Page 73 of Dangerous Games

Matteo sighs as he rocks back on his heels, his hands in his front pockets. “I know you think I’m coming off as an asshole, but I just want to make sure everything calms down before you jump headfirst into something. Learn from me. I don’t want you to feel what I felt when I found out Wren was taken. All I ask is that you let things settle down before making it known you two are an item.”

I study the side of Gio’s face. His jaw is tense, but it looks like he’s lost in thought as he takes in everything Matteo said.

Who would care that we’re an item?

“We’ll talk about it tomorrow.”

Matteo nods. “Goodnight, Bronwyn.”

“Goodnight,” I say weakly.

I watch as Matteo spins on his heel and heads back into the house. Gio reaches behind me and opens the car door. I slide inside. The cool leather feels calm against my skin. The interior smells like Gio’s cologne, swirling around me like a safety blanket.

Gio rounds the car and slides into the driver’s seat. The tension that was lingering outside is now inside with us, and it’s almost suffocating. He backs out of the drive, but instead of going the way we came from, he turns the other way.

“Where are we going?” I ask, breaking the tense silence.

Gio’s hand flexes on the wheel. “My house.”

Oh.

This seems like a big step.

“Do you need to grab something?”

“No,” Gio answers. “I want you to spend the night.”

“I wish you had told me before we left. I didn’t pack an overnight bag.”

Sleeping in makeup always makes me feel disgusting the next day. Feeling crusty is never worth being lazy the night before.

“I’ll give you something to sleep in.”

I know when to pick my battles. He’s in a foul mood, and I don’t want to poke the bear over something as small as this. One thing that surprises me, though, is how soon we reached Gio’s house. It’s in the same neighborhood as his mom’s.

“I didn’t realize you lived so close to your mom,” I say, trying to change the subject as he pulls up to a house that rivals Camilla’s.

Does the entire family live in a mansion? Because this is insane.

“We all live in the same neighborhood.”

“That’s nice that you’re all close to each other.”

Gio grunts, obviously not feeling the same right now as he cuts the engine in his garage. I silently follow behind him as he unlocks the side door to his house. He drops his keys in the bowl and shrugs off his jacket, laying it on the island in the kitchen as I follow him through the house.

“Are you okay?” I finally muster up the courage to ask.

“I should be asking you that.” The pop from the whiskey cork echoes through the house as he pours himself a few fingers worth and takes a swig.

I move to stand next to him. “What? No umbrella? That’s a crime in Gio’s world.”

“He shouldn’t have been such an asshole to you.”

Okay, so we’re not in the mood for jokes. Got it.

“I think an umbrella would make you feel better,” I say softly in an attempt to get my Gio back.

Gio’s eyes slide to mine, something working behind them. “I know what would make me feel better.”