Page 201 of Wanted Beta

Not that I have any problems with letting Beth join Arrow and Enzo.

It’s that trash she brought in with her that I’m having the problem with.

I mutter curses under my breath as I go to the refrigerator and find the things I need to put out a platter of antipasto. It takes a couple of minutes with my slapdash serving manner. It’s not the best-looking platter, but I don’t care. It only exists to ensure we all stay downstairs.

Jack enters the kitchen and raises an eyebrow at me. “Are you okay, G?”

“I’m fine,” I mutter.

“You don’t look fine.”

He comes over and puts the platter on a tray.

“Calm your fiery Italian ass down and come speak to Beth and Rourke.”

I take in a deep breath. “I’m doing that.”

“Well, maybe do it a little better,” he suggests, before he exits the room with the tray.

“I’ll do something better,” I mutter as I step back out into the dining room.

Jack is placing the platter down on the table.

I move over there and sit down next to Beth.

“Did Jack tell you all of the restaurant preparations have been made?”

“Yes!” she says, smiling broadly. “And he said Enzo thinks we can open on Saturday. That’s awesome. Oh, wait, I said we, didn’t I? I meant you. Sorry.”

““We” is appropriate,” I assure her. “We would be closing down soon if you hadn’t come along and showed us everything we were getting wrong. You’re a big part of the success we’re about to have.”

“I’ll just be so happy to see this place doing well,” she admits. “The food is incredible. It deserves to be successful.”

“It really does,” Jack agrees. “And take it from me, this platter is not an example of Enzo’s wonderful cooking. It’s just a taste of some of the raw ingredients.”

Beth looks at it and then looks at me. “Gio, are you feeling okay?”

I blink at her, wearing a concerned expression, her neck craned just enough for me to notice one of her marks. I reach out to brush her hair back from it.

It’s fresh so it stands out starkly. When it fades it’ll look prettier.

“Enzo?” I ask, as a crimson flush starts to crawl up her cheek.

She bites on her lip as I remove my hand. Then, she turns her head and pulls back her hair at that side, showing me two marks made close together.

“Enzo, and Jack,” she says quietly.

So, that means she let Rourke mark her.

“I need to speak to you, alone.”

She frowns, and glances over at Jack.

He shrugs at her. She doesn’t look at Rourke.

She nods and gets up. “Sure.”

I lead her out of the dining room, not sure where we’re headed until I’m taking my apartment keys out of my pocket.

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