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Grayson, Jace and Victor actually listened to me when I talked. They didn’t seem like they wanted to hear my story because it was salacious, they genuinely seemed to think I was interesting.
Teo was a different story. He listened, sure, but he was aloof, and I could tell that he often thought about my motivations. Because he was the one who was around me the least, he didn’t seem to trust me that much. Regardless of what the other three acted like, I knew for a fact that Teo was the one pulling the strings.
At any point in time, he could snap his fingers and I’d be shit out of luck. And so would my brother.
”I promise I’ll stay,” I said. ”Please, just don’t hurt my brother.”
He gave me a long sideways look. ”I’ll think about it,” he said softly.
”Really?”
”Yes,” he said. ”I promise.”
Chapter Seventeen: Teo
Ididn’twanttohurt Sofia’s brother.
But if the choice was to keep Sofia safe or hurt her brother, then there wasn’t a choice. If I needed to kill him with my bare hands, then I was going to do it without even thinking about it.
She looked so beautiful sitting in the passenger seat. Now that she’d healed up, I could see the features of her face. Her eyes were a deep brown, almost black. Her lips were plump and perfectly shaped, and every time I looked at her, I couldn’t help but think about how they would feel against mine. Her hair cascaded down her back in loose waves, and I had to resist the urge to reach out and run my fingers through it.
I knew that I shouldn’t be thinking about her like this. She was just a means to an end, a tool to get what I wanted. But I couldn’t help the way she made me feel.
We arrived at the Italian restaurant, and I led her inside. The atmosphere was cozy and romantic, with dim lighting and soft music playing in the background. We were ushered to our table without having to stop by the host, and I wondered if her brother was already here.
The circular table was close to the window. I pulled a chair out for her and she flashed me a soft smile. There was some hesitation from her before she sat down.
”So,” I said over fake candlelight. ”Do you think your brother will bring anyone?”
She shrugged. ”Hard to know,” she replied. ”He’s not really someone who dates very much. If he brings someone, he has to really like them. I mean, he could say the same thing about me…”
She picked up her head and her gaze locked on my eyes. I waited for her to finish her sentence, but she didn’t.
”Anyway,” she said. ”You said you knew the chef?”
For the next five minutes, we talked about food. It was nice; it actually felt like we were on a date and I was happy to get to know her. As we talked, I couldn’t help but notice the way her eyes sparkled when she talked about her favorite dishes. I was glad to see her relax and forget about everything else for a moment. I wished that this was how I always saw her.
I was usually pretty aware of my surroundings–came with the job–so when the door chimed and a tall figure entered the restaurant, followed by an older guy, I could immediately tell that this was Sofia’s brother.
He had the same soft features, the same hair color, and even similar mannerisms as he looked around to find us.
”I think your brother is here,” I told her.
Sofia turned around. I could see how excited she was from her body language, and she waved wildly at him so he could find us.
Sam spotted us and rushed over to our table, his gaze never leaving Sofia. He pulled her into a tight hug, and I could see the relief on her face as she hugged him back.
”Hey, sis,” he said, pulling away as he side-eyed me. ”I’m so glad to see you’re okay.”
She smiled up at him. ”I’m fine,” she said. ”Why wouldn’t I be?”
”You don’t usually disappear with men for a week.”
”Some men are worth it,” she whispered into his ear, just loud enough for me to hear.
Her brother rolled his eyes and turned to me. ”I’m Sam,” he said, extending his hand.
”Teo,” I replied, shaking his hand.
