AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What’s up, little brother?” Enzo asks as he comes out of the building with Annie. Her phone is against her ear, and he’s carrying her briefcase.
I shake my head. My, how times have changed. “I’m likable, right?”
Annie glances up from her phone, shifts her vision to Enzo, then back to her phone.
“Yeah, of course,” Enzo answers.
“Annie?” I ask.
She puts up her finger and her body slides behind Enzo. She’s dodging me.
“Annie?”
She glances up and blows out a breath. “You can be kind of a douche to women. Not me, but I’m with your brother so…” Her shoulders rise like it doesn’t really matter.
“By all means, don’t hold back.” I chuckle, my hands finding the pockets of my jeans.
She glances at Enzo and he nods as though this is a conversation they’ve previously had. “You’re a loyal brother and son. And you’d do anything for your friends. All admirable traits. You work hard, and your clients always come first.”
I wave for her to get to the point. Again, her eyes shift. I’m making her uncomfortable, which only spurs my need to hear her opinion.
“You tend to attract a certain type of woman. And to those women, you’re likable. But to other women, you’re maybe a tad… forward?” she says as though it’s a hypothesis she’s about to test, but in her mind, it’s already truth.
Enzo slaps my shoulder. “It’s okay. I was probably the same.”
Enzo and I aren’t the same. He buried himself in his work until he had no option but to notice Annie because she was front and center. I pick up women. Women I don’t intend to have a relationship with. When I think about it, I’m not sure I’ve ever had a woman as a friend. Anyone I considered a friend quickly fell into bed with me.
“It’s fine. Everyone has a type, Carm.”
“Yours are the gym and bar girls.” Enzo smiles, but something in his tone indicates there’s more to it.
“There’s nothing wrong with that. Like when you met my friend Mae. You came off as cocky and arrogant and she didn’t like it. Those things aren’t important to her. She wants a sense of humor and someone who will bring her chicken soup when she’s sick.” Annie buries her head in her phone again.
“I’m funny.”
“No doubt.” Enzo slaps my shoulder again as if he’s trying to lessen the blow his girlfriend is delivering.
“You are, but that’s not the first quality you show people.” Her eyebrows fly halfway up her forehead. “If the girl isn’t down to fool around, you’re not really interested.”
Enzo raises his hand to flag down a cab.
“I make jokes all the time.”
She tucks her phone into her purse, looks at me square in the eye, and shrugs.
Fucking shrugs. Does she not understand she’s insulting me right now?
“It’s okay, Carm. You’re getting all high-strung for nothing. You’re not interested in getting to know the woman. You have a right to that.” She pats my arm and slides into the taxi.
“Are you joining us?” Enzo asks, holding open the door.
“Fuck yeah.” I slide into the cab next to Annie, who shrinks back when my thigh touches hers.
My brother squeezes in, eyeing his girlfriend beside me. Her back is almost plastered to the door frame.
“Yeah, this isn’t going to work.” Her hand’s on the cab door to open it when the guy pulls away from the curb.
So we take off with me riding bitch.
