The morning was chaotic, to say the least, due to her newfound popularity. I’ve never been surrounded by so many of my fellow students before and was quickly reminded why. I can’t wait to go back to the way things were because, well, people are stupid. I’d forgotten how much so.Another aspect of her rise to fame that I’d overlooked was the attention from males. I didn’t think of it because I never expected that it would affect me one way or another. Lucky for them, she seemed just as wary of their presence as I was, but I still had the urge to tell them to get bent. All it took, though, was my patented glare to get the point across, and the more daring of the bunch got the message and kept their ass out of my sight.By the time lunchtime rolled around, I’d had enough and only allowed her enough time to eat before dragging her away from the table where Lance and I were the only males allowed. I’d been out of sorts all morning, feeling out of my element a bit. Something was niggling a

I didn’t quite know what to do with my hands when our dance finally came to an end, so I left them resting gently on the curve of her ass. “Don’t ever dance with anyone else like that.” My head cleared after I said the words, but it was too late to take them back. Her eyes were still clouded, so maybe she missed the words and the meaning behind them. Feeling boyish after that little faux pas, I distracted her with the ice cream. “This probably isn’t as good now as it was when I bought it.” It was pretty much a melted blob in a soggy waffle cone, but she didn’t seem to care.Thank goodness I’d had the foresight to have the cone turned upside down in a cup which had made it easier to drive with the thing. She acted like I’d given her gold. “For me? Thank you.”“I wasn’t sure what flavor you’d like, but you look like a strawberry girl to me.” What the hell are these things that keep popping into my head and right out of my mouth?She’d zapped me with the dance; that’s the only explan

There were two very pale females in that room, while one adult male looked like someone had goosed him. Come on, jerk, get your shit together for Pete’s sake. “So, you look well; they’ve been taking care of you?” Felix, you are a lost fucking cause. That was my first thought when he dropped that sentence into the silence that fell.No, wait, that seems way off. The words never judge a book by its cover are never actually talking about books. No man is that dumb, that clueless when faced with the truth. So I looked again. I watched him as he spoke to his daughter, and good old Felix was clutching his hands together so tight, they’d turned white. My eyes went back to his face, and no, he wasn’t angry at her, but he was livid about something.I knew when I saw him last night that the tide in his house had changed as well, but this was better than expected. I know he’d talked to the Feds and heard about Victoria’s dad being alive, but I have no doubt these two could spin a spider out of

The tears started before we made it to the door. In fact, as soon as I helped her out of the car, four women, with the grandmother leading the pack, came rushing down the steps, well, as much as society mavens rush. To be frank, the Russo billions are about a hundred, a hundred- and fifty-years tops. Her maiden family looks like the type who brought theirs over before the state was even named.I could smell something in their blood that surpassed blue; these people are the real deal. “Oh, Gianna, my beautiful Gianna.” I had to bite my tongue not to tell grandma that I was the only one allowed to call her that. I didn’t hold back to make a good impression or anything like that; I just didn’t want to put a damper on her first visit.So, imagine my surprise when she did it for me. “I go by Gia.” She still had a death grip on my hand, so maybe she’d felt me tense up when the old lady used her name. Don’t ask me why I won’t let anyone else use her name. Maybe it’s because no one stepped i

“You okay, Gabe, Gianna?”“Yes, Pop, we’re good. What brings you here?” I just gave him a look because I’m pretty sure he knows the answer to that already. “You two go ahead and get in the car and follow me.”“Where are we going?”“To Fontane’s house.”I walked past my men, who’d raced to get here behind me. After I got the call, I didn’t have time to wait around for them. That’s why a car is always ready with a key in the ignition and sitting at the bottom of the front steps. A different one each day because enemies tend to notice routines.I ignored the Fontane woman who was trying to get my attention and going about it the wrong way. A crowd had started to gather, and I guess that made her feel brave. “That’s right; the big bad wolf came to save his little snot-nosed brat of a son.” I laughed at that one, preposterous as it was.She took a few steps back when I looked over my shoulder at her, and I hadn’t even opened my mouth yet. “Lady, I’m not here to save my son. I’m here t