Page 23 of Bound to Him

I smiled, nodding at the waiter to organize the bottle. Stretching out, I laid my arm across the back of the booth and looked between the girls.

“So, anything new?”

Viola just about rolled her eyes at me, and Olivia pretended she wasn’t even a part of the conversation.

“How’s Tony?”

Viola shrugged. “He’s fine. Didn’t want to join tonight, for some reason.”

I scoffed, sarcastically planting a hand on my chest. “Oh, I hope it wasn’t because of me.”

“Who knows anymore. He’s been so moody lately.” Viola really did roll her eyes this time, then looked at Olivia. “You really have nothing to say tonight?”

Olivia’s mouth gaped, looking for some kind of answer. “I, um, just don’t feel great. I’m going to the lady’s room.”

I watched her walk away, toward the corridor that led past the kitchen doors and down to the restrooms. Her ass had never looked better, fucking hell. In the tight red material, I wondered what on earth she was thinking when she put that on if her goal was to avoid me all night? She should have known a dress like that would have me howling at her heels and begging to take a bite of that juicy ass.

Fuck me. I was in so deep. Or I wished I was—deep inside of her. I couldn’t think of anything else.

Conversation with Viola ran out very quickly, and by the time Olivia emerged again, I’d ditched her sister and was smoking with Vinnie outside. I still watched her through the window though, and she knew that, because she watched me too.

“Ey, boys.” Antonio stepped outside and lit up.

“Boss.” Vinnie nodded.

“That Enzo Romano is a real cunt of a man.”

Vinnie and I both started coughing, Antonio’s sudden confession surprising the shit out of us. “Why do you say that, bro?” I asked.

He kept looking out over the street, pulling on his cigarette deeply. “He’s just… so old fashioned. So woman-hating. So fucking short sighted.”

“Hmm, no wonder they were family rivals all along,” Vinnie commented.

“No shit. You’ve heard what he did to his own daughter?” I asked.

“You mean Olivia? And her illegitimate boyfriend?” Antonio asked.

“I only heard he shot the guy,” Vinnie said, and I leaned into them, making sure we weren't overheard.

“He clipped him right in front of her, my man. She might as well have had blood splattered on her face.”

“Shit.” Vinnies brows rose. “That’s a bit harsh.”

“Yeah. Precisely my point. I can’t stand the guy.” Antonio shook his head, looking in through the window at the table of Moretti’s and associates, where Enzo was laughing at some guy's joke. Mia had migrated to the Romano sisters’ table, where I noticed Fiona had arrived, too. Better late than never, I guess.

“So, why the fuck are we going through with this treaty?” I asked Antonio, my voice quiet but still urgent. “Can’t we handle the Romanos if we break it?”

“No, Hux. No, we can’t,” Vinnie answered first, while Antonio shook his head slowly.

“We’ve come to learn that their contacts run far and deep,” my brother confirmed calmly.

“What? Like who?”

“I don’t know. But they’ve got ties in the cartel.”

“Fuck sakes.” I dragged on my cigarette like it was my last one, feeling more frustrated than I should’ve.

“At least it looks like you can stand the woman now,” Vinnie said, chuckling.

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