Page 94 of PortCity Killers

“Of course. Tonight will be our first outing together officially.”

“While I love a good coming out, Alex is here officially to be my hostess. I’m sure you two can appreciate the position it would put me in to have her being introduced so publicly tonight.”

Valentina shrugged her shoulders delicately, “That doesn’t sound like an us problem, does it, brother?”

Don crushed the joint beneath his shoe, exhaling with a wide smile. He came up behind me, hooking his other arm in mine, “No. No, I don’t think it does, dearest sister. Perhaps we can find a reasonable outcome for the both of us, if Mr. Vosco will show us in?”

Vosco’s teeth were pearly white, his eyes so dark I thought they were almost black, like a shark’s. He smiled, taking us in, and I felt the distinct feeling that we had settled into a trap none of us were very aware of. He showed us through the front gates with a grand sweeping gesture of his hand. He and Don fell back while Valentina and I walked through as directed.

“Vosco is even more a cabrón than when I last saw him, amore. You would do well to watch yourself. Don and I will be here of course, but be on your guard.”

As if she had to tell me twice. Vosco’s home was polar opposite to that of the Giovenni’s. It was sleek and modern where theirs was opulent with a classic twist. We were taken to a den straight out of Bachelor 101—dim lighting, pool table, couch and TV set off to the side by a small bar—all the fixings a man needed in one room to entertain himself.

He motioned to the seating, removing his coat and hanging it off a rack to the side, “Please, do make yourself at home.”

Don, as usual, made himself at home in any spot he chose but opted for the long couch. His body spread out across one side, legs off in a relaxed stance. Aedyn poured out several drinks passing one to Val and walking the other over to Don. I declined, opting to wait until I couldn’t feel the buzz between my ears from the smoke earlier. The tension in the room was enough to keep me flustered. Don pulled at my hand, drawing me towards him to perch on the couch’s arm on the couch as Aedyn spoke.

“As I said before, I understand that this will be your first night out on the town so to speak and what a wonderful way to introduce yourselves, but tonight I will need our precious little Alex focused on hostess duties.”

“Let us be clear, Vosco,” Valentina threw back her drink, slamming the glass on the bar top he stood behind, “She is our precious little Alex, but she is not anything to you but a means to an end. While that is your own loss, it does not interfere with our plans to introduce her to PortCity society as ours.”

His jaw flexed against his glass, the muscles working to mesmerize poor Valentina. Her eyes drifted down his chest and to the way his shirt formed just enough against his tapered waist.

He winked at her, making her scowl, “Something you can do freely on your own time, Valentina.”

“What my sister is trying to say is that you’re playing a very dangerous game, Amico. ” Don, who had been quiet throughout their exchange, smiled loosely, his shoulders languidly draped across the back of the gray seating, “We would not like to have to correct any misunderstandings on such a festive night, would we? Remember that as you’re gallivanting with our Princesa on your arm tonight.”

“Princess?” Aedyn scoffed, “Seems a bit archaic for you, Don. I thought the days of entrapping women were past the Giovenni’s.”

Don didn’t seem perturbed in the least, he merely shrugged a shoulder up, letting it fall back to the couch gracefully, “We have no need to force Alex into anything.”

“Not anymore, perhaps,” Vosco poured himself another drink, pulling a water out from underneath the counter, “But didn’t you have to force a date from her? If I remember correctly your first kiss wasn’t exactly given freely either.”

Valentina laughed, a high, sharp sound that felt a little too fractured to be anything but her patience flaying down to a nub, “And what do you call this? Are you not forcing her just as steadily as we have?

Aedyn looked at me from where I was sitting, just minding my own damn business and trying to keep the silk from pressing on my dress. His eyes were consuming, heavy with a feeling that licked down to my bones like he was tasting parts of me he had no right to be thinking about, but every time he fucking did, the more I wanted him to.

“Afraid I’ll get the same result? Maybe your precious has a type.”

With the way my body tightened at every movement of his fingers, I was beginning to think the same thing. Maybe Jaymes was right, maybe I needed someone to save me from myself, because lord knew the flutters in my tummy were confusing my fear receptors and needed to chill the hell out.

Valentina however, didn’t appreciate the reminder, “Do not speak of things you do not know.”

Vosco’s chuckle was deep, molten, and said he knew that was exactly what she was worried about. I might have felt insulted if I didn’t know myself well enough to question it too.

It would make sense that she would be a little territorial aside from the whole mortal enemies’ bit. She didn’t seem too keen on sharing unless it was with Don and even then, she had her pissing matches.

“Being as I was there when the poor girl was explaining to her boyfriend,” he paused with a wicked smile, “You’ve met Bryce, haven’t you? What is it they call him? Bryce the Butcher. She told him all about how you snuck in a little kiss for yourself all while making her do your dirty work. I have to say Valentina, brilliant, to corner a poor, frightened little lamb like that.”

“Muñequita has since enthusiastically entered our beds.” Valentina’s arms were crossed, defensiveness radiating off of her, heating the air around us.

Don’s fingers wrapped around my waist, rubbing against my thigh to stop the shaking of my leg that I couldn’t be bothered to notice. I put my hand over his, gripping his strong fingers. He squeezed mine back sipping from his drink casually with a lazy smile, like he had nowhere better to be than watching the two go head-to-head.

“And maybe by the end of the night she’ll enthusiastically share mine.”

I snorted at Aedyn’s words, which was dumb, I’ll admit because nothing he had said up until now had been wrong per say though I hated to give him any credit or leeway.

He came around the bar to hand me the water. I took it, purposefully not looking at him, but nodding in his direction as he continued, “Unless you’re afraid leaving me alone with her will grant me that access, I suggest you allow her to abide by her hostess duties.”

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