Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 83776 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83776 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Don Renzo’s waiting out front to greet me. “Be good,” I tell him and get out of the car. “Don’t fall back into old habits.”
He flashes me a grin and runs a hand through his hair. “Never would, Capo.”
I pat the roof of the car and go to greet Don Renzo. He’s a big man, around my size, with thick hair going gray at the temples and a slightly stooped posture. He’s handsome but grizzled, and anyone with eyes could see that the war hasn’t been good to him. He walks with a slight limp and continually rubs his leg when he thinks nobody’s looking.
“Thanks for coming here,” he says as we head into a beautiful entryway. The floors are marble, and a large central staircase leads up to the second floor. Oil paintings cover the walls, and light streams in through a stained-glass window, casting red and blue across our path.
“It’s my pleasure. I spoke with your sister last night, and she wasn’t happy about our arrangement. If this helps, I’d be happy to sit down with her again.”
Renzo nods and grimaces slightly. “I had hoped I could avoid telling her too much of the family business, but I understand you filled in the details.”
“I only told her exactly what my father told me when approaching me with this proposal. She can make her own decisions.”
“That’s the thing.” Renzo stops and faces me. “I’ve kept Stefania away from the family business for a long time. She hasn’t been a part of the Famiglia and hasn’t been asked to give very much of herself to our organization. This is asking a lot, and I had hoped she’d come to the right decision on her own without too much influence.”
I look around at the affluent entry and try to imagine what it would look like covered in fire, blood, and broken furniture. That’s what would happen if Stefania doesn’t marry me. A thrill runs down my spine, the sickness inside of me trying to claw its way from the dark cage I’ve locked it inside, and I have to take a deep breath to find my calm again. I clench and unclench my scarred hand.
“I understand. My sisters are precious in the same way and we try to keep them away from the worst of our family, but we can’t protect them forever. We both know how important this marriage is.”
Renzo grunts and looks away, lost in his own thoughts. “You’re right. Come on, she’s waiting in my office.” He limps ahead and I follow him down carpet-lined hallways covered in more art until we reach a big, ornate wooden door. Inside are bookshelves covered in leather-bound volumes, a table and chair near a fireplace, and a big desk tucked back against a window. The room is large and open, which puts me at ease. I can’t stand cramped spaces.
Stefania’s sitting on a couch. Her legs are crossed and she’s wearing a skirt, and my eyes are immediately drawn to her thigh and that lovely olive-toned tan skin. I let my gaze rake up to her lips and linger there, thinking about the way they opened as she moaned my name, before finally looking into her eyes.
Her lips press tight and her hands clasp onto her knee like she’s physically keeping herself from getting up and punching me in the face.
“Stefania, just tell him what you told me,” Renzo says and backs away to the door. “I’ll be down the hall if you need anything.”
I nod to him and he shuts the door. I’m left alone with his sister, my future wife, and I wonder what it took to get him to allow this little meeting. A man like Don Renzo would probably be a little hesitant to leave a woman alone with a man of my reputation, but he must realize we’re way past propriety at this point.
“You look good,” I say and drift over toward her. I hesitate, looming over her for a moment, before sitting down at the other end of the couch.
Her back remains rod-straight. “And you still look like an asshole.”
“You know, I’m trying to be patient with you, but that fresh mouth of yours is going to get you in trouble.”
She sucks in a breath and flinches away from me. It’s probably not the best thing to say given the circumstances, but I can’t help myself.
“Yeah? And what the hell do you think you’re going to do about it?”
I lean toward her. “I still have your panties. I’ll shove them in your mouth again if I have to.”
Her eyes widen and I soak in the mixture of outrage and lust warring across her face. But she adjusts her skirt and shimmies away, putting as much space between us as she can.
“I told Renzo to bring you here so we can make a deal, and you’re already making me regret it.”