Page 123 of Effortless

She didn’t need to see it in his face.

She found it in his eyes.

Questions he had answers to now. Things he hadn’t asked her.

Abriella gave Camilla a wink, and a smile. She understood what the woman had known that she didn’t. Even men like Tommaso needed reassurance—they simply didn’t ask for it. His mother had known he needed something he wasn’t going to say he wanted, and so she gave it to him.

Camilla took that as a lesson to learn, and one to keep close. A lesson from a woman who probably understood what she was talking about better than anyone knew.

Joe Rossi was built like a brick shithouse, and his younger brother Cory was just as big. That was the first thing to come to Camilla’s mind when she was introduced to Tommaso’s cousins.

She was fucking dwarfed by them.

Sure, she had to stare up at Tommaso because he was tall, but it would take three of her easily to make one of them.

“You sure she’s legal to be in this joint?” Joe asked.

Tommaso gave the older of the two a look. “Is Cory?”

Cory grinned at Camilla, dangerous in a blink. “I’m not legal to be here, either, but I own half the place. No worries.”

Joe shook his head. “Don’t let her drink, Tommaso. I don’t need an underage drinking charge or some shit. I would never get my alcohol license back.”

“Can’t drink tonight anyway,” Camilla said.

She didn’t give a reason why, though.

“Lou!” Cory shouted.

The man in question broke through a small crowd of people near the entrance with a wide grin on his face. Camilla looked up at Tommaso, and shrugged.

“Seems he didn’t need me to get him in here, huh?”

Tommaso chuckled. “He knew I was fucking with him. Cory is a good friend of his, too.”

Camilla figured that one out about five seconds ago.

Lou and Cory greeted each other with a handshake, and a smack on the shoulder. Cory pointed at something across the floor—a secondary bar of some sort, and then gave the rest of them a nod.

“Nice to meet you, Cam,” he said. “And Joe, don’t be an ass to everyone tonight. The whole point of this business is to keep people in the club.”

Joe made a noise under his breath, but didn’t fully respond. Cory was gone with Lou a couple of seconds later.

“Dad’s always telling me to look out for him. Like Cory has got somebody else to worry about coming after him when he’s not looking or something,” Joe muttered. “Who he’s really got to worry about is me kicking his arrogant ass.”

“You should meet my brother if you think Cory is arrogant,” Camilla said.

Joe passed her a look. “Cross Donati, right?”

Camilla laughed. “Let me guess—”

“The most arrogant fucker I have ever met.”

“Knew it.” Camilla shrugged one shoulder under her tight, black club dress. “Bet you still like him, though, don’t you?”

“Cross is … hard not to like. Or respect.”

“It’s usually one or the other with him,” Tommaso agreed. “Find us later, Joe?”