Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 136731 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 684(@200wpm)___ 547(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136731 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 684(@200wpm)___ 547(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
Julius mutters distantly, “Spread the word.”
Although he nods, Signor Falco looks at me with a frown and explains, “I will do my best, but it might be hard for me to explain, considering Alejandra’s first husband was only buried four days ago.”
First husband?
What?
Standing on weak legs, I escape from Julius’s hold and, with a pale face, snatch the piece of paper from Signor Falco, reading in silence.
And my stomach turns.
Blinking up at Julius, I rasp, “We’re married?”
I am prepared for this.
I’m not fool enough to believe Alejandra will be pleased. Rather, I know she is going to be furious. If I could explain it to her, make her see this is vital, she will come around. Truthfully, even if she doesn’t accept it, I won’t give a rat’s ass.
If she expects me to feel bad or sorry for manipulating a situation to my advantage, our advantage, she’s got another thing coming. That’s what good businessmen do. They take a shitty situation and find a way to profit from it.
Looking more than beautiful in her current state of fury, I realize I want to be alone with her. I turn to Antonio Falco Senior and mutter, “You should go.”
He glances from Alejandra to me, and he nods in agreement. “Yes, I should.” Alejandra doesn’t move a muscle as Falco places an arm around her and presses a chaste kiss to her temple. “I’ll call to let you know when Manda can make it down.” He glances back at me. “I’ll see myself out. Keep in touch.”
I hear what he says, but I can’t take my eyes off Alejandra. She’s going to lose her shit at any moment, and it’s not something I want to miss. Behind my closed zipper, my dick twitches.
There is something about a woman with attitude, a woman who needed to be calmed, tamed, that is so goddamn sexy I can’t look away.
The moment she hears the front door open then close, her head snaps up from its submissive stance and her eyes flash. “How long?”
It would be stupid to play games with her right now. Without an ounce of emotion, I state, “Two days after you fell into my lap.”
She blinks up at me, her face softening but only slightly. I’m betting she wasn’t expecting that answer. “I—” She stumbles across her words. “How? Why? I mean, it’s not real or anything.”
I hold my hand out to her, hoping she’ll come to me. Part of me wonders if she’ll leave and go her own way. That same part of me wonders if she’s stupid enough to believe I’ll let her go.
With the previous relationship of hers, the only relationship she had, I’m betting on her being too scared to leave, which definitely has its advantages. I don’t necessarily like it, but it does hold some sway over how real her reaction will be when I do what I have to do.
My gut clenches at the thought of leaving her, even for a day, but I have to do what I can to tame this situation and blow the sharks from the water. Some risks are worth the gain. I’m hoping this one will be.
She doesn’t come to me, and I don’t show how much that bothers me. I drop my hand with a soft sigh and tell her how it’s going to be. “I had a feeling about you, that you had your reasons for doing what you did. I’m not going to lie. I wanted you, even after you fed me to the dogs. I decided to prepare plans A through to Z if I was going to keep you safe, baby. Simple as that. I went through a guy I know, does these things quick. Charged an exorbitant amount, but that stamp there makes it official, and official costs. Before you say anything else about it not being real”—I hold her eyes—“in the eyes on the law, you are now Mrs. Julius Carter. That’s as real as it’s going to get.” Just because I love the angry flush on her cheeks, I add a deadpan, “C’mon, Ana. I can’t possibly be as bad a husband as your first.”
Her eyes narrow at me and her lips thin in irritation. But before I can enjoy the annoyance I’ve caused, she throws a spanner in the works by nodding sadly and agreeing in agonizing melancholy, “No. I suppose you’re right.”
Nope. I don’t like this Alejandra.
This Alejandra is the woman Dino fashioned, the woman who was beaten into the mold he set.
I like my Alejandra irate, irritated and real, with emotion in her eyes and a goddamn backbone.
Shaking my head, I close my eyes. “That won’t do, Ana.” When she looks over at me, her pretty doe eyes hold little to no light. “Listen to me, young sparrow. I’m not him. I won’t hurt you for saying the wrong thing. I might get mad and we might argue sometimes, but all that means is that when I fuck you later that night, I’m going to be rougher than I ought to. When it’s done, it’s done. Over with. I’ve only got two rules. We don’t sleep apart and we don’t go to bed angry in this house. We kiss and make up, whether our pride wants us to or not.” Her eyes wide in disbelief, I add, “I’m not sorry for taking the decision out of your hands, baby. You’re my wife. We’re a team. And you’re exactly where I want you. By my side.”