CHAPTERTWENTY
Stella
Calli is hot on my heels as I race down the stairs, her argument thankfully gone until I’m about to crash through the door into Nico’s basement.
“Don’t you think you should knock?”
“Why? I’ve already seen him getting sucked off and naked in the same night.”
“Fucking hell,” she mutters but doesn’t say anything else as I swing the door open to announce our arrival and run down the stairs.
“Calli, what the hell?” Nico barks, clearly assuming that my light footsteps are her. “Oh shit, Princess,” he gasps when I turn the corner.
“Stella,” another familiar voice booms, and before I can turn to see him, I find myself swept up in my brother’s arms.
Yeah, that sounds weird as fuck in my head, and I tense for a beat.
“Toby,” I whisper, hugging him back.
“Hands to yourself, bro. You’re related and all that now,” Nico mutters.
“Fuck you, man,” Toby barks, releasing me and running his eyes down my body. But it’s not in a sexual way, more of a protective, needing to make sure I’m in one piece kind of way.
Relief floods me that we’re going to be able to move past that awkward kiss moment. I hate to have discovered I’ve got a brother only to lose him again almost as quickly because he couldn’t cope with flipping the switch on his feelings on a dime.
I guess me almost dying might have helped with that somewhat.
“So…” I say, turning back to Nico and putting an end to his inappropriate comments. “I need a favor.”
An intrigued smile twitches at his lips.
“Go on.”
“I need a gun.”
He immediately throws his head back and laughs like it’s the funniest thing he’s ever heard.
“No,” he says, suddenly sobering from his amusement.
“It wasn’t a question, it was a statement, asshole.”
“I’m not giving you a fucking gun, Princess.”
Sucking my bottom lip into my mouth, I look up at him through my lashes and take a step forward.
“I promise I know how to use it,” I breathe, my voice all raspy.
“I know what you’re doing, and it’s not going to work.”
“Oh no?”
I come to a stop right in front of him and run my fingertips down his chest, feeling his muscles bunch when I hit his abs.
“Princess,” he growls. “You’re playing with fire.”
“I fucking love the burn, Cirillo,” I sass.
“Seb will kill me when he finds out,” he growls when my fingers stop at his waistband.