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“All right, I’ve got a bet for you,” Nico murmurs, pulling out the chair next to me.
“I’m all ears.”
“Ten grand says Angelo dresses up as Santa on Christmas Day.”
Smirking into my palm, I look to the head of the table and consider this. Angelo’s leaning on his knuckles, muttering in venomous Italian at Gabe, who looks like he’d rather be anywhere other than a Visconti family meeting.
My brother is more likely to burn a Santa suit than wear it, and I’m just about to tell Nico so when Rory bustles through the door with a tray of cookies. Angelo’s eyes follow her, his face softening. As she drops the tray to the table, he leans over and kisses her on the forehead.
“They look beautiful, magpie,” he says. “You’re getting good at this.”
I flick a glance to the cookies. They’re so burnt they look like they’ve been salvaged from a house fire, but it’s then I realize; he’d do anything for her. If Rory asked him to wear a Santa suit, he’d do it. I used to think he’d turned into a simp, but fuck, I’m starting to understand that feeling now.
Swallowing the unease in my throat, I turn back to Nico with a plan. “Twenty says he’ll wear an elf outfit.”
He snorts into his whiskey. “Everyone’s saying you’ve lost the plot, and I’m starting to think they’re right. Is it true you’re a vodka man these days?”
I ignore his question and we shake on it. Then Angelo thumps on the table and commands everyone’s attention.
“In the spirit of Christmas, I’m going to give everyone a free pass,” he says quietly. “Get your shit jokes about the Christmas decor out now, or forever hold your peace.”
Silence cloaks the room, then Benny clears his throat. “Looks like Santa came down the chimney and was sick.”
Everyone sniggers.
“I can see your house from Hollow. Bet you can see it from space, too.” Nico smirks.
Cas leans back, swirling his whiskey. “You guys are being too harsh. I like it. It reminds me of Santa’s Workshop.” He pauses. “At the Devil’s Dip outlet mall.”
Even Angelo laughs at that one, shaking his head.
“All right, all right, I’ve got one more.” Benny picks up a plastic snowflake off the table runner. “You’re brave having all this flammable shit lying around when your wife starts a fire every time she turns on the oven.”
The smile falls off my brother’s face. Cas shifts in his seat. Gabe flashes me a look of lazy amusement.
“Ah fuck,” Benny hisses, sensing the mood shift. “I’ve got no more fingers to break.”
With a flick of his wrist, Angelo slides the tray of cookies across the table. “You wanna make jokes about my wife’s cooking, you’re gonna eat every single one.”
Benny stares at them in disbelief. “Okay, I’d rather break my fingers than my teeth.”
Angelo ignores him and sinks down into his chair. “Right, enough of the shit. We need to talk about Cove. Since Tor has disappeared off the face of the fucking planet, Cove will be left wide open when we get Dante out of the picture.” He smooths a hand down the front of his turtleneck and turns his attention to me. “My brothers and I have decided we’ll give him until the New Year to make an appearance before we implement a plan and take Cove over.”
Bitter humor fills me.Decidedmakes it sound like we had a civilized discussion, when really, we barked at each other in rapid-fire Italian in his office for twenty minutes. He wanted to take it over immediately, while I wanted to give my best friend the benefit of the doubt and wait a few weeks.
He threw a snow globe at my head, I hurled it back with a better aim, and we settled on January 1.
My cell buzzes on the table, and when I glance at the screen and see it’s a message from Penny, the conversation around the table fades to background noise.
I snatch it up, open the message, and immediately wish I hadn’t. She sent a picture of herself in front of a mirror, stark-fucking-naked. Letting out a slow hiss, I lean back in the chair and zoom in on every perfect part of her.
Christ, she can’t be real. I almost wish she wasn’t, now that I’ve shattered yet another rule and fucked her face-on. Usually, I only do doggy because I hate looking into a woman’s eyes and seeing my last name flash in lights behind them as they come. It’s off-putting. But with Penny, that was never going to be the case. No, I knew if I looked into her eyes as she came undone, I wouldn’t be able to look away. Wouldn’t be able to forget them, either. I know when she’s done with me and I’m left in the ashes of her fire, I’ll be looking at another woman’s headboard and seeing those fucking eyes on it.
Another text comes through.
Penny:Oops, I sent that to the wrong number. Sorry.
Even though I know she’s joking, the thought of another man seeing that body makes a jolt of violence zap through me.
