Page 39 of Romeo

Zeke assumed this all had to do with the game. That maybe Romeo was embarrassed by his loss to Maddie.

He had no idea what they had bet. And, judging by his reaction, it was best if he didn’t know. Despite them only being friends, Zeke still had that typical “touch her and you die” attitude. Unfortunately, that mindset could be dangerous.

“Don’t look fine. You wanna be there?”

Not really, but Romeo wasn’t hurting her. “We’re simply having a discussion,” she assured him.

“Pretty fuckin’ close discussion,” Zeke pointed out.

“It’s fine, Zeke. As soon as I’m done talking to Romeo, I’m heading home.”

Zeke still stayed where he was.

“I appreciate you looking out for me but it?—”

“Ain’t needed,” Romeo finished for her.

“I’m not likin’ this, Maddie.”

“Ain’t for you to like,” Romeo informed him.

She had to admit, Romeo was very confident in himself since not once did he look at Zeke. He kept his back to theyounger biker, making it clear Romeo was dismissing him without worry.

She had no doubt that Zeke took that as a slight since it meant Romeo didn’t fear or have any concern about what the younger biker might do. And that would knock the DAMC’s president’s cocky son down a peg or two. No different than Maddie getting one over on the man caging her in.

Both men had their ego checked tonight. All Maddie wanted to do was enjoy a couple of beers, play some pool, hang out with her friend, and forget about work for a few hours.

She said under her breath, “If I promise not to hightail it out of here, will you back off, so Zeke does the same?”

With his lips pressed into a tight, thin line, he pulled in a deep breath, then straightened. After a slight hesitation, he took a small step back and dropped his arms to his side.

She did not miss that his fingers were loosely curled into fists or that he still stood close enough, so his thick body blocked her view of the man standing behind him.

Romeo made a damn good wall and a terrible window.

But that also meant that Zeke couldn’t see her. She raised her voice to make sure he could hear her. “Everything’s fine, Zeke. Nothing to worry about. Romeo and I have a lot to catch up on.”

“Didn’t know you were that close to have shit to catch up on.” Of course, Zeke sounded skeptical since he was far from stupid. He got his looks from his father, his intelligence from both of his parents, but somehow his father’s laid-back gene had skipped him.

“Of course. We became friends years ago.” They had never been friends. They had flirted plenty and had sex once, but that was where the relationshipended.

“All right,” Zeke muttered. “Text me if you need anythin’.”

As soon as she answered, “I will,” Zeke grumbled something under his breath, turned and headed back inside, finally leaving her and Romeo alone.

When Romeo stepped closer, she expected him to cage her against the side of the building again, but he didn’t. Even though he wasn’t touching her, he stood in her personal space, demanding, “Was he in on it?”

“In on what?”

“You playin’ me like that.”

“You don’t like being played, Rome?” she asked so sweetly, she gained five pounds.

What the actual fuck?“Wasn’t my goddamn question.”

“Are you mad?”

“I look fuckin’ happy?”

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