The Claim by Billy London Read Free Book Online Page B

healed properly by carefully rubbing in skin cream with slow strokes of her fingertips. It’d take less than a minute for Rocco to encourage her hand lower, to tell her how much better it would feel—
    “Stop reminiscing! And she never mentioned any of them?”
    “No. Like I said, I didn’t want details.”
    Mimi sighed. “You need to talk to him.”
    “No. It’s what happened, it’s over. End of story.”
    “It’s not, because it’s right in front of you.”
    Anna started to feel frustrated. “Why are you taking his side?”
    “One, I’ve never liked Imogen. You know that. Two, you need to put this whole thing to bed. You’re clearly not sleeping properly, which means you’re going to kill his grandmother if she does the smallest thing to annoy you and I don’t want to visit you in prison.”
    That blasted old woman. Maybe prison would be worth it. “Shall we order? We have to be at the show in a bit.”
    “Side steps,” Mimi singsonged. “Whatever makes you feel comfortable, but you know that you’ll never deal with it unless you actually deal with it. Talk to him last year already.”
    “You’re not my friend anymore,” Anna muttered.
     

Chapter Eight
     
    Rocco looked in the bottom of his bottle of beer. Beppe was pulling notes from a huge roll of cash. “Cannot believe G got us in here for free. Again.”
    “You think Gina still strips on the sly?” Beppe asked.
    Rocco appreciated that idea for a half second. “Doubt it. She lasted ten minutes, that’s what I can’t believe. Can’t see her trying to slide down the pole and falling asleep before she’s half finished.”
    “Good point. Do you think she’ll let me take a sample of blood? I’m thinking about sedatives.”
    “No.” Rocco choked a laugh.
    “What’s wrong with you?” Beppe demanded. “Is it still Anna?”
    Rocco sent him a dirty look. “No, SARS. Yes, of course it’s Anna!”
    Beppe ignored the taunt. “Nick can’t wait to be reacquainted, by the way. Get you back for the ‘hot for a black chick’ comment.”
    Rocco growled, “He can fuck off about that, I was winding him up. Easiest thing on the planet when it comes to Gina.”
    “I do miss those early days. That was fun. Good times.” Beppe sighed. “But you need to be prepared to get it fourfold. I think there were days when Tony was almost in tears when he first met Lyds coz of Nick. He’ll be happy to comedy roast you.”
    “Again, he can jog on.”
    Beppe rolled his shoulders. “Ah well. It’ll be fun for me anyways. Did you tell her about Imogen?”
    “Oh, get this. Imogen was in the office and was all imperious with me. Like she was defending her friend.”
    “That crazy bitch wouldn’t know a friend if it slapped her in the face with a dick. Did you tell Anna what she did at your birthday?”
    Rocco snorted. “Mate. Even I think you’re lying about that.”
    “Why would I lie? No one has ever done that to me. I have never dry heaved like that in my life.” Beppe made dramatic motions with his hands. “You know what? I can feel it repeating on me.”
    “Calm down.”
    “Would Anna listen to me?”
    “Nope,” Rocco said shortly, peeling at the beer label. “But then, today was the first time we’d had a conversation where she didn’t threaten to throw something at my head.”
    “Ah, well that can only be a good thing.” Beppe leaned into Rocco’s view. “Sorry to say, mate, but you may have to treat this like you did cheat.”
    “I did not touch that skank .”
    “That’s not my point. I mean, does she think at the end of the day that you’re sorry?”
    That gave him serious pause. He’d been so intent on proving his innocence to Anna, he hadn’t let her know that if he could have done anything differently, he would have told her he was sorry she’d been hurt. A stripper approached their table, with a glossy smile and perfectly mussed hair. “Private dance for you?”
    “No thank you, bedda .” Rocco sighed, taking one