365 Days | Reylo 🌻🦋

Chapter 9

"Are you still mad at him?" Armitage asked as he handed Rey a cone of hazelnut gelato. "It's been a few days already. Can't you forgive him?"

Rey glared at Armitage as she took the cone. "I'm. Not. Mad."

"Says the woman who just snatched the cone out of my helpful hand."

"Sorry, it's just... How could he have another woman come to our room to... to service him!?"

"That might have been my fault..."

"What do you mean, Armitage?"

"You might have noticed that Ben has a stick up his ass most of the time due to his occupation, and he needs a... release of sorts for some of the tension that builds. And since I know you aren't giving him what he needs, I might have sent that prostitute to your room to help him out."

Rey punched his chest, flinching when it hurt her hand more than him. "Asshole! What the fuck were you thinking?!"

"You're the one who proclaimed you weren't going to sleep with him for the next year. I was only helping my cousin out..."

"Is that why you have a black eye and a busted lip?"

Armitage touched his swollen left eye, flinching at the contact as he tried to smile despite the pain he was in. "I would do it again. My little stunt proves to me that you have feelings for my stubborn cousin."

"I hate you."

"No, you don't," he smirked.

Licking her gelato, Rey stealthily shifted her eyes in the direction of Ben, who was speaking to one of the many associates he had to meet during the week, but quickly averted them when she found him staring at her.

Why didn't he just tell me he wasn't the one to call a prostitute? He wouldn't have had to deal with my ornery ass if he did... But...

"He let that woman touch him... sensually. How could I forgive him for that?"

Armitage sighed. "Look, I'm sorry things turned out the way it did... I wholly take the blame for it, and I'll understand if you can't forgive me. I thought it was a good idea at the time because I saw the look of frustration on his face when you guys returned to the hotel so I called a service and gave her my key to your suite. He had absolutely no hand in the matter even if he did make it seem like he did."

Armitage lifted his hand to hold her free one, avoiding her gaze. "Ben and I were practically raised as brothers, lost loved ones over the years, and have seen and done a lot of things for the sake of our mafia family that would give lesser men nightmares, but I have never seen him more frustrated or clueless about anything in his life before he met you. I thought a professional blowjob would release some of that tension within him that he's been holding onto for so long, especially when I know he hasn't had sex in almost a year. I hope you can forgive his lapse in judgement at such a vulnerable and confusing time in his life. I just know he is berating himself for letting things happen the way it did, and I know he's been giving you space so he doesn't upset you again. You have to know he really does... care about you."

'I told you before; I am not a gentle man... But I can be... I'd like you to teach me to be gentle for you.'

Rey blinked several times to stop her tears as Ben's words repeated in her head as she clearly heard the love Armitage had for him. "You really care for your cousin, don't you?"

"Anything for family."

Rey gave Armitage a hug before pulling back to punch his chest again, even though she knew it would hurt her. "You're on my shit list until further notice, buddy."