“You know better than that, Lacey,” Luciano adds, his eyebrows pinched.
Looking between the two men, I let out a deep, dramatic sigh.
Then I turn to Kian. “What are you doing here? I, um.” I look down, my fingers twisted together, then peer up at him. “I didn’t think I’d see you again.”
CHAPTER 22
Kian
She didn’t thinkshe’d see me again?
What the fuck?
I don’t know what kind of people she’s been around in her life, but she was nearly blacked out with a migraine earlier, and she didn’t think I’d check in on her? Are those the kind of men she’s dated? Is that the kind of guy this asshole Luciano is?
“I came to check on you and see if you needed anything,” I answer, keeping my gaze on hers.
Luciano stands on the other side of her, visibly seething, as I reach out and feel her forehead. “How do you feel?”
Her cheeks turn pink. “Better. I took a shower and slept for several hours.”
As I flick my gaze to her asshole cousin, I ask, “Have you eaten anything since you woke up?”
She smiles softly, the sparkle back in her beautiful green eyes. “No. I will, though.”
I came here planning to confront her about who she is. To demand she tell me who was calling her. I guess I know the answer to that now.Her goddamn cousin.
Eyeing him, I get the feeling he’s not leaving anytime soon. Though the last I knew, he lived in Seattle.
Luciano Ricci.
The second-in-command of the North American Italian mafia.
Until now, I’d never met him, but we’ve been in the same room before. Most recently at a wedding for one of the top men of the Irish mafia. The mob is always coming in and out of Las Vegas, so we’ve formed relationships with many of them, some good, some bad. Some are buried in the desert because they thought they could steal from us. Our family business might be legal, but the way we deal with things usually isn’t.
Irritation prickles at the back of my neck. “I need to talk to you for a minute.”
It comes out as a demand, and Luciano takes a step toward me. “Anything you have to say to her, you can say in front of me.”
Ace turns toward him, her eyes narrowed. “I can have a private conversation, thank you very much.”
Atta girl.
My dick twitches as she storms toward me and grabs my hand, pulling me down the hall toward the front door.
Before I step out of the living room, I shoot Luciano one last dirty look and then follow her. He scowls back at me and pulls his phone from his pocket, surely so he can figure out who the fuck I am.
It’s our job to be familiar with the different types of people who may visit our venues, but it’s doubtful her cousin has any idea who I am.
Ace steps out to her porch, and when I do the same, I pull the door closed behind me. The two of us stand in the dark, silently staring at each other.
“How long is he here?” I ask tightly.
Because, if needed, I can make sure he understands that he’s not welcome in our city, simply for the reason that I don’t fucking like him.
Ace chews her bottom lip and shrugs. “I don’t know. I didn’t know he was coming. You didn’t tell me he called.”
“You weren’t feeling well.” And I was trying not to be a jealous asshole, considering I have no right to be. Even though all I want to do right now is storm back in there and put a bullet between Luciano’s eyes because I don’t like that he’s here. Cousin or not.
