“Are you hungry?” Mom asked. “I’ll make you a plate.”
“Ah, no, that’s—”
“I’ll make you a plate,” Mom insisted, already ladling sauce onto a heaping helping of pasta and meatballs.
“Don’t fight it,” I said. “You’re not leaving here until you’re at least six pounds heavier.”
Stoney smiled and I moved my plate to the dinette table, then set a place for him.
“Jesus, at your table?” Luca hissed.
“Luca,” Mom admonished. “This man saved Felix’s life. You be nice.”
“Isaved his life,” he corrected. “He—”
“He what, Luca? Huh?” I challenged, cutting him off. I really didn’t want to subject our parents to any details of what they found when they rescued Felix. I knew Luca didn’t either and if he could put his dick away long enough, he’d shut his mouth.
“Nothing,” Luca grumbled, and Mom set a plate in front of Stoney.
I glared at him, giving him a two-finger jab indicating I was watching him, then sat down across from Stoney. Lordy, the man was gorgeous. I needed to stop staring at him, but I couldn’t seem to do it.
As I stared at him, Stoney ate in silence as my family chattered around him, but I asked him to stay once my family declared it was time for them to leave.
My brother tried to stay as well, but I managed to kick him out without actually threatening bodily harm.
The second he was out the door, however, Stoney followed, calling, “Luca.”
My brother turned and Stoney sucker punched him.
“What are you doing?” I screamed, rushing outside.
“It’s fine, Bree,” Luca said, standing and brushing himself off. “I can handle myself.”
“What is going on?”
“You wanna tell her?” Stoney asked.
“I went by the book, Stoney. Your club’s a fucking scourge on society, and you know it.”
“We had a deal.”
“You had a fuckin’ deal. I followed the law,” Luca argued.
“If this blows back on Sabrina or Felix, I’m holdin’ you personally responsible,” Stoney threatened.
“Stoney, can I have a minute with my brother, please?” I asked. “I’ll meet you inside.”
Stoney nodded, and walked inside, while I turned on my brother.
“What did he mean by blow back, Luca?”
“There was money involved. Dirty money, and I had a team waiting at the drop.”
“Wait. Back up. What do you mean by money?”
He sighed. “The club paid two million to get Felix back. They brought one mil with them, and told them where the other million was. I intercepted the other million, arresting several Russian mobsters in the process.”
I bit back tears. “Stoney’s club paid two million dollars to get Felix back?”
