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I smirk, but part of me wonders if I should ask her more. She seems closed off, like she wants to change the subject. “I’m weird, Lexi. I won’t argue with that.”
She folds her arms tighter. Shadow whines and tries to climb in the front. She turns toward him, letting me see the darkness in her eyes again as she strokes him. Even Shadow can sense something is up with her.
“It’s all relative, Lexi,” I tell her. “Just because I had it tough doesn’t mean your problems are small. That’s not how life works.”
“Relax,” she says, laughing shakily. “It was only high school stuff.”
But high school stuff can sting, and she’s only twenty-three. It’s not like high school was that long ago for her. Five years, but still, that’s basically yesterday compared to me.
“How was work, anyway?”
She emphasizes work.
“I was making coffee and tea for Luca and Elio all evening,” I tell her. “They had a poker game. I was the tea boy.”
“Really?” she gasps, her eyes going wide. “No way,” she laughs. “No way. I can’t imagine that.”
“Maybe I’d make a good waiter.”
“I bet you would. You’d be all military about it and have the drinks coming out efficiently, but I can’t see you waiting on people.”
“No shame in any kind of work,” I say, “but you’re right.”
“So, what were you doing? Playing poker?”
When I turn away, she reads it for what it is—running away.
“Are you ashamed of what you did tonight?” she asks softly.
“Ashamed?” I growl. “No. Hell no. I did the right thing tonight.”
“Which was…”
“Are you a cop, Lexi?”
She laughs. “Is this car bugged?”
“Obviously not.”
“Then no, I’m not a cop. My sister is a mafia princess, in case you haven’t noticed. Don’t you remember how we met? Would a cop do that?”
I’ll never forget the first time I saw her and how fierce she was as she stormed toward that house, screwdriver in hand, ready to avenge her little sister.
“A new gang’s moving in,” I tell her, not wanting to delve into my past with the Serpents, not if I can help it, but won’t I have to tell her eventually? “So I sent a message.”
“What kind of message?”
“Why are you so curious?”
“Newsflash, Colt. I know you’ve been hiding away from the world, but this is how conversations work.”
“Who said I’ve been hiding away?”
“Just… you. Your aura, and now you’ve got me using words like aura!”
I grin. I can’t help it, but I get serious when I realize something. I’m going to tell her the truth—about tonight, at least.
“We kidnapped a few guys, members of the Serpente Family. They’re the Family moving in. They’re scumbags, Lexi. If they were in charge, I wouldn’t feel comfortable with you walking the streets, day or night.”
The truth is, a savage part of me is uncomfortable with that anyway, the part of me that feels too damn protective much too fast. I can’t help it, almost losing it every time I’m close to her, every time I think of her. This part of me doesn’t want anybody looking at her, ever.
“We took them out to a bonfire, and we threatened to burn them unless they told us where their leader, Eduardo, is staying.”
“Did it work?” she asks.
I glance over at her, smirking.
“What?” she says.
“Most women would probably express some surprise or concern.”
“Or fear?” Lexi goes on. “I’m not scared of you, Colt. I know you’re telling the truth if you say they deserve it. You can pretend it’s no big deal, but I’m not buying it. You go out of your way to do good for people, right? That’s the only reason we met.”
I sigh, but I’m still smiling. I can’t help it. There’s something uniquely captivating about her, something that has me feeling far more open than usual. “Okay, yeah, I do. I search online neighborhood watch forums. I try to be a force for good, but don’t make a mistake, Lexi, thinking I’m some angel because I’m not.”
“I never said that,” she murmurs. After a pause, she says, “But did it work?”
“No,” I tell her. “Apparently, they would’ve rather burned, but we turned them over to the cops. Some men deserve the worst fate, but sometimes, it’s not the best tactical choice. Maybe the cops will do some good. Maybe not, but we won’t stop.”
“Just be careful,” Lexi whispers.
“It’s nice not feeling judged,” I mutter.
“Who judged you?” she says, always keenly aware of everything, like she’s sensing every shift in my mood, every quirk in my personality.
“In general,” I tell her. “It’s a good feeling not to be judged.”
She folds her arms, causing those gorgeous tits to press together. They make me want to turn wild. I watch the road, taming myself or doing my best, anyway. We’re both quiet for a long time. She watches the dark countryside roll by when I leave the city. Soon, we’re turning the corner to the parking lot for the walking spot.
