Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 96742 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96742 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
“But does it make me happy?” I frown down at my glass. I wouldn’t have considered leaving the house without my sneakers two weeks ago, but now? I leapt at the chance to put on one of the beautiful outfits he bought for me, and it didn’t even cross my mind to wear my Nikes too. “There have been a lot of changes in my life lately and I guess I’m worried.”
“Worried about what? That you’ll enjoy wearing nice dresses and looking beautiful?”
“You think I look beautiful?” I grin at him playfully. “Tell me more.”
“Asteraki mu, you’re easily the most gorgeous woman in this room tonight. I can’t stop staring at the way that dress fits you. I keep thinking about your tits right now, and it’s driving me insane.”
“You really know how to make a girl feel special.”
He chuckles, low and sensual, his lips curling into a smirk. “You wanted the truth. I know you’re worried about losing yourself, but that won’t happen.”
“Yeah?” I ask softly. “How do you know?”
“Because even if you’re wearing the dresses, they don’t define you.”
“What does? My sparkling wit?”
“That,” he says with a nod. “Also, your strength. Your intelligence. Your beauty.”
“Keep going,” I say, fanning myself. “You’re really knocking it out of the park tonight.”
He holds his drink to his lips and I watch his mouth as he sips. “Do you know why I wanted to take you out tonight?”
“I assume it’s not for the food.”
“I want to show you off. It’s killing me that you’re mine, but I haven’t been able to take you to the restaurants all over the city like I want to. You’re not the kind of woman that should be kept inside all the time.”
“Oh, no, I’m just like a sexy peacock or something.” I sigh and roll my eyes, but I’m grinning at him. “Honestly though, Christopher never took me out. He never looked at me like—well, like you’re looking at me right now.”
“Stop talking about your ex.” His tone is still playful, but his words aren’t a joke.
I tilt my head. “Does it make you jealous?”
“I hate that you were with him.” He leans closer. “I despise the way he treated you. I want to murder him more than I’ve ever wanted to kill a man in my life, and you know the shit I’ve been through. Every time you mention his name, it only reminds me how you suffered under him for so long. I want to give you better.”
I take a slow breath and let it out. “Maybe I want you to give me better too. Maybe that’s why I’m wearing the stupid dress. Which is obscenely expensive and totally not worth it. But really pretty.”
“A dress is a dress. It’s only pretty because it’s on you.”
“Okay, now you’re going overboard,” I say and laugh. “Let’s order food before you stare at me so hard my panties catch fire.”
“You’re telling me they aren’t already melted?”
“Oh, god,” I say, rolling my eyes, but he’s not wrong.
The waitress comes over and we fall back into small talk. But this time, it’s more playful. He laughs more easily, watches me carefully like he’s studying my every reaction, and adjusts his conversation accordingly. I feel watched and heard and seen, which makes me want to get closer to him.
This is the Evander I’ve been missing. The Evander from when we first met. Attentive and clever. Without the weight of a war on his shoulders.
“Something happened, didn’t it?” I ask him over our last drinks as he signs the check.
“What do you mean?”
“With the Famiglia. Something happened.”
He hesitates but nods. “Yes, and I don’t think you want the details.”
“Is it Christopher?” I don’t know why I ask. I feel an ugly churning in my guts, a strange nervousness. I want Christopher to die, and I want him to suffer, but he was still my husband for years. Some small part of me can’t let go of that.
Evander stares at me for a long moment before slowly standing up. “Come with me.”
“Where?”
“To the car.”
“Why?”
“Because you keep talking about your scumbag ex, and I want to make you forget him.” He offers me his hand. “Now, asteraki mu. I want to see exactly how melted those panties are.”
Chapter 52
Camille
He spreads my legs roughly, on his knees in front of me in the back of the car. “Are you sure Alonzo can’t hear us?” I hiss at him. My bodyguard’s behind the wheel tonight.
“Soundproof,” he confirms.
“And he won’t stop? The windows are totally tinted?”
“Yes and yes.” His lips work up my inner thigh as my fingers twist into his hair. “Stop talking.”
“It’s hard to shut my mouth with you touching me like that, and we’re in the freaking car, with like a hundred—oh, fuck.” He pushes my panties aside and licks my clit in slow circles. “Ah, okay, I think, yeah, I can try to ignore all that other stuff.”