Page 29 of Worship

Luca waves his hand in front of my face to block out my pleading.

“I’m your blood, Dante. You would let a woman come between us?” Luca manipulates. Oh, he’s so sneaky, and it makes me laugh harder. I hate him.

Dante looks back at me and shrugs.

“Sorry, beautiful, but he’s my brother. A man has to have principles.”

I’m pretty sure my cheeks couldn’t get any redder. I start to walk away, hoping to avoid the embarrassment, but Luca reaches over the counter and grabs my hand, forcing me in place. I laugh harder, trying to tug away.

He wags his eyebrows. “No way, Angel. You stay.”

I groan as Drew and Dom walk over to join in my humiliation, and I give in, sighing. “I’d really thought I would keep this one all the way to my grave.”

The last thing I want to do is listen to Luca hearing all about my stupid crush on him.

Drew bounces Ella on her hip.

“What’s happening over here? You woke up the baby and got her all revved up.” She smiles, handing Ella to Luca.

He lets my hand go and pulls the baby onto his lap.

“Welcome to my worst night ever,” I explain. “Dante is about to tell the story of how we met.”

Drew snorts a laugh, and I giggle at her. “Gross.”

“Stop trying to stall. Let the man tell the story.” Luca points Ella’s finger at me as if she’s the one saying it.

For the next horrible few minutes, I listen to Dante retell how I met him in the hospital lobby. How Giovanni, Luca’s uncle, tried to hit on me and I was thoroughly creeped out and how I lied and said I was Shelby to get up to the room. Luca’s eyes shine through the entire story, except at the mention of his uncle. His eyes grow darker then, even though his smile remains.

If that wasn’t bad enough, Drew chimes in and tells him how I barreled into the room, throwing my purse on poor George, Luca’s driver, and announced I was there to steal Luca from his wife.

Out of context, it seems insane, but that’s the part he seems to like the most. Locking eyes with mine, he pretends to be shocked. He’s never going to let me forget this.

I interrupt to tell my side. “It was not like that. I knew Drew was dealing with some real emotions, and I wanted to be there for my friend. First, I’m a saint. Second, I saw an opening and I took it. I knew Shelby wasn’t showing, so it seemed like the perfect cover.” It’s not until my words leave my mouth that I realize how careless they are as the room goes silent. I look directly at Luca.

“That was thoughtless. I’m sorry. It’s just I knew about her absence…”

He winks at me.

“It’s not a secret in this room who Shelby is. It’s also not a secret that I’m not a fan of wifey.” He leans closer to the counter as if he’s telling me a secret. “They aren’t either. It’s okay.”

A laugh escapes my lips, and Drew pushes his shoulder gently, rolling her eyes.

“It’s true. I wish you had stolen him.” She jokes

Luca raises his eyebrows to me. I turn around to check the food, escaping the awkward moment.

Wanting a change of subject, I call over my shoulder, “Drew, do you want to eat outside?”

“You read my mind,” she answers, and Dom comes around the counter to point me in the direction of the silverware, because I always open the wrong drawers.

There are too many drawers in this kitchen.

“I’ll help,” Dom offers, and I smile in appreciation.

He grabs most of the stuff we need, and I follow him out to the patio and begin to clear the table, accepting a towel from Drew to wipe it down when she joins me.

Dom’s voice fills the space.