Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 80121 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80121 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
But for now, I couldn’t resist. “Fuck me, baby.”
When we returned to the house, I turned my back to her and went straight to my bedroom. I’d just fucked her in the car and finished a minute before entering the driveway, but now I turned cold and distant again.
She followed me until she reached her bedroom door. “Are we going to keep playing this game?”
“No game,” I said without turning around. “I just don’t want you.” I got inside and hopped in the shower. The afternoon took longer than I expected, so I hurried in the shower and put on a pair of slacks and a blazer for dinner.
When I was dressed and ready to go, I headed downstairs and stopped by the kitchen to see Giovanni.
Siena was there with a pan of freshly baked cookies on the counter. She held up the image of the sonogram so Giovanni could see it. “Isn’t it amazing? This little person is inside me right now…with a little heartbeat.”
Giovanni examined the picture with his black apron tied around his hips. He never made cookies because I didn’t eat anything like that, so he and Siena were obviously spending the day together. “It’s wonderful, Miss Siena. Honestly, I’m excited to have another Marino around the house. Mr. Marino is so predictable, he’s easy to take care of. It’ll be nice to have a challenge.”
“I can always step it up,” I said coldly.
Giovanni nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard my voice. “Sir, I didn’t mean anything—”
“Don’t apologize to him,” Siena said. “You did nothing wrong.” She took the sonogram from his hands. “I was just showing Giovanni the baby we made together. He decided to share his family recipe for the best chocolate chip cookies in the world—that way I can make them for the baby someday.”
My eyes narrowed in annoyance. “You’ll be dead the day they’re born. And I’m pretty sure a one-day-old baby can’t eat cookies.”
She set the sonogram down and crossed her arms over her chest, looking fiery.
Giovanni walked out of the kitchen without waiting to be dismissed.
“Knock it off, Cato. Every time we get closer together, you pull this stunt. Just stop fighting it.”
“We aren’t getting closer together. Nothing has changed.”
“It changes every passing day.” She stepped closer to me and held up the picture. “And it should change every day.”
I pushed the picture down and gave her a glare. “Regardless of what happens between now and then, when the time comes, I will kill you. So don’t mistake my lust for anything else. I’m a man who keeps my promises, who carries out his executions. You’re no different. You just have more time than the average person.”
She let the picture stay on the floor as she put her hands on her hips. Like those words meant nothing to her, she ignored them. “Where are you going?”
“Out.”
“Out where? I know it’s not to pick up some skanks.”
I wished I could tell her she was wrong. “I’m having dinner with my mother.”
“Oh…are you going to tell her about us?”
Every time she referred to the baby as a real person, it made the situation feel more real. “Not right now.”
“She’s going to be a grandmother. You should tell her sooner rather than later. I’m sure she’ll be happy.”
Or disappointed that I was stupid enough to knock up a traitor. “Good night, Siena.” I turned around and walked to the kitchen door.
“I’ll be waiting on your bed buck naked when you get home.”
I stopped at the door and begged myself not to turn around. I didn’t want to be provoked by her comment, but the image of her naked body in my bed made me lose my breath for a moment. I turned back around and faced her. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you—unless you want to be fucked in the ass.”
The three of us had a private room in Mother’s favorite restaurant. She talked about her garden, what happened on her favorite TV show, and how she was considering giving her downstairs bathroom a makeover.
I kept picturing Siena naked on my bed.
Would she be there when I got home?
Or would she take my warning seriously?
Because that was a serious threat. I would hold her down and drill her in the ass even if she told me not to. She’d been warned, so I didn’t feel bad for doing it. She shouldn’t test me. Maybe I wouldn’t punch her in the face, but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t force anal.
“Cato?” Mother’s voice came into my ears. “Are you alright?”
“Yes.” I grabbed my glass of wine and took a drink. “Just a lot on my mind.”
Bates gave me a knowing look from across the table.
“You work too much,” she said. “And it’ll take years off your life. Doing manual labor for so many years really wore down my body. Even now, I’m still tired.” She held her glass and took a drink. “I really wish you would enjoy everything you have more often. Travel more. You’ve always talked about yachting around the Caribbean.”