𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐳𝐲 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭

𝟎𝟕 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑔𝑢𝑒

Ezra Artorino

I lay back in my chair, stretching my spine from working on a shit ton of paperwork since 3am, all because Matteo and our men blew up a building.

I massage my eyes with my palms as my door bursts open, Matteo and Seth throwing themselves down on the couch.

"Knock much" I grumble.

"Yeah but only when I feel like it" Seth rebuttals, laughing with Matteo.

I open my eyes to look at the two, both of them in their fighting gear.

"What is it?" I've spent all day shuffling through the papers, my patience is thinner than any string made at the moment.

"The charity thing is tomorrow, we should go to Bens tonight before showing up at that hell hole" Matteo grins, fumbling his knife through his fingers.

I stack the papers before answering, "not tonight."

Matteo nods his head to the side, as if already knowing that'd be my answer and is readying to ask another question.

I lift my head back up to look at the two, both of them sharing a look and waving their arms around in silent conversation with each other.

I let out a breath, crossing my arms over my chest, "what the fuck is it."

Hello patience, meet not there anymore.

They turn around from each other to face me, Matteo clearing his throat before going on, "we've noticed you and Valerie have been... acting like middle schoolers."

Seth punches his shoulder, "that's the best you could come up with?"

I furrow my brows at my friend's observation. They're not wrong, we've both been avoiding each other like the plague.

After what happened in the gym, it's been- weird. I haven't been able to stop replaying the way her soft skin felt under my finger as I ran it along her jaw. How my hand was a perfect necklace around her neck. How her cheeks turned a light shade of pink as I felt compelled gazing into her green eyes- and the fact that I'm the one who turned the AC up in the hotel room, knowing very well she'd get cold.

I shake the thoughts out of my head, wanting to punch myself in the face for thinking about her in the first place. "There's nothing weird."

Seth rolls his eyes, "you keep staring at her ass like it has a 'slap me' sign taped to it"

Matteo laughs, "There's definitely something going on with you two."

I roll my eyes, "you're both being dumbasses, Monroe, if anything gives me a headache everytime something comes out her mouth." I explain, a disgust look just naturally plastering on my face as I talk about her.

I can't even be around Monroe without wanting to rip her head off. I haven't killed her yet since we need her for this mission, and unfortunately she's one of the best assassins.

"I have an idea," Matteo beams, leaning forward on his elbows, "if you can stay away from her, meaning no kissing or... fucking, I'll give you Brittany, my favorite sniper."

I cock a brow, surprised Matteo is even betting his most prized possession. "And if I don't stay away, which I will be able to" I muse.

Matteo shrugs, leaning back into the sofa, "then I want to be god father of your future children" he smiles.

I scoff, "seriously-"

Matteo nods, "dead serious"

Seth chuckles, continuing to type something on his tablet as I shrug, "fine, easy enough."

This will be easy, we've been avoiding each other so far anyways, I just have to continue doing so.

I sip the rest of my whiskey in my glass, "so you and Allen hm?" I muse.

My friend lifts and shoulder, grinning softly, "she's pretty great," looking back up at me and Seth before adding, "and she has a beautiful ass, like it's made by God himself in that red lace thing she has-" he adds.

Seth and I groan, waving our hands at him to stop.

I chuckle, "alright- we need to discuss a few things."

Matteo groans, "if it's about the building, I seriously didn't mean to trip the wire, I forgot it was there."

Seth slowly looks up from his tablet narrowing his eyes at Matteo, " you're the one who fucking planted the bomb- how the fuck do you forget it's there"

I roll my eyes, "it's not about the building, it's about tomorrow"

Seth scrolls on the tablet, "so far 30 gangs and 10 mafias will be there, the Snake Eyes gang hasn't signed the list yet but due to Enzo's party history, they'll be there"

I nod, "we'll have to be on the low when questioning Ghost Hill with the Efron family, no one else can know we're asking, it'll raise suspicion and cause too much attention."

Both men move their heads in understanding, instantly going back to talking about Matteo and the bomb.