Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 84446 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 422(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84446 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 422(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
“Yeah yeah yeah. I heard you the last fifty times. You want a war with the Costas?” I asked. “Do I need to remind you that a war with them means one with the Morellis, D’Onofrios, and even the fucking Espositos?”
There were five New York crime families.
All of them had marriage-based alliances now.
Against us.
The only way to ensure equal footing against them was this marriage.
Whether any of us wanted to accept that or not.
“Yeah yeah yeah,” he said, shaking his head. “You want me to go get some food? Been a long-ass day.”
“Yeah,” I said, nodding, then watching him walk off before turning back to the SUV to notice Lore hadn’t even climbed out of the car yet.
With a sigh, I walked toward the car, pulling open the door.
“Come on, mouse,” I said, waiting for her to climb out before leading her into the building.
The silence on the way up was painful.
I had no fucking idea what to say to this woman who would now be in my apartment all the time.
Women tended to fall into two categories for me.
Ones I wanted to fuck, so I charmed them.
And the ones I worked with—being the only crime family I knew of in the entire United States that allowed female capos—in which case, I talked to them about work shit.
Lore fell into an in-between that I didn’t know how to navigate.
A woman who would be an intimate part of my life, but one I didn’t need to flirt with. We were already married.
And she sure as shit was nothing like the female capos in my organization. Women with ice in their veins and venom on their lips. I damn sure couldn’t talk to Lore the way I’d speak to them.
So I said nothing as we moved into the apartment, making a beeline for the bar, in desperate need of a drink. Or ten.
It had been a stressful fucking day.
I heard the quiet click of Lore’s heels, stopping just a few feet inside of the door. Likely having no goddamn idea what to do, where to go.
A fish out of water.
I was saved, though, by the door opening behind her, making her gasp, before Elian called out in his usual, rough voice, “I’m here, boss.”
I nodded at that as I lifted my glass, and threw back the liquid fire.
Refilled.
And threw that back as well.
By the time I filled the third glass, I could hear Elian speaking to Lore.
Ever my right-hand man.
I knew he had this shit covered.
So I walked through the apartment, and closed myself in my office, needing a moment of peace and quiet to get my thoughts together.
By the time I emerged, Lore was gone.
And the apartment was full of my men, food, booze, and music.
A wedding party, it seemed.
Minus the bride.
Who never reemerged.
I tried to tell myself that was probably for the best.
But I couldn’t seem to stop thinking about her as the party raged on, getting louder as everyone got drunker.
Those big blue eyes on me as she came down the aisle.
Her delicate hand in mine.
My ring on her finger.
And all the implications that came with that.
The party showed no signs of dying down as the day finally got the better of me, making me sneak away unnoticed, and head upstairs toward my bedroom.
I moved inside, closing the door, and muffling the sounds below.
Somehow, despite marrying the woman, despite moving her into my apartment, I didn’t expect to see her right there in my room.
But there she was.
Changed out of the wedding dress.
Sitting on the edge of the bed in a buttery pink silk robe, the shoulder slipped down to reveal a slash of skin and the strap of what seemed like another silky pink piece of clothing.
Lingerie?
I hadn’t been expecting that.
Hell, I hadn’t anticipated consummating my marriage at all, to be honest, since I’d been half-expecting an eighty-year-old.
But, I don’t know, maybe my mind could be changed on that…
CHAPTER THREE
Lore
I didn’t know what I’d been expecting of Renzo Lombardi’s home. I guess I’d imagined something very cold and modern. Sharp lines, dark colors, lots of chrome and glass.
I hadn’t been prepared for how warm his apartment actually was.
I realized as I stepped inside that Renzo had the entire top floor of the building to himself, creating a sprawling, open space.
The red brick on the outside of the building was a dominant feature inside, giving the large space a cozy vibe.
The nearly floor to ceiling windows were curved at the tops with black casings, and lining one entire wall of the space.
The concept was open, so the kitchen was closest to the door with more exposed brick, black cabinetry, an oversized island, butcher block countertops, and cement floors.
The apartment flowed from there into a dining space with a long table, and then the living room area that featured several seating areas. One had a conversational, intimate vibe with a small loveseat and three black leather chairs all facing each other.