Page 179 of Darling Psycho

“I’m Italian; pizza is in my blood.”

“Fine, pizza it is.” He would pop some Tums to settle the unavoidable indigestion, because unfortunately, he was no longer young and able to eat whatever junk he wanted.

He idly listened to Marco list the pizza he’d tried across the globe, but Jay’s mind was on the love on Penn’s face.

Hard pills were harder to swallow, but this one had been necessary, and maybe his spontaneous decision to drop by Sandman’s Denver club had been fate.

He never believed in such bullshit. He was a man who made his own luck and fortune by blood, sweat, and sheer determination not to die.

But some pain was unavoidable, no matter how careful he was.

* * *

The blue Mustang pulled into the parking lot, and Jay waited a moment before he exited the Range Rover.

He watched the pair step out.

And though they didn’t hold hands, they were utterly a connected couple.

After two months, since he took a bullet for him, he thought he might feel differently seeing Penn face to face again.

Nope, he still held feelings for the cold asshole, but now it no longer consumed him. He could look at Penn and not have the urge to control him.

Stepping out, he buttoned his wool coat and smiled at the pair.

He’d reached out only once to Angela months back to check she was okay. Whatever Penn thought about him, Jay cared about the girl.

“Thanks for coming.”

On the private airstrip, his plane waited to take off.

It was Angela who smiled at him. She looked carefree. Despite his former resentment of her closeness to Penn, he had enjoyed getting to know the woman.

Would he ever be overjoyed that she had Penn? Ah, probably not, but it meant something that if Angela ever called him for help, he’d do anything for her.

“I’ll get my part out of the way,” she said, “and leave you two boys to talk.” She stepped up to Jay and gave him a brief, surprising hug. “Thanks for copping that bullet for this one; I’m glad you didn’t die, Jay.”

He laughed. “It was my pleasure.”

“Crazy,” shaking her head, “so, anyway. Safe travels, and if we’re ever in New York, we’ll stay at yours.”

“Angela.” The big bastard at her side growled and amused Jay at his warning.

“What? Do you know the prices of a New York hotel? I’m sure Jay has a gorgeous brownstone mansion we could borrow.”

Seven bedrooms and a lovely playroom Penn had spent time in. But, of course, he kept that to himself.

“I think Penn has enough money to afford any hotel suite your little heart desires, darling.”

Rolling her pretty eyes, she gave Penn such a glow of love, it almost stole Jay’s breath.

“Well, I’ll leave you two to say goodbye. Oh, and hey, if you need a shit-hot attorney in a few years, call me.” Before returning to the Mustang, she brushed her fingers against Penn’s, and Jay watched him catch them. It was a short touch, but it told him much about what the couple felt for each other.

He cleared his throat.

Jay was not a fan of goodbyes. It was why he never took part in them. Usually, he left when he was done with a place or a person. No words were needed.

This was fucking brutal and unprecedented because he knew this probably would be the last time he saw Penn.

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