I turn my head, expecting to find Vinny next to me, but the bed’s empty. Instead, he sits a few feet away in a chair, wearing nothing but sweatpants, drinking coffee that smells divine from an oversized mug.

“Morning.” He sips his coffee, looking well settled in his chair.

“How long have you been up?” Sleep coats my voice.

“I don’t know. Maybe an hour.”

“How long have you been sitting there?”

“I don’t know. Maybe an hour.” He grins.

“You’re just sitting there?”

“I’m enjoying the view.” A dirty grin on his face, Vinny’s eyes motion to my exposed ass.

“You’ve been staring at my ass for an hour?”

“It’s a f**king great ass.” Unapologetically, he sips his coffee and shrugs.

Reaching back, I pull at the sheet that I’ve somehow wrapped around my body like an angry snake about to crush its victim.

“Don’t.” Vinny stands and walks to the bed, pulling the small piece of sheet I was able to free from my hands. The bed dips as he sits, one arm reaches across the bed, hauling me closer in one swift motion that seems to have taken no effort from him.

“I love seeing my hand print here.” He swats my ass hard. Murmuring, his voice changes from playful to deep – sexy and raspy. His hands gently caress my backside. “Are you sore from last night?”

“No.” I feel my face flush just thinking about last night.

“Look at me,” he orders, his voice commanding.

“Are you okay with last night?” His eyes find mine and lock me into his gaze.

“Yes.” It’s difficult to admit for some reason, but it’s the truth. I’m more than okay with last night. I never would have thought I’d like sex a bit on the rough side. But I’m finding there are a lot of things about myself I didn’t know.

Vinny nods, accepting my answer. “Coffee?”

“Oh my god, yes.”

Vinny smiles, it’s genuine and I see his face relax. I hadn’t even realized there was tension there before. But it’s gone now. “I’ll get it, but that ass better be right where it is when I get back.” He leans down and playfully bites my ass cheek.

After a long, hot, thoroughly enjoyable shower we both dry off in the bathroom together. I clear the fog from the mirror as Vinny stands behind me kissing my shoulder.

“Go away with me next weekend?” His eyes find mine in the mirror

“Where?”

“I have an exhibition just outside of Washington on Saturday. Was planning on flying down on Friday morning, but if you can’t get off of work, we can go later.”

Outside of Washington, really? “I actually need to go down to Washington this week anyway. I have to do an interview. Could we leave Thursday morning so I can work Friday during the day in D.C.?” Staring into the reflection of his eyes, for a split second, I consider telling him what I need to go do. Just blurt it all out. Every day I find myself falling a little more for this complicated man. But the guilt of keeping such a personal secret clouds it, weighing heavily on my shoulders. I quickly reconsider, I can’t hurt him just to lighten my load. Especially when I’m not certain if it’s even true.

“Whatever you want. There’s always guys at the gym that will cover my classes for some extra cash.”

“Okay.”

Vinny turns me to face him. “Okay?” A questioning smile on his face, he looks so young and happy. Seeing him so stress free and light, it makes me feel like I’m doing the right thing. I don’t remember him even looking this carefree in high school.

“Sure, it sounds like fun. Do I get to see your exhibition?” I tease.

“You get to see me kick someone’s ass.” He plants a chaste kiss on my mouth before tearing off the towel wrapped around my body and hauling me over his shoulder.

“What are you doing?”

“Taking you back to bed.”

“I can walk.”

“I can carry you.”

“Maybe, but I’ll make it quicker to the bed.”

Chapter 27

Vince

“Don’t give Preach a hard time. He’s doing me a favor going down with you to D.C. since Elle can’t travel.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“That’s what you said the night before your first fight and I had to pick you up down at the police station at two in the morning.”

“I won’t be in a bar at two in the morning this time.” I jump from the chin up bar, landing in front of Nico. He stands his ground.

“You better not be.”

Picking up the jump rope, I don’t look in his direction as I speak. “Liv’s coming with me.”

“Liv’s coming?”

“Is there a damn echo in here?”

Nico laughs and shakes his head. “That’s good. She seems like she can keep you out of trouble.”

“I can keep myself out of trouble.” I whip the jump rope, turning at warp speed, two flicks of the wrist with each single jump. Nico has to back up to keep from getting slapped in the face as the rope begins to play a whirling song with each turn.

“Whatever, I’m glad she’s going.”

“Yeah, me too.”

***

Thursday I stop by my mom’s to check in before heading to Liv’s to pick her up and leave for the airport. She’s in better shape than most days, even sitting up on the couch and capable of having a lucid conversation.

“You look good, Ma.”

She laughs, assuming I’m pacifying her. “Thanks, Baby”

“Did Jason resurface and fix things with the two guys that were here last week?” I’ve started to ask around, the guy’s an even bigger loser than I first thought. And I didn’t think much of him to start.

Her eyes trained downward, she wrings her hands as she speaks. I know the answer before the words fall from her lips. “No, I’ve tried everything I know of to reach him, but he’s gone. Vanished.”

Shit, I knew that dirtbag was no good. Should’ve finished his sorry ass off when I had the chance the day I found him raising his hand to my mother.

“Ma, those guys aren’t screwing around. I asked around about them. They don’t make threats lightly. How much are they holding you up for?”

“Two hundred.”

“Please, please tell me that you’re kidding! Or that you mean two hundred bucks?” I begin to pace. What the hell has she done? Where am I going to get that kind of money? I figured the loser was passed out somewhere on a binge, but it’s been too long…the realization just starting to kick in that he’s probably hiding. Leaving my mother holding the bag just for vouching for him. Now I’m starting to get nervous.