I looked at her wide-eyed, my eyebrows shooting upward as I waited forwhyshe thought I might kill her.
“I overreacted and panicked, and remade drinks for everyone who was sitting at the bar. I know he didn’t spike anyone else’s drink, but I went into panic mode and thought I’d feel better knowing there was absolutely no chance in hell anything was slipped into anyone else’s.”
Ugh, I freaking loved this girl. She had a heart of gold, even if she sometimes made rash decisions that hardly made any sense.
“It’s fine,” I told her, rubbing my hands up and down her arms. “I would never be mad over something as trivial as remaking drinks. You did what you felt needed to be done—you’re my right-hand woman, Indy. I wouldn’t call you that if I didn’t trust your judgment.”
She gave me a weak smile, and it suddenly occurred to me that I put a lot on this woman’s shoulders. “Effective immediately, your new job title is bar manager, and I’m increasing your pay. We’ll talk details tomorrow, but for now, I need you to do an early last call and close up shop. I’m exhausted, both mentally and physically, and it's time we all go home.”
Indy beamed, pulling me in for another hug. “Thank you, so, so much. I won’t let you down.”
“You never do.”
After I’d ensured that all of my employees were good and safe, I let Sly lead me up the stairs to the club’s living space. I still couldn’t wrap my head around why exactly they made the space above my bar their base, but as Sly and I walked down the dark hallway and passed all the closed doors, I felt grateful to have them there.
Sly opened the door to Cain’s room and followed me in, flicking the light switch as we entered.
“Shower, mia preferita. You will feel better once you do.”
I felt like a zombie as I kicked off my heels and made my way into Cain’s ensuite. There were only a handful of rooms with bathrooms attached—the rooms were not initially meant to be bedrooms, the previous owner agreed to add only a couple of bathrooms up here—which forced most of the club’s members to shower at theiractualhomes.
Yeah, there’s a fun fact for you: not all Sinners live here full time. But all of them had a room assigned to them for when they did stay, whether it be for club business or if they drank too much—they never had to worry about getting home.
When the scalding water hit my skin, my body hummed, and I let the tension melt away. I stood beneath the rain shower head until the water turned cold, then curled myself in the towel Cain had hung behind the door.
Emerging from the bathroom, I saw Sly sitting on the edge of Cain’s bed with a folded t-shirt and my panties in his lap.
Shrugging, he handed them to me and said, “I thought he might appreciate you in his shirt, and not mine.”
“You’re probably right,” I agreed, pulling the shirt over my head and down my body before tugging the underwear up my legs. Yawning, I crawled onto Cain’s bed and under the covers, helping myself to his pillow.
Sly stood and walked to where I was curled up, and bent down to kiss my head. “He should be back any time. You will be okay?”
I shook my head no. “I will be okay, but don’t leave. Not yet.”
He chuckled, but took a seat on the bed next to me, keeping his boots off the edge. “He won’t like this, but whatever mia preferita wants, mia preferita gets.”
“Damn straight.”
The last thing I remember before sleep, that seductive sandman, lulled me under, was Sly stroking my hair and softly singing something in Italian.
CHAPTEREIGHTEEN
The slam of the door startled me awake, and I sat up fast, my eyes adjusting to my surroundings.
Warm light spilled from the lamp on the side table, illuminating the darkness just enough where I was able to get my bearings quickly.
Cain began tugging off his boot, holding onto his dresser to balance as he removed it completely and did the same with the other.
“Mio amico, how did it go with the lieutenant?” Sly asked curiously.
I crossed my legs beneath me, suddenly wide awake and anxious to know what happened after Sly and I left.
Cain said nothing, tugging his shirt overhead before working on his pants as he walked into his ensuite, the door slamming roughly behind him. Moments later, the shower turned on.
For several seconds, Sly and I simply stared at each other, not sure what to make of Cain’s abrupt departure to the bathroom. I’d never seen him like that before and though I knew Cain could hold his own, I couldn’t help but worry a little.
I couldn’t take the silence for long and asked Sly hesitantly. “Do you think he’s okay?”
