Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 77857 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77857 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
“Yeah, thought I’d stop by and see you. Heard Garrett put a ring on it.”
Was there a fucking challenge in his eyes?
I stepped up and slid my hand around Gypsi’s stomach and left it there. “Yeah. Want to have a celebratory drink with us? Lollipop is moving in permanently now. I figure that calls for the good stuff.”
“I didn’t say I was moving in,” she said, staring up at me.
“You are,” I replied, not taking my eyes off Sax.
Sax cleared his throat. “So, the stepsibling thing isn’t an issue?”
He was here because he thought we were gonna stop fucking. What the hell did he think would happen? She’d open her legs for him next?
“No,” I replied.
He nodded. “That’s good then. You up for a game of pool?” he asked me then, as if he hadn’t just been trying to find out if Gypsi was available.
“Oh, can I play?” Gypsi asked.
Her head was tilted back as she looked up at me.
I grabbed her face and kissed it hard. “I might even let you beat me.”
“I’ll get the good whiskey. Lollipop, do you still have some bottles of that juice you like in the room?” Yes, I was laying it on thick. Sax needed to know how unavailable Gypsi was.
She nodded, completely clueless to what was going on here, and I was relieved. If she knew, she’d be mad at me.
“Go pick out whatever snacks you want to take up,” I told Sax. “All I have up there are peanut butter and chocolate snacks.” He needed to know just how thoroughly I took care of her. She didn’t need him.
He nodded. “Anything you want me to grab you?” he asked, heading for the kitchen.
“Doritos,” I called out.
I turned back to Gypsi with the tightness still in my chest. It wasn’t easing. I didn’t like Sax looking at her. Thinking about her. This wasn’t my normal reaction with females. I might need to be concerned. This was friends who fucked. I didn’t do anything but friends. Gypsi didn’t know the me that sliced men up. She would hate me if she knew. My throat felt like it was closing. What the hell was that about?
“You okay?” she asked, stepping close to me and touching my arm.
“Yeah, I’m good,” I told her, forcing a smile.
She frowned. “You sure? I’m the one who is supposed to be having a crisis. Not you.”
That did make me smile.
Leaning down, I kissed her. “You’re not having a crisis, but if you try to leave this house, then I’ll have a fucking crisis.”
“Trev,” she sighed. “I wish you wouldn’t say things like that to me.”
“Why, Lollipop?”
She stepped back from me and looked so damn sad. I didn’t like it. “Because we are stepsiblings with benefits.”
I needed her to finish that thought.
“And?” I asked.
“And that is it. Don’t confuse me.”
I wanted to confuse her. I wanted her to need me. To not leave me. To not want another man. I just didn’t want a relationship. It was fucking selfish, but I was addicted to her. My actions were no longer my fault.
Twenty-Six
Gypsi
Trev and Saxon stood there and watched me make my way around the table, sinking four balls before I looked up at them. Trev looked amused.
“I’d let you win, but I’m a bad loser,” I told him.
Saxon started laughing, and a grin broke out on Trev’s face. It had been tense up here, and this was the first time they both looked relaxed. I was glad I could make them smile. Trev had gotten very possessive when Saxon showed up. My guess was, this was because of Kentucky. But we’d been around Saxon since then. Why was tonight different?
“It’s okay, Lollipop. You keep bending over that table, and I’ll happily let you win,” he replied.
I rolled my eyes and went for the next shot. When it sank in, I glanced back up at him.
“Maybe we should let her finish, then sit out the next game so we get a turn,” Saxon suggested.
“Probably the only way we are going to get to play.”
I laughed and stepped back. “Fine, y’all can have a turn.”
Trev stepped over to me, sliding his hand over my butt. “Who taught you to play like that?”
“My mom,” I told him.
“We are getting her and Dad in here. I want to see her beat Dad’s ass at pool.”
“You two play. I’m hungry,” I told him before walking over to the minibar and getting some chocolate peanut butter pretzels.
I picked up my phone and scanned through the pictures Mom had sent me again. Garrett had gone all out. It had all looked magical. The look in Mom’s eyes made all the future heartache this would cause me seem worth it. I just struggled with the fact that she hadn’t even told me about the Mafia boss thing before saying yes. Before, it had been her life, but she was marrying into the Mafia, which apparently included me too. Now, it was our lives.