“You own the club?”
He eyed me, confused. “Yes, did you not know that?”
Shaking my head, I sat back, wondering what else I didn’t know. I thought I was ready to learn everything, but maybe I wasn’t. The benefit would be enlightening, at least.
When we pulled up to their building, I was stunned for a second when it didn’t pull up to the curb but turned and went underground to a parking garage.
“Whoa. I never knew this was there.”
“That’s kind of the point.”
“Right. Mafia.” I nodded, like that explained everything.
Sax chuckled, the deep sound rumbling through me as he turned, placing his lips on my neck. I didn’t know what his new obsession with my neck was, but I wasn’t complaining. There were so many erogenous zones there I hadn’t known about, and each time he breathed, smiled or licked me, I felt my toes curl up and my pussy throb with need. Squirming in my seat, I felt him smile into the crook again, not helping the matter.
When we stepped out of the vehicle, I watched Atticus, wanting to see if I could tell the difference in him now that I knew who he was and that we’d had this conversation. Weirdly, I was kind of glad when he was still just Atticus.
“I hope you don’t mind us coming straight here. The fight is this evening and I need to check some things before we go. I guess I should’ve checked that you had everything you needed. I can send someone to pick up clothes, or run you back to your place if you’d prefer. I just thought you might not want to be alone after what happened.”
His thoughtfulness at my well-being helped soften some of the annoyance I felt at his assumption. I looked down at what I wore and knew it wasn’t exactly the appropriate fight attire, not if what I wore last time was the standard. Biting my lip in thought, a growl sounded, pulling me from my thoughts, and I glanced up to find Atticus standing close again.
“I really hate when you mistreat your lip as such, Bellezza.”
Swallowing, I tried to find an answer to his statement, but nothing came to mind, and we stared at one another, lost. Sax interrupted us a moment later, breaking the heated standoff between us.
“I have some errands to run now. I can run you to your place or pick something up.”
“Oh, um, yeah, that would be great. Is Immy going to the fight?”
Atticus looked at me strangely for a moment, like I’d just asked if he wanted to snuff cocaine. “I don’t typically allow my seventeen-year-old sister to attend these types of events.”
“I can understand that,” I started, trying not to take his tone for the scathing refute it was, “but was that just because it was at the underground place, or because of the context? Isn’t tonight’s fight at your new arena, Upswing?”
“Yes, but I hardly think it matters. Immy would never want to attend something like that.”
“Have you asked her? You might be surprised at what she’d want to do. I think you’ve underestimated her, and in trying to protect her, have sheltered her too much. I’m not saying stop doing all you’re doing,” I added, seeing the argument on both Atticus and Sax’s faces, “but, maybe, in controlled places, you should allow her to make her own decisions. I don’t know how this all works, the mafia life and hierarchy, but I know teenage girls, and the more you restrict, the harder they push. Giving her some freedom and letting her be a part of this life, it might be more helpful than you think. It’s just my opinion, but what do I know? I’m just a therapist.”
I winked, before turning and walking back toward the garage, hoping the sexy muscled man would follow me. When I heard his heavy stomps a second later, I smiled, feeling like I’d just won something there.