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“You know Matt Russo is a pretty nice guy these days, right? He’s not eighteen anymore.”
It was the worst thing she could have said, but he got the sense that was why she said it. Jess was scrambling to maintain her distance, using every weapon in her arsenal. “Stay away from Matt Russo. He’s a fucking prick,” he groused.
Jess rolled her eyes, and Tony itched to spank her ass for it. She had a very spankable ass. Something she probably would not like hearing.
“You don’t have to work so hard all the time.” Rhys said the words gently, but Jess’s response was the same as always.
She bristled, her spine stiffening, the response her go-to. “I can’t impose on you guys forever.”
Tony’s temper flared, but he forced himself to bite his tongue.
“I’ll go wake Jasper for dinner,” she said, obviously aware she was pushing their buttons and ready to make a quick escape.
The rest of the night passed somewhat peacefully, Aunt Berta and Jasper dominating the dinner conversation. He, Rhys, and Jess were more subdued, the tension between them simmering just below the surface. The string connecting them had been stretched too taut and they were quickly approaching a day of reckoning.
Though God only knew what the hell that would look like.
He and Rhys had retired to the living room to watch yet another a hockey game. Aunt Berta had returned to her apartment right after dinner, still worn out from the birthday party. Tony had listened as Jess and Jasper worked their way through their nightly routine of a bath and bedtime story. It had been quiet in their room for nearly an hour. Tony assumed Jess had given in to her own exhaustion and gone to bed with Jasper.
So he was surprised when she strolled into the living room a few minutes later. She was dressed in a long-sleeved T-shirt and lounge pants, fuzzy socks on her feet. She’d pinned her hair up in a ponytail. She looked completely adorable, and his cock—the asshole—responded instantly.
Jess tossed a twenty-dollar bill down on the coffee table.
“What’s that for?” he asked, not bothering to mask his irritation. He was tired of her constantly trying to give them money they didn’t want or ask for.
“Jasper told me he broke the bowl.”
Tony waved at the money. “Take that back. It was an accident.”
“Accident or not, I’m paying for it.”
Tony rose, the frustration that had been simmering all day finally pushing its way out. “Take. The. Money. Back.”
“You lied. You said you broke it.”
Tony raised his hands, gesturing in aggravation, his Italian roots showing. “It was no big deal, Jess.”
“I’m trying to teach Jasper responsibility. And if it was no big deal, why would you say you broke it?”
Tony leaned toward her, refusing to back down. “The kid was scared. He thought we were going to kick you both out.”
Rhys stood as well. “Jess. Jasper was upset. We were simply trying to defuse the situation.”
She turned to Rhys, her voice still raised. “By lying?”
Tony pointed to the twenty. “This conversation is over. Pick up that money and take it back.”
She crossed her arms, her stubbornness shining through. “No.”
“Goddammit, Jess. Take it back.”
“No!” she shouted.
“Fuck. I’m done with this.” Tony reacted before he could think. Spurred on by so many emotions, he didn’t know which end was up.
He reached out and grasped her upper arms, tugging her toward him.
Jess gasped in shock, but that sound was cut off the second he slammed his lips against hers, kissing her roughly.
