Page 9 of Mafia Book Boyfriend

But this guy took Xander’s looks and ramped them up. They had to be related—they had the same dark eyes, square chin, and even the same dimples. His eyes grinned, and he arched a brow at my open-mouth stare.

He winked and said, “Yeah. I get that a lot.”

I bet he did. No, I wouldn’t bet against his looks—only if I was looking to lose. He held out his hand. Lifting me from the couch as we shook. “I’m Nikolaos, but you can call me Nicos.”

“Nicos,” I repeated dumbly, still startled by his looks.

“Yes. I’m Z’s brother. Although I’m sure he hasn’t mentioned me.” He took my hand and placed it on his chest. Rubbing it over one of his muscular pecs. “It breaks my heart. It really does. Why does no one trust me around their woman? All I ever want to do is help.” He guided me out of the library and down the hall with his hand on the small of my back. “That’s why I’m here, by the way. Yaya told me you needed a little assistance.”

“I do?” I asked. My brain responding sluggishly to what he was saying.

“Yes. Yaya said Xander left you in the house, and you’re getting a little stir-crazy, no?”

His accent deepened, and I laughed, catching on to his antics. Xander and his brothers had all grown up in the States. The accent was no doubt a way to charm and disarm a woman—as if his looks, dayyuum good looks, weren’t enough.

“So where are we going?” I asked as he buckled me into a silver Bugatti Chiron.

“Wherever you want, agapi mou. And don’t worry, we’ll get you back before Xander shows up.”

I sighed, my heart sinking. “Xander’s not showing up… that’s the problem.”

“Then your problem is solved. Because no one leaves their woman alone with Nicos.” He sighed. “I mean, look at me.” When I did, he smiled and winked. “It’s a curse.”

I laughed again. He wasn’t Xander, but he was fun, and he’d gotten me to smile. God, how long had it been? “Okay, I said. Let’s go. I trust you.”

He shook his head and pushed a button, revving the engine. “Then you’re as big a fool as Z is.” Before I could respond, we were racing down a mountain as if we were on a roller coaster with the wind ripping through my hair.

* * *

When we returned, the villa was dark. Every light extinguished except the lanterns lighting the pathway and the porch, where Xander stood, glowering.

Xander.

“What’s up, Z?” He waved as he parked. “What did I tell you,” he murmured. “Breaks my effin heart.”

Xander wrenched my door open, pulling me out and standing in front of me as if Nicos meant to hurt me. “Xander,” I yelped, but he ignored me. Saving his rage for his brother.

“What the fuck are you doing here? Did you put your hands on her?”

“Z, fucking relax. Yaya asked me to take her around since you went missing.”

“I wasn’t missing.” He ground out.

“Yeah, well, you weren’t here. If you had been, you could have objected before we spent a lovely day together.” He nodded to me. “I would give you a hug goodbye—”

“You will not,” Xander raged. “And if I find out you touched her at all. Even a fingerprint…”

“Then I guess you need to look for them before she showers—”

“Showers?” Xander whipped around so fast that he nearly knocked me over. “What the fuck have you been doing with my brother that you need a damn shower for?”

“I—”

“Sh, don’t tell him a damn thing. If he had cared that much, he should have been here.” Nicos waved again before speeding away. I jumped away from his gravel spray while Xander looked ready to chase down the Bugatti and rip the doors off.

“What the hell?” He growled at me, stalking forward when I backed up. “If you wanted to go somewhere, all you had to do was ask me.”

“How?” I said, hands on hips. “You dipped out on me. Was I supposed to chase you down?”

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