Page 73 of On Ice

He laughs. “No. They’re not tired. You’re scaring them off. You must know the only reason they’re putting up with you isbecause of who you are. If you were anyone else, they’d tell you to fuck off. But they can’t do that because you’re ourboss.”

“You don’t seem to have any problem telling me to fuck off,” I rumble.

He shakes his head, frustration radiating. “Why are you even here? Did you just drop by to ruin my fun?”

“Of course not.” I scowl. “I’m here because you ditched your driver.”

He rolls his eyes. “There was no need to rush over here. I didn’t need your guy to drive me. I got a ride with Noah.”

“That wasn’t our agreement.”

“Our agreement is that I’ll stay at your home temporarily, not that I’m not allowed to have a life.” He pushes his hands into his jeans, a stubborn tilt to his mouth. “If I want to go out with my team, I’m going to do that. My social life is none of your business. So long as I end my night back at your house, you don’t have any right butting in.”

“I have every right when you put yourself in a dangerous situation,” I growl.

“I’m not in danger. No one has bothered me at all.” He shakes his head, eyes glittering with anger. “Noah said he’d drop me off at your place when we’re done here, so back off.”

“No, that won’t work.”

“Why not?” he grates.

I lean toward him angrily. “Because it’s not safe for you to ride with Noah.”

He laughs humorlessly. “Jesus, who are you, my dad? I’ve ridden with Noah hundreds of times. He’s a good driver.”

I squint at him. “You do realize it’s not the actualdrivingpart that I’m worried about, right?” I study him in the reflected light from the restaurant. His split lip is beginning to heal, and his eyes are very green. “You could be ambushed. Sammy is trained in evasive driving, I highly doubt Noah is.”

Evan gives a growl of frustration. “It’s not necessary. I don’t believe anyone is after me. I think you’re just paranoid and controlling.”

I scowl. “You think I made everything up?”

“Maybe.” Evan looks around. “I don’t see anyone lurking. I suspect the life you lead has made you paranoid.”

“Fucking right it has.” My laugh is harsh. “But I’m paranoid for a reason.”

“Well, I don’t want that kind of life.”

“Too bad,” I snap. “You’re a part of it whether you like it or not now, by default. If I tell you to let Sammy drive you, then you need to obey. I know more about keeping you safe than you do.”

“Luca,” he says gruffly, “I have a right to go out drinking with my team. You don’t own me.”

I narrow my eyes. “That’s where you’re wrong.”

Pink touches his cheeks, but he doesn’t address my possessive comment. “I needed to be around my team tonight. I needed to do something that made me feel like myself again.”

“That’s all fine and dandy, but you’re missing my point.” I move closer to him and he steps back. “I don’t care that you went outdrinking. I care that you ignored my orders. If you had let Sammy drive you, we wouldn’t be having this discussion at all.”

He shakes his head. “You didn’t need to come over here yourself. Why didn’t you just let that thug by the window come talk to me? If danger lurks around every fucking corner, why would you come here in person?”

“Because I wasn’t worried about myself,” I say harshly. “I was worried aboutyou.”

He blinks at me in obvious surprise.

I’m instantly mortified that I blurted out something so sappy, and immediately go into damage control mode. “Just imagine how weak I’d look if my brand new lover got his head blown off this soon into our relationship.”

He doesn’t speak, he just stares at me with a muddled expression.

“Anyway, I’ve wasted enough time on you tonight.” I jab my finger at him. “You’re riding home with Franko and Sammy, not Noah. If I hear you disobeyed me, I’m done with you. I’ll hang you out to dry, and you’ll be lucky if you make it through the fucking week.”

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