Page 254 of Gabriel
“There’s no vibe,” he snaps, but the way he fumbles over the words tells me otherwise.
“There’s totally a vibe,” I press, leaning in, my grin widening. Deacon’s snickering from his side of the couch, clearly enjoying the show. “Come on, man. You’ve been acting weird about her for months. Ever since Cecilia brought her back into the fold.”
Julio pushes to his feet, his movements jerky, almost panicked. “It’s nothing.” His voice wavers, though. He rubs the back of his neck, his fingers brushing over the ink of the loteria cards there. The tattooed cards and roses stretch up his throat, dark and bold, as much a part of him as his obvious irritation is right now. “And I’m not jealous, alright? Just—whatever. My bad for being concerned. She was your friend before, too. We don’t know who this guy is. What if he’s just some asshole looking to take advantage of her?”
I snicker, unable to help myself. “Man, you’re really in your feelings. Maybe you should just tell Adriana you’re interested.”
Julio spins on me, dark eyes flashing. There’s heat behind that look, something more than just annoyance. “Shut up, Gabe.”
I throw my hands up in mock surrender. “Just sayin’. It’s not that deep.”
Julio doesn’t respond. He storms out of the room, footsteps heavy against the hardwood, his presence gone in a matter of seconds. The door slams behind him, leaving an odd tension in the air.
Deacon leans back, a smirk still tugging at his lips. “He’s totally into her, right?”
“One hundred percent,” I agree, shaking my head. I grab my phone from the table, unlocking it with a swipe of my thumb. “And that fucker is definitely jealous.”
Deacon chuckles. It’s low, but it carries through the room, mixing with the static from the soccer game playing in the background. “What’s the story there?”
“It’s his to tell whenever he pulls his head out of his ass.” I scroll through my texts, opening up the message from Cecilia again.
Me: Who’s the guy? Anyone I know?
Her response is immediate, like she’s been waiting for me to ask.
Cecilia: Kenji Yamada. Hockey player at PacNorth.
The name doesn’t ring a bell. Not that it would. Hockey’s a different world, and I’ve got enough guys on the soccer team to keep me busy without branching out.
Me: K.
Cecilia: So you’re in?
Me: Sure. Sounds fun.
Since I’m not a complete asshole, I open a new chat and type out another message, this one for Julio.
Me: Kenji Yamada. Hockey. You’re welcome.
I watch as the message changes colors, letting me know he read it. No response, though. Figures.
I shrug, tossing my phone back on the table. Guess he can’t say I never did him any favors.
CHAPTER 85
GABRIEL
The Wolf Den is buzzing with the usual Tuesday crowd—low-key but lively. College students fill the tables, pitchers of cheap beer sloshing around as they laugh too loud over the music. The air smells like fried food, beer, and a little bit of sweat. Feels like home.
I lean back, my arm draped across the back of Cecilia’s chair. Her fingers trace idle patterns on my thigh, and it’s doing a good job of keeping me grounded. This is what I needed. The casual vibe, the shitty beer, Cecilia close enough to touch—it’s the kind of night I can sink into.
Across the table, Adriana’s laughing at something Kenji just said. He’s leaning back, all cocky smiles and easy charm. Typical hockey player. But, surprisingly, not a total asshole. He’s got Adriana’s attention, and from the way she’s leaning in, I’d say she’s interested.
Not my business, though. Julio’s been blowing up my phone ever since I left the house, freaking out about Adriana being on this date with another guy even if he won’t admit it. I shove my phone in my pocket and decide to deal with him later, but right now? Right now, I’m chilling.
“This place has changed a bit since I was here last,” Kenji says, taking a pull from his beer. His eyes flick around the bar, scanning the updates. “Still has the best wings, though.”
Adriana rolls her eyes, nudging him with her elbow. “You’re such a guy.”
