Page 33 of John + Siena: The Complete Duet

A cocked eyebrow.

Smile gone.

The politeness he had shown her earlier seemed to be entirely gone. His warm gaze now felt cold as he looked her over.

Siena’s gaze darted over his shoulder to check for her brothers. Neither Kev, nor Darren stood there with Andino.

“They’re busy—having a smoke in the back,” Andino said, flashing a smirk. “I don’t smoke. At least, not with them.”

Siena wasn’t sure why exactly, but the way he sought her out like this did not feel friendly at all.

“What can I do for you, Andino?” she asked.

“Step inside,” he said.

When she didn’t move as quickly as he wanted her to, Andino simply put a hand to Siena’s shoulder, and moved her inside the office. He kicked the door closed behind him, and completely ignored her indignant shout.

Siena hit his hand from her shoulder, and glared at him. “Who in the hell do you think you are?”

“What do you want with my cousin?”

She blinked. “What?”

“Is it your brothers—your father, maybe? Did they put you up to engaging with John, or what?”

Siena shook her head, so confused that it wasn’t even funny. “We sat across from each other on the bus, and then randomly ran in to each other on the street a couple of times outside the bookstore where I get my books.”

Andino sucked air through his teeth. “That all?”

“What the fuck is it any of your business?”

He moved closer—just an inch.

It was enough to make Siena take a step back.

“It’s my business because I look out for John. I’ve had his back since we were kids. He doesn’t have very many people thinking about his interests, so I make sure to be one of them. Got it?”

Siena swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. “Okay, I got it.”

“What else was there?”

“Nothing. We had a walk, chatted a bit, and he asked me to go for coffee once, but we didn’t. Seems like he’s always running off and leaving me hanging, you know?”

Andino simply stared at her for a long while before he finally said, “And no one has said anything to you about John, or the Marcellos?”

“No.” Siena’s gaze narrowed as she added, “You heard my brothers—I ask anything, and I get told to mind my fucking business. I just wanted to make sure John was doing okay. Friends can ask after friends.”

“You don’t know my cousin from a fucking hole in the ground, girl. How can you be his friend?”

“Maybe I would like to be,” she shot back.

Andino tipped his chin up, and continued eyeing her in that intense way of his. It made her want to move back again, or fidget. Something.

“He keeps running off, you said?” Andino asked.

Siena shrugged. “Kind of. I don’t think he means to. I’ve never even gotten his number, or whatever.”

“Maybe he didn’t want to give it to you, then. Ever consider that?”