Her laughter echoes behind her as she makes her way to the back door and toward her house.
Taking a bite of my steak, I turn my attention back to the guys. They’re all glaring daggers at me.
“Mmm, thank you for dinner, Funshine.” Laughter bubbles out of me as I take in his reaction. I don't know if he’s more surprised by Ms. T having a romantic life or by me thanking him for something. He’ll have to get used to one of those; clearly not the latter because I still firmly believe he’s a dick… mostly.
“So how was work, honey?” I direct this at all three, a deadly sweet smile on my face.
Matteo's eyes sear into mine, reading my reaction. “Productive, actually.”
What the fuck does that mean?Suspicion rolls through me as I narrow my eyes.
“Fallon, can you tell me about–”
“Maybe let's just enjoy dinner for once, yeah?” Akio cuts him off.
Dec grunts. “Agreed.”
Why do I get a little thrill when Dec sides with Akio and the vein in Matteo’s forehead looks like it’s going to burst? He pinches the bridge of his nose, then apparently decides to let go of whatever he was going to ask and we continue the meal in comfortable silence.
Looking down to get another bite of steak, I realize my plate is empty. Well fuck, I might be full but I forgot to savor that last bite. Glancing around I snatch a piece of steak from Akio’s plate, popping it in my mouth before he can react.
“Damn, Siren, were you raised in a barn?”
“Nope, but I would cross some lines for good food.”
He rolls his eyes and huffs out a laugh. “Declan would know all about that, wouldn't you, Dec?”
“Fuck off.” Declan’s cheeks turn the faintest shade of pink, a detail I’d have missed if I hadn’t been studying him so closely.
“What am I missing?” My eyes dart between them.
“Declan stabbed Akio with a fork when we were like seventeen over a pot pie disagreement,” Matteo explains with a slight smirk.
I bark out a laugh while the other three chuckle with me.
It wasn’t long ago that I was taking a swing at Akio with a fork in my first “bedroom”. I wink at Akio and say to Declan, “I guess we’re kindred spirits.”
While I put the plates in the dishwasher, Akio pulls several pints of ice cream from the freezer disguised as a cabinet. I never would’ve found that.
“Okay, Siren. Cookies and cream, cookie dough, double Dutch chocolate, or caramel swirl?”
“Hey! The chocolate is mine!”
Akio puts his hand in Declan’s face, silencing him. I could choose the chocolate just to fuck with him.
“My choice, huh? So chivalrous.” I snag the cookies and cream and head out of the kitchen.
I stop short of running into Matteo’s chest since I’m not looking where I’m going. His eyes catch on the ice cream in my hand and the strangest look takes over his face. Almost happily surprised?
“Come on, Poison,” Declan nods at the stairs and I follow, grabbing a spoon off of the counter.
We step onto the third floor, bypassing all the offices to the double doors at the very end of the hall. I hear the hushed casual conversation behind me between Akio and Matteo. Declan opens the doors, and I am met with what I can only describe as a man cave.
Vintage lamps adorn the black walls, dimmed to cast enough light to see the space. Dark leather sofas surround a drop screen. I completely bypass the pool table and bar for the couch. I snuggle up in the blanket that was on the arm of it and plop my feet onto the center ottoman. “So, what are we watching?” I ask while popping the lid of the ice cream as the others settle in.
“Whatever you’re in the mood for, Siren.”
That’s an impossible decision. “V for Vendetta?” I have no idea if they will even have that one.
