Page 52 of Dangerous Games of Trust

“Red!” Geovani startles me as he forcefully slams his fist onto the kitchen counter, and I know I need to pull it together.

“Sorry,” I mutter, shoving food in my mouth to stop the laughter escaping again. Standing side by side, they don’t look all that similar, but they certainly act like cousins. I guess growing up the eldest child in one of these mafia families really does shape you a certain way.

He clears his throat. “Like I was saying, we will work from here. Alessandro has bedrooms set up for all of us and a spare room for us to use as an office. You can commence work again on Friday when I have it all set up.”

“Only if you want to, princess. That contract is bullshit,” Alessandro adds, a bitterness to his voice.

I shrug one shoulder. “I want to. I like the work I’m doing with them, keeps my mind busy.”

“Hmmm,” Alessandro grumbles, and I know he doesn’t approve. If it were up to him, I would be arm candy like his mother is for Enzo. No fucking way!

The tension between the two of them is palpable, and I find myself growing more and more annoyed. They’re not fooling me. “I’m sorry, but how is this going to work? Seven of us in this place? You two in this house, together. I’m less worried about what’s going on out there and more worried you’re going to kill each other.”

Geovani’s eyes narrow in on me, and he massages his scalp like he’s getting a headache, or maybe like I’m his headache. “Your brother moves in as soon as I can get everything set up. We will resume training on Friday at seven a.m. I expect to see you in the gym.” With an annoyed huff, he pushes off the counter and briskly walks away from the kitchen.

Fuck. He’s pissed. I watch him go. His massive body is coiled so tight with tension and pain. And I know I’m not helping, but this tension between us, he caused it. Not me. Why the hell did he want me at that fight yesterday?

“Nice to know it’s not just me you like to rile up,” Alessandro says on his way past me.

I throw my hands up in the air. “I wasn’t trying to,” I mutter into the now empty room. Well, at least I know how to get some space when I want it. Burst into a laughing fit at an inappropriate time, check. I finish off my food, enjoying the silence. The calm before the storm.

Seven of us in this house is going to end badly, I just know it.

Chapter 27

I have kept tomyself for the last couple of days. Everyone is on edge, and I think it’s best I don’t do anything else to piss them off. I’ve overheard Alessandro and Geovani having hushed conversations like old friends, and it’s kind of creeping me out. I mean, it’s good they’re getting along, but how long will it last before one of them kills the other? It’s probably a matter of days and not weeks.

Ricky has been in to visit me a few times, and when I can, I drop in to see how Maddox is doing. This morning instead of eating breakfast alone, I collect an assortment of snacks from the fridge and well-stocked pantry, carefully balancing them in my arms. Then I jump in the elevator to take them upstairs with me. As I approach his door, I lightly tap on it, the sound echoing in the quiet hallway. I juggle the food in my arms as I wait.

Ricky greets me with a half-smile as he opens the door to Maddox’s room.

I glance over his shoulder to see Maddox turned on his side, the blankets pulled up around his chest. He looks peaceful.“Thought you guys might be hungry, but if the big guy is sleeping, I can come back later.”

“Come in, temptress, and tell this guy to stop fussing over me.” Maddox pulls himself up to sitting using the bed frame for support. He looks uncomfortable, but I know he’s trying to hide the extent of his pain.

I give Ricky a quick peck on the cheek, happy to see someone less hostile. “Oh, but that’s what he does best.” I move further into the room, and Ricky closes the door behind me then comes around the spare side of his bed, and I place the food down like I’m laying out a picnic. Punnets of berries, savory muffins, and pastries for dessert. This should help make him feel better.

“How you feeling, big guy?” I offer a lopsided smile, knowing he’s in a world of pain and wishing there were more I could do.

“Fine, there is nothing wrong with me,” he grumbles, taking one of the muffins and shoving it in his mouth.

I raise a brow in Ricky’s direction, knowing how difficult Maddox would be as a patient. I’m surprised he’s still in bed and not back to work already with the others. “Got a smoke for me?” he asks, hopeful.

“Not till you’ve healed up,” Ricky warns him, coming to sit beside me, taking one of the pastries for himself. “Not going to lie, taking care of you was a lot more fun.” His hand comes to my thigh, and I stare up at him, remembering when he was taking care of me. It feels like a lifetime ago, so much has happened since then. I never could have imagined I would fall for him in the way I have, or for Maddox. I hated them back then.

“That’s because you spent the whole time feeling her up and staring at her ass,” Maddox adds.

“Ricky.” I fake disgust. “Don’t tell me you had ulterior motives when you were taking care of me.” I smirk at him playfully. I need this all to feel normal between us again, and I have no other ideas on how to get there. A little flirting can’t go astray.

“You look sexy as fuck in a pair of booty shorts, what can I say.” He gives me a cheeky wink.

Maddox fake groans in disgust.

And just like that I know things between the three of us are going to be okay. We have something special, something that will withstand this storm. I pull the flash drive out of my pocket and hand it to Ricky. “Found this in my pocket the morning after the fight, but I have no idea what’s on it.”

He studies it. “Someone slipped it into your pocket at the fight?”

“I’m not sure. Either at the theatre or while we were fighting for our lives.”

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