Page 113 of Manny

“Nah, that would be completely boring,” I sigh.

He pulls back when we hear noise from outside. We step away from one another and we both adjust ourselves. “I like you, Manny. The rest I gotta figure out, alright? I’m not tryin’ to be a dick, I’m tryin’ to figure out how this all works. I want Lace, too.”

“Like I said, don’t overthink it. Being honest as well as respectful is the only way nobody is going to get hurt. Namely Lace.”

“She’s in love with us.” His words float around me and I stop in my tracks. Turning to him, I shake my head.

“No.”

“Yes. Which is why I wanted time to work out how I felt and if I don’t feel the same way, then I need to walk away so she doesn’t get hurt.”

I gape at him. “Wait, did she say something?”

He raises one eyebrow. “And they say you’re the perceptive one?”

I scratch my chin. “Huh. Well, I guess I just thought she was really into us. Wait, isn’t that a little conceited?—”

He presses a finger to my mouth. “Don’t ruin it with that big mouth.”

The voices get closer, and I move behind the countertop, away from Bandit. The closer I am to him, the more I feel I may just do something I’ll regret because little does he know, sex really is a weapon and I’m not immune to it.

Both of our phones ring at the same time and as I reach for mine, Jonah says, “It’s Pipes. Hello?”

I look down at my phone and alarm bells ring when I see I’ve missed several calls from Lace. Audrina’s calling me. “Audrina?” I’m practically panting. “Is everything?—”

“It’s Lace,” she blurts.

My eyes turn and meet Bandit’s as we both speak in tandem. “We’re on our way.”

Lace

I stare at the man in front of me, and my heart skips a beat. He’s always been extremely handsome, like, ridiculously. His dark, slicked back hair and perfectly chiseled face; it’s smooth and his dimples sing a different tune to the man I know to be ruthless. His eyes are deep blue, eerily so, and one would be forgiven for thinking that’s a genuine smile. It isn’t.

There is only one reason why Mateo Judice is here, and that reason is about to bolt out the doors.

“Don’t cause a scene,” he tells me in a low voice. “I’m not here to hurt you.”

My mouth opens, then closes again. “Okay.”

“I’m going to go sit at the table, and you’re going to bring me a coffee, then we’ll chat for a moment.”

I nod.

“If you talk to your colleague or raise the alarm, I’ll make sure that your pretty little friend doesn’t see her next birthday.”

I swallow hard. “I won’t say anything.”

He smiles, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Good girl. A double espresso.” He slides a twenty over the counter at me and walks toward the table closest to the door.

Panic hits me, then I remember there’s a prospect outside. I mean, I didn’t see any today, but I know Bandit was assigned to watch me, and when he isn’t around, one of the prospects takes over. So they’ll know, right? Or maybe they’ll think I’m just serving a customer… I mean, Iamjust serving a customer.Shit.The prospect won’t know I’m in trouble.

I make his coffee silently, not even contemplating running. I don’t want anyone dying on my watch just because I couldn’t follow instructions. And if he’d have wanted me dead, he’d have pulled the trigger by now, or kidnapped me, not sit down in the middle of the coffee shop like he has all the time in the world.

Louisa ducks out into the kitchen and I hurry it up so I can get his coffee out; hopefully he’ll choke on it. I put the little cupon the saucer, and wishing I had some cyanide on hand, I walk his coffee over to his table.

“Why are you here?” I ask boldly, putting his cup down on the table in front of him.

“Is that a nice way to greet your old boss?”

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