Page 48 of The Italian Reckoning
“I put all criminals away.”
“Not Cormac. Or Evelyn.”
“If I caught them in a crime, I would.”
Rocky laughs softly, watching my cards like a hawk watches a mouse. “No, you wouldn’t.”
“I would. Bending the law is how serial killers escape.”
“Or maybe,” Rocky says, placing a card down slowly, “the law is too rigid and serial killers escape because only people outside of the law can take care of them.”
“It doesn’t work like that.”
“Says who?”
“The lawmakers.”
“Fuck the lawmakers,” Rocky murmurs, his voice low. “They’re not keeping you safe. They didn’t save your life. I did.”
“You want me to say thank you?”
I place down a card and suddenly, we both throw ourselves forward with a yell ofSNAP!
Hand slaps down on hand with our fingers interlocking, and when I lift my gaze, Rocky is staring directly into my eyes. “My card,” he says breathlessly.
“Fuck off, my hand is there first.”
“My fingers touched first.”
“Those aren’t the rules. It’s palm first.”
“You’re making that up,” he sneers softly. “Bending the rules.”
“I don’t bend the rules. I’m touching. I win.”
“I’mtouching,” Rocky insists. “I win.” He looks me in one eye, then the other. Then his eyes dart down to my lips. “Say something nice about me and I’ll let you win.”
“I don’t take bribes,” I whisper. My skin flushes hot and goosebumps flood down my arms to the lava-hot points where Rocky’s fingers touch mine. My pulse quickens and when he slowly licks his lower lip, my heart jumps.
“Say somethingnice,” he challenges again with half-lidded eyes.
“Earn it,” I whisper, my voice quavering and betraying my uncertainty.
Suddenly, I’m flat on my back as Rocky surges forward and knocks me down, sending the cards scattering beneath us. He hovers over me with one arm braced beside me and the other flips a card back and forth between his fingers. “If I put the helmet on, will you say something nice?”
“Maybe,” I gasp. “But that’s a cheap way to earn it.”
Then Rocky leans down and his thick, soft lips cover my own.
20
ROCKY
It’s a sweet kiss.
Just a kiss.
It doesn’t have to be anything more than that. But I want it to be. The last time I kissed her, it was in the dark parking lot with the sparks from the street light raining down on us like stars. Now she’s on the floor of my penthouse with wine running in her veins surrounded by the details of her past, and I want to give her something nice.
