Page 96 of On Ice

He nods. “Sure.”

“Then, if it’s okay with you, yeah, I’d like to leave. I’m exhausted. I can’t take any more scrutiny today.” I’ve felt like a bug under a microscope the entire day, and all I want is to escape this stressful situation.

He turns and opens the door, holding it for me. “After you.”

I brush past him, and he follows me. We walk down the narrow hallway to the main restaurant. From there, he texts his driver and we head outside. It’s dark out, which I didn’t expect. We’ve been at the wedding a lot longer than I realized.

Once inside the limo, Luca makes no attempt to touch me. On the ride to the wedding, his leg rested against mine and he sat much closer. Now, he appears more reserved. Is that because he ran into Austin and now he’s only thinking about that other guy?

I stare out the window as we drive home, uncertain of what I should do. This situation is already fucked up. I was coerced into living with him simply to save my life. In a situation asbizarre as this, am I expected to fight for Luca’s attention? Is that something he’d want me to do?

Is that something I want to do? Why would I?

Luca doesn’t speak to me on the drive, although he glances over from time to time. Maybe he’s worried I’ll puke in his limo. Maybe he’s trying to think of how to tell me my services will no longer be required. Maybe he’s visually measuring me for a coffin, the same way he did for a suit.

When we arrive at his mansion, he still has nothing to say to me. I walk up the stairs ahead of him, heart racing. I’m still a bit drunk as I move up the stairs. He doesn’t steady me though, and I’m embarrassed to admit I miss the press of his hand on my spine. I miss his unwavering attention. He’s been so focused on me since we met, his sudden disinterest is disconcerting.

He pauses only briefly when we reach my bedroom door. “Have a good night, Evan,” he says in an emotionless voice. Then he continues on to his own bedroom.

I enter my room and slowly begin to strip out of my suit. As I undress, I think back over the events of the day. The majority of the wedding, I actually enjoyed Luca’s company. He was funny and engaging. I liked dancing with him. I liked seeing him with his family. Watching him dote on his family was interesting. I got to see him as a person and not as a mob boss. But now, he’s back to being cold toward me, and I’m not sure why. I don’t know what changed other than Austin showed up.

I stare at the connecting door that separates my room from Luca’s. If I were to go to him, and offer myself, would he reject me because he now want’s Austin? Just how strong are his feelings for the other man? He obviously has a history with Austin. Have they slept together in the past? The thought of thatmakes my stomach churn. Why does the idea he’d prefer Austin over me bug me so much? If Luca is a man of his word, then he’ll still protect me, even if he decides to be with Austin instead of me. Shouldn’t I just let things play out? If he dumps me, I should still be safe.

Good enough, right?

If that happened, I’d be free to return to my old life, minus Luca Barone’s shadow hovering. The thought of that should fill me with glee. But it doesn’t. It makes me sick to picture Austin in this room, instead of me. It kills me to think of Austin sharing Luca’s bed, instead of me. Is that because I’m drunk and horny? Surely that must be why I’m considering fighting to stay in Luca’s life, when all I’ve wanted was to escape. Or maybe it’s just my competitive side kicking in. I’m a very competitive guy.

I move closer to the connecting door, warring with myself. Logically, I know I should just let things lie as they are. Wait for things to play out however they play out. But my dick is hard at the thought of going to Luca. Of seducing him. The sex was great that first night. Luca may be an asshole out of bed, but in bed, he was the best I’ve ever had. I resent the idea Austin would waltz in and take him away, before I can get another taste. After all the shit I’ve gone through with Luca, I should at least get one more night with him. I deserve that much.

Heart pounding, I hesitate outside the connecting door. I’ve stripped down to nothing but my dress shirt and briefs. My erection is obvious through the thin cotton material of my underwear, and goosebumps cover my flesh as I consider offering myself to Luca. I lift my hand and then softly rap on the door. I don’t hear anything at first, but that could be because the blood is rushing through my ears. I knock again, and hear Luca’s voice telling me to enter.

I swallow hard and push open the door. Luca sits on the edge of his bed, still dressed except for his tie. He looks wary as I enter the room. I walk toward him, my bare feet sinking into the thick carpeting. I can’t believe I’m doing what I’m doing. But I want to know where I stand with Luca. If he’s not interested in me anymore, I deserve to know that.

He studies me when I stop in front of him. “What do you want, Evan?”

He doesn’t look happy to see me and insecurity nips at me as I hold his uneasy gaze. “I want to know if I’m being replaced.”

He narrows his eyes. “What do you mean?”

“Well, you and I were getting along pretty well at the wedding, but then that guy Austin arrived, and suddenly you were distant with me. I don’t think you said two words to me on the drive home.”

“You weren’t exactly a chatterbox yourself.”

I lift my chin. “I was taking my cue from you.”

“Is that right?” He stands and steps toward me.

“Yes.” My heart picks up speed and it’s hard to breathe as he studies me. His eyes are dark and assessing. “We danced and then you disappeared to go hangout with Austin. From that point on, you were different with me.”

“I don’t think I was.”

I huff. “You were completely different. You ignored me the rest of the day. The whole point of me going to that wedding was so we’d look like a couple. But you ditched me to hang out with some other dude.”

“I only talked to him for a little while. I didn’t ditch you.”

“Felt like it. Even your family noticed you were gone a long time. I felt like an idiot. I was stuck at the table with your family, while you were off flirting with some other guy.”

“I wasn’t flirting,” he rasps in an annoyed voice.

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