Anika’s friends joined us on the dance floor, and I was shocked to find that I actually didn’t mind their company. When the song ended, we retreated back to our corner with the girls in tow.
A brunette with a huge smile who seemed to bounce on the spot when she talked, Carla Martinez, gasped, gripping my arm tight enough to sting. “Oh my God. He’s here.”
Yo. I frowned, gently pulling her vice-like grip off of me. Hands off the merchandise, lady.
The cute blonde standing next to Anika peered over my head to see behind me, then smirked. Faith Lewis made a show, raising a single brow. “Like, I think you know him, Nastasia.”
My heart stuttered, and I spun around quickly, any appearance of cool officially gone.
Oh.
My stomach sank in disappointment. It wasn’t the person I wanted it to be, but when he jerked his chin in my direction, a slow smile tugged at my lips, and I lifted my hand in a demure greeting.
He strode toward me with three friends in tow, and the moment he got near enough, his face dipped close to mine and he kissed my cheek in a move that secretly stunned me. I put a quick hand to my stomach to ease the flutter.
This was strange. I wasn’t used to this. Guys were normally too scared to come within walking distance of me, and with my brothers burning holes into them with a simple stare, I didn’t even blame them. The familiarity in which he treated me was new. After a quick thought, I decided I liked it.
Okay, so he wasn’t Vik, but he still kept my belly warm, and my cheeks flushed. And until the moment Vik would realize the gift he had in me, I was a free agent. I begged myself to play it cool, but my fingers came up to brush the place he kissed me.
The moment he caught the move, his eyes crinkled in the corners. I should’ve been embarrassed, and maybe it was the beer, but I just couldn’t find the will to care.
Instead, I craned my neck up to look at him. “Tino.”
Santino Ricci took a small step closer. “Beautiful Nas.”
Anika’s eyes looked like they might just pop right out of her head, and I could have imagined it, but I swear she, Carla, and Faith grouped together and squee’d very, very quietly.
This caught the attention of the guys hovering behind him. One of them took a long look at Anika, and a slow grin formed. “How you doin’?”
He was tall, well-dressed, and looked at her like he was a hungry lion and she was the only bunny rabbit he wanted to eat.
Anika looked like she might choke on her own tongue. When she attempted to respond, all she managed to do was let out a little squeak.
Oh God, Ani.
She, like me, was not used to guys being so forward. All the boys at school knew we were off limits thanks to our brothers, which, understandably, left us a little awkward around guys our age.
Seclusion was the price you paid for being a mob princess.
Embarrassed, she blushed prettily, then dipped her chin to hide her smile. “Good.”
Distracted by the handsome man in front of me, I ignored them and grinned. “Aren’t you a little old to be attending high school parties?”
“Damn, girl. You’re mean.” His smile was sly as he placed a hand over his heart, rubbing at the make-believe ache. “Maybe I should just leave you to it.”
“No.” My hand shot out to his before I could stop myself. He looked down at my hand in his for a moment, then squeezed it gently. Now I was mortified. That did not stop my beer-loosened tongue from saying, “Don’t go.”
“Crap. Nas.” Anika grabbed my arm.
“Yeah,” I uttered vaguely as I stared up into Tino’s handsome face.
But the hand on my arm tugged at me. Her tone was sharper this time. “Nas.”
I spun on her, annoyed, and snapped, “What?”
She looked past me to the open doorway and responded evenly, “Your brothers are here.”
What the shit?
Fuck.
I was almost too scared to look.
Licking my lips, I feigned confidence I did not have as I turned in their direction, then immediately wished I hadn’t.
Lev stared down at the masculine hand holding mine while Sasha’s piercing gaze met my eyes squarely. When Lev’s hands fisted by his sides, my stomach flip-flopped.
Oh no.
I did not need my quirky brother to have a moment. Not now.
Please, God, not now.
It was bad enough having the reputation our family had. I was already labelled a misfit. My social status—or lack thereof—did not need this.
Thankfully, when Lev moved to stalk toward Tino, Sasha stopped him, speaking directly into his ear. Lev immediately calmed, losing the raging fire in his eyes, and my heartbeat steadied, thankful for Sasha’s interjection.
Strangely, my brothers didn’t start for me. Instead, they moved off to the side, keeping a distance while watching me with an eagle’s eye.
In a weird way, I was grateful. I didn’t know what they were doing there, but it seemed they weren’t going to embarrass me in front of the entire senior class.
Reminding me of the warm hand clasping mine, Tino spoke into my ear, “Your brothers?”
I faced him. “Yeah.”
Tino didn’t take his eyes off of them. “Are we good?”
My shrug was light. “I think so. I mean, you’re not a bloody heap at my feet, so I guess.”
Just as Tino smiled and tugged at my hand to pull me closer, Anika cussed, hiding her drink. And I internally sighed. Without even looking, I felt his penetrating gaze all over me, and when Tino peered over my head, puffing out a long breath, I smiled sadly.
We looked at each other woefully, knowing we would never have our chance.
Tino merely shook his head, then spoke through an exhale, “Maybe in another lifetime.”
When a strong hand slipped into my free one, grasping it tightly, I found myself slipping out of Tino’s hold and holding onto the intruder’s like a lifeline.
This wasn’t a choice. There was no choosing. No one could ever compete with the man radiating waves of anger and clutching at my hand like he owned me. Because he did.
Tino didn’t bother to hide his glare. “Viktor.”
But Vik didn’t bother with niceties. “Grab your shit, Ani. We’re leaving.”
Like me, Anika knew better than to argue in front of a crowd. With a huff of complaint, she pushed off the wall, gave her friends a small wave, and shot the guy she was talking to a dejected smile. With complete grace and elegance, she all but glided past me, and while she got away to safety, I was stuck here with the jerk who equally made me want to kill for him while also wanting to kill him.
The space around us changed. I knew something was coming. There was a tension in the air that felt suffocating, and it was building. I just didn’t know what it was building to.
That was when Vik opened his mouth. There was a rough quality to his voice. “If you know what’s good for you, Ricci, you’ll stay away from Nas.”
Ah. There it was.
I wished Tino was the type to back down. Alas, he was not. “Or what, Vik?”
Oh no. No.
A tiny part of me wanted to go over to Tino and slap my hand over his mouth. I would have if I didn’t know how weak it would make him appear.
Vik took a threatening step forward, releasing my hand, and the words shot out of his mouth like bullets from a gun. “Or I’ll put you down like the diseased animal you are.” He pulled up his shirt, and it didn’t take a genius to know that Vik had shown him his piece. “Don’t fuck with me, boy. You got hundreds of girls out here.”