Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 34419 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 172(@200wpm)___ 138(@250wpm)___ 115(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34419 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 172(@200wpm)___ 138(@250wpm)___ 115(@300wpm)
"I'm saying...I'm sorry."
But I heard him wrong obviously, and I'm relieved to be wrong. Honest.
"Because unlike you, I've always known about our betrothal."
He says the words like he's grimly confessing his crimes to a judge, and my confusion only grows, since I just can't see where this conversation is leading to.
"But unlike your grandmother or mine, I never tried to look for you. I even convinced myself it was for the better—-and for that you paid the price of my selfishness."
The self-contempt harshly underscoring his tone is unmistakable, but—-
"I still don't get it?" I say weakly. "Are you blaming me—-"
"Certo che no!"
I don't get that either, but the exasperation in his tone is clear enough, so I'm guessing he's saying no?
"I am blaming myself," Cesare grates out.
"For what?"
"For what you had to endure," he snarls. "I was watching you eat earlier—-"
Oh shit, did he hear me burp?
"And I could not understand why it seemed like you hadn't eaten for days. That was when Nonna told me where she found you—-"
Understanding finally dawns, and I jerk in my seat.
"It is because of me that you had to live off the streets, because of my selfishness that you look like a fucking breeze can blow you away—-"
I was afraid this was all about Cesare pitying me, but instead it's so much worse, and I frantically shake my head at him.
"Stop. Please."
And I mean it.
He has to freaking stop...because if he says another word, I think I'm going to cry, and that's the last thing I ever want to do.
"Just...stop."
Because it feels like an eternity ago since the last time someone made me feel I'm not alone.
An eternity, dammit.
It felt like an eternity since my parents died, an eternity since someone cared, an eternity since someone gave a shit about me.
And after that, it was day after day of feeling I was alone in the world even when I'm surrounded by other people...until now.
Until him.
I jerk in shock when Cesare turns my chair to face him without warning, and a gasp escapes me as he suddenly leans forward.
"Wh-what—-"
He clasps my face with both hands, and the moment I feel his touch on my skin—-
No, no, no.
I try slapping his hands away. I try freeing myself. I try anything and everything that can keep my eyes from watering—-
But it's too late.
His gaze captures mine, and tears start spilling down my cheeks as soon as I see the remorse in his eyes.
"I know I fucked up, tesoro. I know I've given you every reason to choose someone else—-"
This is so embarrassing, dammit.
"But I still want you to choose me."
Everything I've gone through should've made me tough, and I did think I've become tough...so why am I crying now?
"Choose me," Cesare says fiercely, and it's just ridiculous how his words have my tears falling even faster.
Is this really how it's going to be, dude?
"Choose me, tesoro, and there will never be another day in your life that you'll have to fear anyone or anything."
A gorgeous mafia boss only has to act like you're important to him, and you turn into a crybaby all of a sudden?
He wipes my tears away, and the gentleness of his touch nearly kills me.
No, no, no.
"You only have to belong to me, Penelope—-"
I try pushing him away again, but it's simply too late.
"And I will take care of you for the rest of your life."
It's bad enough that I want him so much he's come to own me—-
You're making a big mistake, Penny!
But now I realize I also trust him with all of my heart, and I don't even know how or when it happened.
"You better mean everything you said," I snarl through my tears, "or I swear to—-"
Mmph!
Just like that I have my first kiss, with his mouth stealing my breath away as it swoops down on mine.
Chapter Five
Penelope
MY TOES CURL HARD AS he deepens the kiss, and I find myself squirming when his hands start moving anew. Restless heat burns through my blood as his fingers find the curve of my waist, and I gasp against his lips when his other hand moves to the back of my head...before grabbing a fistful of my hair.
The unforgiving strength I can sense in his touch, and the fact that La Strega herself described him as the most ruthless of her grandsons—-
These things should've made me shrink away as his lips pry mine open, but instead of wanting to run away and escape—-
I hear myself whimpering in surrender as my lips part, and a violent tremor of desire rocks my body as his tongue thrusts inside of my mouth.
Aaaaaah.
I feel greedy and delirious all at once, and I find myself helplessly clutching his sweater as he strokes his tongue against mine.
Please, please, please don't stop!
His kiss enslaves my senses, and my breasts are once again swollen and aching as he starts forcefully thrusting his tongue in and out of my mouth.