Read Online Criminal Pleasures by Darien Cox - Free Book Online Page B

looked at Brendan, saying nothing. The stare went on so long Brendan grew uncomfortable under his gaze. “What is it?”
    “I shouldn’t be doing this with you. I’m sorry, Brendan. This is probably the worst thing I’ve ever done.”
    “What?” Brendan laughed, shaking his head. “It can’t be as ominous as all that . Do you mean because you’re—”
    “No,” he said. “Not because I’m engaged.” He slid off the couch and came to kneel before Brendan, taking his hands. His eyes were hard and serious as he looked up at him. “There are things about me I cannot tell you. Things that if you knew, you would not be looking at me with such softness. But I can’t...” He looked down, giving his head a quick shake. “I’ve been selfish. So incredibly selfish.”
    “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Brendan said. “Just tell me whatever it is that’s so bad. I can handle it.”
    He looked back up at Brendan. “I shouldn’t have taken you home last Friday. And I shouldn’t have come back for more tonight. But I did anyway. Because I wanted to. It’s like I can’t help myself. And I can’t afford to be this careless.”
    Brendan ran his fingers through Marc’s silky hair. “I can’t help myself, either. I’ve got it bad for you. Really bad.”
    Marc nodded. “I know.” He stood, releasing Brendan’s hands. “And that’s why I can’t do this to you. Not again. It’s bad enough that I did it once. I have to go.”
    Brendan stared, his jaw slack as he watched Marc walk toward the door. He stood up and followed. “Wait! Can’t we just...I mean, come on. Marc?”
    He looked back at Brendan. “I’m sorry.”
    And then he left.
    Brendan stared at the closed door. “Well, fuck,” he whispered. “Worst porn movie ever.”
    He drifted back to the kitchen and tossed the pizza in the trash. Then went to bed. Alone.

 
     
    Chapter Six
     
     
    It was the following Tuesday when Brendan looked over his appointments for the day and saw a name that made his gut drop. Gina DiPietro . Marc’s little curly-haired cousin. He’d forgotten all about her.
    “Oh, crap.” He picked up the phone and buzzed Willa.
    “Hi, Brendan.”
    “When did you make this appointment with Gina DiPietro? I didn’t see it until now.”
    “Oh, she called today. We had a cancelation so I just slotted her in. Is that all right? She said you gave her your card.”
    “Yeah, I did. Can we cancel her?”
    “Ah, her appointment is in twenty minutes. Kind of rude. But if you want me to I’ll call her.”
    Brendan slammed his fist down on the desk. “Damn. Okay, never mind. Just bring her in when she gets here.”
    “Okie dokie.”
    Brendan hung up and scowled. He’d told Marc he wouldn’t take Gina’s case. He’d promised.
    “You do not want any professional entanglements with the DiPietro family.”
    Just when he’d begun to forget about Marc. Well, that wasn’t true. But he’d gone from thinking about him all day long to only thinking about him about once an hour.
    But did he really have to turn Gina away, based on Marc’s request? Marc had ditched his ass, after all. Lured him in again, only to shut him down. And all Brendan got out of it was a pizza and a kiss. A fucking incredible, super-hot kiss .
    “Damn.” He looked down at his cell phone. Don’t do it . But he had to at least tell Marc that Gina was on her way in, didn’t he? As stupid as it was, he didn’t want Marc to think he’d gone against his word out of spite. It was a legitimate excuse to call him, right? Right. Sure.
    He scrolled through his phone and found the number Marc had called him from the night he came over. He paused a moment, then hit the button.
    It rang, then a recording came on, saying the number was not in service. Brendan hung up and stared at his phone. “What the fuck?” 
    Ten minutes later, his office door opened and Willa stepped in with the petite, curly-topped woman he’d met with Marc last week.