Page 458 of Dark Love

That’s what Talon said.

“Vincenti knew I claimed you, and he took the cookies you made. That was disrespectful, and he needed to know I wouldn’t accept behavior like that.”

“Does that mean you don’t want me to have male friends? Because that’s completely unacceptable. You can’t tell me who can and can’t be my friend.”

“That’s not what I’m saying.”

“Then what are you saying? Because it sure sounds like you are.” I’d put my hand on my hip, but it would be awkward with his arms caging me in.

“Vincenti likes you.”

“I know that.”

Vex takes a deep breath. “He wants to be more than friends.”

“Max thinks that, but it’s only because Hope likes me and he thinks I’d be a good mom. Which he’s wrong about. I’d be a terrible mom. It doesn’t matter how many times Max proposes, I’m not interested.”

“Vincenti did what?” Vex’s hands ball into fists and he starts to move away from me. “I’m going to kill him regardless of the fact that it’ll cause a war with his family.”

Kill. War. What? That makes no—I grab onto Vex’s shirt, which is no small feat considering how tight it is, to prevent the killing and war. “You can’t kill Max. He’s harmless. What in the world do you mean by war with his family? We don’t live in the Middle Ages where men go to war for a woman’s honor.”

“You don’t know…. Of course, you don’t know. You live in a dream world. Max Vincenti is the son of the Vincenti Don. They’re an Italian Mafia Family.”

Max? Mafia? “That would make Talon a…”

“Mafia don.”

“But… but, he can’t be. They’re ruthless killers. Talon is a sweet, caring man who loves his family.”

“We’re digressing. My point is Max isn’t the man you think he is.”

Oh, now I’m irritated. “Don’t tell me what to think and who to be friends with. Max is exactly the man I think he is. He’s a loving father and a man who will stand up for a woman when she’s hurt. Everything else doesn’t matter. I’m not going to marry him, because I love you.”

“And if you met him first before you fell for me?”

“That’s not an issue.”

“How can you say that, Dahlia?”

“Because when he smiles at me I feel nothing, when he proposes to me it makes me want to giggle not swoon, and when he carries me to bed I feel nothing.”

“WHAT? You slept with Max. You slept with Maximus Rage Vincenti?”

I don’t know whether to be insulted or flattered by the intense jealousy staring back at me. “No, I did not. Did you even listen to the words I said? Max carried me to bed a few times.”

Vex stalks away muttering, “A few times. Max carried you to bed a few times.”

So much for stopping Vex from starting a war. “It’s not like that.”

He spins around. “What is it like then? You ask him for help. You let him carry you to bed. It sounds like you’re in a relationship with someone else.”

This conversation is going in circles and only getting worse. “Max and I are just friends. When I asked him for help, all I asked about was you. He knew I was in a relationship. More than knew, he understands it because he’s still in love with his dead wife. I doubt he’ll ever get over her. And it certainly won’t be for me, a woman he doesn’t even have a single spark with. Max comes over because when you aren’t here, I can’t sleep. We sit in the backyard working until I pass out. Then he carries me to bed and locks the door before he goes home. There’s nothing hinky going on. Max thinks I can’t sleep because I was roofied, but the truth is, I can’t sleep without you. Your arms ruined my brain forever. I only feel safe when I’m with you. It’s something I haven’t felt since I was a child and I crave it. I crave you.”

“Since when?”

“Since I woke up, and you made me feel safe. When I should have felt the most vulnerable, you made me feel secure. I knew no harm would come to me when you were there.”

Vex takes a long breath and lets it out with a slow sigh. The thunderclouds on his face shift into fiery intensity. “We need some ground rules.”

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