24
Moreno
I can’t sleep. I’m not necessarily making it easy for anyone else in the house to sleep, either.
Nova, thankfully, is a sound sleeper.
But after slamming the door behind Paige, I need space and more importantly time.
Time to figure out what the hell I’m going to do.
“We’re going out,” Dante says as he steps out of his bedroom.
“What?” I can’t remember the last time the two of us went out for fun and not business. Since he’s been tied down to Nikki, the party-going sleep with any girl with a pulse has been tamed.
It’s a rare sight to see and I’m happy for him.
Dante deserves Nikki. She certainly wasn’t an easy catch.
He grabs me by the arm and leads me down the stairs, away from Nova’s bedroom and, more importantly, Paige’s room.
“It’s clear you need a night out, away from whatever the two of you have going on.” Dante is usually more direct.
I anticipate he’ll ask me about Paige while we’re out of the house, which is fine. I just don’t want her listening to our conversation. Not that I’ve discovered her eavesdropping, I haven’t. It’s just the ring, the fact she stole it that I can’t let go of.
How could I?
But I can’t confide in Dante, or he’ll kick her ass to the curb.
Why do I want to protect her?
“What about Nikki?”
“I don’t need her permission,” Dante says and smirks. “She’s out tonight with her friends.”
I laugh under my breath. Is Dante’s suggestion for us to go out for him or for me? “What about the kids?”
“The nanny is here, right?”
I give a weak nod.
“Don’t make me order you to come out with me and have fun.” Dante smacks me on the back and nudges me forward to follow him out the door.
He would do that to insist I join him tonight. “No orders needed, boss.”
* * *
“You can’t tell me none of the girls here are attractive,” Dante says.
I swear he’s trying to get me laid.
We’re in the VIP lounge of the bar that he owns. It’s a bit seedy for my taste. The bartender brings over a bottle of whiskey for Dante. They know his preference. It’s one of the advantages of owning the establishment.
She brings two empty glasses with the bottle and a soda on the side for me. Why she ever brings an empty whiskey glass for me is baffling, but today I might actually indulge in liquoring myself up.
Anything to avoid feeling—what, exactly?
The last time I was here was when I interviewed Paige.