Page 24 of Lucky Boys
“Good. I’m so glad you two have each other.”
“Yeah, me too.”
“Speaking of Brooks,” here we go. Brooks groaned, covering his face as he fell back dramatically on the bed, “He didn’t answer my call. Is he there?”
I looked pointedly over at him. “Hi, Ma. Sorry I didn’t hear the phone ring.”
“Mhmmm.” Mom didn’t believe him for an instant. “I only called because I knew you worked the other night, and you knowhow I worry. How did it go? Is that why Diego had a rough night?”
She was way too perceptive, and knew our schedule way too well. “How’d you even know I worked? Did I share my Google calendar with you?” I clutched my chest, as if I let him use something so insecure as a Google calendar. I was insulted.
I could hear my mom’s eye roll from here. “Like I need to do that? I also noticed how you didn’t answer my question. What’s going on?”
Brooks met my eyes and I just shrugged. I wasn’t any better at getting one over on Mom than he was. “Nothing. The job had a few hiccups, but we’re okay. We’re safe.”
Mom was silent again, which was not fucking good. Brooks and I just stared at each other barely breathing. “When the two of you are ready to tell me everything, you know where to find me.”
Jesus fuck, she had to be psychic. Brooks laughed. “Thanks, Ma. We will.”
“Just be safe. I know your father and I got you into this line of work, but it doesn’t mean I’m not scared shitless for you two.”
“We’re okay, Mom,” I told her, “I promise.”
“Okay, I believe you. I’ll let the two of you go. I love you, and Dad sends his love.”
“We love you too. Tell Dad we said hi and we love him,” I replied for both of us.
We had barely gotten off the phone when there was a knock on the door.
“The fuck?” I muttered to Brooks. I still wasn’t dressed. Which, apparently, wasn’t something that even fell on his radar when he hopped off the bed and opened the door.
Skye was standing there, looking relaxed and way too refreshed. He was wearing a black muscle tank that was probably two sizes too tight with a feral looking opossum on thefront. In bright yellow letters, it readFirst of All, I’m a Delight. His black workout shorts left just as little to the imagination.
I quickly looked away, but Brooks, being Brooks, was staring right at his junk. Skye grinned. “Like what you see, sunshine?”
Brooks’s face heated, but instead of making excuses, he looked up and made eye contact with Skye, licking his lips. “Uh, yeah, you think?” Skye barked out a laugh, clearly amused.
“Okay, we will definitely be revisiting that subject again very soon.” Okay . . . “But for now, we have work to do. Boss man called a staff meeting. You two, get dressed and meet us in the conference room. You remember where it is?” He was asking Brooks.
“I’ll find it.”
He rapped the doorframe twice before very deliberately taking in Brooks’s naked chest. “By the way, shirts are optional. We’re laid back that way.” He gave me a quick up nod and smile and then sauntered out.
Brooks turned around, looking a little dazed with a very obvious bulge in his shorts. “The fuck was that?” I asked.
Brooks just shrugged. “I have no idea. But I don’t think I mind it.”
CHAPTER 11
WES
I kept questioningmy sanity as I took the drive out of the city to Luca’s manor for the second time in as many days. There was no reason for me to be there now. He’d needed my help, and I’d been happy to do that, but I was not part of Il Fortunato and had no plans to ever be. If he needed something, I’d be there, but there was no reason at all for me to be heading to a “staff meeting,” as Luca had called it.
Yet, I’d gotten dressed, sent Riley and Beckett a text letting them know where I’d be, and driven my ass the forty-five minutes to his manor, and I had no good excuse as to why. Except . . . Luca had asked me to.
He’d sounded off when he’d called, which had immediately made my alarm bells start ringing. It wasn’t the “our mission is going off the walls and we’re in danger” tone, which I knew very well after 25 years. This was more personal, and it concerned me enough that I wanted to check on him.
That was only partially the reason, though. I did want to check on my oldest and closest friend. And Diego. I couldn’t get the man out of my head all night and had planned on calling to see how he was even before Luca had called me.
