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I’m not much of a cook, but I can make eggs, and this is the first time I’ve ever cooked for a man. I grab the eggs and butter from the fridge along with the few items in the spice rack and get busy on four fried eggs.
“Thank fuck,” Dix growls from upstairs. “If I don’t get some food in me soon, I won’t have enough energy to fuck you again.”
I laugh and shake my head at his words. It’s funny how words that I would call crass from another mouth touch me deeply when spoken by his lips. “Can’t have that, can we?”
“Hell no,” he says from behind me, startling a gasp from me.
“You move well for a big guy.”
His lips tug into an amused grin. “Damn straight.” His nostrils flare and heat darkens his eyes. “I like the look of you in my clothes.”
I smile at him over my shoulder. “I like being surrounded by your smell.”
His lips pull into a lopsided grin that sets off fireworks inside my belly. “Valentina, what am I going to do with you?”
The answer is there on the tip of my tongue. “Well…” I begin just as his phone rings up in the loft.
“Hold that thought.” He winks and rushes upstairs to get his phone.
Well, you could love me like I love you remains unsaid between us, but I send the wish up into the universe anyway.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Dix
I bound up the stairs to the loft, taking them two at a time, knowing that a call at this hour must be important. As I reach the top, I pause, catching my breath and stare at Ace's name on the screen. “Ace, man, what's up?”
The line stays quiet for a moment, and the tension crackles like a live wire. “I need to ask you a question, and I need you to be honest with me.”
My free hand clenches into a fist. “I'm always honest with you. What's this about?” I suspect it’s about Valentina, the woman downstairs who’s captured my heart and turned my world upside down. “Well?”
“Are you with Valentina?”
Damn it. My shoulders slump, and I can’t lie to Ace now that he’s asked directly. I won’t.
“I am,” I say cautiously. “Why?”
I think of all the reasons we shouldn’t be together, the ones I’ve tried to ignore because being with her feels so right.
Ace sighs, the sound heavy with frustration. “Her brother, Emiliano, called about an hour ago. Said she’s been kidnapped. He didn't blame us, but he called to let me know he’s going to the authorities if she doesn't come back soon.”
“Shit,” I mutter, pinching the bridge of my nose. “I’m sorry, man.” I take a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. “She’s not kidnapped. She’s safe, and she’s in my bed.”
“I don’t give a shit about that right now, Dix. We can talk about that later,” Ace says in a hushed, urgent tone. “Right now, we need to get Valentina back to her family. Before the shit hits the fan.”
I nod even though he can’t see me. “All right. We’re not close, but we’ll head back in the next half hour. You talk to Rojas or the other son?”
“No. Doesn’t matter. We don’t need the heat of the cops on us right now.”
I nod. “I know, but you should know why Valentina and I are together tonight.”
“No, I really don’t give a fuck. Just get her back to her family, pronto.”
“Goddammit, Ace, just fucking listen to me for one goddamn minute.”
I know I’m wrong for keeping this big fucking secret even if I have a good reason for doing so, but this is important.
“She called me because Emiliano is stepping outside the family to have someone take me out.”
He curses under his breath. “I’ll handle that problem, but right now, this isn’t about their family business. It’s about avoiding trouble with the goddamn law. Got it?”
“Yes. Jesus. All right. We’ll be on our way.” I grip the phone tight in my hands and then end the call. My jaw clenches in frustration, and I resist the urge to toss the phone at the wall, to turn the bed over the edge of the loft. Instead, I head back down to Valentina and meet her green gaze head on.
“Is everything all right?”
“Yeah…no.”
She smiles. “Oh, that’s perfectly clear.”
“Your brother is causing more trouble,” I tell her what Ace just told me. “So we need to get back to Angel Harbor before the law starts looking for you.”
Her hands curl into fists at her sides, but her expression is blank, at least until a shadow of anger clouds her otherwise beautiful face.
“Fucking Emiliano,” she growls angrily. “He can’t stop meddling, and he’s so hypocritical. He can fuck whomever he wants, but I’m supposed to play the role of grieving widow for all of fucking eternity.”
