Angelo

I should have listed evading the cops as a special skill on my law school application. After dodging the Feds for the third time today, Sonny and I were getting good at it. It was like old times, long before we knew how to do illegal shit without getting caught.

“On your two o’clock,” Sonny said to me, as I stuffed the money in my pocket, drawing my attention to the unmarked car rolling past the alleyway. “We have to go.”

Avoiding the cops was a normal day for both of us. But we hadn’t had to run through the city to do it since we were in high school. My time apart from Gia was making me do stupid shit I never would have done if she were around. Making collections on foot between breaks from school wasn’t the smartest of ideas.

Scanning my surroundings, I pressed my back against the wall and watched the car creep by us. “Head down Diamond Street and cut through the Quad. They won’t follow us with all those people around. Then, we can make a run for the parking lot and stash the money in my trunk.”

Sonny nodded and followed me down the vacant alley with his hand up to his forehead to block the sun from his eyes. “Next time, we do this by car. Fuck running around like assholes.”

I picked up the pace. “There won’t be a next time. I graduate next week.”

He smirked. Even though he would never say it, Sonny respected me for following through with school. I never thought I would get a bachelor’s degree let alone a master’s degree in jurisprudence. Someone had to look legitimate in this family, and I was the only one smart enough to pull it off.

We hauled ass across the quad and into the throng of students. Fraternity brothers were on the lawn watching sorority girls lather up their bodies with tanning oil. With graduation around the corner, people were busy with finals. Some were already cleaning out their dorm rooms.

I looked over my shoulder at the unmarked car which was creeping down Broad Street and picking up the pace. Raising my middle finger in the air to the agent behind the tinted window, I smiled and darted through the Quad. This wasn’t one of my finer ideas for losing a tail, but I had to improvise.

Oblivious to my surroundings, I turned around too late and crashed into someone. It was Gia. She had a stack of books that fell from her hands. One of them hit me on the shoulder, and the rest were scattered on the grass next to us.

I flashed a cocky grin that made her lip curl in anger even though I seemed to have the opposite effect on her nipples. She was probably wet for me, too.

“Hey, beautiful.”

Blushing ten shades of pink from her cheeks to her neck, she rolled her eyes at me. “Don’t hey, beautiful me, Angelo.”

I sunk to the ground to collect her books and was planning to help her with them when she stole them from me.

She turned her body away from me, and I grabbed her wrist. “Wait. Can we talk, G?”

“Take your hands off me, Angelo.” She spoke with venom in her words and fire behind her beautiful blue eyes. “We can’t…” she trailed off.

Her words sliced through me. I never meant to hurt her. I wasn’t the one who killed her mother, but she blamed me.

Gia wiggled free from my grasp, the sexual tension burning between us like a lit match. I wanted to bend her over and fuck some sense into her.

She smiled, but it wasn’t for me. I turned to see who had commanded Gia’s attention. A man, about the same age as me, stalked toward us. He wore dark jeans and a tight black shirt that hugged his muscular frame.

As his eyes met Gia’s, he smiled back.

“Ready to go, babe?” He slid his arm across her shoulder, pulling her close. Then, he turned to look at me. “Lo, hey, I didn’t see you there.”

She’s mine.

Gia was always mine.

Or at least she was supposed to be with me.

Anger seethed through me, but I had bigger problems than Connor O’Shea—like the cops who were too damn close to breathe.

“Take good care of my girl, O’Shea, or I’ll put a bullet in your skull.”

Gia gasped. Connor didn’t even flinch. He was a crazy motherfucker like me, which made him perfect for the task of protecting Gia.

“We’re going to be late for class,” Gia said to Connor with her eyes on me.

Grabbing Gia by the hip, he steered her away from me. “What was that all about?” He attempted to whisper the words but failed.

I couldn’t hear Gia’s response, her tone so low and soft—I already missed the sound of her voice.

If the Feds weren’t within eyesight, I would have run after Gia. I had to maintain appearances for the sake of my family.

Gia looked over her shoulder at me with sadness in her eyes. The man next to her held her close, but the intensity and passion between us sizzled through the air, making me all too aware of her energy. I folded my arms across my chest, engaged in a stare-down with the only girl I’d ever loved.

We had unfinished business.

I lost her once. I would not lose her again.

But I had to be smart.