His (A Bad Boy Mafia Romance)(25)

He pops a nacho in his mouth and leans back frowning. “So he’s really in the mafia?”

I glare at Aria. “I told you not to tell anyone!” I say, wiping sauce from the corner of my mouth.

She gives me a helpless look. “He’s my brother. I tell him everything. It’s not like he knows the guy. No one will find out.”

I embarrass myself by looking over my shoulder. I don’t know what I expected to see. A guy in a top hat and a trench coat with a tommy gun? There’s just a family of four with a noisy toddler behind us.

Adam laughs. “Paranoid much?”

“This isn’t a joke,” I say. “He’s dangerous.”

Aria knocks her shoulder against Adam. “That’s why she never agreed to go on a date with you. You’re not dangerous enough.”

Adam blushes, pushing Aria back. He has blonde hair and an athletic build. Objectively speaking, he’s handsome. He has a quick smile and sharp eyes that always seem to twinkle. When I first started hanging out with Aria, it was clear that Adam was interested. He just always had a girlfriend. After he broke up with his girlfriend of two years a few months ago, he tried to make out with me at a party. Even after I put a stop to that, he still tried asking me to dinner a few weeks later. I had to make it really clear that I wasn’t interested, and this is the first time he has agreed to hang out with me since.

I try to discreetly glare at Aria for the comment. Given our recent past, it’s inconsiderate, but she has never been gentle with him.

“I’m just too busy,” I say after the silence stretches into uncomfortable territory.

“Not too busy for mobsters,” says Aria, grinning.

“Stop,” I say, but I can’t help smirking when I see even Adam is smiling. “I’ve tried cutting it off with him, but he doesn’t take no for an answer.”

“Is he one of those college frat types?” asks Adam. “You know, the whole ‘no means yes, yes means anal’ thing?”

“What?” asks Aria, looking disgusted.

He pulls out his phone and taps a few times to pull up a news article. She takes the phone and skims it, face scrunching in disgust. “Ew.”

“It’s not like that,” I say. “If I stood my ground, I think he would respect it. It’s just...hard to say no to him.”

Aria grins devilishly. “No kidding. He managed to get in Aubriella Lightner’s pants in less than six months. He smashed the record.”

My face burns hot. “Can we please talk about something else? Maybe about that football player you let take you home?”

Adam raises his palms. “Let’s not go there. I don’t need that image in my head.”

I’m about to take another bite, but I pause when I see the look on Aria and Adam’s face. They are staring over my shoulder like they’ve seen a ghost. I set the taco down and turn slowly.

Vince.

I jump, bumping the table and jolting the silverware with a metallic clang. “What are you doing, stalking me?” I ask.

He leans in putting a hand on the table and another on the booth behind me, closing me in like we’re the only people in the restaurant. My eyes roam his body, taking in the careless ease with which he makes his dark hair look perfect, the stubble that looks so good on him. He’s wearing a white shirt with a casual cut, unbuttoned to show his clavicle and the hint of his chest. He wears a light grey suit and slacks with caramel colored dress shoes that look like they’ve never even been worn.

“Maybe,” he says. His eyes bore into mine as he bites his lip, claiming me with his eyes. The way he looks at me should be illegal, and by the time he’s done working his gaze up and down my body, I feel flushed and hot, like he just groped me. “I’m going to take you out.” He reaches forward and pushes my plate away from me. “So don’t spoil your appetite.”

I cross my arms. “I’m having dinner with my friends. I’m not going to just bail on them.”

Vince turns, as if noticing them for the first time. He reaches in his pocket and tosses a wad of $100 bills toward them.

“You think you can just buy us off?” asks Aria, but Adam raises his eyebrows, counting the money and then makes a shushing gesture to Aria. He quickly scoops some cheese with his chip, takes a bite, and then grabs Aria’s arm, pulling her from the booth.

“Consider us bought!” says Adam. “Have fun, Aubriella!”

Aria is stuttering and stammering as he pulls her out the door.

Once they’re gone, I give Vince a look of disgust. “You’re unbelievable.”

“I’m just getting started,” he says with a smirk. He reaches to take my hand and lifts me from the booth.