Reckless Temptations (Tempted #4)(12)

“You’re despicable,” she hissed, pulling her bag from the counter and throwing the strap over her shoulder.

“Oh baby, I love it when you talk dirty,” I whispered against her ear.

“Kiss my ass, Riggs!” My name sounded like a curse on her tongue as she turned and stalked toward her brother’s office.

“Anytime, kitten, anytime,” I called out to her, eyes glued to her perfect ass and the way it jiggled in her jeans.

Yeah, this gig wasn’t so bad.

“There’s no pen under here,” Brittany said, disappointedly. “Oh, but your friend left her phone here,” she said, holding Lauren’s phone in her hand.

I glanced over my shoulder at the phone and a mischievous grin worked its way across my mouth as I plucked the phone from Brittany’s fingers.

“Stay the fuck away from my sister.” Anthony’s voice loomed in my ears.

I pulled a pocket light from my key ring and shined the beam onto the screen, picking up her prints I typed her passcode into her phone and called my own.

Easy as pie.

I added my number to her contacts, grinning as I typed my name into the requested field before taking my phone and storing her as “Kitten.”

I placed the phone carefully onto the counter where she left it and laughed to myself.

Those Bianci’s were a pain in the ass but they sure were fun to fuck with.





Chapter Four





I knocked on the door to my brother’s office. Weird. I never thought Anthony would get out of the mob. I’m still not sure he is, but at least now he’s like every other big-time gangster, with a legit business to cover his ass.

“Come in,” he called from behind the door.

I opened the door and poked my head inside and instantly smiled. My brother was everything to me growing up. I knew he was a bad boy and although he scared all my boyfriends’ away with merely a look, he was my idol. My best friend. Some girls measured every guy in their life to their father—me, I measured them to Anthony.

“Look at you, the boss man himself,” I said with a smile, closing the door behind me.

He lifted his head from the papers on his desk and grinned at me.

“Hey you,” he greeted, while standing and walking around his desk to peck me on the cheek. “What’re you doing here? I thought you and Adrianna were going shopping with ma,” he said, leaning against the desk as I took a seat.

“Yeah, I skipped out on that.” I glanced at the security footage that covered every inch of Xonerated. “Everything looks great, Ant. I’m so proud of you,” I enthused.

“Thanks,” he said, crossing his arms as he stared at me.

Anthony had a gift at dissecting people with his eyes. I hated it and more so because I was lying to my entire family.

“What’s going on?” He questioned.

Shit.

I turned my gaze to him and met his worried eyes.

“Nothing,” I lied, as the pro I was at misleading the people in my life. After that first initial lie they seemed to drip from my mouth with no effort at all.

“Lau, it’s me you’re talking to,” he coaxed, gently. “School getting to you?”

“Well, since you brought it up,” I began, drawing out a deep breath. “We need to talk about Mom moving upstate,” I said.

“What about it? She told me last night she loves it up there,” he said.

“She’s driving me bananas!”

“I know Mom can be difficult,” he started.

“No you’re not getting it,” I interrupted. “She comes to the apartment when I’m not there. She’s walked in on Mia and the guy she’s dating. The other day she took my laundry with her and shrunk half my shit,” I explained. “It’s bad, Ant. She’s bored shitless and to be frank, I will never get my nursing degree with her up my ass,” I added.

I was going to hell for every lie I’ve told—that one right there, that’s the one that bumped my ass to the front of the line. No purgatory for this girl.

“I’ll talk to her,” he conceded.

I lifted my eyes to his.

“Talk to her? Do we have the same mother?”

“Okay, what do you suggest I do?” He asked with a hint of amusement laced in his voice.

“I think she would be better off coming back here to live. Just think how much alone time you can get with your new bride if Mom was around to watch Luca,” I suggested, nudging him with my elbow. “Possibly even get cracking on giving me a niece or another nephew,” I hinted.

His eyebrows drew together looking as if he was contemplating my words before finally responding.

“Anything else you want to tell me?” He questioned.

“Nope that’s it’s,” I confirmed cheerfully.

“Lauren,” he said skeptically.

“Okay, okay, fine,” I pouted, dropping back into my chair. “My car is fucked,” I blurted out.

“What’s wrong with it?”

“The thing starts when it wants, the tires are shot and the brakes squeak,” I rambled.

“I’ll take care of it when you go back home and send a tow for it,” he promised. “You need anything else? Money? Books?”