Page 51 of Knocked Up by My Dad's Mafia Boss

He chuckles. “Fair enough.”

We arrive and Ricardo leans against the wall near the entrance, scrolling through his phone.

He never watches me as closely as Dante, and that’s a good thing, at least tonight.

I don’t want him overhearing or stopping me from drinking too much.

Reese and I order a shot and two beers.

I clink the shot glass with his and shoot mine back, grimacing as it burns down my throat.

It takes another two shots and one more beer before Reese and I head to a back table with two long island iced teas. We aren’t trying to waste time getting buzzed.

I already feel looser, my head lighter on my shoulders. I hate that Reese is hurting but at the same time, it’s nice to have someone that understands.

“So spill,” he says, words slightly slurred around the edges.

I glance over at Ricardo. He’s staring into space like usual, barely paying attention. “We almost got caught.”

Reese’s green eyes widen. “What? By Elio?”

I nod. “Yeah, I was in his room, straddling him, and Papa knocked on the door.”

“Shit. What did you do?”

I snort. “I had to crawl under the bed. It was fucking humiliating.”

Reese laughs and I smack him. “Sorry, but you have to admit, it’s funny. Once I had to jump off a balcony to avoid one of Luciano’s men. Nearly broke my fucking ankle.”

I sigh heavily. “I just wish… I wish things were different.”

“Me too,” Reese says glumly, sipping his drink. “He’s going to marry her off to some asshole for an alliance and I’ll just be… here, drowning my sorrows.”

“He’s going to what now?” I ask, flabbergasted.

Reese drags a hand across his face again. “He’s been talking about making more alliances. He’s talked to Vaughn about how she can ‘help.’ She hasn’t said so, but I know he’s going to force a marriage on her.”

“You can’t think that way, Reese, or your liver will be pickled inside a week.”

He groans. “I know. After tonight I’ll lock in, I just… I need this.” Reese reaches across the table and takes my hands in his. “I really appreciate you coming out, Sammy. It means a lot to me that you’re always here for me even when I do stupid shit.”

“You’re drunk,” I say with a grin.

“So are you.”

“Not yet. I appreciate you too, Reese, you big sap.” I look around the Dove. It is indeed, a dive, but there’s alotof mobsters here. Women, too, mostly the ones that want to bag a monster.

“Maybe we just need to move on.”

I look at him and nod. “You’re right. Maybe we do. They say the way to get over someone is to get under someone else.”

Reese gets up, holding out a hand to me and abandoning his half-empty glass.

“Let’s dance and try and forget about it, for now.”

I smile and take his hand, letting him tug me up and giggling when he does a little turn, swirling me around in a circle.

We dance for what seems like hours and I’m sweaty, my makeup smeared, by the time I head to the bathroom.