Page 21 of Devious Vows

Julian rolls his eyes. “Am I ruining this for you by calling you weird?”

My eyes find the clock again. “No, but that’s not the point.”

He laughs. “Okay, point taken. I’ll be more conscious of what I insult people about.”

“Good,” I say offhandedly, looking around the room. The bleachers are slowly starting to fill up.

“Any minute now and we get to watch Donny boy beat some poor sucker to a pulp,” he says, gesturing toward the clock.

I laugh at the use of the nickname, eyes going to the mat as the crowd starts to grow more excited. “You use that name too?” I stand to get a better view, watching Donatello’s competitor dip under the ropes surrounding the square boxing ring.

“Oh fuck yeah, he absolutely hates it.”

I laugh, tap my head, and wiggle my brows at him. “Great minds think alike.”

He stands with me and repeats my gesture, “Brilliant ones look alike too.”

Laughing again, I bring my fingers to my lips to whistle when Donatello comes into sight. He’s one of the few fighters who don’t wrap their hands to fight, preferring to feel the split skin, cracked bones, and bruised flesh under his knuckles. Despite being one of the goofiest people on the planet, he’s an animal in the ring.

Ruthless and untamed.

An absolute beast to watch, and Iloveit.

A pretty brunette with space buns nudges me with her elbow as Donatello raises his fist to the cheering crowd, encouraging our hoots and hollers, and I smile as she fans herself, mouthing, “So hot.”

I lean into her and she does the same, ear turned so she can hear me, “He’s having a victory party after the fight, you should come with us.”

Leave it to Donatello to set up a victory party for a fight he hasn’t won yet.

In his defense, it’s extremely rare for him to lose.

Her eyes widen at me, dropping down to the mat and back. “You know him? Like actuallyspeakto him?”

Nodding, I smile at the awe in her expression. “Yeah, we’re his childhood friends.” My hand shifts between Julian and I. “Trust me, he’ll love having you there.” I glance around her, seeing another girl eagerly listening to our conversation. “Your friend can come also.”

She bites her lip, hands lightly tugging at her cropped tank while she nods. “Yeah, okay. We’ll definitely come.” She smiles at me once more before leaning in to whisper-yell to the girl beside her.

Julian bumps my arm so I look at him. “How come you never set me up like that? Thatbastardohas no problems getting fucking threesomes but I do!”

I smile at him, eyes shifting down just in time to see Donatello knock knuckles to begin the fight. “I’m not your wingman and the idea of setting you up grosses me out.” My hands involuntary clap together as I watch Donatello land a brutal punch that knocks his opponent to his knees within the first thirty seconds of the bell.

Seems like this won’t be a very long match, after all.

“Grosses you out? Grow up and get me a date too,” Julian’s voice chimes in.

My hand goes up to his face to cover his mouth, my eyes staying glued to the mat and Donatello’s form. I’m not sure I actually cover his mouth but my finger definitely goes up his nose. He slaps my hand away while I shush him. “His upper cut is so impressive.”

“You’re the weirdest girl I know,” Julian laughs.

“That can’t be tru—” I jump in place, hands cupping my mouth as I yell down to the mat, “Finish him!” I punch the air as Donatello gets his opponent in a choke hold, clapping with one hand on my thigh so I can whistle with the other as he drops the limp body onto the mat in victory. My eyes find Julian’s as I smile excitedly. “You see how he got him in that hold? I bet that sucker has a few broken ribs.”

He nods, raising his brows like he thinks I’m crazy. “I did.”

The girl next to me grabs my arm and I turn to smile at her, a round ofI knows going around as they drool over Donatello and his moves. I reach behind me and grab Julian’s arm, tugging him so he leans around me. “This is my brother, Julian. He also fights and is going alone to the party…”

They seem to pick up on what I’m saying and I squeeze Julian’s arm, speaking out the side of my mouth so only he can hear, “Don’t say I never did anything for you.”

The party is everything you’d expect from Donatello. There is enough booze to drown half of Upstate New York, enough women for each man attending to have a threesome, and every young Mafioso man not on duty attending. Music plays loudly throughout speakers strategically placed around the rented house, dimmer lights set to low everywhere but the kitchen and outdoor pool.

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