Chapter 4
THE MISUNDERSTANDING
SYDNEY
Sydney had the biggest crush on Tank. Bigger than big. Giant-sized.
More than his rugged good looks, it was his everything.
She’d never been around anyone like him and she couldn’t seem to get herself together.
Yes, she was eating—kind of—and yes, she was talking—more like auto-pilot speak—but her thoughts were running together and being interrupted by the constant ache to stare into his eyes.
She was dying to touch him. Run her fingers down his bulging triceps or through his sexy blond hair.
Place her hand on his tattered jeans, grab his thick, muscular thigh, and squeeze.
Then, mount him like a bucking bronco and have herself some real fun.
She’d been chasing bad guys for so long, she had no idea what it was like to be near a good one.
Except for the boogeyman prayer at dinner. That was a little out there.
Sparks flew as she stared into his bedroom eyes, but she found the overwhelming confidence thundering off him so completely intoxicating.
He’s flat-out addictive.
She’d felt this way when she’d met him, but now, it was better. Stronger and more intense. Maybe because we’re alone. She glanced at his mouth. His full lips and that sexy scruff of beard and mustache were like a magnet pulling her closer.
“Who did I text if it wasn’t you?” he asked, extracting her from her hypnotic state.
“What number did you type in?” she asked.
“I didn’t,” he replied. “You typed your number into my phone.”
“Right. She lifted his phone, re-read the texts. “Pull up my name in your address book.”
When she handed him his phone, their fingers brushed. The electricity shot up her arm while heat flamed her chest, rising through her neck, and into her cheeks.
“Is it warm in here?” she asked, trying to sound chill.
Fortunately, he was laser-focused on the task and didn’t hear her.
“Hot in here?” he asked, peering over. “Yeah, it’s like the Sahara.”
Then, he glanced at her mouth before his gaze drifted back to her eyes. He was checking her out so hard, she started smiling.
“This is intense,” she murmured.
He chuffed out a laugh. “It’s something, all right.”
She dragged her attention from his handsome face to his phone. “Wait, that’s not my number.”
“No shit, Sherlock.”
She snort-laughed.
“Yeah, you got it going on,” he said. “Why don’t you tell me your number and I’ll put it in?”
All she heard was, “I’ll put it in.”
“Mmmmm,” she murmured.
Ohgod, I did not just do that.
Biting back a smile, she recited her number and he made the change. When finished, he said, “Where’s your phone?”
“On the counter stool. In my black bag.”
“C’mon,” he said, pushing out of the chair.
“Would you mind grabbing it for me?”
He hitched a brow. “Grabbing it isn’t my style, but—”
He left the room, and she started fanning herself with her hand. Rapid-fire movements that only made her warmer. Then, she pulled out her shirt and started blowing on her chest.
Seconds later, he set her handbag on the dining room table. “Need help with that?”
In mid-blow, she looked up at him. “If you wanna blow me, go right ahead.”
Laughing, he sat back down. “First I grab, then I blow. You’re different, you know that?”
She laughed as she pulled out her phone. Seconds later, her phone binged and she read the text.
Tank here
She replied.
Hey handsome
The door to the dining room opened and Greystone entered. “You were smart to leave. This family is effin’ crazy.”
“What’s going on?” Tank asked.
Greystone shook his head. “Family drama. Luciano and Gabriel are going at it.” Then, he glanced at their uneaten food. “No good?”
“It’s great,” Sydney replied. “We got busy talking.”
“Come on back in,” Greystone said.
“In a minute,” Tank pushed back.
Greystone slid his gaze from him to Sydney, then left the room, shutting the door behind him.
And that’s when her gaze found Tank’s. More sparks ignited between them, and she bit back a moan.
“You and me,” he said. “Tomorrow night.”
“What’s tomorrow night?” she asked.
“Friends of mine own Lost Souls—”
She smiled. “I know that club—”
“Halloween party. Go with me.”
She stood, leaned over, and stared into his eyes. “Are you sure about this?”
In one smooth move, he stood, slid his hand around the back of her neck, dipped down, and kissed her like he owned her. “Yes. I. Am.”
That kiss—ohmygod, that kiss—paired with the grit in his voice, turned her panties damp. The throbbing between her legs sent a moan rasping out of her, the ache filling the spaces she’d forgotten existed.
She pressed herself flush against him and she kissed him back. One long smooch… but not long enough.
“I can’t wait,” she murmured.
“Neither can I,” he replied.
TEDDY
Teddy waited until he was alone in the dining room before rearranging himself. No way was he getting up until things had calmed down. Minutes later, he was in the kitchen helping clear the table.
“How was your dinner for two?” Gabriel asked as Teddy loaded up the dishwasher.
“I didn’t want her eating by herself,” Teddy replied.
Gabriel chuffed out a laugh. “Yeah, you going with that?”
“It was nothing,” Teddy said.
“I see the way you look at her.”
“I see the way you look at her.”
“I should look at her that way,” Gabriel whispered. “She’s my wife.”
Teddy glanced over. He knew that look. Gabriel was fucking with him. “Yeah, she’s my wife too. Guess we’ll have to share.”
Gabriel laughed. “It’s not like that with her.”
“How do you know her?”
“Just met her.”
Teddy eyed his older brother. Nope. “You’ve known her for a while.”
“How do you do that?” Gabriel asked. “Maybe I did just meet her tonight—”
“No, you lay on the charm hard when you meet a woman for the first time.”
“Too much?” Gabriel asked.
“I say, go with whatever works,” Teddy said. “If a woman’s really hot—”
“Like Sydney—”
“Like Sydney. I get flustered. Words are not my thing.”
Gabriel’s eyes widened, his brows jutting into his forehead. “Seriously? Words are your thing. It’s from all that reading you do.” Gabriel piled up the pans and baking dishes next to the sink. “Why not this time?”
“I met her at the restaurant. There, I’m bossman. I’m in control.”
“Maybe you can’t do the bullshit small talk.” Gabriel flashed a smile. “That’s my specialty.”
Teddy chuffed out a laugh. Despite their differences, the brothers were close. He started washing. “How do you know her?”
When Teddy glanced across the spacious room, the fam was relaxing around the kitchen table drinking espressos, sipping Amaretto, or munching on one of Elsa’s homemade desserts.
Sydney was waiting, her white-hot gaze drilling into his.
Her lips tugged up in a sliver of a smile before she broke eye contact.
Another hit of energy powered through him.
“Work,” Gabriel murmured. “I know her from work.”
“Which one?”
“The other one.”
Sydney Austin just became a whole lot more interesting, but instead of asking his brother, he’d ask her. This time, he was going to get out his own damn way. This time, he’d push past his shyness around this beautiful woman and go after what he wanted.
Her.
He wanted Sydney Austin. And he wanted her bad.
Gabriel turned off the faucet.
“Hey, I’m not done here,” Teddy said.
“I gotta talk to you.”
“Now?”
“Yeah, it’s important.”
Teddy followed Gabriel back into the dining room, sat at the head.
His brother placed one hand on the back of the catty-corner chair.
With his other hand, he raked his hair. In that second, Teddy knew it was serious.
Gabriel raked his hair whenever he was about to tell him something illegal, something ruthless, or something top-secret.
This wasn’t the first time Gabriel had come to him with a problem.
“I did a thing,” Gabriel began.
Ah, fuck.
“I pissed off the Bratva,” Gabriel murmured.
Jesus, Gabriel.
“How?”
“They stepped on my turf and I eliminated them.”
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
“Gabriel—”
“I know, it’s bad.”
“Lulu will kill you if you don’t tell him. Is he bringing his pregnant wife into the lion’s den?”
Strangely, Gabriel laughed.
“How is that funny?” Teddy bit out.
“You and your words. Who says the lion’s den?”
“It’s a saying.” Teddy leaned back. “Stick with the facts, G.”
“Lulu told me Simone is pregnant a coupla weeks ago. I got the word out I was leavin’ Milan—”
“So, you’re bringing trouble with you?”
A smile filled Gabriel’s face.
“Not sure this is anything to smile about,” Teddy pushed back.
“Luciano knows about the execution,” Gabriel said. “And he knows about the Bratva because the problem started back with G-Pa and Cosa Nostra. If I run into trouble here—”
“Jesus, G, like I don’t have enough going on with the fucking terror cell.
Now I gotta save your ass with the Russian mob.
” Teddy scraped his fingers over his scruffy face.
Pushing out of the chair, he extended his hand.
Relief filled his brother’s eyes. When they shook hands, Gabriel pulled him in for a hug.
“Grazie,” Gabriel said.
Luciano walked in, eyed the men. “We’re taking off.” Luciano fixed his gaze on Gabriel. “You got protection?”
“I’ve got Teddy,” Gabriel replied.
“I won’t let the Bratva near him,” Teddy said.
Luciano squeezed Teddy’s shoulder. “Grazie, fratello. You put us first.”
“Every damn time,” Teddy replied feeling the pressure of every fucking thing.
The three men returned to the kitchen, and Teddy homed in on his target. Sydney was saying goodbye to his grandmother. The pull to be close to her had him moving in her direction.
“Grazie per la cena deliziosa e per avermi incluso nella vostra festa di famiglia,” Sydney said.
Nice.
“Thank you for the delicious dinner and for including me in your family celebration,” Slash translated.
“Sissy, where’d that come from?” Caroline asked.
Sydney did an adorable wiggle. “I know my Italian, babeeeee.”
Her smile sent a bolt of energy charging through him.