Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 127201 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127201 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
Silence briefly fell over the table, but Nando was quick to change the topic. “We’re all safe by Nero’s side though, aren’t we?”
It was then that Nero asked himself whether he liked those people. There were times when he enjoyed being around men far removed from the constant tension of his life, but on other evenings, he found their false sense of security annoying. “You never know. And Miguel can’t protect us all.”
Teo winked at Miguel and pointed to his arms. "With guns like those, yes, we're safe."
Did Miguel kind-of-sort-of half smile? He hid it with the dark cocktail in his hand, but what the fuck was that? Why was Teo getting a reaction right away when Nero had been trying to worm his way under Miguel’s skin for so long?
“They’re both mine,” he said, pinning Teo to the seat with his gaze.
Arturo seemed to grasp what was going on and cleared his throat, moving his hand under the table, toward Teo. Good.
But Miguel, the bastard, challenged Nero with a long stare like a black cobra about to spit venom. “I do what I want with them in my time off.”
Which there wasn’t much of, but Miguel still had to make that the hill he’d die on. Did he prefer that bland piece of exchangeable man-meat, when he could have Nero if he so pleased? Or was this some strange mindfuck game he chose to play for indiscernible reasons?
“Go on then,” Nero said as his brain cooked, leaving the tiniest margin of awareness and self-control. “I know Teo would love your mouth on his dick.”
Teo laughed and scratched the back of his head, but didn’t say no.
Miguel’s top lip twitched. “I’m on the clock, am I not?”
Nero’s gaze focused on that bit of rosy skin, on the stubble above it, and the ways he wanted to touch it with his own lips.
“Excuses, excuses.”
Nando chuckled. “May I watch?”
“Sure,” Nero said, drinking half his Negroni, but it wasn’t bitter enough to stave off his anger. “You saw how eager Miguel was to tell us he’s his own man.”
Miguel shook his head. “Just enjoy your night. I’ll be by the bar.”
Teo smiled as if it was an invitation. “Can I buy you another drink?”
Miguel held Nero’s gaze like a robot who didn’t have to blink and lived only to fuck with people. “Sure, why not. I don’t get treated often.”
It was like being hung above a bonfire and gradually licked by flames. Arturo grabbed Teo’s forearm, attempting to make him stay, but it was pathetically ineffective.
“It’s time for you to go home, Teo,” Nero said through gritted teeth, tapping his feet against the floor at an increasingly fast rhythm.
Teo turned to him with an apologetic smile. “Oh come on, Nero. Don’t be jealous. We had a good time, but we were never a thing.”
“No. Because you’re weak, and pampered, and wouldn’t recognize danger if it broke your nose,” Nero said, sliding his hand to the bottom of his cocktail.
Miguel raised his brows, and the tiny skulls above one of them reminded Nero how he was none of those things. How he’d faced danger and come out alive. How he’d saved Nero just yesterday.
Teo groaned but did take a step back. Infuriatingly, he bumped into Miguel as if he were seeking safety in Nero’s bodyguard. “No need to get ugly about this, we can still fool around sometime.”
Nero smashed his drink onto the table, splashing the Negroni everywhere. Glass cut into his hand as he picked up the largest piece remaining and rose, feeling the burn of his own breath as it passed through the back of his throat. “I can be very ugly, Teo.”
“Whoa!” Teo raised his hands and finally got the hint, eyes wide as the doe he was despite fashioning himself a wolf.
Miguel scowled. “Is this really necessary? You’re bleeding,” he said as if Nero didn’t see the red streak drizzling down his wrist.
“Yeah, let’s call it a night.” Arturo laughed nervously and was the first out of the door, pushing past Miguel in panic as if he was about to get his nose sliced off.
Nando must have had something stronger, because he still waved at them in passing before Arturo tugged him out of the room, exiting along with several other people who didn’t want to be caught up in the drama by their table.
Nero inhaled and dropped the glass to the floor, staring at the cuts on his hand. Those would hurt like a bitch for the next few days, whenever he did anything. He’d have to jerk off with his fucking left hand unless he got Miguel to help him. “You were the one to provoke it. Maybe think next time.”
“Me?” Miguel asked, and Teo had the right mind to slink out without another word. Even his proximity to Miguel when he did so infuriated Nero. Would these two fuckers have hooked up if not for his intervention? He couldn’t read Miguel, and it was driving him up the wall.