Page 5 of Kiss Me Like You Mean It

I think my head is going to explode. Lee, as usual, looks utterly unruffled. It’s as if ageing mobsters fawn over her all the time. Maybe they do. Lee’s life is a bit of a mystery to me, and to be honest I’ve tried to keep it that way.

It’s not a good look to be too interested in your best friend’s little sister. Especially when that sister is Lee – insanely bright, funny and – sure, I have eyes – extremely beautiful.

That poor dope behind the bar was practically drooling over her when I showed up. Not that I could blame him. She made quite the picture, sitting alone, one leg swung over the other, the red soles of her dangerously high heels peeking out from under her black trousers, her honey-gold hair pulled back in a long, soft braid. She looked so put-together and elegant, all buttoned up in a silky white shirt, like a gift waiting to be unwrapped. Slowly.

At least that’s what I assume that Jake character was thinking. I was very careful not to think things like that. I’d been careful in that direction for years. I definitely didn’t feel the wild, momentary urge to punch that guy right in the mouth.

‘Frankie, this is my old friend, Nico Hart,’ Lee says now, making the introductions. ‘Nico, this is Frankie Martelli. He owns the hotel.’

Yeah, along with half the strip.

I keep my expression neutral as I lean over to shake his hand. Frankie’s grip is firm, and there’s a paternal glint in his eye as he looks between me and Lee. His hand tightens briefly around mine before he lets go, and I understand the warning. Hurt her and I’ll break your legs.

With Frankie Martelli it’s not an idle threat.

‘This your guy, Lee?’ Frankie asks, still watching me from behind the enormous glasses that magnify his eyes, but Lee only laughs.

‘No, Nico is Jack’s best friend. We actually grew up next door to each other.’

‘Is that so?’ Frankie still doesn’t exactly look friendly, but his posture relaxes slightly. ‘Well, any friend of Lee’s is a friend of ours here at the Coliseum. Anything you want, consider it comped.’

‘That’s very kind of you, sir,’ I reply, still bemused.

‘Not with all the money this one saved me this week.’ Frankie turns to Lee, and the tough guy pose melts away entirely. ‘I came to ask if you’d join me and the boys for poker again, but I can see you’re busy.’

What. The. Fuck?

‘Oh,’ a small line appears between Lee’s brows, ‘well, maybe Nico can join us? He and Jack are actually the ones who taught me to play poker.’

I smile at the memory. ‘Yeah, you were nine and you absolutely hustled us.’

Frankie exhales a wheezy laugh. ‘You played her recently?’

‘Not for years.’

Amusement glimmers in his eyes. ‘Come along then, it’d be nice to watch her fleece someone who isn’t a frail old man.’

‘Frankie!’ Lee actually gives the fucking Shark a little shove. ‘First of all, you and that motley crew are hardly frail old men.’

Frankie pulls a leather case from the breast pocket of his jacket and extracts a cigar, clamping it between his teeth. ‘We’re a virile bunch,’ he agrees, around the sides of the unlit cigar.

‘And I don’t fleece people,’ Lee continues primly, as if he hasn’t spoken. ‘If you don’t want to risk losing then you shouldn’t play.’

I stare at her, this tiny blonde woman scolding the one-time leader of the Martelli crime family. And he’s beaming down at her like he loves it.

Lee darts a look at me, and takes a deep breath before turning back to Frankie. ‘Do you think it would be okay… if Nico took some pictures of the game?’

My spine straightens and I try to hide my surprise.

‘Pictures?’ Frankie frowns.

‘Nico’s an amazing photographer,’ Lee says earnestly, and then she’s fishing her phone out of her handbag and showing Frankie some of my work, which she apparently has saved for easy access. I watch as she murmurs something about the photographs she pulls up, and I catch her name-dropping various publications I’ve worked with.

Whatever she’s saying has Frankie looking grudgingly impressed, but he’s still hesitant. ‘I don’t know, Lee, the fellas might not like it…’

‘You know they’ll say yes if you do,’ Lee insists. Her smile turns sly. ‘And Nico already told me you have a great face.’

‘This old mug?’ Those magnified eyes swing towards me again.