Joey: Chapter 21

I rest my lips on her hair and stare out the window at the rising sun. Joey’s worn out from being awake most of the night. We ate and talked, and then I fucked her again—and again—until she fell asleep in my arms. I stayed awake because I would never risk hurting her while I slept. She’s the most precious thing in the entire world to me, and I would never recover if I ever harmed her.

The banging on the door isn’t unexpected, although I didn’t anticipate them getting here this early.

Joey’s head jerks up, her eyelids fluttering open. “Max?”

“Get dressed, baby girl.”

She blinks at me. “But who could that be?”

“Your brothers.”

“My … What? How? Why?”

“You have a tracker in your phone, baby. I have one in mine too.”

“So, you knew? You knew they’d find out?” She shakes her head, dislodging the remnants of her peaceful sleep. “Why didn’t you tell me?” She gasps, jumping up from the bed and scrabbling for her clothes. “They’ll kill you, Max. No! We’ll tell them I slept on the sofa. No, no, you did.” She pulls on her jeans, her eyes as wild as her fucked-all-night hair. “You’d never make me sleep on the sofa.”

I climb out of bed and grab hold of her, putting a stop to her rambling and forcing her to look up at me. “Joey, stop. I’ll tell them the truth.”

“But …” She stares at me like I’ve lost my mind.

“I’ll figure something out, I promise.”

“They’ll hate you,” she whispers.

“If they do, it was worth it.”

“Max, no.” Her bottom lip trembles.

I wrap her in my arms and kiss the top of her head. “Last night was perfect, baby girl, and no matter what happens from here on out, I wouldn’t change a single second of it.”

The banging on the door grows louder. If I don’t open it in the next minute, at least one livid Moretti brother will bust inside. I give her a quick kiss on the forehead. After getting dressed, I leave her in the bedroom and head to the front door that rattles in its frame from the force of the banging on the other side.

I open it to a red-faced Dante, hand suspended in midair as though he was about to hammer on it again. “Where the fuck is she?” he demands.

“She’s here. She’s safe.”

His older brother climbs out of the black SUV in the driveway and stalks toward us.

“Joey,” Dante shouts, pushing past me just in time to see her walk out of my bedroom, looking every inch like the woman I thoroughly fucked all night long. He doesn’t waste time asking any more questions. Instead, he punches me straight in the mouth, causing me to stagger back a step.

“Dante!” Joey shrieks.

“You piece of fucking shit. She’s my little sister,” he roars, raising his fist to come at me again, but this time I duck and sucker punch him in the stomach. He stumbles back. When he straightens up, he glares at me. “You’ve known her for her whole fucking life. I fucking trusted you, you lying fuck.”

“I know, D,” is all I can say. I have no defense.

He launches himself at me, knocking me back over the sofa. We tumble over the side and fall into a heap on the floor.

“Max. Dante. Stop!” Joey yells, but we ignore her, throwing punches and rolling around the floor as we try to get the better of each other. I punch him in the mouth and split his lip, and he lands a blow to the side of my head that makes me see stars.

Joey screams and hollers in the background, but neither of us pay any attention. Dante remains focused on ripping my head off and I’m occupied by my attempts to prevent that from happening.

“Dante!” another voice cuts through the air, and that’s when he stops. We both do. Lorenzo stands in the open doorway, and the sun shining from behind him makes him look like a vengeful shadow. “Enough,” he barks, then looks over at his sister. “Get in the car.”

She folds her arms across her chest. “No. I’m not leaving Max.”

Lorenzo closes his eyes and rubs his temples. “I don’t have fucking time for this. Get into the car, Joey. Now.”

“But—”

“But nothing. Your family needs you. Now get in the fucking car.”

Joey looks to me as Dante and I haul our asses off the floor and straighten ourselves up.

I jerk my head at the door. “Go with them.”

“No.” She shakes her head. Tears prick at her eyes and a sob catches in her throat.

“You can’t stay with me, Joey. Not right now.”

“But you said!” Pain contorts her beautiful face.

“I’ll fix this, I promise. Just give me a few days.”

“The fuck you will,” Dante says with a snort.

“The car, Guiseppina. Now!” Lorenzo shouts.

I nod at her, and with a glare, she swats the tears from her cheeks before storming out of the house. I look at Lorenzo, hoping he might see reason because at least he hasn’t punched me in the mouth yet, but all I find is disappointment and anguish. Fuck! His wife is dying and he’s here dealing with this instead of spending time with her.

“I’m sorry, I …” I swallow the thick knot lodged in my throat.

“No you’re not,” Lorenzo spits. The venom in his tone hurts me even more than his younger brother’s fists. The three of us have been best friends for as long as I can remember, and the way they’re looking at me right now fucking kills me.

“No, I’m not,” I admit. “But I should have done things differently.”

“You could have any fucking woman you want,” Dante says as he steps over to join his brother—to stand against me. “But you had to pick our kid sister. Why the fuck, Max?”

“I didn’t plan this.”

“How long?” Lorenzo asks.

“Was the whole date with Toby just a cover?” Dante adds.

“No. She went on a date with Toby. She was upset. I picked her up.”

“So, you took advantage of her?” Dante accuses.

“No,” I protest. “I would never fucking do that.”

“You are a lying piece of shit, Max. Why the fuck would I trust anything that comes out of your mouth ever again?”

“Because you know me,” I remind them.

“Not anymore. You’re fucking dead to me.” Dante spins on his heel and strides out of the house.

“Loz?”

He just shakes his head and follows his brother out.

I stand in the doorway and watch them drive away with my girl, wondering if she’s looking back through those tinted windows. I knew this would happen, didn’t I? And I took the risk anyway. But they’re sadly fucking mistaken if they think I won’t come for her. As soon as I can sort out the mess with Kristin, I’ll be ready to take my girl back.

And if her brothers are intent on standing in my way, I guess I’ll have to go through them.