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As they both relaxed, Vespa felt more antsy. Other business talk came up, shipments and deals and the schedule. It was over soon enough, and Vespa pushed to her feet to leave with the capos so the lovebirds could be alone.
“Stay a minute, Ves,” Montrell said.
She’d do anything for her best friend, even if it made her uncomfortable. Him worrying about her was the worst, but she’d expected a lecture. She leaned against the wall to wait for it.
Beatrice hesitated, her gaze moving to one of them and then the other. “Want me to stay?”
Montrell hesitated, then nodded. “Yeah. Thanks, Bea.”
An emptiness took over Vespa’s stomach. She tried to remember the last time she’d eaten. She’d find Giulia after Montrell finished arguing about her safety and get that lecture over with as well.
When the door closed behind the last capo, it wasn’t a lecture that followed. “You tensed up,” he accused her instead.
Vespa blinked at him. Her hand fiddling with her dirty sling stilled. “What?”
“I was worried, Ves. I hugged you, because I needed to, because it felt right, but you went stiff as a board and wriggled loose.”
She hated that her best friend had perfected that kicked-puppy look. “I’m not a hugger. You know that. Remember my freakout with Alina at the Di Salvo estate?”
Montrell studied her. “You’re different with me now. I don’t like it.”
Vespa’s lips thinned, and she glanced at Beatrice.
His wife returned her stare. “I’m not jealous of you, Vespa. I should have made that clear when you came to apologize to me.”
“I owed you an apology. You caught me in his fucking lap!” Vespa blanched remembering it. She could have really fucked things up between them, and she never wanted to hurt Montrell that way.
Montrell frowned. “It wasn’t like that. We explained it, and Bea is okay.”
“It was over the top. You’ve been my person for so long, I wasn’t thinking.” Her eyes flashed back to Beatrice. “I told you. I won’t do anything like that again.”
“And I appreciate that, but, Vespa, I don’t expect you to never touch your best friend at all.”
Vespa shook her head. “You’re both being ridiculous. You’re married and in love and wonderful together.” Her gaze locked onto Montrell’s. “I’m happy for you! I want to support what you’ve found. You don’t have to worry about me.”
“So the worry is only allowed to go one way?” Montrell asked.
Vespa was glad the sling kept her from throwing up her hands and further tearing the muscle in her shoulder. “Why am I the bad guy here?”
“Because you’ve bumped shoulders with me more than you have with Montrell lately,” Beatrice said. Her eyebrow winged up. “I like you more now, but we’re never going to be besties, Vespa.”
“Hell no,” she muttered, but it was Montrell she looked at. “No one will ever replace my best friend.”
“Then talk this out. Montrell’s a little hurt. Don’t make him feel that way, or we’ll have a different problem to work out.” Beatrice’s heels clicked as she made her way to the door. It shut behind her.
Vespa grimaced. “My shoulder hurts like a bitch. I think shoulder bumps are out.”
His eyes cleared a little as he snorted a laugh. “I don’t doubt it. Fuck, Ves, your shoulder was dislocated while you were protecting me. Then at the Lucchese estate, I didn’t miss you trying to take a bullet for me. It kills me that last night you put yourself out there again. That it ended with you shooting a dozen men proves just how exceptional my best friend is, but I nearly had a heart attack!” He shoved up from the table, his steps toward her almost threatening. “I’d never ask you not to do any of that shit, but things are starting to feel uneven.”
She snorted. “I’ve always protected you more.”
“Physically, sure,” Montrell agreed. He was close enough that his arms snaked around her and hauled her against his chest. “But I protect you in other ways. Being around me keeps your heart nice and soft and gooey.”
She choked on a laugh, letting her head rest against him. “I don’t want to fuck anything up for you.”
“That won’t happen. But, Ves? We’re more than best friends. We’re family, and I won’t let you push that away, not when you need it so damn much.” His big hand was as rough as ever as it patted her back.
The steady beat of his heart under her ear was comforting in its familiarity. “You were the only person I let touch me.”
