WARPED VANITY ( BL)

CHAPTER 12

Big  snorted. “I was never good and definitely not goldilocks.”

  “I should get dinner ready. Can you help me with the mustard jar in the kitchen? I can’t open it,” Porsche said.

  I nodded toward big. “He can help you.”

  Porsche shifted nervously, his eyes sliding to big  then back to me. My eyebrows shot up. I got to my feet.

  big  gave a small shrug. “Leona will be here in five minutes.”

  I followed porsche into the kitchen and took the mustard jar he held out to me. “I didn’t think I’d live to see the day that someone was less scared of me than of big or anyone else for that matter.”

Porsche flushed. “I know I’m safe with you,” he said quietly.

  Fuck, he was. I held out the open jar. “Here.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re safe around big as well,” I told him.

  “I know,” he said. “But it takes a bit longer for the message to get through to my brain.”

  “You should be wary of a brain that makes you love my brother and trust me, porsche,” I muttered.

  he laughed. “It’s not my brain, it’s my heart.”

  I narrowed my eyes then turned on my heel and walked out, not in the mood for emotional nonsense.

  PETE

  I wasn’t sure if it was vegas plan to break me by letting me stew with my own thoughts all day. I had nothing to do except relive this afternoon’s kiss, torn between guilt and a flicker of terrifying excitement, because that kiss had been unlike anything I’d ever felt before. And every time that realization hit me, my guilt doubled. I knew I wasn’t supposed to enjoy it—not only because Danilo was the man I was supposed to be kissing, but also because vegas was the last man I was allowed to kiss.

  Whenever Samuel had returned from a night out with friends while I was stuck at home, I’d be overwhelmed by a wave of longing and jealousy. I wanted to be free to party with him, but that would have been my ruin—even if Samuel had been at my side to protect my honor. I couldn’t be seen in a club, dancing the night away. We’d had a few secret house parties, which had been exhilarating even if Samuel had been glued to my side every second so none of his friends got near me. Not that any of them would have dared. They were all Made Men or on their way to becoming one. My father was Underboss. My uncle was the boss of the Outfit. My fiancé as good as the underboss of Indianapolis and my brother a Made Man. No guy ever looked at me twice, at least not the guys allowed near me. I could have been naked and thrown myself at these guys and they wouldn’t have batted an eye ... from fear of losing it—and their life.

And I had been okay with it, had accepted it because we were bound by the rules of our world. It wasn’t as if I wanted to sleep around like Samuel, even if the few stories he’d shared with me in the beginning when he was overexcited about losing his virginity had made me curious.

  The lock clicked and I quickly sat up, bracing myself. I wouldn’t allow vegas to catch me by surprise again.

  My eyes widened when big  stepped inside, carrying a plate. I stood. Why was he here? Would he help me after all?

  big regarded my face then shook his head as if he could read my mind. “I’m bringing you dinner.”

  He came in but left the door ajar, and I wondered why he did it. I doubted it was so I could run. Was he worried of being alone in a room with me?