Page 127 of Divine Obsession

“Yes,” I said, my tone hiding my amusement. “Drive her home.”

“Make sure she gets there safely,”Francesca added.

He raised a brow, his eyes switching between us.

Francesca cut him off, tipping her glass toward him with a small, knowing smirk. “You owe me.”

A wide shark smile took over his features, showing off his straight, white teeth. “A’ight.”

He turned toward the exit, but Francesca’s voice stopped him cold.

“Zach,” She called, her tone suddenly devoid of any of the light teasing from before. He paused, looking over his shoulder at her. Her expression was cool, her dark eyes sharp and unyielding as she leaned forward slightly. “Hurt my girl, I’ll carve your heart out myself.”

For a moment, Zach didn’t say anything. His face betrayed nothing. Finally, he gave a small nod, and then he was gone, disappearing into the crowd with a predator’s determination.

I leaned back, letting out a small laugh as I turned to Francesca.

She smirked, swirling her drink with a careless flick of her wrist. “Better safe than sorry.”

Gìovanni appeared at our table. One glance at his sister, and Francesca was already rising to meet him, her easygoing demeanor shifting to something sharper, more serious.Cosa Nostra business.

“Don’t get into trouble,” Francesca smirked, sliding out of the booth before following her older brother into the crowd.

I swirled the straw through my Cosmopolitan, the distant bass of the music vibrating through my chest.

Kali had disappeared around midnight. Maria had gone home. And Francesca was dealing with business.

Alone in the booth, I let my eyes scan the packed club.

“You playing matchmaker now?”

I didn’t have to look up to know who it was.

That voice– low and laced with a mocking edge – was impossible to mistake. I took another slow sip before raising my gaze, meeting Trevor’s as he casually slid into the booth next to me, his arm thrown around the back of the couch, and consequently around me.

“Didn’t know you cared about my hobbies,” I said, tilting my head.

“You seem pretty invested in Maria’s love life.”

“You seem pretty invested inmylove life.”

Trevor moved closer, his presence dominating mine. “From where I’m standing, you’re just meddling.”

Anger simmered beneath my skin, but I kept my tone cool, even as my heart drummed against my ribs. “It’s harmless. Not everything needs to be controlled, Trevor.”

His jaw clenched, the muscle ticking as he stared down at me. The tension crackled between us, thick and suffocating.

Getting out the other end of the booth, I rose slowly, standing toe-to-toe with him, before turning on my heel and walking away.

“Try not to ruin anyone else’s night.”

Jin’s rooftop garden sat above a forgotten temple, hidden in the maze of Chinatown’s backstreets. The kind of place that didn’t exist unless you already knew where to look. No signs. No doors. Just an unmarked stairwell behind a teahouse, leading up to something that shouldn’t belong in Downtown New York City.

I pushed open the old wooden door, stepping into a quiet world above the chaos. The air smelled like rain and incense, thick with the perfume of sakura blossoms that shouldn’t have been able to grow here. Lanterns swayed lazily in the night breeze, casting soft gold light over bonsai trees and stone benches. In the center of it all, Jin sat at a low table, pouring himself a drink.

He smiled and gestured to the cushion across from him, his expression easy, like we were old friends. “Been waiting for you.”

I raised an eyebrow, sitting down. “That so?”

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