Page 153 of Can't Always Get What You Want

Luca shrugs from the floor. “Loosely.”

“We prefer the termspontaneous dramatization,” Gio adds, tossing a couch pillow over his shoulder and missing Luca’s face by an inch. “That was all improvised on my part.” He grins. “Pretty good, eh?”

I gape at them, glancing from one to the other, then back again.

Huh?

“I’m going to kill you,” I say at last.

Luca gnaws on his bottom lip. “Is that the only thing you’re going to say?”

I…

Don’t know.

I don’t know what to say.

My brother hefts himself up off the rug, dusting himself off as if he’s been rolling in pig shit.

“Told you she wouldn’t fess up to it.” He claps Luca on the back. “Sorry, dude. Worth a shot.”

Luca sighs. “I seriously thought the headlock would do the trick.”

Gio shrugs. “She’s stubborn. It’s genetic.”

“Youtwoare insane.” I gawk, trying to wrap my head around the fact that I’ve just been emotionally ambushed by the two people I care most about.

Luca turns toward me, hopeful. “So? Any final verdict?”

I open my mouth.

Close it again.

Gio smirks, reading the glitch in real time. “That’s not a yes.” He turns toward the door, pulling his car keys out of his back pocket. “C’mon, Babineaux. Let’s go.”

Luca blinks. “Wait—what?”

“You’re coming with me. I love her but I can’t let my teammate sit here with emotional blue balls because she refuses to give it up.”

Luca lets out a soft, humorless laugh. But he doesn’t argue.

He looks at me.

Reallylooksat me.

Like he’s hoping for a last-minute buzzer beater. A miracle.A reason to stay.

But I’m silent.

Frozen.

Traumatized!

Luca nods once, slow—like it physically pains himto do so.

His smile falters for the briefest second. Then he covers it with a shrug that’s not fooling anyone in this room.

“Alright,” he says quietly. Resigned.

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