“Where are we going?” Cristiano turned down the volume, worried features staring across the dark roads.
I kept the vehicle under the speed limit, not wanting to deal with a cop at this late hour. “On an adventure.”
“V, I don’t think—”
I turned up the volume.
The car made it just fine. The suspension was smoother; the brakes were fresh and grippy. Cristiano would have no problem racing the beast on the tracks later this month. I pulled to the curb two blocks away from my destination and put the vehicle in neutral.
“I’ll call you when I’m ready to be picked up.” I exited the vehicle.
“Vincenzo, wait!” Cristianomoved to intercept me around the hood. “We shouldn’t be here.”
I swept a look over him. He was fifteen now, and thanks to one of our guys, he had his forged license early—just like I had. But there were rules for driving at such a young age. Our dad would tan our hides if something happened this far away from the neighborhood in the middle of the night.
“What are you even doing?” he hissed, voice hushed.
“Meeting someone.” Warmth stirred through me at the thought.
My brother fidgeted. He was young. I tried to remember what it was like at his age, even though that wasn’t that long ago. Training to be a Made Man started early, but if I was being honest, I was harder—tougher—than he was.
“See you soon.” I clapped his shoulder and sauntered away.
The squeal of tires echoed after me.
Hopping the fence to the Lorings’ backyard was easy. Climbing to the back window was not impossible, though the structure of the house was not favorable for such antics.
Fingers gripping the ledge, I pulled myself up. Crap, what if she screamed?
Without a free hand, I couldn’t text her to warn her not to do that.
The soft orange glow of her bedside lamp filtered through the curtain. I pressed the window, testing it. The pane slid up.
“You know, you really shouldn’t have your window unlocked,” I said softly.
There was no answer.
Leaning through the window, torso crushed on the ledge, I peeled back the curtain. There she was, fast asleep on a pile of books. Since her door was shut, I quickly swung myself into the space. Only after making sure the partition was locked did I approach the bed.
Squatting, I studied her. Madonna santa, she was beautiful. That smooth skin, dotted with light freckles, was shaped almost like a heart. Thick, golden lashes that she constantly painted darker, but I preferred them like this. They matched her golden hair. And that scent!
I leaned forward to inhale. Jasmine. Moonlight.Her.There was no more intoxicating scent on this earth. One whiff of that scent, and I was done. If I wasn’t already on my knees, I would have fallen.
Amanda moaned softly in her sleep.
My dick rose in a wicked salute.
I ignoredhim. He didn’t matter. We were just friends—or at least, that was the game I allowed her to play. But I hadn’t missed the way she watched me when she thought I wasn’t looking. I didn’t call her out on all the ways she devised to touch me. Each accidental contact was torture.
She was mine.
What am I waiting for?
Before I could talk myself out of making my move for the thousandth time, I leaned forward. I kissed her softly, taking a taste that she would never know I’d stolen.
Only, she must have sensed me. Her palm swung upward and clapped me on the side of the head. Bells rang in my brain.
“Ouch,” I hissed, rubbing my scalp.
