Born in Blood Collection Volume 1 - Cora Reilly Page 0,78

them all away. I don’t get how you can be so calm about it. How can you not hate Luca?”

Sometimes I wondered that myself. “I should hate him.”

Gianna’s face crumbled. “But you don’t. Fuck, Aria, do you actually care about him? Love him?”

“Would you really prefer I hate him and be miserable?”

“He treats you like a prisoner. You don’t really believe Romero is just for your protection, right? He keeps an eye on you, so no other guy gets a piece of you.”

I knew that. “Let’s go shopping.”

“Really? That’s so trophy wife of you.”

“Shut up,” I said teasingly, wanting to lighten the mood. “Shopping for hot outfits for tonight. We can hit one of Luca’s clubs.”

Gianna grinned. “I want to wear something that gives guys a fucking boner from looking at me.”

* * *

Romero had waited outside the store while we went shopping. He’d probably checked beforehand if there was a back entrance we could use to escape. I hadn’t told him about our plan to head out to a club yet. It was better if I sprang it on him at the last moment.

Gianna whistled as I turned around so she could admire my outfit. “Holy shit. You are sex on legs. Or maybe death on legs, because Luca will probably kill every guy that looks at you the wrong way.”

I rolled my eyes. “Luca won’t kill anyone for looking.”

“Wanna bet on that?”

No, I wouldn’t. I’d never worn anything that sexy in public. The black leather pants hugged my body so tightly, they looked like a second skin. The sheer black sleeveless blouse I’d tucked into my waistband, revealed my sparkly push-up bra below.

“You don’t look too shabby either,” I said.

Gianna jumped up from my bed. “You think?” She flashed me a seductive smile. She really looked smoking hot in her black shirt and black leather hot pants.

“You’re jailbait.” Good thing we didn’t have to worry about getting carded. I linked our arms and led her out of the bedroom and down the staircase. Romero was sitting on the sofa, cleaning his knife. His eyes darted up and he stilled completely. His gaze wandered over our bodies. He’d never openly stared at me.

“Are you checking us out?” I couldn’t help but tease him. He was always so controlled. This small flicker of humanness was a relief.

He stood abruptly, sheathing the knife into its holder. His eyes were again firmly focused on my face. “What’s going on?” There was a hint of strain in his voice.

I walked up to him, and he actually tensed as if he thought I would jump him. That almost made me laugh. “Gianna and I want to go to Marquee.” That was one of the hottest clubs in town.

Romero shook his head. “That belongs to the Bratva.”

“Oh, what’s the hottest club that belongs to the Famiglia then?”

Romero didn’t say anything at first. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, probably to call Luca. Something snapped in me then. I couldn’t believe he needed to ask Luca permission. I gave Gianna a look and nodded toward Romero, who had started typing. She sidled up to him and actually squeezed his butt. He jumped and I used the moment to snatch his phone from him. He took a threatening step toward me, eyes blazing with anger, then he froze. “Aria,” he said. “Give it back.”

I slipped the phone into my waistband. The pants were tight enough that there wasn’t a risk of it slipping down.

Gianna stepped away from Romero, grinning. “Why don’t you shove your hand down Aria’s pants and get it. I’ll take a pic and send it to Luca.”

Romero’s eyes lingered on the shape of his phone in my pants, but I knew he wouldn’t try to get it. “This isn’t funny.”

“No it isn’t, you’re right,” I said sharply. “I’m an adult. If I tell you to take me to a club, I don’t want you to ask my husband for permission. I’m not a child, nor am I his property.”

“You are Luca’s,” Romero said calmly.

I stepped up to him, so close that I had to tilt my head back. “Gianna and I are going to a club. So unless you want to keep me at gunpoint, you’ll drive us there or let us leave alone.”

Romero’s jaw tightened. The look in his eyes made me realize why he was my bodyguard. For the first time I was reminded that Romero was a killer. “I’ll drive you. But you will go to Sphere.