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It was entirely possible he’d used what he knew about me to try to further himself. But the same loyalty that ran through my veins ran in his. I could see it in the hard-set of his eyes, in the look that said that for all the gold in the world, he couldn’t be bought.
“He wants Raven over for dinner,” I told him, accepting that I could trust him.
Gabe scoffed. “And she’d be the main course, no doubt. Why the hell did you agree?”
“Because it wasn’t the worst idea.”
“Seriously?” he asked, looking at me like I’ve lost my mind. “She’s put up with your shit, isn’t that enough? Why the hell would you do that to the poor girl? You do remember what a good old-fashioned Costa family dinner looks like, right?”
“What difference does it make to you?” I turned to him.
“Some girl has actually managed to grab your attention for longer than it takes for you to fuck her? I guarantee you that’s one hell of a girl. She deserves better than whatever our father has got planned, si?”
“He just wants to see if it rattles her.” I shrugged.
“Ohhh.I see,” Gabe said with a knowing look that also said he was none too pleased with what he saw. “This isn’t about Dad. This is aboutyou.Youwant to see if it rattles her.”
“So what if I do?” I growled.
“Hey, she’s yours, not mine,” he said, holding his hands up. “But you know as well as I do that she’s no evil spy. If you want to fuck up the first good thing you’ve had, then be my guest. I’ve seen her. I wouldn’t mind taking her out for a whirl.” He waggled his brows.
“Over my dead fucking body,” I said, seething as I bunched my fists so tight my knuckles cracked.
“Exactly,fratello.” He chuckled. “Admit it, you’re afraid because you’re getting close to her, and you’re just trying to hang on to yourout.”
I cocked an eyebrow, not bothering to hide the muscles spasming in my clenched jaw.
“Myout?” I ground out.
“If you keep her at arm’s length because she’s the enemy, you can’t get hurt, right? But you might want to start considering the possibility she means more to you than an easy lay before she gets smart and dumps your ass.”
The muscles in my jaw were still ticking.
“So then what’s your advice, genius?”
I had to admit: I was out of my element. Dates, teddy bears, flowers—all that relationship stuff was not my expertise.
Not that Iwanteda relationship.
He shrugged. “Just accept she sees something in you, and stop looking for her angle.”
Everyone had an angle. There was no such thing as free lunch. Everyone wanted something for something. No one gave away anything for nothing. There was a reason for everything, from why a man had only one sugar in his coffee to what kept him awake late at night.
How do you call someone “dumbass” nicely?
“Grazie, fratello,” I said, clapping him on the back.
If he wanted to believe he could moonlight as Oprah, who was I to burst his bubble?
“You’re bringing the girl to dinner, aren’t you?” he asked with his eyes narrowed.
“Yes, I am, Gabe, but never think it’s because you’re shitty at giving advice.”
“Vaffanculo, fratello,”Gabe cursed, though he wore a giant goofy smile.
“Si, I think I will‘fuck off.’You see?Thatwas good advice,” I said, standing up and stretching my legs for the first time in too many hours.
It meant absolutely nothing that I couldn’t wait to get out of here so I could see her.
