Page 130 of See Me

“Does he wax,” Alex asks.

Ashley scoffs. “How would I know?”

Alex chuckles. “I was asking Ella.”

I laugh and Ashley rolls her eyes. “Wait. How would I know?”

“It seems like something he would throw in a conversation and I’m not willing to see a bare mole rat flopping around in a bar alley.”

“A hairy mole rat would be better?” Jen asks.

“Fair point,” Alex concedes.

Ashley takes off for the back door without a word. We follow and work our way through the crowd converging in the alley.

Enzo paces a half circle around Luca who’s standing there looking like he wants to rip his face off. “So, it’s to be a duel, Brother?”

“Will you stop?” Luca spits out between clenched teeth.

Enzo looks him up and down. “You dare challenge me in front of my men?” The crowd goes wild and I can’t help but laugh at his antics.

Luca hangs his head, hands perched on his hips.

“He’s so over Enzo’s shit.” Alex laughs.

Luca gestures to the crowd. “Do you want to get arrested?”

Enzo tips his head and tries to look taller than Luca. “No man in this land would dare stand in the way of true justice.”

Luca throws his hands out to his sides. “That doesn’t even make sense.”

“Sense has no bearing on the heart of a true warrior!” Enzo yells and the crowd throws up their hands and cheers.

“Will you just pack up this shit and go inside?”

Enzo paces behind Luca, sizing him up. “Do you yield then, Brother?”

Luca shakes his head. “I can’t believe this is my life.”

Enzo circles him and stops to face him. He pokes a finger in his shoulder and pushes him back a step.

“Prove yourself or forever feel shame when the eyes of the worthy fall upon you.” Enzo spits at his feet.

“Lorenzo…”

I gasp and cover my mouth. When Enzo looks at me, I mouthLorenzo?He shrugs.

“You insult me, Brother.” He reaches behind him and pulls a glove out and slaps Luca across the face with it. Not hard at all and he can barely hold back a smile.

“That’s not even the right era, dumbass.”

“Nevertheless!” He picks up the lances and tosses one to Luca. He catches it and the action seems to spark some warrior spirit because he drops into a stance and the crowd whoops and hollers.

They spend the next fifteen minutes sparring and, before long, Luca can’t hold back his laughter. They end in a draw andthank god no one is subjected to Enzo’s dangly bits. The lances are handed off, Luca no longer worried about repercussions, and the fights continue.

We head back in and up to the bar. I’m so glad Luca talked me into hiring bartenders for the night so we could enjoy the party. Who knows where the hell Tomi is. She always seems to have somethingpersonalcome up. It’s not the same working the bar and we both needed to blow off some steam. Us girls replenish our drinks and take the center of the dance floor.

I smile when Enzo comes in and drags Luca back outside. He tries to protest but he’s still wearing a smile and he walks out of his own accord.

---