires back with that smart-ass tone that makes me want to smack him.

“Well, I love him and I am marrying him. He’s family now.”

“Fine, but just know I’m not thrilled about it,” Dante groans. “Are you really okay? Do you need anything?”

“No, I just need you to not tell anyone you know where I am. I’m serious, Dante Valentino. We can’t risk any of Connor’s organization knowing we’re here.”

“Why are they still after you if he’s taken over shop? Shitty boss, is he?”

“Pfft, no. There are just a few people who were loyal to his father. A father who is no longer alive because Connor chose me.” I tread lightly but get my point across. Connor is always going to choose me, just like I am always going to choose him.

“Okay, I gotta go. I just left Josie naked in my bed.”