Page 89 of Enforcer

That’s what comes to mind, but admitting it to him would give him a piece of me I’m not ready to give just yet.

It would make my spiraling worse.

My phone rings in my hand, startling me.

An image of Brynne with her tongue stuck out and Antonio’s fingers behind her head making bunny ears at her bachelorette party surfaces. I smile before sliding the answer button across the screen.

“Aren’t you supposed to be too tied up to be calling me?” I ask her, my grin plastered as carlights dance in the darkening room.

She laughs, sounding lighter than I’ve heard her in a while. “I was just released from my restraints. Thank you very much.”

I shake my head. “What’s up? How are things going?”

“They’re amazing. I was calling to see how you were doing. I tried to give you ample time to settle as Slate told me to. But you know I’m too nosy for my own good.”

I chuckle, rolling onto my side on the couch; the leather creaks and groans with the movement.

“I’m alright, I guess.”

“You guess?” she asks, concern spilling into her tone.

“Yeah, I mean…” I groan, closing my eyes and seeing Dante behind my lids. “I’m just getting adjusted to being alone again, I guess. I’ll be fine, really. Tell Slate this place is really over the damn top, though. I feel like you two should be living here, not me.”

She clears her throat, and I hear a door squeak closed. She’s likely walked away from where prying ears can listen to our conversation. As tough as Slate looks and is, he’s a sucker for good gossip, especially where his bunny is involved.

“Listen, you don’t have to be alone. Have you been trying to let Dante in a bit more?”

I bite my lip, worrying it a bit as I try to decide how much to tell her. “He texted me that he missed me,” I admit.

She gasps a giddy squeal, partially silenced. I’m certain she’s bouncing up and down right now.

“And? What did you say back?” she asks.

I can tell by her tone that she’s eager as fuck to watch Dante and me have some fantastical love story that unfolds, thinking herself the cause. I don’t have the heart to tell her I don’t think that’ll ever happen.

Not with how fucked up I am.

“I didn’t reply,” I tell her, closing my eyes as I await her annoyed response.

She tries her damnedest, but she doesn’t keep her retort controlled. “Alyssa Rose Roebach, are you kidding me right now? You told me you’d try. How is that trying?”

I swallow. Middle name. She’s brought out the big guns.

“Well, Ithoughtabout texting him back and saying I miss him, too. That’s progress for me, right?”

She grumbles something inaudible under her breath, and I can’t quite make it out.

“What was that?” I ask, a fresh grin lifting my lips.

“Nothing. Listen, you have to do better.”

“Is that an order?” I joke back.

I can almost see her realizing she’s my superior and standing straighter as if she’s right before me. “Is that what you need? Do you need to be ordered around to do the right thing until you’re head over heels and forget your fears? Because I can make that a reality, Lyss. I swear to God, you’re more hard-headed than Slate.”

“Hey, I resent that.”

Brynne screams, the sound piercing my ear drum through the receiver.

---