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“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.
Chapter 15
Ari
“This next fight is going to be brutal,” Frankie said, shaking his head. “The crowds are going to tear him to shreds.”
I sat at my desk, with Frankie and Lotto seated across from me. We were discussing business while Bones was working out, preparing for the following night’s fight.
Lotto leaned back in his chair, a smirk playing on his lips. “That’s the beauty of it, though. The more they hate him, the more they pay to see him lose. And the more they pay, the more we make.”
Frankie nodded, his expression serious. “It’s not just about the money, though. Bones has something to prove. We don’t want a loser. We want to bring the fucking champion, and want everyone to know it.”
I looked out the open door, watching as Bones sparred in the ring. He was a force to be reckoned with, his movements fluid and powerful. He would give it his all.
“They’ll hate him,” I said, turning back to Frankie and Lotto. “We’ll make sure he’s prepared for whatever comes his way. But the important thing is we got the invite to the event.”
“It’s a small one,” Frankie said. “Normally, I wouldn’t even have us bother with it.”
“We have to start somewhere,” Lotto added. “And this local event will help us prepare for Heathens Hollow.”
Frankie nodded, his expression determined. “We’ll bring in some extra guys to help with security and make sure nothing goes wrong. We can’t afford any mistakes.” He stood up, stretching his arms above his head. “I’m going to go out and make that man sweat some. He’s got a long ways to go before he’s ready for Heathens Hollow. But tomorrow he’ll kick ass. I have no doubt.”
Lotto’s eyes were locked on mine, and I wondered if he was thinking about the kiss. I sure as hell was. It had been days since it occurred, but it had consumed my every waking hour. It was hard to focus on business. Especially with a completely oblivious Frankie in the room.
Lotto looked over his shoulder at Frankie, who was leaving the office. “I’ll start spreading the word and making sure the crowds know what they’re in for. Bones is going to give them a show they’ll never forget.”
Without another word, Frankie left and closed the door behind him, leaving Lotto and me alone.
“You’ve been avoiding me,” Lotto was quick to say.
“We’ve all been busy preparing for this fight.”
“That’s not true, and you know it.” Lotto’s voice was low but firm.
I swallowed hard, my heart beating faster.
The kiss—both kisses—had been unexpected, but it had awakened something inside me that I couldn’t ignore. I wanted more, but I was afraid of what it would mean. Guilt ate me up, but anticipation of what would happen next overpowered all other emotions.
“It’s complicated,” I said, barely above a whisper.
Lotto’s eyes searched mine. “It doesn’t have to be.”
“Does Bones know that we kissed?” I asked.
“Of course he does. We don’t keep secrets from each other.” He smirked. “Does Frankie know?”
“You know the answer to that question.” If Frankie knew I had kissed both Bones and Lotto, we would not have had a civil business meeting just now. “I should get back to work.” I wanted to change the subject.
Lotto leaned forward, his eyes never leaving mine. “You don’t always have to act like you are in control, you know.”
