Page 57 of Titan

“Do I get to know everything about you in return?”

“If you’d like.”

He stepped closer, making me hold my breath as he reached around me. The next thing I knew, he’d handed me the glass of gin and tonic I’d made. I sipped it, staring into his dark eyes as I tried not to react further to his proximity. It was impossible, of course, but I had no other choice.

“You told me you didn’t want me involved in your mafia life.”

“It’s dangerous.”

“I think you’re just as dangerous.”

He smiled.

“Maybe I am. If I told you what I’ve done for thefamiglia, there’d be no going back.”

My fingers tightened around the glass.

“Who am I going to tell? I barely speak to anyone outside of the club.”

He leant a hand on the counter and tipped his head down.

“I trust you, Theia. I’m just not sure you’re ready to hear it, and honestly, it’s for your own safety that you don’t know.”

My chest grew achy as did other places I didn’t want to think about with him so close.

“Is everything else fair game?”

“Yes.”

I smiled and sipped my drink.

“Okay… do you like cats?”

He blinked as if my question was entirely unexpected. I wasn’t going to ask him anything super personal. He might have asked me those things, but I felt awkward considering what he’d told me about himself and his sexuality.

“Do I like cats?”

“Yes. I’ve always wanted a pet, but I can’t have one here.”

“I guess so. My cousin Rina has cats. For some reason, whenever I go around my aunt’s house, the two of them always seek me out. Rina thinks they like my energy, whatever that means.”

The thought of two cats following Gil around and him being completely confused by their attention was too adorable for words.

“You’re the cat whisperer.”

He snorted and shook his head, taking a step back from me.

“Hardly.”

“I can imagine you being the Pied Piper of cats. All of them following you home and you shutting them out in the cold because they’re giving you too much attention.”

Gil laughed before rolling his eyes.

“You’re right about the last part.”

I finished my drink, and grabbed a bottle of wine from the fridge, along with a single glass. I checked to see if he wanted something, but he refused again. We made our way back over to the sofa. I asked Gil about his childhood with his brothers, and he obliged me with stories of Enzo’s and Zayn’s antics. I wanted to get off the more charged topics of conversation we’d been having. It was nice to see him smile as he reminisced about his younger years.

By the time I’d finished the bottle, it was getting late, and I was a little drunk. When I got up to walk him to the door, I almost tripped over the rug. Gil caught me by the arm and steadied me. I stared up at his face, and all I could think about was how attractive this man was. How much I wanted him to take me in his arms and kiss the living shit out of me. Apparently, my thoughts had become unfiltered.

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