“Yes,” Lisa replied at the same time and felt the warmth hit her cheeks when Ryan turned his eyes her way, arching a quizzical eyebrow as if to ask why she was lying.Again.
“Oh, shit. Is there a story here?” Chuckled Mouse. Then he knocked Denver on the shoulder. “Get notes for me; ask questions. I’ll be back.” He ambled off, leaving three pairs of male eyes on her.
“What are you doing here?” Ryan asked, jutting his chin down at the iPad. He was sprawled in the chair, with one leg out straight, half-facing her, completely dominating the space and air around them.
He’d always had an overwhelming presence, and nothing had changed in the interim years.
“I’m checking which work emails need immediate attention before I head to the courthouse. What about you?” She’d noticed the cut knuckles when he’d sat down and palmed a hand around the cup. “Did you fall off your skateboard again?”
The other two chuckled. Ryan offered her a half-smirk. “Something like that.”
“Do you work in law enforcement?” Denver asked, his expression unreadable, but Nina had once informed her that bikers disliked law enforcement with the passion of a thousand suns.
“No, I don’t have the anger issues to be a cop. I’m a freelance interpreter.”
“Lisa speaks a shit ton of foreign languages. She could probably hold a conversation with aliens if they landed in the backyard.”
Something like flattery fluttered through her chest, and she rolled her eyes at him.
“I’d be too busy hiding in the basement to talk to them, but thanks for the vote of confidence.”
“Do you speak Italian?” questioned Primo. “My mom’s side of the family is from Tuscany.”
“Mmm, they have the most delicious wine there,” Lisa answered in fluent Italian and watched a smile stretch across Primo’s tanned face. He laced his hands on the table, leaning forward to look around Denver. He then went into his own stream of Italian, asking if she’d visited Tuscany and the places she’d eaten at. They held a full conversation for two minutes until Mouse returned and stared at them with wide eyes.
“What did I miss? Is Primo hitting on her in foreign?”
Lisa watched Ryan’s eyes narrow, and then he whipped his head her way. The most delicious, toe-tingling growl in his tone. “Is he?”
She couldn’t hold back the chuckle. “We were talking about pasta and wine.”
“I only ever hear Italian when I talk to Ma.”
“It’s been a while since I had to use it, so thanks for the practice.” She told Primo.
“He’s only been out of prison for three days and has already made a new friend.” Amused Mouse, chewing on a fat chocolate chip cookie.
Prison? Her eyes widened in shock.
“Don’t worry, it wasn’t for murder.” Primo offered with a wink. “Everyone always wants to know that first.”
“Oh, I wasn’t going to ask.”
“Knock it off before you frighten her.” Warned Ryan. “He’s a pain in the ass, sweetheart, but he’s harmless. He’d cry his eyes out if he lost any of his computers.”
“Because they cost fucking thousands, you illiterate asshat. Don’t threaten my babies; I’ll kick you off your skateboard again.” Primo looked down her way, winking, making Lisa laugh. She instantly let go of the tension in her shoulders. She reckoned Ryan wouldn’t sit a murderer down with her. Would he?
For the next ten minutes, Lisa felt as though she were being interviewed for a job she was unprepared for, with questions from Mouse. He seemed friendlier than most men and wanted to know where she came from and how she knew Nina and Ryan.
“Answer me this, Lisa,” started Mouse, half-smirking, looking Ryan’s way. She didn’t know why until he finished. “Would you date an ex-con?”
She visibly swallowed, her eyes darting toward the ex-con in question. He meant Primo, right?
“No, the fuck she wouldn’t.” Ryan got there first. “Knock it off.”
“I was just asking! Our boy isn’t ugly. And they talked all that romantic shit together.”
Romantic shit. Lisa’s lips pressed together to stop her from smiling.
