Demand - Lisa Renee Jones Page 0,73
that was a home I don’t remember. “You are my home, Kayden,” I say, flattening my hand on his chest. “You know that, right?”
“Kayden,” Carlo calls out, and Kayden gives me a weary but amused look, motioning back to the dance room.
“What is it?” Kayden asks, joining the other men and returning to his work location, while I linger in the doorway.
Carlo stands and stretches, chains hanging from the pockets of his black jeans. “A man’s wife hid his million-dollar car to pay him back for fucking around on her. Want me to find it?”
“Who’s the man?” Adriel asks.
“Aldo Tucia,” he says, and Kayden whistles. “Sweet. Get the man’s car back.”
“Who is Aldo Tucia?” I ask.
“One of the Italian soccer greats,” Kayden explains. “Which means our price is top of the scale.”
“I’ll add ten percent for speedy service,” Carlo tells Matteo. “That’s your cut for finding me a place to start this chase.”
Matteo cuts Kayden a questioning look. “Do it,” Kayden answers. “Go make the money.”
Matteo stands and walks toward me, a dark, wayward curl dropping to his brow, pausing when he reaches my side. “Even Sasha liked you last night,” he declares, heading out of the room and leaving me with a frown at the odd comment.
“Sasha’s a bitch,” Adriel supplies, clearly noting the exchange. “But when she likes you, you’ve earned it.”
“And she likes you,” I point out.
“Bella,” he says dryly. “I earned it. Why do you think she and I weren’t around to watch the video?”
I laugh, my cheeks flushing with his obvious meaning. “That was very bad,” I reprimand, and when he chuckles good-naturedly I decide that scar down his cheek and his big, burly body have become a little less intimidating. “I did wonder where you two were.”
Carlo steps between me and Adriel. “I hear you can dance and shoot, and if I piss you off, you’ll shoot me.”
I hold up my finger and pretend to shoot. “Because I’m a bitch, too.”
He stares down at me, seconds ticking by, all Italian-stallion intensity before he bursts into laughter, winking at me as he exits. Kayden’s eyes meet mine, and the approval in his expression tells me that I’m being tested by his men, and so far, I’m passing.
“I want to help,” I say, but before I can join him and Adriel, a buzzer goes off.
“What’s that?”
“Matteo installed security panels in several parts of the tower for you this morning.” Kayden motions for me to join him by the door, where a new mini TV has been mounted. He hits a button and shows me the tower door, where Marabella is now entering. “She has a passcode, but if there’s someone else you want to let in, just punch the button on the top right.”
“But you don’t like people in the tower.”
“You should be able to choose when you want visitors.”
I glance up at him, knowing this is another effort to make me feel at home, and I push to my toes and kiss him. “Thank you.”
He grabs me and kisses me hard. “Thank me when we’re alone.”
“Alone is good,” Adriel says, reminding us he’s here.
Kayden and I laugh, then I eye the panel again. “I think I should go check on Marabella. But since you’re both here . . . Am I pushing Giada to move out, or what?”
Adriel stands, hands settling on his hips. “Yes, but I want her in the neighborhood, where we can watch over her. Can you teach her to shoot?”
“Ella already suggested that,” Kayden says. “But are you sure you want your sister with a gun?”
I say, “Yes, you do. Because if she feels in control, maybe she’ll stop acting out of control.” The two men exchange a long look and then nod at the same time. “Okay, then,” I say. “I’ll call her and see if she can do lunch tomorrow. We’ll talk and then go to the range.”
“I’ll go with you,” Kayden says. “I have a few words I want to have with her.”
It’s an encounter I’ve encouraged, and I tell myself his agreement is not about Niccolo and our public outing but Giada, though it’s hard to completely follow that train of thought. Whatever the case, it’s a good thing. “I don’t have my phone, so I’ll call her when I get downstairs.”
Adriel offers me his. “Have at it. The sooner we get her in line, the better, considering Gallo’s pursuit. The less she knows, the less she can tell.”
I accept the phone with Giada’s auto-dial already pulled