Page 79 of A Dangerous Kind of Love

“No,” he says. “At family stuff, he calls me Mikey.”

I freeze, staring at him.

“Mikey?” I repeat.

He doesn’t even look embarrassed. “Yeah.”

I lose it. A full laugh rips out of me, my head tipping back against the seat.

“Mikey?” I say again, grinning now, completely gone. “Oh my god, I’m never calling you Michael again.”

He shoots me a look. “Don’t even think about it.”

Too late.

“Mikey,” I say, testing it, my grin getting wider when his jaw tightens slightly.

“I can’t with you,” he mutters.

I laugh again, turning toward the window, still smiling, but my chest feels a little lighter than it did five minutes ago.

“Okay,” he says after a second. “What about Sarah?”

“What about her?” I turn toward him, narrowing my eyes a little.

He lets out a low laugh, one hand shifting slightly on the wheel. “She’s fucking my cousin.”

I blink. “He told you that?”

“Not in those exact words,” he says, glancing over at me, “but it’s not too difficult to figure out.”

“She’s a woman who knows what she wants.” I shrug one shoulder. “I respect it.”

He shakes his head, laughing again under his breath. “Right.”

I turn toward him more fully now, watching him. “You better be careful.”

“Oh?” he says, one brow lifting slightly.

“She’s my best friend,” I say, completely serious for half a second. “Hoes before bros.”

That earns me a look.

“You just called your best friend a hoe.”

I shrug again. “Just know if you hurt me, she will absolutely ruin your life.”

He lets out a laugh, shaking his head. “Is that right?”

“Mmm-hmm,” I say, settling back into my seat, crossing my arms. “You think I’m the problem? You haven’t met Sarah in full protection mode.”

He looks at me again, something amused and a little intrigued in his expression. “I’m not worried about Sarah.”

I tilt my head, watching him. “You should be.”

He shakes his head and keeps driving.

“Tell me another Michael—“ I stop and correct myself, “I mean, Mikey—story from your childhood.”