Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 127201 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127201 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
Arturo was also there, and he hunched over despite the smile plastered to his round face. “Yeah… things got out of hand last time, huh?” he asked but wouldn’t meet Nero’s eyes as if Juan had been his bestie.
“He would have killed me if it wasn’t for Miguel,” Nero said and sat on the sofa curving around the table, instantly moving farther along the seat to make space for his companion.
Nando grinned. “Is your dog here? I’d bark for him.” He arched toward the entrance, as if he hoped to be the first one to get a glimpse of Miguel once he stepped in.
Theo was the third man present, but while he hadn’t been there two days ago, he’d undoubtedly heard from the others about what had happened. Still, he asked, “who are we talking about?”
If Nando was a Long Island ice tea, Arturo a Piña Colada, then Teo was a gin and tonic. Simple, classic, and a bit boring. He wore jeans and a white shirt with rolled-up sleeves and several buttons at the top open to entice the eye. The outfit showcased his assets—nice arms with a dusting of dark hair, muscular thighs, and a trim waistline. Even his short haircut felt utilitarian in the way it accentuated his jawline. He and Nero had fucked a couple of times, and while effective, Teo was just as plain in bed as he was in any other setting.
“My friend Miguel,” Nero said, leaning back in the booth as the pulsing background music caressed him wherever his body touched another surface. “He’s just fetching me a drink.”
“His bodyguard,” Nando filled in excitedly. “And I’m not surprised Nero wants to have him around all the time.”
Teo smiled and sat closer. “Is he that effective? I heard about—”
Nando snorted. “Because he’s a hot beefcake covered in ink.” He turned to Nero, and since he was still standing, wiggled his hips. “Is his dick tattooed?”
Nero shrugged. “Didn’t get a close enough look. It’s like not being allowed to lick a candy and being forced to only see it through the wrapper. But I’ll get there.”
Arturo, who so far remained kind of quiet, chose this opportunity to speak. “I just wanted to say I’m happy that none of us was seriously hurt last night. I’m sure you had a good reason for... what happened with Aaron,” he finished, lowering his gaze.
Ensuring he remained in good graces. Safe but also pathetic. For all of Juan’s faults and bad decisions, Nero couldn’t help but admire his loyalty to that dirty liar Aaron.
“It’s all on Miguel.”
“What’s on me?” Miguel asked. His dark gaze sucked in what little light the spotlights above produced, leaving Nero’s focus on him. The only way to get rid of this growing infatuation was to fuck it out of his system. And he needed to do it fast, because Miguel’s stoicism, sometimes cracked by glimpses of a different man hiding inside, were messing with his head.
As soon as Miguel passed Nero a red drink with orange peel resting on the surface, Teo shot to his feet and extended his hand in greeting to introduce himself.
“We were just talking about your bravery the other night.”
Miguel hummed, taking a sip of his mystery drink. Dark, but a bit translucent, served in a wide glass with ice cubes and a slice of lime on the rim. Rum and Coke?
Miguel seemed like more of a Bloody Mary type of person, tart, strong, and uncompromising. Nero regretted not asking for that particular cocktail, but when he took a sip of the one in front of him, the bitter aftertaste made him smile. It was what he’d ordered. A bitter Negroni. But Miguel didn’t bring it in some slavish attempt to satisfy his boss, like someone else might have. It just wasn’t in his nature to fuck with people and spoil their day for no reason.
“He’s the best I’ve had,” Nero said, deciding to compliment Miguel without outright making it an attempt to get into his pants.
“Definitely the handsomest,” Arturo said and gave Miguel’s hairy forearm a playful pat.
Miguel frowned and looked around the men, showing off his signature squint, which Nero found endearing. “I’m sure Nero usually chooses his personal guards for their looks, but I got to work for him by accident.”
Or rather as inheritance from a man whose branch of Raul Moreno’s business Nero had taken over. But Miguel was a fool if he thought Nero wouldn’t have chosen him, even if just to mess with him for fun.
Teo laughed a little too loudly and clinked his glass with Miguel’s as if they were good friends already. “I can only dream of an accident like that happening to me one day.”
“Highly unlikely, unless you end up in a situation where lots of people want you dead,” Nero said, meeting Teo’s gaze.