On The Ropes (Tapped Out 3)

My next set went by without incident. I danced, I shook my ass, I stuffed dollar bills in the waistband of my booty shorts. Gio’s win had given the place a jubilant atmosphere—led of course by his good buddy Marco and the rarely spotted Lorenzo—and that meant guys were in the mood to spend. I was happy to capitalize on their generosity.

Mama had a bakery to start outfitting. I was already picturing the Sub-Zero freezer and gleaming stainless steel KitchenAid mixers now.

On my way down from my cage, I caught sight of Gio with a redhead. Not a sort of redhead like me, but one rocking a full head of glorious scarlet corkscrew curls. She had her hand on his arm, and she kept trying to talk to him, but his attention was squarely centered on me.

Jealousy spurted hot and was quickly doused. We weren’t a permanent thing, or one that could be acknowledged anywhere but behind closed doors. Going up to his new friend and throwing a drink in her face would be childish, and ultimately, unsatisfying.

There was a reason I’d never be able to get too close to Gio, and it wasn’t because of all the pretty babes he could have with a snap of his fingers. If only. The hold Marco and the others had on him would snatch him away from me long before another woman did.

I sent him a smile and a wave as I sailed past him and headed to the dressing room, careful to keep the envy off my face. It wouldn’t do either of us any good.

On the way to his place, he called me on it.

“You weren’t jealous,” he said flatly as I counted that night’s take.

“Hmm?” I’d done well for myself. Damn well. It would hurt to give up this job, but I’d get over it. I’d just have to make sure I aced every one of my classes and worked my ass off at the bakery to turn a profit.

Maybe a café was a better choice. I could still sell baked goods and offer a small array of sandwiches and soups—

“She wasn’t anyone to me. Just one of the girls Marco brings around.”

I waved my handful of cash. A nice thick handful, thank you very much. “Oh, I know. That’s okay.”

“It’s okay?” His fingers tightened around the wheel. “Are you back with salad dude?”

“What?” I laughed. “No. I’m not with anyone.”

“Except me.” As if I’d forgotten.

“Except you,” I echoed. “But we both know that’s almost over. Better to plan for the future and not fret about what can’t be changed.”

Damn, I sounded Zen. Slater would be proud of me, if he wasn’t dating a psychopath and was still talking to us.

I’d have to go see him this week. He wasn’t allowed to shut me out too. I hadn’t done a thing to him. And if he was dating a psychopath, maybe somehow he had a good reason.

I cast a sidelong look at Gio.

Just like you have a good reason to be dating a guy who almost committed murder.

Or maybe he had and just hadn’t gotten caught. Getting off on a technicality one time didn’t say anything about possible other times.

“And you’re okay with

that. Just fine with it. No big deal, right? Just go back to our lives the way they were before.”

I stopped counting. “You’re the one who tried to argue me out of my feelings earlier,” I said quietly. “Now you’re mad because I’m doing my best to accept reality?”

“No. God, no.” He tipped back his head on the seat for a second before returning his attention to the road. “I asked you to give me a chance to show you what I wish, and I’m ruining it.”

“Yeah, you are.”

The corner of his mouth lifted. “You’ll never lie to me, will you? No matter how raw it is, you’ll always give me the truth.”

I thought of the words I’d stuffed down earlier, so we wouldn’t get into a fight. So he wouldn’t know what a sucker I was, so hopeless and naïve to fall for a man like him. “Yes, except when it comes to one thing.”

He glanced at me, and quickly glanced away. He didn’t want to know that one thing any more than I wanted to tell him.

As soon as we arrived at his place, he drew me into the bedroom. I expected things to progress quickly from there, but instead, he handed me two gift-wrapped boxes.