Page 39 of Boss with Benefits

"Adios mio." She crossed herself. "Why so crude?"

"I want cannoli!" Aaron, one of the twins, yelled. Then the other twin joined in, and they began to chant.

"Cannoli! Cannoli!"

I walked to Derrick and playfully shoved him, his chest warm from the sun. "You pantsed me."

"It was worth it for the cannoli." His umber gaze penetrated mine, faux serious.

"Whatever you say, big boy. Let's go. I want to wash the river off before the parasites eat my skin." I shivered. "We can debate who gets the cannoli later."

19

DERRICK

"Tell me the truth." Tina bumped my shoulder with hers. "Are you two fucking?"

"No." I swung a murderous gaze at her.

Tina threw her hands up. "It's a valid question. She's the first woman you've brought up here since Camilla."

I sank into the cushioned lounge chair. We were on the dock watching the first stars light up the summer sky. My belly was full from the pasta-heavy dinner, and my body ached from all the activities.

Rachel was inside playing a board game with Frankie and Valeria and my parents were helping Maria and her husband give the kids baths before they were put to bed.

"Because you made me. Besides, she's going through some stuff. I didn't want her to be by herself."

"Always the savior." Tina sipped her canned Truly.

"Why do people keep saying that?" I rested my head against the cushion and looked up at the vast sky.

"Why does it bother you?" Tina shot back.

"It makes me sound controlling and misogynistic."

"How many violent crimes did you investigate over the years?" Tina rolled her head sideways and looked at me.

"Too many to count." I frowned and mentally pushed away the haunting images from the hundreds of cases that ran through my head.

"And how many were women?"

An orchestra of nature surrounded us, and I let the sounds of crickets, cicadas, and the lapping water wash over me, calming my rising heart rate.

Over the years, I'd learned how to process the horrors. When the images of the victims threatened to pull me under, I focused on the world around me, bringing me back to the present, and I reminded myself that those days were in the past and I did the best I could to get justice for the victims.

"All those women...they could've been you or Valeria or Maria or Carmen or Bea or Stacci," I said, listing off all my sisters. "That's the fire that kept me going after years on the force. I've seen too many women hurt."

"Exactly. It's your instinct to protect us." Tina smiled softly. "It's why I adore you, bro, but you can't save us all."

I looked out over the still water, the moonlight reflecting on the shiny surface. When the camp was around, you could hear songs being sung around the bonfire and kids shouting and laughing. Now there was silence.

"Rachel presents as strong," Tina said, breaking my reverie. "But there's a fragility under the surface."

I shook my head. "There's nothing feeble about Rachel."

"The strongest women have the softest core. Do you want to break through her surface?" Tina raised an eyebrow. "To be more than her friend or whatever you are?"

"No," I said. "Stop asking."

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