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“Maria.” Natalia elbowed her.
“What? Maybe I wanted to share a room with Enzo instead of you.” Maria chuckled. “Kidding, kidding. I’m still married, and Enzo’s . . .” She let her voice trail off.
Enzo studied her, and he seemed curious where she’d planned to go with that line of thought. Nowhere, apparently.
“You ever get a costume?” Natalia asked me, her eyes skating down my body, over my Henley and down to my black jeans. Her gaze remained on my crotch, probably thinking about our text exchange.
She was testing me and my ability to not go hard at every damn turn. “I did not,” I bit out, impatient for her to stop torturing me, and to draw her attention somewhere safer. Not sure where exactly that was, but not pointed at my dick, would be a good start.
“You can be her Clark Kent,” Maria suggested. “I can just do some skull face paint on Enzo and call it a day?”
“Face paint?” Enzo looked over at her, his brow pinched.
“That or tights. Your pick.” Maria winked, and Enzo shifted uncomfortably. Why’d I get the feeling that man would do just about anything she asked him to do, though? She had him wrapped around her finger.
Maybe Enzo felt the same as I had toward my brother? He was pissed at Thomas for cheating on Maria, but was he also relieved they’d be splitting? It was clear he wanted a taken woman.
“I can find something for you to wear if you let me in your closet,” Natalia offered, eyes returning to my face.
The idea of this woman in my bedroom again without bending her over and . . .
“Or maybe you look?” Natalia suggested as if reading my dirty thoughts, realizing she was provoking a beast, and deciding it wasn’t the best idea.
“Sure.” I unlocked my arms from across my chest and took an uneasy step back, knowing I had to let her leave at some point. I was frustrated she wouldn’t be going with me. I held the back of my neck, finding knots of tension there as I swiveled my focus around the parking lot.
At the sight of a parked car on the road parallel to the restaurant, I frowned. I’d seen it in the same spot yesterday. I couldn’t tell if anyone was inside the black Acura right now, but something had me on edge about it.
“You recognize that car?” I released my neck and discreetly tipped my chin in the direction of the Acura.
Natalia followed my gaze. “No, should I?”
“It was here the other night.” I knew Natalia wouldn’t question my memory and ability to recall specific details, minor head injury or not.
“I’ll go check it out,” Enzo offered, but I extended my arm, a request for him to hang back.
“Stay with them instead.” I went over to my truck and unlocked my glove compartment. I’d decided to travel with my 9 mil after last night’s events.
“Ryan,” Natalia hissed as I tucked the firearm under my shirt at the back of my pants. “What are you doing?”
“I’m sure it’s nothing.” But with everything going on with Anthony, I couldn’t dismiss the fact my gut told me differently. “If the car hauls ass away, then we’ll have the answer,” I told her as I slowly started toward the edge of the parking lot near the street.
The Acura’s lights immediately flicked on, and as I’d predicted, whoever was behind the wheel hit the gas pedal, taking off.
“I’m going after them,” I said on the move back to the truck. “Get them home,” I ordered Enzo, not waiting for a response.
Once behind the wheel of my truck, I tore out of the parking lot. I hadn’t been back in town long, but I remembered all the back roads. I had a feeling I knew the direction the Acura would go, and I knew exactly how I could cut them off.
Instead of pursuing the vehicle, I turned down a side street, made a few quick turns, and then swerved back onto the other road just before the Acura got to me.
The driver slammed on the brakes instead of crashing into the side of my truck.
Not bad for a solo vehicle interdiction. It’d been awhile, and I was rusty, but at least I still had it.
Before the driver had a chance to throw the car into reverse, I hopped out and trained my 9 mil on him. He shot his hands into the air in surrender, and fortunately his passenger did the same.
I looked around, grateful the road was still quiet given our location and the time of night. No other cars were there. Not yet, at least. I’d have to make it quick.
I steadily walked over to the driver’s side and motioned for him to roll down his window with my free hand.
