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I snorted out a laugh. “Maybe.”
She quickly changed the bandages and then laid next to me quietly. “Seems like you don’t have the choice to sleep in the guest room tonight,” I said.
Allegra didn’t frown, just rolled toward me, putting her hand on my heart. “I guess it’s notsobad,” she said, and I couldn’t help but feel like we’d had some kind of breakthrough. Sleep came easily with her under my arm, resting her head on my shoulder.
17
ALLEGRA
I woke up in Rocco’s arms and told myself instantly that I was getting too close. I knew it was dangerous to keep making love with him. I’d already told myself that I wouldn’t sleep with him again, but I just couldn’t seem to help myself. But now, Ireallyneeded to put some space between us. Especially after last night. It’d been so intimate, so much like the last time we’d made love before he left, before he didn’t meet me when we were supposed to run away together.
Rocco was still asleep after I showered, and I watched him. He’d shed his shirt sometime in the night and his abdomen and pecs were on full display. I looked away as pleasure rocketed through me. Part of me wanted to wake him up by putting him into my mouth, but we weren’t together anymore. It wasn’t like I didn’t think he’d love it, but it was an intimate thing, and I needed to stop.
I sat down on the edge of the bed, drying my hair, and then I felt a touch on my back, Rocco’s fingers trailing up my spine. It tickled a little and I laughed and shivered. “Good morning,” I said.
“Morning,” he muttered, his voice hoarse and sexy. I loved the way he sounded first thing in the morning or when we were making love, growling low in his chest. Damnit. I was already thinking dirty thoughts, and I’d just decided not to do this anymore. This might be harder than I thought.
I didn’t think I could carry on a casual physical relationship with Rocco given how close we used to be and how much he hurt me. There was too much history there, and I’d end up falling back into old habits. God, with his injuries and us being so close all the time, I really already had. I just didn’t want to admit it to myself. I wasn’t immune to feelings, and I felt something for Rocco. I wasn’t quite sure what it was, but it was definitely there, and it was intense.
Rocco rubbed a hand over his face, yawning. “What time is it?”
“Almost ten,” I told him.
He cursed under his breath. “I told you to wake me up at seven,” he whined.
I laughed. “You told me three times you were getting up and you never did,” I accused him. Rocco talked in his sleep, and sometimes he could have a whole conversation with me without remembering it. He had always been that way.
“You know better than to believe me,” he said.
Rocco seemed a little sore but in good spirits, making the calls he needed to in order to get us a new car. I was outside getting ice when I heard a revving engine. I glanced up and noticed two sleek sportscars pulling up by the curb. I turned to look. As the cars came to a halt, the doors swung open simultaneously, revealing two sharply dressed men. The first man, tall and muscular, stepped out of the black convertible, his presence confident and charismatic. His eyes scanned the surroundings, assessing the area with a keen gaze. It wasn’t anyone I knew, which surprised me. I thought I knew all the wiseguys in the area. His blue eyes swept over my body before he caught my gaze. He smirked at me and I glared back at him, not one to back down. It wasn’t like he was the first wiseguy to check me out.
Rocco walked out of the hotel room, stalking with confidence as if he wasn’t badly injured, and stood taller than the muscular man who’d gotten out of the convertible. He pressed some bills into his hand and spoke to him in a low voice, but I couldn’t hear what he was saying. I suspected after this trip, Rocco would owe some favors to several families.
I stepped closer, wanting to hear. “If you need some extra muscle, I’m available,” the muscular man said.
Rocco nodded. “Thanks, Alessandro. I appreciate your help, and like I said—”
“I know,” Alessandro said quietly. “You’ll help when you can.” He got into the other sportscar, a two-seater, with the other man who had just been standing by the car, clearly a lower-level player.
I frowned as Rocco and I got into the convertible. “Isn’t this a little flashy?” I asked.
Rocco shrugged. “I thought since we’re going right into the lion’s den, we might as well go in style.”
“Fair enough,” I mumbled. I paused, looking over at him. “Who was that, by the way?”
Rocco rolled his shoulders, seeming irritated. “What’s it matter?”
“Don’t be a jealous idiot, Rocco, I just want to know what’s going on. What debts I’ll owe after all this is over,” I insisted.
“You won’t owe a single debt,” Rocco promised, but I frowned wider, not liking the sound of that.
“This is my responsibility too, Rocco. If you’re getting in too deep…”
“I’m not,” Rocco barked. “Don’t you worry about what I’m doing,stellina. Just focus on keeping yourself safe.”
I wished I had caught Alessandro’s last name, because it wasn’t an uncommon one in our neck of the woods. “Croaker, Alessandro…you’re piling up favors,” I muttered.
“And I’ll make sure I take care of each one,” he said matter-of-factly.
