“Robert,” Priest said, and Robbie flashed him a sloppy but endearing grin.
“Yes. Priest.”
Priest tapped a finger to Robbie’s lips. “Can you blame me for being jealous? I’d be stupid not to be.”
“And you’re not stupid,” Robbie said, and nipped at that finger.
Priest frowned, and Julien had a feeling Priest was thinking the exact opposite about himself right then.
To change the topic, Julien returned his attention to Elliot and Felicity. “Thank you for bringing him home tonight.”
“You don’t have to thank us,” Elliot said. “We’ve done this a few times in the past for each other.”
“Plus…” Robbie drawled, looking at Julien, “they practically made me bring them back here to meet you two.”
Felicity’s eyes widened. “Robert Antonio Bianchi, zip it.”
“What? It’s true.”
Felicity rolled her eyes, but Elliot said, “You can hardly blame us, Bianchi. You didn’t shut up about them all night.”
Priest’s entire body stiffened at that little tidbit of information, and it was clear Julien wasn’t the only one who noticed.
“No need to worry, Mr. Priestley,” Robbie said, as he ran his hand up and down Priest’s t-shirt. “I only told them the good things, like— Oooh, you feel good.”
“He did actually tell us that,” Felicity said, as Robbie became sidetracked and moved up onto his tiptoes to practically purr against Priest’s cheek.
“Mhmm, I did. I left no detail out because they’re all sooo delicious.”
Julien had to bite the inside of his cheek to stop himself from laughing, because Robbie drunk was seriously entertaining, not to mention adorable. Julien just wished it had been under different circumstances.
“He also told us to bring him home because his men were waiting for him,” Elliot said, and Robbie glanced at him and batted his lashes.
“And was I wrong?”
“No,” Elliot said. “You weren’t wrong. They were both waiting.”
Julien caught the emphasis there and had to wonder at it. “Would you like to come in for a little bit?”
Elliot was about to respond, but Robbie beat him to it. “No, no, they would not. Would you, guys?”
“Well—” Felicity said.
“Blanche,” Robbie said. “You have to go back to Nonna’s.”
“Right.” Felicity patted Robbie’s shoulder then looked to Julien. “I do have to get back to Nonna’s, and Elliot has to get home before he turns into a pumpkin.”
“Yes, this is true,” Elliot said, and raised a hand to sweep his hair out of his eyes. “By the way, we’re really looking forward to your restaurant’s opening on Thursday. Thanks for the invite.”
“Oh, yes,” Felicity said. “But I have to warn you, you have die-hard Bianchi fans who are going to be in attendance.”
“More so than this one?” Priest asked, and Felicity looked to see Robbie rubbing his face up against the side of Priest’s, humming when the scruff of his beard tickled him.
“Okay, maybe not as much as him,” she said. “But you will definitely be making four women very happy on Valentine’s Day.”
Robbie started laughing, and then turned to waggle his eyebrows at Julien. “That’ll be a first, huh? Four women at once.”
Julien tapped a finger to Robbie’s nose. “You are so drunk, princesse.”
“I am…that’s true.” Robbie paused, and his forehead scrunched up as though he were trying to work out what he’d been saying. “But I’m still coherent enough to—”
“Use words like coherent?” Priest said, as he tightened his hold around Robbie’s waist.
“Yes, if you must know. But what I was going to say is we need to talk while I’m still coherent enough to have a conversation. So Elliot and Felicity need to skedaddle.”
“Well, that’s just rude,” Elliot said, and then Felicity leaned in and kissed Robbie’s cheek.
“It is,” she said. “You’re lucky you’re my favorite brother.”
“I’m your only brother, so that doesn’t count,” Robbie said, and rolled his eyes.
Felicity laughed, and the joyful sound reminded Julien of Robbie when he was relaxed and carefree. It also made him think of a time when he and his own sister had had such a close bond. A bond he was only now allowing himself to enjoy and remember.
“It’s nice to finally meet you two,” Felicity said, and Elliot agreed with a nod before a fierce protectiveness entered his eyes.
“But just so we’re clear, if you two don’t fix whatever it is you did to make him get this stupid drunk and horribly dressed tonight, you’ll have me and some angry Italians to deal with, fans or not.”
“Oh my God, El,” Robbie said. “Shut it.”
“No,” Priest said, making Elliot look in his direction. “He’s right. We appreciate you looking out for him tonight and always. You have our word—we’ll fix this.”
“Good,” Elliot said, and with that, Felicity blew Robbie a kiss and Elliot moved in to swat him on the ass, then they turned and headed off down the hall to the elevator.
A few seconds later, Robbie said, “Just so you know…Elliot and Felicity? They’re, like, the sweetest of the Bianchi clan. You should remember that. Us Italians are loyal when it comes to family, and last time I checked, you two said you were mine, so you”—Robbie jabbed Priest in the chest—“have some explaining to do, damn it. Or I’ll set them loose on you.”