AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Number two, my dad would have a coronary.
Thank you, no. I’ll just suck it up and count the days until I can hop a plane back to sunny Florida. I’m sure I can find some hot basketball player back at school who can take my mind off that dirt bag. And yes, campus is crawling with six-and-a-half-foot, tanned, muscular men, so no shortage of potential candidates there.
I slide into the front seat of my brother’s Escalade and buckle up for the ride. I usually end up clutching the sides of my seat when Max takes the wheel. Judging by the amount of ice lining the streets, I’m hoping he’ll go a little easier so I can make it to tomorrow alive and in one piece.
And yay, chocolate. Because I really need to be even more stimulated than I am right now, courtesy of the salacious memories that continue to loop through my mind.
NICO
I rubthe back of my neck to loosen the knot at the base of my skull. The conversation with my father has been weighing on me all day, and as much as I need to talk to someone, I know I have to keep my mouth shut.
Talking has no place in this life. We don’t share our feelings because that is perceived as weakness. No, we bottle shit up until we’re ready to explode.
Then we continue to keep a lid on it, because if you don’t, you can get your ass severely mutilated. And since I like my ass just the way it is, I keep quiet.
The streets shine under the glowing light of the full moon. Sheets of black ice lay before me, slick under my Range Rover’s tires. I pull into the Starbucks parking lot and throw the car into park. I lean forward, my head in my hands. Now that Grandpa’s gone, Dad’s stress levels have hit the roof and then exploded out of it. I’m sure there’s more he’s not saying, and I only know what I need to know, which feels like a hell of a lot. But I know there’s plenty to come.
I grab my phone from the center console and glance at the screen. Ignored texts, missed calls…all from Max. I still have to figure out how to break the news about Rocco to him. I can’t avoid him forever.
Our dads had been college buddies, closer than brothers through the years. Naturally, Max and I had been thrown together. The expectation was that the only sons of Joe Salesi and Tony Oriani would have their own bromance. Except Max is a fucking lunatic, always dangling over the edge of sanity, and I’m the complete opposite. But I do what I need to do to keep the peace, and to keep things on an even keel for the family. I play a role. It’s what we all do to survive. You need to know your strengths and keep yourself sharp.
Something told me not to answer his messages yet. Something is off, and I need to figure out what before I open my mouth. My parents were acting strange when I saw them earlier, and nobody volunteered as to the reason why. It amazes me that we can’t even take time to grieve the loss of Grandpa. Too much shit is happening, and it’s time to move on. At least, that’s the expectation.
But I’m not ready. The only comfort I’ve had in the past months came from Shaye. Her soft lips, deep blue eyes I could lose myself in forever, that hot pussy clenched tight around my dick…
Just plain sex. I tried to convince myself that’s all it was. But there was nothing plain about what we did that night.
I’m a goddamn liar. I lied to myself about how I feel, and I lied to her when I told her I wanted her to leave.
I didn’t. I wanted her…no, needed her…to stay.
And now I’m dodging calls from her maniacal brother, who, if he found out I’d so much as seen her in that sexy-as-fuck lingerie, would wrap his beefy hands around my throat and squeeze until my eyeballs popped out of the sockets.
And yes, I’ve seen my best friend do just that to someone for a hell of a lot less.
I take a deep breath and step out of the car. No sense in fantasizing about what I won’t ever have again.
The front door to Starbucks chimes when I pull it open, and a whoosh of hot air blows into my face as I step inside. I promised a tearful Lily a hot chocolate and a birthday cake pop. Poor kid has no clue what kind of a life she’s in for, so sweet treats are the least I can do to make my baby sister smile, especially after everything she’s been through this week.
I step up to the counter and open my mouth to order when my eyes fall to a white and green cake pop with eyes and what looks like sprinkles on its head. Is that supposed to be a parrot? Maybe Lily would like that one, too.
“Dude! What the fuck?”
Jesus Christ, do I have GPS on me or something? Not that I’d be surprised, but shit. I never come here. What the hell are the odds? With a slight roll of my eyes, I slowly twist around. But Max isn’t the person my gaze lands on first.
Shaye’s cheeks are pink from the cold, her lips stretched into a straight line, eyes a million times more frigid than the temperature outside the café. They narrow at me, as if she’s trying to ice me from the inside out. She’s still pissed. Fuck, is that why Max has been trying to get in touch? Did she tell him?
She folds her arms over her puffer jacket, fists clenched. My gaze wanders to Max. He doesn’t have that murderous look in his crazed eyes. Yet. That’s a good sign.
“Hey, guys.” And my brain shuts down, just like that. I can’t even form a single thought while Shaye’s eyes burn a hole into me.
“How’s your dad?” Max’s expression is sympathetic. It only lasts for a short time, but it’s more than anyone else ever gets to see of his human form.
“Hanging in there. Working nonstop. You know how he deals with shit.” I try to keep my eyes focused on my best friend’s face, but Shaye’s menacing glare is almost magnetic. I want to look away, but I can’t. It pulls me back every time my eyes stray. “How’s everything with you guys? No big dates tonight?”
“Nah. My parents left for that dinner about an hour ago, and I figured I’d hang out with my best girl.” He slings an arm around Shaye’s shoulders.
“Best. That’s impressive, considering how big the pool is,” she mumbles, never breaking her icy stare.
