Page 16 of Tasting Sin

“I was in the neighborhood.” I put my hands up and casually pointed to the case of cupcakes, relaxing when she threw her head back and laughed. Her smile felt like relief, and when she grabbed the box, my stomach growled. “I guess I had a sweet tooth.”

“So do you want the same kind, or are you going to finally try something different?” She giggled, and I felt warmer. It was like the wall Nellie put up had been let down somewhat. She felt lighter, and her grin was less forced. The passion she felt for what she did radiated from her.

I nodded my head. “Yeah but throw one of these chocolate ones in there too.” I pointed to a row of chocolate cupcakes with light pink frosting and shrugged. Why not? I leaned against the counter, watching her stack cupcakes in the box. “So, how’s everything going with the whole…” I waved around me at the bakery.

“Oh, you mean the whole probably going to lose my bakery in nineteen days if I don’t suddenly figure it out thing? It’s going great.” She rolled her eyes, but when she pursed her lips, I swore she was trying to fight back a smile. “Thank you for asking,” she added, quieter.

“You’re welcome,” I said, and when I smiled, hers broke across her face too. A rush of butterflies flew toward my throat, and I swallowed them back. I didn’t expect her eyes to light up the way she did. Did people ever ask her how she was doing?

Nellie cleared her throat before I could extend another offer to help her, closing the box of cupcakes and setting it on the counter. “You know, you eat a lot of cupcakes for someone who claims he doesn’t like them. Why is that?” She cocked her head to the side suspiciously.

“Maybe they’re not so bad.” I smirked, lifting a single brow. It was satisfying when a light blush tinted her cheeks. “What are all of those?” I asked pointing to the trays of colorful cookies behind her. They definitely weren’t cupcakes.

She giggled, reaching behind her and grabbing one. “They’re macarons. They’re Ava’s favorite.” I took it when she offered it to me, taking a bite of the softer-than-expected green cookie. It was sweet, but not overly so.

“Can I get a dozen of those too?” I winked.

“They weren’t going to be for sale, but since you asked so nicely.” Nellie grabbed another box, putting a row of the cookies in there and closing it. She sat them on the counter, looking up at me while she rang everything into the register. “Hopefully you’ll enjoy them.” She blushed, and my stomach flipped. What was I doing?

“You’re back!” Ava said, coming to the front of the shop. “Oh, am I interrupting something?” she asked when she noticed Nellie’s back stiffen. Ava smirked.

Nellie cleared her throat, shaking her head and returning her attention to the register. “Not at all,” she said. “I was just ringing him up.” Her hands shook when she took my credit card and swiped it.

“You really like cupcakes, don’t you?” Ava needled, stepping up against the counter next to Nellie, whose cheeks got another shade darker. I didn’t miss the suspicious side glance between best friends that communicated more than anyone outside of the pair would understand.

I chuckled. “I suppose I do.”

Nellie slid the box across the counter to me. “Thanks for stopping by,” she said in the same tone she’d probably use with any customer, but the small smile that lit up her face seemed too personal to be something she’d share with everyone. Did I deserve to see that smile? I swallowed the guilt that swelled in my throat and grabbed the box.

I winked before I turned around to leave. “Thanks for the sugar, sugar.”

“Here he is. About goddamn time,” Giaco grumbled when I took the first step into his office. I hadn’t even adjusted to the sound of dining customers or the spicy, semi-sweet scent of pizzas baking in the oven before he was glaring at me.

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t bite back the smirk that tugged at my lips. “I told you I’d be here at four. It’s four. Stop bitching.” I sat the boxes from Sugar & Spice on the desk.

“What are you so happy about?” Enzo asked, sliding past me and ripping open the lid to the first box. When he saw the colorful desserts, he picked one up and stuffed it into his mouth. “You’re smiling,” he said around a mouthful of crumbs.

Giaco looked less amused than he was when I arrived. “You went to fucking handle it with the Cassidys and you came back with cookies?”

“They’re macarons.” I chuckled, grabbing one and eating it in a single bite. They really were delicious. I grabbed a second.

My brother groaned, slamming the lid to the box shut. “Are you taking this seriously?”

“I always take it seriously,” I glared at him. “You need to smile once in a while.”

I dropped into the seat across from him, ignoring the way his face turned redder the angrier he got. When I kicked my feet up onto the corner of the heavy wood desk, he huffed. “Now you’re just being a dick,” he said, shoving my feet off the edge. They dropped back to the floor with a loud thump. “What happened in the meeting?”

“They were prepared with an army when I got there. I should’ve known Mickey and Luca weren’t going to show up alone and prepared for a conversation.” I leaned forward, reaching for the box and grabbing a third macaron. These could be addictive.

Enzo reached over my shoulder, grabbing two more for himself. “These are fuckin’ good,” he said with a full mouth. “You should try one, Giaco.”

He debated for a moment before grumbling and reaching into the box. “What did they say about the car? Did they say it was them?” When he ate the macaron, he rocked his head side to side. He’d never admit out loud that he enjoyed it.

“No, but the smug fuck gave it away with his stupid grin. It had to have been them.” I grew frustrated thinking about the conversation at the pub and the lack of peaceful resolution that came of it. The last thing I wanted was a mess we would have to clean up. “They all but promised to do it again.”

“Of course they did.” Giaco clenched his hands into fists, slamming them against the table. “Mickey is a loose cannon, and his younger brother is worse. If we don’t get in front of this, there’s going to be a war.”

Enzo started to buzz, bouncing from one foot to the other. If there was one thing he never backed down from, it was the idea of a battle. He’d take any chance to show just how ruthless he could be. “If they want a war, we’ll give them a war.” He grinned, and his eyes shined with violent excitement.

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