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Now they gave me dubious looks and glanced back at Sara, who raised an eyebrow. “You don’t think I’m a goddess?” I choked on the air while the guys made various shocked sounds. “And I agree, you are acting very strange, Danny.” She patted my chest and turned to three guys, who looked as though they’d been electrocuted, or that Christmas had come early. Evil delight lit up their faces at seeing a woman put me in my place, especially as I had no retort. “Ciao ragazzi. Come state? Siete qui per aiutare me e questo demone?”
I fell back against the wall. “You speak Italian?”
Sara folded her arms and jutted out a hip. “You thought I just understood it?” She walked up to Artie and patted his cheek. “Thank you for calling me a goddess. Just know that I do smite people on occasion.”
With that, she strutted by, and went to pick up a piece of cardboard to start assembling it into a box. Too late, I realized I was staring while Heavy, Pasquale, and Artie watched me with shit-eating grins. I could feel the heat in my face increase and tried to glare at them.
“I think Danny might’ve been uh,smitedby the goddess before we got here, boys,” Pasquale said.
“Shit, did you know that the kid could blush?” Heavy asked and leaned in to poke my face, causing me to swat him away. “Damn, you’ve got it bad. I didn’t think it was possible.”
Artie was looking misty-eyed; the old head was so fucking dramatic and had a romantic streak a mile wide. “First Ty, now Danny. Warms my heart.”
“Oh boys,” Sara trilled but with an edge in her tone. “These boxes aren’t going to assemble themselves.”
I went to take a step forward, to see the three guys watching me avidly, and sighed. “Go help.”
“Happily,” Heavy said, and I couldn’t help it, I snarled. And the fucker laughed then said softly, in Italian. “Shit, dude. I get it. I ain’t about to touch your woman.”
“I amnotDaniel’s woman,” Sara called over, also in Italian, and I wanted to put my head through a wall when Heavy winced. “Stop gossiping and help.”
Now, Pasquale, Heavy, and Artie were throwing me commiserating and disappointed looks. “Damn, dude. Aren’t you the smart one in the family? How’d you already fuck things up?”
“I didn’t…” I started to say, and Sara folded her arms, glaring over at me. “Let’s just assemble boxes.”
“He probably didn’t mean it,” Heavy said, ambling over and extending a meaty hand. “I’m Umberto Basillio but everyone calls me ‘Heavy.’” He tilted his head to the side. “I can see why you and Lia are best friends.”
“Aw, nice to meet you, and thank you. I’m Sara.”
“We know,” Artie said and came over, extending his hand, then swooping to press a kiss when Sara offered her cheek. “I’m Arturo Basillio—but call me Artie.”
“Pasquale Novo,” said Pasquale, elbowing Artie out of the way and grinning as Sara looked him over. He was a big, muscular, and very handsome dude. One of the best looking in the Family, and I’d never given a shit until this moment. “And hey, beautiful, if things don’t work out between you and Daniel—”
“Basta,” I snarled as Pasquale chuckled.
Sara, however, had the fucking nerve to give Pasquale a coy smile and murmur, “I’ll keep that in mind, handsome.”
I shoved my hands into my hair and took a deep breath, before forcing myself to walk over. “We need to pack up all this shit pronto. We don’t want the cops—and especially Hendrix realizing we’re here.”
“I don’t think Hendrix is gonna come within ten feet of the Family after what you did to Jock,amico,” Pasquale said with a chuckle as he slapped my shoulder, and I slowly turned a glare at him. “Ahem, right, you and Lia.”
Sara dropped the big roll of packing tape she was holding, and the sound echoed through the room like a gunshot. Her gaze snapped to me, filling with storms, and I tried to keep my face neutral, even as I sensed the three idiots cringing next to me.
I didn’t let my gaze wave as I said in an even tone, “Nothing to worry about.”
“It doesn’t sound that way, Daniel.” Sara’s words lashed through the air and the three big men, packing heat and knives, all stepped back as she stepped forward, glaring up at me. “Is this why you went radio silent?”
“Wow, they really are perfect for each other,” Heavy murmured, then he let out a yelp of pain as Artie elbowed him.
“It was not your concern,” I said in a low voice.
“Did it concern Lia?” Sara asked and now she was inches from me, radiating fury.
“In some regards,” I admitted.
“Then it concerned me.” Her lip curled. “That’s why you looked so despondent earlier—it was guilt. You broke your word to me. The only thing I fucking asked for—and Lia got hurt.”
“No, woah,” Pasquale interjected. “Lia did the hurting.”
