Page 96 of A Dangerous Kind of Love

“Uh, yeah, Boss—“

I shift my gaze to him.

“I mean Mikey.”

“You need to act normal,” I say, my voice even. “Because if Katie hears you call me boss again, she’s going to lose her fucking shit.”

Luca looks at me.

“You got something to say, cousin?”

He hesitates. “I’m just super confused.”

“What the fuck are you confused about?”

I know what he’s thinking. I just want him to say it out loud.

“Never mind.”

I cross my ankle over my knee, taking a drink of my whiskey without breaking eye contact.

“No,” I tell him. “You started it. Fucking say it.”

He takes a deep breath.

“You seem attached. Like next level. I’ve known you my whole life, and even in a family setting, I rarely see you smile, let alone laugh.”

“I’ll tell you this one time,” I say.

My eyes move to the dance floor to Katie.

“Don’t ever question me or my relationship.”

“I wasn’t, Bo—Mikey.”

I cut him a look.

“That woman out there,” I say. “She’s fucking it. My future. All of it. Do you understand me?”

He nods fast.

“She gets everything. She’s above everything.”

“Got it.”

A few minutes later, Katie comes off the dance floor, shrugging out of her jacket. I straighten up, my focus locking in the second she reaches me. That sheer top isn’t hiding anything. She tosses the jacket into my lap.

“It’s like a damn sauna out there,” she says, tipping her head forward as her curls spill loose before she pulls them into a high ponytail.

“Is that my drink?” she asks, pointing.

I nod, lifting mine for another sip. She grabs hers and takes a long pull.

“Fuucckk,” she groans. “That’s tasty.”

Then she’s shifting my hands aside and dropping straight into my lap. My hand slides to the small of her back.

“Luca.” She leans toward him. “Sarah wants you out there.”