“Just open up,” he pleads in a softer tone. “Please.”

  I chew on my thumbnail, having an internal war with myself about letting him inside. We’re like oil and water. Nothing between us has been easy, and we’ve only known each other for a few short weeks. He’s the most infuriating man I’ve ever met, and that’s saying something because every male in my family is a total pain in the ass.

  I walk across the room and stand close to the door. The last thing I need is for the entire apartment complex to hear our conversation. Nosy bitches. “Why should I?”

  “I’m an asshole,” he mutters loud enough for me to hear.

  “Tell me something I don’t already know.”

  “We need to talk.”

  “We have nothing to say to each other.”

  “I’ll stand out here all night, Lu.”

  “It would serve you right.”

  He deserves some time to think about his actions, or at least the words he uses. He can’t be an asshole one minute and think I’ll easily forgive him the next. That’s not the way it works in my world.

  I open the door, finding him with his hands on the frame, leaning forward. His head pops up, and his eyes meet mine.

  “Listen, buster,” I start, standing tall and using my firm, I-mean-business tone but keeping my hand on the door to block him from coming inside. “I get you’re pissed off. You spent a good chunk of your life in prison and you don’t have shit to your name, but that doesn’t give you the right to be mean to me and take out all your pissed-off aggression on me either. You want to be a dick, go be a dick to someone else. You want a friend, you know where I am, and I’ll be that friend. But stop thinking you can walk all over me and I’ll be here as that carpet for you to wipe your shoes on while you’re figuring out the rest of your life.”

  I take in a sharp breath, winded from the long diatribe I nailed with perfect execution. I haven’t moved a muscle, keeping my feet planted in the doorway, and to my shock, Nevin hasn’t moved either.

  His fingertips are white, curling around the molding of the doorframe. “You done?”

  I nod, finally letting go of the door to cross my arms. “I could keep going…”

  He shakes his head as he takes one hand off the door and runs his thick fingers through his even thicker hair. I expect him to start talking right away, but in true Nevin fashion, he blows out a long, drawn-out breath first. “I like you.”

  I blink a few times and tilt my head. “Excuse me?”

  “I. Like. You.”

  “Okayyyyy,” I say, tilting my head a little more. “And?”

  He glances up at my porch light before bringing his dark-green eyes back to mine. But this time, they’re not filled with anger; they’re brimming with fire. “You’re not getting me, Luna. I want you. I want you more than I’ve ever wanted another person in the world. That kiss was…”

  My first reaction is to tell him he’s full of shit, but based on the look in his eyes, I believe he’s telling me the truth. “But I’m a mistake,” I say, throwing his earlier words in his face. “I know I didn’t hear you wrong.”

  He takes a step forward, and I take a step back. “I feel like I’m living Ian’s life. His job and now his girl.”

  “I wasn’t and have never been your brother’s girl. We are friends, Nev. Only friends.”

  Nevin lifts his hand, placing his rough palm against my cheek. I nearly melt into his touch, loving the warmth of his skin against mine. “If he were out, would I be here?”

  “If he were out, you’d still be in prison.”

  “If he were out, would he be here right now?” he asks again.

  I shake my head and stare into those smoldering green eyes that are the color of a turbulent sea. “We didn’t hang out all the time, and your brother was always on the move. No doubt, he’d have his face buried between—”

  Nevin grabs me, crushing his lips against mine. But this time, unlike before, I instantly melt into him. I dig my fingers into his T-shirt, holding on for dear life, never wanting this feeling to end.

  12

  NEVIN

  My phone buzzes for the fifth time in under a minute. I roll over, unable to ignore the constant barrage of noise in my sleep. I worked a ten-hour shift last night at the bar, slinging drinks and dealing with drunk, self-absorbed assholes all night.

  It’s been a week since I kissed Luna, and I’ve been doing my best not to shut her out. I’m still trying to find my way in a world I don’t really understand, but Luna’s been helping me with more shit than I’m really comfortable with.

  Luna: Hey.

  Luna: What are you doing?

  Luna: Nevin.

  Luna: You awake?

  Luna: NEVIN!!!

  “Fuckin’ Luna,” I whisper, sliding my finger over the screen to reply to her before she sends another text. Or worse yet, marches her ass over here and hauls me out of bed.

  She’s been stuck to me like glue lately. True to her word, or maybe not, she is, in fact, making me a pet project.

  Me: Yeah?

  I close my eyes, hoping she’s found something else to occupy her time so I can get more sleep. Of course, I’m wrong, and she’s done no such thing.

  Luna: Come to dinner today.

  Me: I don’t think it’s a good idea.

  Luna: It is. My grandparents want you there.

  Me: Doubtful.

  Luna: My grandmother will be insulted.

  Me: She will not.

  Luna: You don’t like home-cooked food, do you?

  Dylan told me the Gallo family is nothing like we thought growing up. If Luna and Rosie are any indication, I’d say we were not only wrong, but dead fucking wrong. We always thought of them as uppity and too good for us—or even most people—but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

  Every week, I’ve been invited to Sunday family dinner, but it is becoming harder and harder to come up with excuses.

  Luna: I’m coming to pick you up.

  Me: Give me an hour.

  “Fuck,” I hiss again, jumping up from my bed to shower. The stench of musty cigarettes and sour beer clings not only to my clothes, but to my skin too.

  Luna: Yay! I’ll give you ten minutes so you can’t change your mind.

  Before I hop in the shower, I shoot off a text to Dylan, letting him know I’m coming to dinner.

  Dylan: Fucking finally.

  My stomach tightens at the thought of being surrounded by so many people. When individuals say something shitty or send me that judging look, I know how to handle them alone. But an entire family, all passing judgment about my life and actions without knowing the full truth—it is a little too much and too soon.

  Me: I’m not staying long.

  Dylan: You will.

  Me: No, man. I’m not good with that many people. And why are you being nice?

  Dylan: Dessert is the best part. Can’t leave until you’ve had that. And we’re brothers, dumbass.

  Me: I don’t like sweets, and what does that matter?

  Dylan: Don’t tell Grandma. She’ll be devastated. Choke it down if you must, but do not leave beforehand. She’ll be insulted.

  Me: Why do you want me there? You’ve made it clear to stay away from Luna.

  Dylan: She’s still off-limits, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want you around.

  I grunt, hating that I have to pretend for a group of people I don’t know. But not only will this make Luna happy, it’ll make Rosie and Dylan happy too. They’ve been up my ass constantly about spending more time with her family. I’ve avoided the topic as long as possible, but now, my time is officially up.

  I toss my phone onto the bed, thinking everyone in my life is insane. I don’t know what the hell happened while I was in prison, but something shifted. Most of my brothers are still assholes, but Dylan embraces his wife’s family like he’s been a member for his entire life.

  I make quick work of the shower, washing off the stank of last night and trying to make myself presentable for Luna, Rosie, Dylan, and the family I spent most of my life both envying and despising.

  I barely have my body toweled off when Luna walks through the front door of my tiny apartment without knocking.

  Her eyes land right on me as I walk out of the bathroom in only a towel.

  “Well…I…” She blinks before her eyes travel down and then up, soaking in my barely covered body. “You…”

  I’m just as shocked as she is. Not only because I’m half dressed, but also because she walked right in like she pays the rent, and she is also tongue-tied, which is something I’ve never seen happen to her before.

  “You good?” I ask her, smirking because she’s staring.

  She nods, her eyes glued to my pecs with utter fascination. She swallows, blinking a few more times before she seems to find her words. “Very.”

  I don’t bother moving, liking the look on her face. “You look like you’ve never seen a half-dressed man before, Lu, which I know isn’t true.”

  She shakes her head. “Just caught me off guard, is all. I see you’re not ready.”

  “You didn’t give me much warning,” I tell her, adjusting my towel so it doesn’t fall, although I’d love to see her reaction.

  Luna’s feet finally come unstuck from the spot near the door, and she moves toward the couch, looking everywhere except at me. “You always have a reason you can’t make it. Figured I’d make it impossible for you to find a new excuse.”

  I rub my forehead and sigh. “I’m doing this for you.”

  “And yourself.”

  “How’s that?” I ask.

  She smiles as she leans back, getting more comfortable. “My grandma makes the best food. When was the last time you had a great home-cooked meal?”

  “Dad wasn’t much of a cook, and neither was my mom, so that would be never.”

  She frowns immediately. “That’s sad. Everyone should have that.”

  “I’d prefer if you cooked me the meal rather than going to your family’s weekly dinner.”

  Luna shakes her hand and laughs. “You want to die before you have a real chance to live?”

  “Not preferable.”

  “Then you don’t want to eat my food. I make great apps, but you can’t live on them forever. I tried. Trust me, I tried.”

  “I’m sure you can make more. You’ve lived this long somehow.”

  “Rice, ramen, and pizza rolls are my means of survival. Other than that, I’m shit out of luck besides restaurants, but that gets old after a while.” She clears her throat as her gaze travels down my body again. “You should probably wear something else to dinner, though.”

  “You don’t think they’d like this look?” I motion toward the towel hanging from my waist.

  She giggles, and it’s the most glorious sound. Something she hasn’t done enough of since I’ve met her. “The women will approve. The men will not.”

  I nod. “Got it. Clothes.”

  “Nothing dressy. Jeans and a T-shirt are fine.”

  “Well, that’s all I have.”

  “We should go shopping tomorrow.”

  I groan. “Can’t you buy the shit for me? Please,” I beg. “Spare me a trip to the mall.”

  She shakes her head, loving to torment me. “No way, Nev. I need to see how the clothes fit on your body.”

  I grumble, but spending time with Luna is no hardship. The woman is smoking hot even if she’s a pain in the ass at times, but what woman isn’t? If she wants to spend the day with me, I am all about it.

  “Now, go get dressed. Grandma does not like when we’re late.”

  “Can I call her something else?”

  Luna smiles, lighting up my dingy, tiny apartment. “Sure thing, bud. Call her Mrs. G or Maria. She’s flexible, but if she doesn’t like what you’re calling her, she will let you know. We don’t hold our tongues.”

  “Fucking great,” I mutter.

  “Now, scoot,” she says, waving her hands at me.

  Thirty minutes later, we’re walking through the front door of one of the biggest houses I’ve ever seen, let alone stepped inside. I feel very underdressed and somehow not clean enough either, even though I just showered.

  The Gallos don’t just have a little money. Based on the size of the place, they have tons of money and aren’t afraid to spend it either.

  “We’re here!” Luna yells out as I’m kicking off my boots.

  “Back here!” someone yells, but there’s so much noise, I barely catch the words.

  When I don’t move right away, Luna takes my hand. She turns and smiles at me before she tugs me ever so slightly forward, and I follow. I don’t know where to look first as my gaze moves from one flashy, expensive thing to the next.

  Every room, wall, and item in the house is gorgeous. I never believed people really lived like this. Growing up, I thought that was all made up for television, and it still feels like a lie until moments like these.

  “Nevin,” a sweet old woman says, walking toward me with her arms outstretched like she wants… “It’s so nice to meet you.” She wraps those same arms around me, hugging me tightly before I have a chance to finish my thought or brace myself for the impact.

  “It’s nice to meet you too, ma’am,” I tell her, still holding Luna’s hand and using my other hand to hug her grandmother back.

  She backs up, smiling at me with her beautiful eyes. Even with her age, I can see her beauty and features I’ve studied so many times on Luna’s face. “I want you to make yourself at home, and I hope you brought your appetite with you.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Dinner will be ready in a bit. Everyone’s out back or in the family room. Luna,” her grandmother says, turning to the girl stuck to me like glue. “Introduce Nevin to everyone and show him around. Don’t let him leave this house hungry.”

  “Impossible, Grams. I’ll make sure to send him home with leftovers too.”

  “Perfect,” her grandmother says, touching Luna’s face softly before walking away.

  “She’s sweet,” I say, watching her as she heads to the back of the house where I assume the kitchen is.

  I can’t imagine growing up with someone like that in my life. Would I be different from how I am now? I can’t imagine her grandmother standing by, letting one of her grandchildren be beaten on the regular like we were. Hell no. She’d keep them safe. She’d love them even if no one else would.

  “The absolute best, but everyone in my family is.”

  “You’re not partial or anything,” I tease her.

  “They’re solid. I’d think that too if they weren’t my people… All of them except my father. He’s a little more…”

  “Assholish,” I quickly add, earning myself a scowl.

  Luna hooks her arm through mine again, not fazed by what I called her father. I like her this close. I like it way more than I should. “I was going to say protective or standoffish, but only when it comes to my sisters and me,” she says, moving me toward the voices which are growing louder with every step.

  There are people literally everywhere—on the couch, all over the floor, in every chair, and at every table—talking to one another in constant chatter.

  “Are you related to all these people?” I ask her, glancing around.

  “Yep. All of them,” she says with a sigh, but I can tell she’s proud. “It’s exhausting sometimes.”

  My entire family consisted of my brothers and my father. No one else talked to us, and rightfully so. My father was an asshole. No one wanted to be around him, especially us, but we didn’t have a choice until that night when we finally had had enough.

  “Don’t worry. You get used to being around so many people.”

  Doubtful.

  My brother is right in the thick of the crowd as if he’s been here his entire life instead of being a new addition. I’m envious of his ease with strangers.

  When I look to Dylan’s right a few people down, my gaze lands right on Luna’s father. He’s staring directly at me, and he’s giving me the same look he did when I was a kid.

  This should be interesting.

  13

  NEVIN

  “Here we go,” I mutter as he stalks toward us.

  “Relax,” Luna says like it’s no big deal. “He’s harmless.”

  What the hell does she see when she looks at him? Does he come off like a big teddy bear to his kids? Because to everyone else who lays eyes on the guy, they can see the waves of asshole rolling off him like the ocean during a hurricane.

  “Mr. Gallo,” I say, keeping my chin high.

  Show no fear.

  “Nevin.” He stares at me with his eyes slightly narrowed.

  “It’s nice to see you again, sir,” I lie, which earns me a hand squeeze from Luna.

  “You, too. I’m sorry about your brother. Ian’s a good kid. He doesn’t deserve to sit in prison.”

  Does this mean I did deserve it?

  There’s no animosity or hostility toward me like there used to be when I was a kid. “He is one of the good ones,” I reply.

  His gaze drops to where Luna has her hand hooked in my arm near my elbow. I’m ready, waiting for the blowback from the harmless gesture. “If you ever need to talk, I’m always here,” he says, but this time, he’s looking at me like I’m any other person in the room.

  “Thank you, sir.”

  “You’re a good kid too, Nevin. Not many would do what you did for your brother. Earned all my respect, giving up years of your life to save your brother.”

  I swallow, choking back the thickness in my throat. “You would’ve done the same.”

  He nods. “I would’ve in a heartbeat, but not many could say the same.”

  “Thanks for being sweet, Daddy,” she says, releasing her grip on me long enough to pop up on her tiptoes to give him a kiss on the cheek. “Love you.”

  “Love you too,” he whispers to her and gives me a nod.

  He’s not even two steps away when she hooks her arm with mine again and starts to haul me in another direction. If she made me close my eyes and find my way out, I’d be lost.