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So, what were they doing?

There was no good answer for that, either.

Lauren inhaled sharply next to him, and he knew she’d seen that last message from Nico. “Are you sure he’s really a mob boss? Because I didn’t realize they were such flirts.”

Bennett swallowed thickly, but habit had him shaking his head, denying it. “He’s not flirting. He likes to irritate me.”

“He likes you. As in, likes you.”

“Stop. This isn’t high school.”

“Of course not, but Benny, it’s okay to let someone like you.”

“I know.”

“Do you?” She folded her arms on the bar, jangling the gold bracelets he’d bought her in Florence last summer. “You’ve been sacrificing your happiness for hockey for a long time. Maybe it’s taken enough from you. Maybe it’s time to put yourself first.”

“I get paid a fuck ton of money to put the team first.”

“Yeah, but how much more money do you need? If you retired today, you’d never spend it all. And that’s without the endorsement contracts.” She paused and squeezed his arm, her fingers digging into his skin to make a point. “Babe, you don’t have to marry him. And you don’t have to quit hockey. But you can do something that’s just for you.”

A new worry crept up and Bennett’s mind spun with how to ask the question. “Are you . . . ?” He paused, dreading the answer, because how could she not be? He was asking too much of her. It was too much for anyone. He decided to be blunt. “Are you tired of this? Do you want me to⁠—”

“No,” she said quickly. “I mean, it’s not easy, I won’t lie. But you’re family to me. I would do anything for you. And it’s not like this is forever. I’ve been able to focus on a career and friends. Travel when I want. I don’t regret any of it. But I want you to be happy. Maybe not with a dangerous mobster, but with someone.”

Would Bennett even know how? He’d never dated a man. There had been only hookups and a fake relationship with Lauren. What would having a man in his life even look like?

His phone began buzzing on the counter once more. His fingers itched to read whatever Nico had to say as a follow-up to the last comment, but he didn’t dare. “Do not pick that up,” he warned her. “We’re going to ignore it.”

“For how long?”

“Forever.”

“You’re ridiculous. At the very least, you should flirt back.”

Bennett stood and picked up their plates, then walked them over to the sink. He’d clean up later. Leaning against the counter, he crossed his arms and faced her. “Five minutes ago, you were horrified I was talking to a guy in the mafia. Now you’re for it?”

“Fair, but I’ve had time to sit with it now. And honestly, mafia guys are just tech billionaires with more discretion and better style.”

“No tech billionaire wants to murder one of my teammates.”

“Well, if this teammate is drugging and raping women, maybe he deserves it.”

His eyebrows rose dramatically. Lauren was usually so sweet and forgiving. She taught English in secondary school, for god’s sake, demonstrating the patience of a saint. “Wow, I didn’t expect it from you, too.”

“I can’t help it,” she said, shrugging. “Would it be nice for the courts or the league to finally get one of these cases right? Yes. But I don’t have high hopes. So I don’t fault your mobster for wanting to deal with this himself.”

“Guilt is a matter for the courts to decide.”

“It’s so cute that you think court proceedings are always fair, especially to women.”

He huffed and rolled his shoulders. “I know they aren’t. But there is a system in place for these things and we should follow it, not allow vigilantes to take matters into their own hands.”

“Even when the system protects the guilty?”

“What if the vigilante acts rashly and punishes the wrong person?”

She sighed and shifted on her barstool. Even annoyed with him, she still looked elegant and beautiful. “We’re getting off track. I’m not saying to marry the guy. But hooking up is okay, right? Especially since you’re both keeping each other’s secret. Is he good in bed?”