Soulless Devil (Sons of Valentino #3)(21)

“We’ve already established that when it comes to matters of the heart, your perception is wrong, Livvy. Do we really need to revisit the Romeo and Juliet debate?”

I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face. I actually feel like I could debate any topic with him and still have a good time. “I don’t want to hurt your ego when I prove you wrong.” I laugh.





Chapter Eleven





Hearing Livvy’s carefree laugh eases my tensed muscles. I feel like I’ve been walking on pins and needles, waiting for the other shoe to drop. I know that we can never actually go anywhere. She wants to be a fucking prosecutor. And me, well, I’m the one she’ll be prosecuting. Or one of my family members…

It couldn’t be more of a fucked-up situation. If I can’t have her, the least I can do is keep a close eye on her. Keep her safe. Starting with finding out what fuckwit spray-painted her dorm room.

“If you won, it’d be because I let you,” I tell her in response to her statement about beating me in a debate.

“If that’s what you have to tell yourself to sleep at night. I was on the debate team. We won state champs three years in a row.”

“Of course you were,” I say, rolling my eyes. “Tell me a flaw. There has to be something you can’t do?”

“Mmm, my biggest flaw is my inability to make friends. I’ve never really been able to just hang out,” she says, using air quotes.

“You’re doing it just fine now.”

“That’s because you are easy to talk to. Easy to be around. I don’t know… It’s weird but I feel like I’ve known you a lot longer than a week.”

“It’s not weird,” I tell her and she raises one eyebrow at me. “Okay, it’s a little weird, but I feel it too, you know. This connection.”

“Oh.”

An awkward silence washes over us. I’ve never been this fucking awkward, this scared of saying the wrong fucking thing before. “You can sleep in my bed. I’ll stay here on the sofa.”

“I’m not kicking you out of your bed, Romeo. I’ll stay on the sofa. It’s fine.”

“I’m not having you sleep on the sofa.” I stand. “Come on.” Taking hold of her open palm, I pull her to her feet and walk down the hall. I don’t let go. I know I should, but fuck, it feels good to hold her hand. “I won’t sleep if you’re on the sofa. Take the bed. I’ll be fine. Trust me,” I tell her, opening the door.

“I feel horrible, Romeo. You shouldn’t lose your bed because of me,” she says.

I’d offer to share it with her, but I don’t want to make her uncomfortable. So, instead, I smile. “If I cared, I wouldn’t offer it. Help yourself to anything you want, or yell out if you need me for anything.” I stalk back down the hall.

“Romeo?”

I turn around to face her.

“Thank you,” she says before closing my bedroom door.

I go into the kitchen and pour myself a tumbler of whiskey. Is Luca right? Am I in love with her? How the fuck am I supposed to know the answer to that? How does anyone really know if they’re in love, or just lusting after the unattainable?

Heading back into the living room, I clear away all the takeout leftovers and wipe down the table before I crack my laptop open. I had one of the boys log in to the dorm security and get the footage from today. Their email says the system was cut off for an hour and no one was seen entering or leaving Livvy’s floor. She told me she feels like she’s being watched. Maybe she fucking is. I know the footage isn’t there, but I look for myself anyway, fast-forwarding through most of the day. There’s nothing that appears off about the girls who come and go from the building. Why didn’t I fucking plant a camera or listening device in her dorm room? I had thought of it. But something about crossing a line and some other bullshit morals held me back from following through with that plan.

Well, those morals can fuck right off now, because I want cameras everywhere she fucking goes. I won’t allow her to be a target, especially if it’s someone trying to get at me. Shutting off the laptop, I lie flat on my back and close my eyes.





Downing a cup of black coffee, in my attempts to pick myself up a bit after a night spent tossing and turning, I slam the empty cup on the counter. I’m cooking breakfast, one of the only meals I can make that’s also half decent. Luca is the first one to enter the kitchen. “Maybe Livvy should sleep here more often if this is what I get to wake up to.”

I don’t bother responding. I’m still pissed off at him for how much of a smart-ass he was to her last night.

“Silent treatment too. Perfect fucking morning,” he continues.

I flip the pancakes, continuing to ignore his stupidity. Maybe if I pretend he isn’t here, he’ll go away.

“Really, Romeo, you’re not gonna talk to me?”

“I don’t have anything to say that you want to hear right now, Luca.”

“Good then, because I’ve got shit you need to hear. I get it. You like this chick. But her dad is a cop, Romeo. Just how do you think this is going to play out?”

“Former cop. Retired. He’s not a cop anymore.”

“And you think that makes a difference? That girl is way too fucking nice and innocent to get mixed up in our family, and you know it.”