Angelo (The Marchesi Family 2)

“You can tutor me at night after closing.”

“No, I can’t.”

“Why the fuck not? You don’t have to cheat, and you get paid.”

“I don’t want your money, Angelo. I can’t take it. Not when your family… I heard what you did. He was just an old man who really loved cannoli.” As soon as the words left my mouth, I knew I’d fucked up. I’d be lucky if I didn’t end up just like Mr. Romano. Why the hell couldn’t I keep my mouth shut?

I expected Angelo to explode, to punch me or wrap his hands around my neck and choke me. Instead, he looked hurt. I’d never seen an expression like that on his face. It made my chest tighten and my stomach flip-flop. But a moment later, his jaw tightened, and I saw the anger I’d expected.

“I would’ve thought a genius like you knew better than to listen to gossip. I thought you might actually ask questions before deciding you know it all. Guess I was wrong. You’re just an arrogant shit. I don’t want your help.”

He grabbed my shirt and pushed me against the wall. This was it. He was going to hurt me, maybe kill me. If I screamed, would anyone come?

“Are you scared? Sorry you ran your fucking mouth?”

I nodded frantically.

His gaze dropped to my lips, and I was suddenly very conscious of the heat between us. He leaned in more. His lips were only inches from mine. My heart beat so fast I was sure I was going to pass out.

Angelo licked his lips, and my cock hardened. Was he feeling this too? This heat… This… No, he was straight. He had to be.

He pushed away from me, and the warmth faded from his eyes. I tried to swallow, to breathe, to understand what had just happened.

“Despite what you probably think, I prefer my opponents to at least have a fucking chance. Hurting you would be too easy.” He used his grip on my shirt to send me stumbling toward the opening of the alley. “Get the fuck out of here. Don’t let me see you anywhere near me or my family. If you keep to yourself, you might make it to graduation.”

I ran, and I didn’t stop until I’d made it home. I spent the rest of the school year expecting him to come after me and trying to ignore the fantasies that stirred every time I saw him.

Every once in a while, I’d catch him looking at me. At first, he always scowled when our eyes met, but as the months passed, he started smiling again and looking at me the way he had for that brief moment when he’d had me pinned against the alley wall.

1

Angelo

I flopped into a chair in my brother’s office, making it rock back before slinging my legs over the arm. He fucking hated that.

“Angelo, do you want me to fucking kill you? Why’ve you got to act like a fucking kid?

I just grinned at him. “You called for me?”

He rolled his eyes and exhaled sharply. “I have a job for you. One I think you’re going to enjoy, though now I’m thinking I should give it to Devil.”

I shifted position and sat up like a proper adult since my brother seemed to think that was so important. At least he’d mellowed a little since he’d gone all mushy over his hot twink, Peter. “Devil would just fuck it up and piss you off more. What is it?”

Lucien raised a brow. “Should I tell him you said that?”

“Did Peter have a headache last night or something? What’s got you in this mood?”

My brother’s glare would have brought most men to their knees, but I just grinned at him. He knew I was right. I was basically inseparable from our cousin, Devil, but he was even more trouble than me. He and Lucien were usually at odds, but Lucien would kill anyone other than me who dared put Devil down, no matter how much shit he raised. He was family, and in our world, family always came first.

“Seriously, Luce, what do you need me to do?”

“I need you to lean on the new owner of Art’s Bakery. We haven’t gotten a cent in payment since Artie had the misfortune of running into a knife.”

“I can do that, but why do you think I’d enjoy it?” Devil was far more likely to enjoy teaching the new owner a lesson than I was.

“The new owner is Cameron Bellini.”

I stared at Lucien for several seconds. No way could I be that lucky. “Cameron Bellini? From high school?”

“The very one.”

“The guy who thought he was too good to hang around with me? The one who refused to help me with math even though he was acing that shit?”

“The Cameron who refused to let you cheat off his paper or to be your friend when all you wanted was his homework. Yes, that Cameron Bellini.”