“I think my dad is starting to like you.”
I turned to see Leo appear beside me. “I don’t want him to like me. I want him to respect me.”
“Well, you already accomplished that.” He turned to Andre. “You coming out with us tonight? We’re hitting up Taormina.”
“I’m in,” Andre said. “Salvatore?”
“I love Taormina,” he said. “Not passing that up.”
Guess this was a guy’s night, then. “Let’s do it,” I said, feigning enthusiasm. It was hard to get excited about going out when I didn’t like most people, and I already had the woman I wanted waiting at home for me. So, pretty pointless.
Leo and I got back into the SUV, and Leo drove.
I pulled out my phone and texted Francesca.Deal is complete. No injuries or casualties.
Her three dots appeared right away, like she’d been waiting by her phone.Thanks for letting me know. Are you on your way home?
I loved the way she phrased that question, like we had a home together, a home that only existed when the two ofus were both present. It wasn’t so much a physical place, but something we created when our beating hearts were pressed together, skin-to-skin.Leo and the guys want to go out. Can’t get out of it.
I wasn’t sure how she would react to this. Would she get possessive and jealous and demand I come home? Kinda hoped so, because that would be really hot.
Okay, I’m going to bed, then.
Disappointment filled me. Not the reaction I’d hoped to hear. Maybe she was actually mad, but I wasn’t picking up on it.
I’ll see you tomorrow, babe.
Nope, she didn’t sound mad at all.I’m going out on the town with a bunch of single guys, and that doesn’t bother you?I should have kept that to myself, but I didn’t have any kind of filter whatsoever. My thoughts just poured out like water from a broken dam.
Should it bother me?
I didn’t type back, not because I was ignoring her, but I didn’t have an answer to her question.
I trust you—with my life and my heart.
An indescribable warmth moved through my heart and then the rest of my chest. I got off on how much shewanted and needed me, but in search of that, I got something better. Got something that meant a hell of a lot more.
We went to a couple bars, the guys got plastered, and I was the only sober one because I drank all the time anyway. This was just a Tuesday for me. Women came over to our table a couple times and the guys tried to seal the deal, but no one could make the magic happen.
Whenever one of the women went for me, which was pretty much all of them, I was silent and impolite, and they moved on pretty quickly. By the end of the night, all the guys struck out, so we ended up in a brothel.
Fuck, I was gonna be stuck here until tomorrow.
I tagged along, went with the flow, tried to blend in. Let the guys pick their dates for the evening and go into the room first, that way, I could just leave without them knowing I’d skipped out. I’d already said all the women who’d hit on me weren’t attractive enough, and at some point, they were going to think I was either gay or I was in a relationship.
I’d rather they think I was gay.
My plan almost worked, but then Leo blew it to smithereens. “I’m paying for your woman for the night.”
“Why? I don’t need a man to pay for my women, alright?”
“I know I was kind of a dick to you before.”
“We’re good, alright?” I said quickly. “Pick your girl, and we’ll meet up later.”
“Come on,” he said, completely trashed. “Be cool, man.”
“Are you even going to be able to stick it in when you’re this drunk?”
