Page 9 of Sloth

“Yeah, but is Bruno a team player?” he asked. He felt like an ass for even asking her that question, but he had to know where they all stood with her brother. When he and Bruno originally met with the other syndicate families, he seemed to want to change from the old ways as much as Victor did, but he also worried that Bruno might be playing games with all of them. After all, his last name was Gluttony, as was Trisha’s.

“I know that it’s hard to trust Bruno and me,” she spat. “I mean, I heard what the rest of you said about the two of us when we’d all go to the Catskills for syndicate meetings. You all seemed to find a way to ditch us, and Bruno and I knew the reason why—our last name was Gluttony. I can’t change that fact, but I can promise you that we’re both on your side.” How the hell did she know what he was thinking?

“I’m sorry that we treated you and Bruno that way, Trish. But you were a kid, and we were all older. Of course, we didn’t want a kid hanging around us. You would have learned a lot of bad habits, and it was best that you didn’t party with us.” He hoped that reminding her of their age difference would help cool her temper.

“I get it—I was an annoying kid, but you didn’t include Bruno either,” she reminded. He remembered plenty of times that Bruno had shown up, uninvited, to their little get-togethers. The guys always made up some stupid excuse that he was sure Bruno didn’t buy, about why they had forgotten to invite him along with them. Victor was sure of that. Bruno pretended not to care, but he could see the hurt in the guy’s eyes every time.

“Bruno showed up at most of our parties, invited or not, so don’t feel too bad for your brother, honey,” he drawled.

“Oh, I didn’t know that,” she said. “Well, I’m glad that he got to hang out with you guys. Bruno has always been a loner. He’s—” she paused, and Victor wondered if she was going to admit to knowing that her brother was gay. “Different,” she finished. “He’s never really fit into any groups, so I’m glad that you all included him when he stumbled across your parties.”

“I know that your brother is a bit different, and you have to know that I’m okay with that, Trish,” he insisted. “I know that the old ways don’t allow your brother to be different, but I’d bet money that the rest of the guys are fine with your brother being different too.”

“Um, I appreciate you saying that you know, without actually saying it,” she said. “We really don’t talk a whole lot about Bruno being different,” she admitted. “But it’s nice to hear that the rest of the younger family members seem to be accepting of Bruno too. Thank you for telling me that, Victor.”

He shrugged, “No problem, and for what it’s worth, I’d totally let you hang out with the rest of us now, Trish. You grew up good.” He turned to grab his clean clothes and headed out to the hallway bathroom for a shower. Victor didn’t even try to hide his smile when he heard Trish’s gasp. It was good to know that he could still surprise some people because Victor was starting to believe that life—especially his, was becoming totally predictable.

Trisha

Had Victor just told her that she had grown up “Good”? There was no way that she was going to chase after him and ask him to repeat himself because she was pretty sure that she had heard him correctly. Trish wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do about what he had just said to her, but thinking about it wasn’t an option. Hell, she’d burst into flames just thinking about anything that Victor had said to her, but saying something like that to her was just playing with fire.

Trish had a choice to make—ignore what he had just said to her or follow him to the bathroom and demand that he let her in. But then what? Would she be brave enough to actually follow through and throw herself at the man she had wanted for most of her life? And then, there was the matter of her pesky virginity. How would she handle telling him that she had effectively been saving herself for him? She wouldn’t be able to say that to him without blushing and feeling like a complete fool.

She walked back to the bathroom, waiting for the water to turn on. Trish took a deep breath, knowing that on the other side of the door stood the man that she had always wanted—naked and wet, not expecting her to follow him into the bathroom. Or was he? He did say that she grew up good or something like that. Trish just needed to get over herself and find a way to work past her shyness. This was what she wanted—Victor was who she wanted.

Trish took a deep breath and opened the door, finding Victor naked in the shower, the water rolling down his toned body. “Is this okay?” she squeaked.

“You tell me, honey,” he said. “Is this what you want?” She nodded her head, suddenly feeling at a loss for words. He was hot and this was the first time she’d seen a naked man up close. She couldn’t seem to take her eyes off him, and Victor’s sexy smirk let her know that he didn’t mind.

“I have something that I need to tell you though,” she said.

“How about you get naked and come in here with me, and then, we can talk about whatever you want to,” he taunted. Maybe that was a good plan. If she was naked in the shower with him, he might not turn her away once she admitted that she was still a virgin. She’d at least have a shot that he’d still want her.

“All right,” she breathed. Trish took her time to strip out of her clothes, loving the way that he couldn’t seem to take his eyes off her either.

“You’re killing me,” he groaned.

“Am I doing something wrong?” she asked.

“You’re taking too long, honey,” he said. She pulled her panties down her legs and stood completely bare for him in front of the glass shower door. “Come here, Trish,” he ordered. Victor pulled the shower door open, spraying water all over the bathroom as he pulled her into the warm spray of the shower with him. “You’re so fucking sexy.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck, smiling up at him. “You are too,” she whispered. He pulled her up his body and sealed his mouth over hers. Trish was sure that no man had ever kissed her that way. He didn’t just kiss her, he claimed her. Victor owned Trish now, whether he knew it or not, she was his.

Trish pushed at his chest, trying to get him to break their kiss, but he deepened it, pushing her back against the cold tile wall. He ran his fingers through her pussy, and she felt her knees buckle as he wrapped an arm around her to keep her upright. She was becoming quite a cliché when it came to Victor touching her. She wasn’t going to be able to get out the words that she needed to say to him unless she did it now.

“I’m a virgin,” she shouted as he kissed his way down her neck. Victor stilled and Trish instantly regretted her outburst. She should have handled this better, but he was consuming her and making her want everything he wanted to give. She just couldn’t let him believe that she had any knowledge of what they were about to do, other than what she had read or watched on television.

“You’re a what?” he breathed. He stood, towering over her and Trish suddenly felt the need to hide. She covered her breasts with her arms as he looked her over, knowing that he could still see every inch of her.

“I’m a virgin,” she said, defiantly raising her chin to him as if daring him to make fun of her.

“How?” he asked.

She rolled her eyes at him and pushed past him. Trish needed to get out of that shower and put on some clothes if she was going to be able to have a full conversation with the man. She stepped out of the shower and grabbed the white towel hanging on the hook, quickly wrapping it around her body.

“Trish,” he growled, “we’re talking.”

“Well, I’d like to not be naked while we talk,” she said. “And I’d really like to have on some clothes when I tell you that I’ve been saving myself for the right person all of these years.” He turned off the shower and followed her out, grabbing the second towel hanging on the hook by the shower door and wrapping it around his waist.

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