Page 23

Agitation and annoyancefilled me as Tex left with some woman under his arm. I’d watched him the moment he stepped in, facing the pounding music to lay eyes on him.

“Oh, what’s that face,” Gin asked.

His finger was poised to jam into my cheek. I gave him the barest of glances before I watched Tex’s retreat. He was gone the next second, and I couldn’t place the strange feeling stabbing me in the side.

“What's wrong, Enzo?” Gin asked, his tone changing, coming off more serious.

“Nothing.”

He grunted and crossed his arms over his chest. Gin moved closer, his six-five height towering over me. “It’s not nothing.”

Drop it. I tilted my head back just a little to meet his gaze. He didn’t falter. I knew no matter if I were direct or not, Gin would keep pushing.

Bastard.

“You won’t tell me, will you? I can always guess.” He leaned over the railing, looking down at the crowd.

The one thing that had held my attention was no longer there. I turned away.

“I know it’s not the music bothering you.” Gin was right on my heels as I retreated toward the back of the club. I needed to leave. To hunt down Tex and see what he was up to.

Gin’s arm draped over my shoulder, and his mouth was near my ear. “Is it that cute cop?”

Cute?Every fiber of my being reacted to my brother’s words. I twisted toward him as I wrapped an arm around his wrist. I used his body weight against him as I flipped him over my back and onto the floor.

My knife was in my hand before I even thought about it and sliced through the air toward Gin’s chest.

“Fuck!” Gin’s hands wrapped around the steel blade stopping its descent. “Are you crazy?” He shook his head as blood dripped down, staining his white button-up. “Never mind. I know that fucking answer.”

I blinked slowly at him. Gin had said Tex was cute. It was clear my brother needed to go. I wouldn’t let him take my toy away.

“Enzo, I’m not going to fuck with your latest obsession,” Gin growled. “Now, back the fuck off.”

I stared into his eyes for another second before I eased back. He let my knife go, and I pulled out a cloth to clean it before putting it away.

“Fuck, my hands are ruined.” Gin glared my way, but I saw no issue.

We stood up, and Gin caught the eye of one of the men standing in the back. He had his hands wrapped in the next second as I contemplated what I should do to the woman who’d been too cozy with Tex.

They’d touched each other in a familiar way that grated on my nerves. Only I should be allowed to touch him, to draw out whatever reaction I wanted.

“You have crazy eyes right now,” Gin said, holding his cut hands together. “I have to get glued because of you.”

I stared at him for a long while, and he sighed.

“It was a bad thing to attack me, Enzo.” He shook his head, chastising me like I was a child. “Your new fixation is dangerous.”

My brows dipped. Was I truly fixated on Tex already? Had he grabbed so much of my attention before I knew it?

“You tried to kill me all because I said the man was cute.” Giancarlo raised his bandaged hands. “Don’t start your bullshit with me. Benito will have both of our asses.”

I didn’t put it past my brother. He’d lock us up and toss the key into the river if we went too far.

“You have this under control?”

“Yes,” I said through gritted teeth.

Gin looked skeptical, looking at his hands and then at me. “Yeah, I don’t believe that shit. Maybe someone else—” His words died off as he met my gaze.