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“You don’t have to. I’m generous like that.”
The voices in the other room get a little louder, a little more strident, drawing my attention that way again. I start to turn my head, but Dante grabs my chin and tilts my face back toward him, a smile tugging at his lips. “More free advice?”
“No, thank you.”
“You might want to rein in the eavesdropping around here too,” he continues anyway. “Didn’t Maddoc talk to you about snooping last night?”
“I’m not. I wasn’t. I… I’m just trying to get some breakfast,” I mutter, but his warning has the desired effect as the reality of the risks I’m taking by going against Maddoc’s rules crashes over me like a wave.
Luckily, Dante doesn’t push the eavesdropping issue, even though I can tell he doesn’t believe I’m only here for breakfast.
Of course he doesn’t believe it. He didn’t believe my lie last night either.
It’s easy to see why the Reapers are such a dominant gang now that I’ve met their leadership. Maddoc, Dante, and Logan are all so different from each other, but one thing they’ve clearly got in common—besides their ruthlessness and obvious loyalty to each other—is how sharp they each are.
“Come on.” Dante plucks the apple out of my hand and tosses it back into the fruit bowl, breaking into my thoughts.
“What are you doing?” I ask, moving to pick it up again. “I’m hungry.”
“Good. Because I’m gonna take you out.”
My heart trips in my chest, my hand freezing in mid-air as I blink at him. “You are?”
“Yup.”
“Where are you going to take me?” I ask, arching a brow suspiciously.
“Wherever I want, princess.” His lips slide into an easy grin. “Wherever I want.”
16
DANTE
Riley narrowsher eyes at me, wariness written across every line of her face. “Sorry, I’m gonna need more information than that.”
I chuckle, amused by her refusal to be led around like a little lamb. “Don’t worry. It’s nothing you won’t like.”
“Yeah, well, I’m not so sure I trust you to guess what I will and won’t like,” she mutters.
Good point.
I doubt Riley trusts anyone, least of all me and my brothers, and I can respect that. It’s those kinds of street smarts that keep people alive, in my experience. And even more than her smoking-hot body, her single-minded focus on survival is what really draws me to her. She always seems to be looking for a way to navigate every situation so that she comes out on top.
Even last night, with Logan’s hand wrapped around her throat, she didn’t give up. She didn’t stop fighting. She didn’t wilt in the face of his anger, and not a lot of people can make that claim.
“I’m just trying to make sure you’re taken care of, princess,” I tell her. “Gotta be a good host and all, right? I see you found your clothes,” I add, letting my gaze drift down to the shirt she’s wearing. Her own, unfortunately. “They look good on you. Although, to be honest, I liked you better in mine.”
“Well,Ididn’t,” she insists, a flush creeping up her cheeks even as she glares at me. “Yours didn’t fit.”
Shit, that candy pink color infusing her soft skin reminds me just how responsive she is. I like it more than I should. It makes me want to do dirty, dirty things to her. Maddoc’s laid down the law there, though, so I satisfy myself by making a mental note of the exact shade her cheeks are right now so I can capture it later on canvas.
Fucking beautiful.
Shaking off that thought, I wrap my fingers around her upper arm. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”
As I guide her toward the garage, we pass through the living room. Maddoc is going over some evidence that Payton and Isaac brought by that points to more West Point fuckery, and I’m not surprised at all when the three of them clam up as we walk by. Reaper business is never something we’re gonna share with outsiders, but the slightly jealous look on Payton’s face doesn’t seem like it’s got fuck-all to do with business.
Nope, that’s something else entirely.
