“Uh, I already showered.”
“I know.” I pushed my sweatpants to the floor and stepped out of them. “But I didn’t. So get naked, you know, the way God intended.”
35
RAFAEL
SEVENTY-TWO HOURS later, we finally emerged from our bubble, only for the Kings to request our presence later that afternoon.
Ourpresence. Not just Alessio’s, but mine as well, at some secret location they wouldn’t give the address to, which sounded more than a little ominous to me.
“Should I be scared?” I said as we walked down Madison Avenue, our hands brushing against each other every few steps. The church had made the announcement of my stepping down, but Alessio and I weren’t rushing into PDA on the streets of Manhattan just yet. There needed to be an adjustment period, and Alessio was the one who’d suggested giving parishioners time, especially when out in public.
Just one of the infinite reasons to love him, and I found myself smiling as I glanced at him. His hair was still a little damp and wavy but drying fast in the sun. It was a beautiful day, the weather was perfect, my man was perfect, and I was feeling pretty perfect too. Maybe it was the high of my new life, one I hadn’t imagined for myself. There were still loose ends to tie up and decisions to make regarding what camenext, but Archbishop De Vecchi had recommended taking leave temporarily to make sure this was truly what I wanted.
I didn’t need more time to figure it out…it was.
“You’re looking far too happy for someone about to walk into the lion’s den,” Alessio said. His eyes were hidden away behind a pair of dark sunglasses, but there was a tilt to his mouth.
“Nah, your brothers aren’t too scary.”
“You’ve only known them behind a partition.”
“Well, that has to change eventually, right?” I nodded at the phone he held, a map on the screen. “Have you figured out where we’re going?”
“Looks like their trackers are all clustered together about a block from here.” His phone dinged, and he smirked. “Aaand they just sent the address. Ha. Too late, fuckers.”
“Do they not realize you track them?”
“Oh, they do. I’m sure they’re expecting us any minute.”
“So, uh…” We stopped at the crosswalk briefly before continuing. “Do I get one?”
“One what?” It took him a second to realize what I meant. “A tracker?”
“Yeah. You have one, right?”
“I do…”
“Then don’t you want to track me?” I teased. “Since you like to keep tabs on my whereabouts?”
He stopped walking in the middle of the sidewalk, lowering his glasses, leveling those dark eyes on me. “Why? Do you plan on leaving my bed?”
“Never.”
A spark of arousal flickered in his gaze, and for a second I thought he’d shove me back against the building and kiss me. I would’ve let him, too, but then a whistle pierced the air, followed by someone shouting, “Get a room!”
Alessio cursed under his breath, while I glanced over to see who the culprit was. Lachlan was leaning half out of a door, a wolfish grin on his face.
“It’s—” I started, but Alessio shook his head.
“Lachlan the shit. I know.” He shoved his sunglasses back on, and we headed toward his friend. “We’ll finish this conversation later.”
“In bed,” I agreed, which made him groan in frustration.
The sign above Lachlan’s head was too neon, too loud, too not at all a place Alessio and his brothers would go. This had to be a fake-out.
“Father Vitale, looking good without the collar,” Lachlan said.
