Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 91238 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91238 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
“I don’t blame you,” I say quietly, and there are a dozen excuses I can make, but I keep them to myself. She’s not interested in my reasons. She only wants my results. “Renzo will accept it because Saul will have my back.”
“Why would he do that?”
“Because when we get married, he’ll be relieved. Even though he’s willing to go through with this, that doesn’t mean he wants to do it.”
She considered again, spinning her mug around in circles. “Let’s say your brother talks my father down and they both grudgingly go along with our marriage. What then?”
“Then we live together. You’re my wife for a year. Our families integrate their visions and goals, the alliance deepens, and then—”
“You divorce me.” She looks up, her sharp, brown eyes meeting mine. “You leave my ass again.”
I cock a sharp smile in reply. “This time, you’ll like it.”
For a beat, I think I insulted her again. But instead, she only laughs and shakes her head. “You really are a bastard.”
“I know, but it still makes you smile.”
“Unfortunately.” She leans back, drumming her fingers on the table, and brushes back her hair. “I want some promises.”
A thrill runs into my guts. Now we’re past logistics and into the negotiation, which means she’s really considering my plan. Suddenly, it’s all very real, and if I’m going to have second thoughts, now’s the time to feel it.
No part of me wants to back down.
That’s good to know.
“Go ahead, let’s hear your demands.”
“No children. No sex. That’s a hard rule.”
I tilt my head. “Are you sure? I can get on board with the no children, but the sex—”
“No sex,” she repeats, her tone firm. “If you thought bailing me out of my marriage to your brother meant you’d at least get a year of easy blowjobs, you’re very wrong.”
“I don’t want you to suck my cock, Allegra. I’d much rather go down on you instead.”
Her cheeks turn red and I’m smiling at her as innocently as I can, but I’m aware that I look more like a grinning shark.
“Whatever. None of that either. Tell me you understand.”
“I understand it’s your preference, but if you think I’m not going to flirt with you, then you really must’ve forgotten what I’m like.”
“I remember who you are.” She’s glaring now. Getting heated. I decide to back off.
“Alright. Fine. No sex. No children.”
She nods sharply and looks away, out the window, at the cars parked along the curb. “I want to work.”
“Fine. Done.”
“And I want to live near my family?”
“Easy. Done. What else?”
She glances back in my direction. “That’s all.”
“Really? No sex, you want to work, you want to live near your family. That’s practically nothing. I expected you to demand more.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know. Money, influence, prestige.”
“I don’t want any of that.”
“Then you’re right, I have nothing else to give.”
Another tight smile, like she’s resisting it. “You know, Gian, you’re not as charming as you think you are.”
“You sure about that? Come on, you like my bullshit. For whatever reason, my endless self-confidence is seductive.”
“You’re right. I’m into men with swollen egos.”
“That’s not the only thing that swells when you’re around.”
She barks a laugh and waves a hand at me. “No, absolutely not, you aren’t ever making an awful boner joke ever again. That’s another stipulation.”
“No sex, no boner jokes, what else are you going to take from me?”
“Whatever I want.” She grins, crossing her legs, and tilts her mug from side to side. “See, I figured something out. You’re taking an enormous risk on this, maybe even bigger than me. What’s my dad going to do, make me marry someone else? It can’t get worse. But you have things to lose.”
I steeple my fingers. “Like what?”
“Positions in your family. If your brother loses confidence in you—” She shrugs and lets me fill in the blanks.
“You don’t need to worry about that.” She really doesn’t. I’m the most profitable Capo in the entire Famiglia by a mile, which means I have a lot of leeway with the Don. It also helps that he’s my brother.
“But my point is, you have things to lose, and you’re doing this anyway. Which means you want to be my husband. I don’t know why and I really don’t know what you think you’re getting, but I’m willing to use you if it means I’m not trapped my entire life. I need you to understand that, Gian. I’m using you. There’s no ambiguity here, no confused feelings, none of that. I am using you for my own purposes and nothing more. There is no you and me. There’s only what I want to get out of this relationship. Do you understand? I need to make sure you get it.”
I study her, trying not to laugh. God, I get it, I understand better than she realizes. My blood’s up, my cock half-hard in my pants, because she’s going to do this—she’s going to be my wife. And she can say whatever she wants about using me, about not wanting anything to do with me romantically, about no babies and no sex and whatever else. She can use all the right words.