Page 70 of Heartless Mafia Prince

CHAPTER TEN

ROCCO

“SPOT ME.” THE SMELLof sweat and musk struck my senses as my fingers flexed around the metal bar.

Jeremiah stood behind me. “Rocco, what’s with you lately? You spend all your time in the gym.”

“My head hasn’t been in the game lately. I figured if I train harder, I’ll be a beast in the next Lacrosse game. The last game was grueling. I need to be on top of my opponents.”

The lame shit I fed my friend about the game was the best I had. I couldn’t tell him that every night I dreamed of whacking the motherfucker who almost killed my woman.

And that I was dodging Ryah. Fuck, not my proudest moment. After the heist, I stuck to Ryah like glue. It had gotten so bad, Luciano looked at me sideways. Did he suspect Ryah had something to do with the heist? I wasn’t sticking around to find out. Slowly, I minimized our communication after the Christmas holiday. Every day we sat together at lunch and exchanged vague texts at night. However, I didn’t drive her to school, and we didn’t do our homework together anymore.

I was still madly in love with her. When I say I was in love, I was fucked in the head in love. All I wanted was Ryah. Nothing else mattered. I guess watching your woman dangle from the side of an eighteen-wheeler will do that to you. I blamed myself for her near-death experience.

Jeremiah tapped my arm. “Your woman’s at the door.”

My heart banged in my chest. Shit.

Slowly, I pressed the barbell upward.

“Rocco, I got it.”

He relieved me of the weights.

“I’ll be right back.”

I snatched a white towel off the bench beside me. A few other stragglers worked out. I nodded at Chace, our number one athlete at Prestige Academy. Mainly seniors conditioned their bodies rigorously preparing for college sports. Jeremiah and I were the only juniors in the gym this hour.

My eyes landed on Ryah.

She’s fucking beautiful. Her hair is pulled into a high curly bun. A few curls dangled along her ears. Her honey brown skin called out for me to slick my tongue over every inch. That cute little pointy nose. And those pouty lips. Those dangerous soft lips. I missed owning them.

She stood just inside the doorway. I couldn’t read her facial expression. What was on her mind?

“What’s up, Ryah?” I ran the towel over my drenched face and hair.

“I don’t appreciate being ignored. Not sure what’s your deal, but I’m tired of trying to read your mind,” she growled.

She stared up at me. Her long lashes fanning over her eyelids caught my eye. Ryah clung to the books in her arms. Her breasts rose and fell against them. I could remove the navy blazer, white starch shirt, and the short-pleated skirt in under a minute. It had been a little under six months since the heist. Mid-April to be exact. And Ryah was still a virgin.

“It’s Lacrosse season, Ryah.”

She nodded. “Is my virginity coming between us?”

My brows rustled together. “No.”

“I saw you sitting in your car down the street from my house. Why wouldn’t you come inside?”

Ryah leaned in. “Why are you lurking, Rocco?”

A couple of seniors in ear shot laughed at Ryah’s words. I’d deal with them later.

“It’s my issue. Not yours.”

“You made it mine when you insisted, I be your girlfriend. It’s obvious you’re sexually frustrated.” Her throat bobbed. “I give you permission to fuck another chick. Not one that attends our school. Someone I’ll never see.”

I felt my blood boiling under my skin.

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