“Seriously?” she whispered.
I knew our licenses were marked. Armanellis were rarely pulled over, and when we were, we didn’t get tickets.
“Officer, tell the lady you apologize for any disrespect too.” I couldn’t help myself. Katie shoved me as if I was taking it too far. So I took it one step further. “And when you apologize, look her in the eyes and mean it. Be the man your other officers expect you to be. Don’t terrorize women.”
He looked her straight in the eyes and mumbled so many apologies, I had to cut him off and tell him to leave us to our alley.
As he drove away, Katie watched him go, then punched me in the arm. “You had that up your sleeve this whole time?”
“I don’t use it on command, woman. We don’t ever want them to pull our licenses.”
“I’m telling Bastian I want one.”
“You don’t need one.”
“I definitely need one.” She readjusted the latex on her body. “I’m in a systemically racist, patriarchal society. Literally every woman should have one.”
I stared at her in her fiery rage, ready to school anyone who countered her argument. “You’re fucking beautiful. And one day—not today, but one day soon—I might have to tell you I love you and watch the chaos that ensues.”
“Why does it have to be chaos?”
“Because I’m the protector of the mob. I can’t have distractions.”
“I’m a distraction then?” she asked, head tilted with pain in her eyes.
“You’re the biggest distraction because I may put you before everything, even the family.”
She nodded and turned to look out toward the brick walls steeped in darkness. After a moment, she whispered, “Thank you.” She cleared her throat and dragged one finger along the windowpane. “You didn’t have to make the cop say sorry. I appreciate it.”
I wanted to tell her that’s how life should be, that a man should stand by his woman.
But I couldn’t rightfully claim to be her man until I came clean about the secret we all knew.
Her head fell back on her headrest as she sighed, ran her hand over her face, and then chuckled as she looked up toward the car’s sunroof. “Honestly, I sort of want to ride you like a horse all over again after that display of chivalry. Is that what I just witnessed?”
“You witnessed a real man, Kate-Bait.”
“Real men take me out, Rome.” She winked at me. “We going to your club or what?”
I intended to take her there, but Cade had texted that we needed Georgie’s laptop. I pulled away from the alley and took two more turns.
“What are we doing here?” she whispered like we were still being watched.
“I have to get something from Georgie’s place.”
“He’s got security and—”
“I’m well aware of his layout, Kate-Bait.” I cursed my bad idea. We should never have left my place, not when I was always supposed to be available to the family.
“I’m going with.” She grabbed her coat.
The hell she was. “No.” I shook my head, my voice low and final.
“I’m not staying in the car after what just happened, Rome. Not an option.”
I swore under my breath and glanced down the alley, but I already knew I wouldn’t leave her. I didn’t know who would be around after what we’d encountered. This night was going to shit, especially since I hadn’t told Bastian, Cade, or Dante to have us watched, because she wasn’t supposed to be out of the damn apartment in the first place. “Wear that in with the hood up. I don’t need cameras catching our identities.”
Her hands were already placing the hood on her head. It cloaked her face in such a way that the city lights danced over her strong bone structure. I glanced away to scan the perimeter and remind myself that we were targets at all times, that I couldn’t have my dick control the situation tonight.