Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
“Mr. Greco, what would anyone say?” Alex asked.
“How are you? Do you need us to leave?” he asked.
“Leave? Have you found your culprit?”
“No. I can’t, no one seems to be intent on talking to us.”
“Oh, I don’t know, Charlotte, Denise, and Scarlett, is it? They seem intent on approaching us.”
“You know … about them?” he asked.
“Yes, I do. One of the capo’s wives, I can’t remember her name, she pointed them out at our wedding. I don’t mind, but I doubt they’re the ones who want me dead. If so, wouldn’t they have made their move?”
“Antonio, Marlo, and Cash hinted that they might be the ones responsible. A jealous lover.”
“It’s a lead, isn’t it?” she asked. “Do you want to go and check it out?”
“No, I want to dance with you.” He took her hands and led her onto the dance floor.
Alex followed him, and as he let go of her hands, she placed them on his shoulders, staring at him. “You’re nervous,” she said.
“I’m not nervous.”
“You look it.”
“This was supposed to be easy.”
“How did you figure this was going to be easy?” she asked. “And I’m not judging.”
“I suspected whoever was responsible would come and talk to us. So far, no one is talking to us. No one is singling us out or asking about the past few weeks.”
For the first time since she’d known him, Alex saw that Roman seemed worried. “You’re concerned?”
“Alex, your life is in danger.”
“Wouldn’t that set you free?” she asked.
“Don’t say shit like that, okay? You’ve already been hurt once on my watch. I’m not going to let it happen again.” He pulled her close, and she tilted her head back.
“You don’t know me, Roman.”
“What if I want to get to know you?” What if I want to learn everything about Alex Greco, my wife. The woman who likes to sew and study, and read. The woman I can’t stop thinking about, even when a room full of screaming kids are around me.”
She smiled.
“Screaming kids that I want to adopt with her, and help raise, to give them a family, because the truth is, I don’t think I’ve ever had one. The same woman I’m a little jealous of because I know she knows more about … everything than I do.”
His confession took her by surprise. Her heart raced.
“I think you need to go and talk to the women you were with before, and clear your friends’ superstitions.”
“I’m not leaving you,” he said.
“My dad is heading our way,” Alex said. “He will keep me safe.”
Right on time, Liam was there.
“Roman,” he said, holding his hand out to shake.
She saw how strong they were both holding their grip, and she couldn’t help but roll her eyes, and the instant she did, she wanted to kick herself. Two, nil. Roman still hadn’t glared, and this time, she did glare for him.
“I have some suspects to go deal with,” Roman said. “You won’t let her leave your side, will you?”
“No,” Liam said. “I will keep my daughter safe.”
A tension lingered, and Alex sighed.
Roman pressed a kiss to her lips. “I’ll be back.”
And she knew he was going to want to talk about what he said.
“You don’t look happy,” Liam said the moment Roman was gone.
“I am happy.”
He put his hands on her waist. “There is a rumor that you might be pregnant. Roman specifically asked for water for you.”
She chuckled. “Wow, gossip does travel fast.”
“No babies?”
“No babies.”
“How can you be sure?”
“Dad, come on, if I was pregnant, and I even suspected, I’d tell you, okay?”
“Good. I was starting to worry that I wasn’t your favorite person, and I was hoping for some grandchildren.”
“You might have … fifteen of them soon enough,” she said.
“Alex.”
“Dad.”
“I know what Roman is trying to do, and I hope Lucas puts a stop to it.”
“Why?” Alex asked. “Why are you so against those kids?”
“They’re not yours. They’re not your flesh and blood.”
“So you believe that you only should take care of those you what, give birth to? Have a direct link to your sperm?”
“Family is important.”
Alex thought about Roman. Staring past her dad’s shoulder, she caught sight of Lucas Greco. He had a young model on his arm. Alex vaguely recognized her from some magazine she’d flicked through not too long ago in the hospital.
“Family is important, but it’s not made up of blood, Dad. It can start that way, sure, you have a set of parents, but family is also a feeling. You could be raised in a family but not be a family.” Alex pulled away from him. “I can’t believe this. This is why you stopped me three years ago, isn’t it?”
“Roman has a lot of responsibility. Lucas will remind him of this,” Liam said. “You and Roman need to focus on what is good for the two of you.”
“No,” she said. “What you want me and Roman to focus on is what is good for you and Lucas Greco. It’s not about me or Roman. It’s about the two of you.”