Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 66548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
“Good.”
“It’s just a monogamous fling…because he doesn’t want to wear a condom.”
“Girl, did you—”
“He gave me his papers. He’s clean.”
“Good…maybe he’s somewhat of a gentleman, after all.”
I scoffed, thinking that was a bit of a stretch. “He told me Griffin threatened him to stay away from me.”
“Why didn’t you tell Griffin when this started?”
“Because of everything you just said,” I snapped. “This guy has twenty-four men guarding him at any given time. He has another team at the building he owns too. This guy throws lawbreakers into a ring and makes them fight to the death. You think I’m getting Griffin involved in that? When you guys are having a baby? Hell no, I’m keeping this a secret from everyone—except you.”
Vanessa’s eyes softened. “I appreciate that, Carmen, but we’re family. You’re like a sister to me. Whatever happens to one of us, happens to all of us. We’re in this together. And if you need to get out of this relationship, we’ll make it happen.”
“That’s the thing…” I broke eye contact because I couldn’t look at her as I spoke. “I’m not sure if I want out of this relationship…” I would never find a man who could please me like Bosco. I would never find a man who could protect me the way he could. “And even if I did, I’m not sure if I have a choice. He’s made subtle threats here and there…that he’ll never let me go.”
“Shit,” she whispered. “From what I’ve learned, you have to stand your ground.”
I nodded. “He told me the same thing.”
“Do you see a future with this guy?” she asked, watching me closely.
I still didn’t like Bosco for what he did for a living. I was still afraid of him, afraid of the power that was constantly at his fingertips. Getting involved with a man like that sounded dangerous. His enemies would be my enemies. “I’ve always pictured a house in Tuscany with four kids. I would sell the shop and be a full-time mom. My husband…he doesn’t really have a face, but he’s there. I don’t know anything about him, but he’s kind and strong. That’s the future I want, and I definitely can’t picture Bosco fitting into that image.”
“If he doesn’t fit in that vision, then he’s probably not the right guy. But based on my experience with Griffin, I didn’t think that future was possible with him either. But slowly, he started to be part of that picture. Now he’s the greatest husband I ever could have asked for…because he grew into the man I wanted him to be.”
“I don’t think Bosco would change for anyone…”
“Then maybe you should get out of this relationship…if you still can.”
The idea of finding Mr. Right didn’t sound appealing since he didn’t seem to exist. I didn’t want to go back to mediocre sex either, not when Bosco gave me mind-blowing sex every single time. He was so selfless in bed, aroused by my pleasure more than his own. And I loved feeling safe, knowing that nothing would ever happen to me as long as I was the woman in his bed. But if I got any deeper into this relationship, then I might never be able to crawl out. He might become more obsessed with me.
And he might not let me go. “Yeah, you’re right…”
Another two days passed, and he didn’t call me.
It’d been a week now.
None of this was making sense. Maybe he didn’t want me anymore. Maybe he didn’t care anymore. That would make my escape much easier, but it also pained me at the same time.
That he was bored of me so quickly.
I was lying in bed alone, the wool socks on my feet to keep me warm. It was late, but I couldn’t sleep, the area between my legs throbbing because Bosco hadn’t been there in so long. If he wasn’t sleeping with anyone else, then he must be going crazy too.
The thought of him sleeping with someone else pissed me off, not because I was jealous, but because he wasn’t man enough to tell me about it. Was he just going to ignore me forever and assume I would disappear? Did that mean his men weren’t guarding me anymore? Our last conversation made it sound like we were still together, but his silence said otherwise.
My emotion dominated my logic, and I picked up the phone and called him.
He answered almost instantly. “Beautiful.”
I stared at the ceiling, annoyed by the confident sound of his masculine voice. “Don’t call me that.”
He turned silent.
I stayed silent too, unsure what to say because I was angry at him.
He didn’t speak, letting the silence continue indefinitely. He didn’t ask what was wrong, like he knew exactly what the problem was.
“Are you sleeping with someone else?” I asked bluntly, knowing he would tell me the truth.