I make it a point to know all the players in this city.
“That’s right.” He lights up, thinking my knowing his name means he’s important. “I own?—”
“DeSantis Investing,” I say, squeezing his hand and pulling him closer to me. “And if anything happens to my sister, you won’t live another day to give anyone financial advice.”
Brielle rolls her eyes. “I can handle myself, but thank you.” She kisses my cheek. “Maybe you should focus on your own love life … or lack thereof.”
I ignore her comment, and after one last glare at Theodore—who looks more than uncomfortable—I have a seat and pull my phone out since it went off while I was threatening that dumbass.
Little Russo: This should be illegal. I burned so many calories today, and this is my reward? Fruits and vegetables. I deserve something good, like cheesecake.
“Would you like another drink?” the bartender asks.
“No.” I stand and throw down a couple of bills. “I need to head home.”
Home …
Not too long ago, I dreaded going home.
Now, I’m lookingforward to it.
“Matteo, is that you?”Dani calls out.
“Yes.”
“I’m in the living room. My insides are eating me alive from lack of?—”
I hold up a bag from the Italian bakery in town that everyone loves, and she gasps.
“You love me.”
She runs over and hugs me, and even though she’s clearly joking, the thought of loving her does weird shit to me. Shit I have no right to be thinking about.
“Don’t overthink it,” I say dryly. “I just didn’t want your body to eat itself.”
She pulls the slice of cheesecake and plastic fork out and takes her first bite, moaning when the food hits her mouth.
“Oh my God, this is so good. You have to try a bite.” Before I can argue, she’s shoving the fork into my mouth. “So good, right?”
I nod since my mouth is full, then chew and swallow. “So good.” I glance at the paused show on the TV. “Are you watching the vampire show without me?”
After trying a few different shows, Dani came across some vampire show that she’d apparently watched a dozen times and loved. I indulged her by watching the first episode with her, but after a few more, I kind of started to enjoy it, wanting to know what would happen next.
Her brows dip. “I didn’t know you wanted to watch it.”
“I don’t,” I deadpan. “But I’m curious about this Damon guy.”
Dani snorts out a laugh. “Of course you are because he’s as crazy as you are.”
“You haven’t even seen my crazy,” I tell her as we sit on the couch, and she feeds me another bite of the cheesecake.
“Oh, I’ve heard plenty over the years. And I saw online thatyou’d burned down both of Enrique’s houses.” She smirks. “Crazy.” She leans in. “But I like your kind of crazy. It makes me feel safe.”
My eyes lock with hers, and I swallow thickly, unsure how I feel about her revelation. If she had any real self-preservation, she’d fear me. But at the same time, deep down, a part of me likes that she’s not afraid of me.
“This cheesecake is so good,” she says, taking another bite. “But it could use some berry compote. Oh, and some homemade whip.”
I chuckle at how excited she’s getting over baking.
