Page 19 of Attraction (Mobsters + Billionaires 3)
“I know. I like that we’ve somehow found ourselves in aSopranosspin-off.”
Mads stuffs the T-shirt into the backpack he brought for today’s excursion, and we walk out into the crisp sunshine. He drags his ridiculous lime-green puffer jacket tighter around himself and pulls a beanie from his improbably large pockets, shoving it on his head.
With Kej waiting outside, I subtly direct us into a little upscale shop where grown adults can actually adorn themselves. It gives me time to put together my answer.
“You know, it bothers him that you and Rand are so jumpy around him. I mean, he does think it’s funny, but…”
Mads bites his lower lip, frowning at a beautiful crushed velvet suit in Valentine red.
“I never want to hurt his feelings. I guess I didn’t realize he could see how nervous we get sometimes.”
“He’s very perceptive. Speaking of which…I ran into Fallon, who was charming as ever. He said theV-word in the middle of everything.”
I’ve talked to Mads and Rand a little about my virgin status, and they know that Fallon is an asshole I used to date. They don’t know all of the details though.
“Wait, really? Thatasshole,” he growls, spying a smart pair of jeans. “He had no right to talk about your sexual experience—or lack thereof. That was a shitty thing to do, and I hope he falls into a vat of poison ivy.”
I bite back a laugh while pulling the oversize pair of jeans from his hands and switching them out with the correct size.
“I felt so ashamed, which is stupid because I’ve nothing to be ashamed about, and certainly not the words of an asshole. But then Luca was there, like some kind of superhero in Armani. I didn’t say anything to him. I pretended he was my boyfriend, and he went with it.”
“Fuck, that’s sexy,” Mads says, and I can’t tell if he’s talking about Luca’s hero move or the bright-yellow puffer vest he’s eyeballing. I’d steer him away from it, but I’d have a better chance of getting him to stop taking the subway.
“Yeah. But he overheard what Fallon said.”
The admission adds a flush to my chest, but Mads’ righteous anger makes me smile.
“Fallon is such a fuckingasshole. Why I’d like to—”
I hold up a hand. Mads is coming from a good place, but I don’t like to dredge up old memories.
“Still. That he would come up to you and treat you like that in public?” He grunts through his nose. Something shifts in his expression, and his face lights up. “Wait? Did our mobster kill him on the dance floor and I missed the headlines?”
I laugh and go back to the crushed velvet suit. It’s too pretty.
“No. Luca handled it like a perfect gentleman. He put the slightest edge to his voice, and it was nice to see Fallon nervous for once.”
“Sexy.”
I roll-flutter my eyes in response. “Yes, it was. And then, like a scene out of a movie, Hopper shows up and is just…Hopper.”
Mads cackles and rubs his hands together. “Oh my God. I would’ve given any amount of money to see that.”
“I swear, someone looking at us from across the room wouldn’t have picked up on anything. Within seconds of Hopper showing up, though, Fallon practically ran away, tail between his legs.”
Mads pumps his fists as I grab another suit and move us into the changing area. I remove my jacket and test out the crushed red velvet.
Mads shakes his head. “How the hell do you make that look good? It’svelvet.”
I lift a shoulder. “Just lucky, I guess.”
“I thought you didn’t shop off the rack.”
“Yeah, but I can’t pass this up. Also, I’ll be getting it tailored.”
Mads rolls his eyes. “There it is.”
We leave the dressing area, and Mads steers back to the jeans section, picking up another pair that are a bit oversize for him.
