Gio (Steel Demons MC #6)

Chapter 25

Harper

“G o easy on him, Harp.” Gio sighed and pressed his forehead to mine the minute he stepped off the bike. “He has every right to be pissed. I promised him, years ago, that I wouldn’t make a move on you. I broke that promise.”

I scoffed. “Yeah, you agreed to that when I was a teenager. I’m grateful you didn’t come after me back then but now? He’s being unreasonable.”

“You’re his sister.”

“Yeah,” I sighed. “I am but I’ve also been living my life and getting hurt for years and he hasn’t been any wiser about it. He doesn’t get a say in this. Promise me that.”

War swam in his eyes, and I held my breath because it wasn’t until that moment that I realized I wasn’t sure who he would pick if he had to. But then his hazel eyes cleared, and he nodded. “If I could resist you, we wouldn’t be here in the first place.”

Those words shouldn’t have made me all warm and fuzzy inside, but dammit they did. “You mean that?”

“Fuck yeah, I do Harp. The last thing I ever wanted was to fuck up my friendship with Cole. But you were also the last woman I expected to knock me on my ass.”

I smiled at his gruff words. “That was kind of sweet.”

He grunted out a laugh. “Thanks, babe. You bring it out of me.” He winked and wrapped his arm around me. “So you’ll go easy on Cole?”

I nodded. “I’ll go easy-ish on him and that’s all I can promise.”

“Good enough for me.” He held the door open with a smile which grew when I kissed his cheek.

***

I felt Cindy’s gaze on us the moment we stepped inside the clubhouse, but I didn’t have time for her bullshit, not today. I glanced around until I spotted Cole and marched over to where he sat laughing with Maverick, Hawk, and a man I didn’t recognize. “Cole,” I growled. “You wanted to talk. It’s now or never.”

His smile faded and he nodded. “Yeah, let’s talk.” He walked down the hall past the bedrooms and out of another door that led to an outside area. “We’ll have some privacy, at least for about ten minutes before the guys or one of their old ladies lets their curiosity get the better of them.”

I ignored his smile. “Right.”

“You’re still pissed.” His back was to me as he watched the horizon where the sun had just started to make her descent, the sky was a beautiful splash of colors. “Gio is a player, Harper. He doesn’t settle down.”

“And you think I only have sex with men I’m considering for marriage?” I laughed and shook my head. “I like Gio, and he likes me, why isn’t that enough for you?”

“Because you’re my little sister.”

“Correction, I am your younger sister Cole. I’m not a little kid anymore and you know something else? I’m not a virgin.”

“Harper,” he groaned. “Please.”

“Seriously. We like each other. I’m your sister and he’s your oldest and best friend in the world, who exactly do you think you’re protecting with your shitty behavior?”

He laughed. “Gio has a three-night rule, you know. He doesn’t fuck a woman for more than three nights, period.” His words were meant to shock me, and he frowned when he didn’t get the desired response.

“Yeah, I know all about it. The girls told me and then he explained it.”

“And you don’t mind, Harper? What the fuck?”

I shrugged. “It’s gross, I’ll give you that, but I understand that he doesn’t want to give them the wrong impression.”

Cole laughed. “And you won’t get the wrong impression?”

“No, I won’t. For starters, it’s been a hell of a lot more than three nights. It’s been weeks, Cole. I like him and he likes me. I don’t know where it’s going but right now, I don’t care. He’s the same Gio only better, and with incredible sex.”

“Could’ve lived without knowing that last bit.”

“I know you made him promise not to touch me a million years ago but that was then. Things have changed. We both have changed—in case you haven’t noticed.”

“You think he’s changed. Did he tell you about Cindy?”

I nodded. “She did too. When she threatened me.” His eyes widened in surprise. “Yeah. He told me she had her three nights, and she wants more. He doesn’t.” And the truth was that if he got tired of me, it would hurt but I’d lick my wounds when I was back in California.

“You really like him?”

I nodded. “Yeah, I really do Cole, and you were an asshole to him, treating him like he’s scum or something.” He opened his mouth, and I shook my head. “And don’t give me that little sister shit, either. He’s your friend. Your brother.”

“Yeah, fine. I’ll talk to him but when I’m ready.”

“Good because he really has done a good job of looking after me.” I wasn’t sure how much Gio told him, so I relayed the attempted kidnapping and the shooting. “He’s been good to me.”

“Yeah, I knew he would be.”

“Then stop being an asshole.” I took his hand in both of mine and squeezed it. “I mean it. Now let’s go have a drink while I tell all about this thing Gio does with his tongue.”

“Yes, to the drink, fuck no to the things you said that I’ve instantly erased from my mind.”

“Fine.” Just as we stepped inside Cindy stepped out of Gio’s room wearing nothing but a towel. She stopped and looked at me, a slow smile creeping across her face.

“Motherfucker!” Cole growled beside me before he took off for Gio’s room. “He’s dead.”

“Cole,” I called after him. “It’s not… Gio,” I said when I caught up to him and found the man I didn’t recognize zipping himself up.

“Hollywood, what are you doing in Gio’s room?”

He shrugged and flashed a million-dollar smile. “Gio said I could use it while I figured my shit out. Got a knock on the door and a welcome home blowjob. Who’s this?”

I smiled. “I’m Harper, Cole’s sister.”

He flashed a knowing smile. “And Gio’s woman?”

“Yep, that too. How’s freedom feeling?”

He laughed. “Damn good, thanks. We’re not gonna let those fucking Reapers hurt a hair on your pretty little head, that’s a promise.”

“I appreciate that, Hollywood.” I grabbed Cole’s arm. “Back off. Gio and I need to figure this out on our own, yeah?”

He nodded reluctantly but it was the best I’d get under the circumstances, and I understood.