Page 7 of Chaplain

I debate brushing him off again, but something makes me blurt out, "How do you get through to an infuriatingly stubborn guy?"

Gabe's eyebrows shoot up. "Oookay, not the issue I was expecting. I charge extra for man troubles?"

Knowing his price, I tilt the ice cream carton in his direction, and he takes no time digging his spoon in.

"He's part of the hack," I quickly clarify. Gabe and I have been on our own forever, and we're more accustomed to leaning on each other than most siblings. But I draw the line at asking Gabe for dating advice. "But he's setting some ground rules that make the job more difficult.

"Oh," Gabe settles in, pushing me down the couch so he can settle in and take my ice cream. "The stubborn kind of problem. "

I can practically feel Gabe's resistance drop at my clarification. I fill him in briefly, asking his opinion on how to get past Diesel's stubborn resistance. He listens thoughtfully, then shrugs.

"Some guys have a hard time admitting what they really want. Just keep showing him what he's missing out on by limiting your abilities." He smiles and pats my shoulder. "You've never failed at getting into a tough system yet, sis."

I chuckle ruefully. "Yeah, well, he might be my hardest hack yet..."

I dig back into my ice cream as Gabe playfully tries to pull it away from me.

"So tell me more about this dude. What's he like besides royal pain in the ass?" he asks.

I consider how to describe Diesel. "He's one of the Dark Angels' leaders, really respected. Total biker bad boy on the outside - tattoos, leather kutte, handsome but gruff."

Gabe groans at the last part. "I thought you said he was the client?"

"He is." I shove my shoulder into his side, earning a grunt of pain. "But I'm not blind."

"And you think there's more to him than just the tough biker façade?"

I glance at my brother and wonder when he became so astute. "You really want to know this stuff?" I question.

Gabe nods, "Sure if it helps you with the job."

"Just remember, you asked for this."

Gabe laughs.

I sigh and carry on. "He's also thoughtful, principled. He takes his role with the club seriously. He won't step a toe out of line." I shake my head, frustrated. "I just can't get him to break his self-imposed rules, even if it means getting us both what we want."

"Hmm, sounds like you two have some great tension going on," Gabe muses.

I roll my eyes. "Oh, we've got tension, alright. Thick enough to choke on. I just wish he'd give in to it."

My brother considers me a moment, then says, "Maybe you should pull back a little and make him work for your attention again. If you stop giving him what he wants, he'll be forced to make the next move."

I chew my lip thoughtfully. "You mean act more indifferent, play hard to get?"

"Yeah, stop pushing so hard against his walls. Make him realize what he's missing if you're not allowed to work your way."

It's not a bad idea. If direct pursuit only seems to push Diesel further away, going subtle could draw him back in. Gabe pats my leg. "Just give it time. From everything you've said, he's fighting a losing battle with himself. Be patient and keep applying pressure... he'll crack eventually."

"Just to be clear," I give Gabe a sideways smirk, "we're not talking about me liking a man. This is advice for a job."

Gabe takes one more gigantic spoonful and shoves the half-empty carton into my lap. "No, sis. we are definitely talking about you hooking up with a client." Gabe shoves the spoon into his mouth with a grin.

I have to smile at his sarcasm. "Thanks for the love life advice, little bro. Look at you dispensing wisdom. But not a word of this to Luca. He'd lose his shit if he thought something beyond professional was happening on a job."

Gabe shrugs. "What are brothers for? Lips, sealed. That is if you forget about how late I came home. Or any other night while Luca is away."

I glance up from my carton, knowing I'll still snitch on Gabe in a heartbeat because even though he's a good kid, he's still a Vitale. "Deal."

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