“Matteo, you there?” Lorenzo asks, concern etched in his voice.
“Yeah,” I choke out and then clear my throat. “I’m here. You’re out,” I say, my eyes locking on Dani. “That’s awesome, Russo. We’ll be here.”
We hang up, and Dani opens her mouth to speak, but before she can get a word out, I say, “Your brother’s out. Get dressed.”
I push past her and slam my bedroom door, locking it behind me, knowing if I don’t, I’ll do something stupid, like rip the sheet off her and fuck her again, despite her brother being on his way.
I quickly jump in the shower, trying not to remember the way I took Dani against the shower wall only mere hours ago, and then get dressed.
I’m just opening my bedroom door when the alarm chimes to let me know the front door is opening, and then Lorenzo is walking in. I meet him at the bottom of the stairs and give him a hug, so damn thankful that he made it out alive.
“Where’s Kevin?” I ask.
“He said he had more paperwork to do, but since your ass wouldn’t answer my call this morning, he dropped me off. By the way”—he grins—“happy birthday!”
“Thanks.”
He glances over my shoulder, his eyes narrowing at me. “Your kitchen is a mess. What happened?”
“That would be me,” Dani says, appearing at the top of the stairs. “My attempt at making the birthday boy a cake.” She smirks andshrugs and then flies down the stairs and straight into her brother’s arms. “I’m so glad you’re okay.” She snivels. “I’m so sorry. I?—”
“Hey, none of that,” he says before I can. “The important thing is that we’re all okay, and once Matteo finds Enrique—and he will—he’ll be out of our lives for good.”
Dani nods and hugs her brother again before she steps back, bumping straight into me. The smell of my shampoo and body wash hit me hard, and I step away from her, needing space.
“Sorry,” she mutters.
“Thank you again for taking care of my sister,” Lorenzo says. “I owe you, man.”
“You don’t owe me anything,” I tell him, knowing damn well he wouldn’t be thanking me if he knew all the positions I fucked his sister in last night … and early this morning.
“As much as I’d like to stay and chat, I need to get to the office to start damage control. Margie is working on it, but we need to make sure Enrique didn’t fuck anything up. You ready to go?” he says to Dani.
Without thinking, I step slightly in front of her, making Lorenzo’s brows rise in confusion.
“She can’t go to the office,” I say. “With Enrique still out there, it’s not safe.”
“I know,” he says. “I’m going to bring her to my place first and get her set up in the guest room.” He glances at her. “Do you have a lot of?—”
“Actually,” I cut in, “I think she should stay with me.”
I feel Dani’s gaze on me, but I ignore it. I have no idea what’s come over me, but I can’t stop myself. Lorenzo’s home. It’s time for her to go. It’s for the best.
Yet …
“She’s safest here,” I say dumbly.
Lorenzo’s brows pinch together, and I swear he knows I fucked his sister. How could he not? I can smell the guilt all over me.
“I appreciate that,” he says, “but my place is plenty safe. Besides,she’s been here for a month now. I imagine it’s fucked up your game, and I’m sure you want to get back to your life.”
In my peripheral vision, I see Dani tense up, and I should let her think that’s exactly what I want. It would be the perfect way to push her away, yet I don’t because, apparently, I’ve lost my damn mind.
“She’s not messing anything up,” I insist. “I promised to keep her safe, and I can’t do that if she’s at your place. Besides, like you said, you have damage control to do, so you won’t be there to protect her. Do you really want to chance Enrique getting to her at your place?”
Lorenzo nods slowly and then says, “Is there something going on between you two?”
And since I’ve never lied to my best friend, I swallow thickly, mentally preparing to tell him the fucking truth, when Dani answers him first.
