Page 191 of Alessio

Well, he was something else.

For all purposes, they were both family to Alessio. One might consider them his adoptive fathers, but he never called them that, and they never asked, either. Still … in a way, Dare felt more like a father figure to him than anyone else ever had.

Cree, more like a brother.

He didn’t want to disappoint either of them.

“You’re the reason I can’t go out on an assignment until I turn eighteen?” Alessio asked quietly.

“Apparently so. I told you spying was a bad thing.”

“Cree says I’m ready.”

“And I want you here. Guess who gets the final say?”

“That’s unfair,” he pointed out.

He tried not to sound like a whiney fuck.

And probably failed.

Dare arched a brow, not bothering to indulge Alessio further because that’s also how this worked between them. If he said something, it was done. “And why were you spying?”

“I wasn’t—”

“You did.”

“I was coming to tell you that they’re not good choices for prospects here,” Alessio returned, “but Gian was in here, so I thought it would be rude to interrupt.”

“Or you took your chance to spy.”

Alessio gritted his teeth. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Dare smiled a little. “Is it that you don’t think they’re the right fit—because you follow Cree around too much and assume you can think the way he does—or because you like one of them? Corrado, I believe. I heard about how the gym was put into use this afternoon, yeah?”

Fuck.

So, Cree had told someone.

“It’s not about that,” Alessio muttered, annoyed.

Although, part of it was. Alessio had never felt such a strong attraction to another person who he would need to be around almost twenty-four-seven before. Not to mention, the fact that same person also managed to get under his skin in the worst of ways.

It was going to be a mess.

“Are you worried for him, Les?” Dare asked.

“Could you not do that?”

“Cree isn’t the only one who can see your shit for what it is.”

“Well, don’t.”

“Mmm,” Dare said, standing from his chair. “Them being here … the contracts for them to begin training … none of it is your choice, Les. If you want to help the young man be his best here, then do that, but don’t do it by attempting to sabotage him. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to call in the team to begin the training tonight. I assume you don’t want to be a part of this one, right?”

“I …” He struggled to refuse, but knew it was for the best if he did exactly that. If he said he agreed to help the team, then he would need to take part in some of the training that would be most difficult for Corrado and his twin. He helped to train others; this one couldn’t be the same because Dare wasn’t wrong, and he did have some interest in Corrado. His feelings might come into play. Lamely, he muttered, “I don’t think I should.”

“That’s what I thought.”