of Ryker. That man was something else. In both good and bad ways.
Bossy enough to make me want to set him on fire with my Brulee torch. Sexy enough to make me want to make cupcakes and lick the extra frosting off his chest. But he’d want more than that, and that I couldn’t give him. So I’d keep my hands and my frosting to myself.
If I got the overwhelming urge for the brain rush of an orgasm, I’d just use my Satisfyer Pro. A little present to myself for those times when baking just didn’t make my flour rise. Using that little slice of heaven set me up in the O department for at least a fiscal quarter.
Tali wiped at her cheek as the main characters declared their love and metaphorically danced off into the moonlight. She let out a huge sigh. “See? Perfect blend of cheerful and sexy. You could climb the abs on that bartender, too. Damn.” She waved her hand in front of her face.
I smiled, a different face flashing in my mind. No. Bad girl. Kick him out. I shunted the image of Ryker to the back of my mind with all the other things I didn’t want to deal with. It was getting kind of full in the storage closet of my brain, but I’d just get a better lock for it.
Tali took my tray and plate, moved them away so I could try to get up. I did a couple more leg bends as I waited for her to come over and help me back into my cool bath for the evening. Which reminded me.
“Hey, how are we going to do the bath? We have no big strong men readily available if my stupid legs decide not to work.” I looked over towards the kitchen area.
She was scraping off the food debris into the trash. “True. Want me to call for Rafe or Dom?” She paused. “Or Ryker? I’m sure he’d be here in a hot minute to rescue your naked self.”
I blew a raspberry at her. “Definitely not the last. And probably Rafe. If something happens, he’d be on hand to help.”
She nodded and rinsed the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. That job done, she picked up her phone. “Hey, Chase is going to try another cool bath. Can you come hang out in case we need help?”
She flashed a bright smile. “Yes. Bring him, too. I haven’t seen him in forever.” She hung up, looked at me. “Massi’s back in town and he’s home!” She did a little dance around the kitchen. When left to her own devices and whatever head music she heard, she didn’t dance very well.
I smothered the laugh that tried to push from my mouth. “So Mas is coming with Rafe?” I asked.
Tali nodded—well, headbanged—but I took that as an affirmative. “They should be here—”
“Now,” Rafe finished as he held the door open for the second Amatucci son.
Massimo Andre Amatucci was walking sin and darkness. Slightly darker than the rest of his brothers, he was quiet, terrifying, and damaged. He’d earned his status of Amatucci Enforcer by the age of eighteen and he’d been doing wet work ever since.
The Amatucci family didn’t do a lot of wet work, but when they needed to make an impression or to scare the crap out of some of their overseas contacts, Mas was the specter that haunted the night. And brought recalcitrant associates back into line. By whatever means necessary.
He walked over, no sound of his passing. Just the dark visage of his black clothes in the low lighting. He came around and squatted before me. His dark eyes traced my face, down my body. I knew I wasn’t a potential sexual partner for Mas. In his eyes, I was someone to watch over. Protect. Much like his biological sister. No, he’d been one of the first to provide me protection and belonging.
“Feeling better?” he asked, his voice a harsh, grating whisper. His vocal cords had been damaged during a fight. He’d never speak louder than a whisper. But for his job, I think it just lent an additional air of mystery and terror. He ran his hand lightly down the bruised flesh of my legs.
I nodded. “Yes. Much.” I grabbed his hand, held it in mine. “How are you?”
His dark eyes shuttered. “Good.”
My heart ached for him. The loneliness oozed from him, but he’d never complained about his position in the family. Never fought to get a