Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 77205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
“I have a step-brother,” he said, nodding. “My mom married his father,” he volunteered, though I never would have asked that personal of a question.
“Not a fan?” I asked, seeing the way his body tensed at the mention of his step-father.
“He was a complete dick,” Silvano admitted. “Beat the shit out of us. And my ma,” he said, face going dark.
“I’m sorry,” I said, not realizing my hand shot across the table to cover his until his gaze lowered to look down, brows pinched like the motion made no sense, making me immediately try to snatch it back. But he was quicker, linking his pointer finger around mine, keeping me there.
“The world is a better place with him dead and buried,” Silvano said, his tone the kind of cold that likely came from being abused, from watching his mom be beaten by a man who was supposed to take care of them.
My father had never lifted a hand to me, save for when he was trying to teach me to fight when I had a bully in elementary school.
The conversation shifted more to the food once it came, to other local eateries he loved, to attractions he thought I might be into, even suggesting a walk around Central Park with Storm once my ribs were better.
Better would be weeks in the future.
Was he still imagining me in his place that far in the future? Did his vision of the time include us naked, limbs tangled in bed?
These were the kind of things that were still on my mind after Silvano handed a wad of cash to the server, enough that it must have included a big tip, judging by the guy’s raised brows, then led me back out of the restaurant.
I was so distracted that I didn’t even notice the tension in Silvano’s body until a quiet, “Fuck,” escaped him.
When I turned, a couple was moving in our direction.
Both were almost superhumanly gorgeous. The man, tall, dark, and handsome like Silvano. The woman, dark-haired and lovely.
Friends?
Family?
Someone he didn’t want to see.
Or, possibly, didn’t want to be seen with me in front of.
Well, then, I thought, watching the man nod at Silvano, and the woman smile at him, if he was going to be embarrassed to be seen with me, then I was going to make this as uncomfortable as possible for him.
“Honey!” I said, voice high and unnatural for me as I leaned into him, my hand pressing into his chest. “Introduce me to your friends!” I demanded, watching his eyes go freaking huge, his mouth falling open for just a second before he recovered.
“Right, ah, this is my cousin, Lorenzo, and his wife, Giana.”
“Silly, you have to introduce me too,” I said, rolling my eyes at Giana in a universal These men way. “I’m Millie. His girlfriend,” I said, barely able to contain my laugh when his air rushed out of him, making him cough.
“Oh, wow!” Giana said, looking a mix of confused, but pleased. “It’s so nice to meet you.”
“I know, finally!” I said, beaming at the strangers. “I keep wondering When are we going to run into this big family of his. And here you are! I’ve been wanting to get to know some of you. You know, since I’m probably going to be part of this family eventually.”
That’ll teach him for not wanting to be seen with me…
CHAPTER NINE
Silvano
What the fuck was she on?
I could barely think straight as she kept weaving her web of lies, gushing to Giana about how much she’s heard about her and Lorenzo, making it seem like we’d been together for months, not that we’d just met like a fucking week ago.
I had no idea what the hell she was doing.
I mean, I was going to introduce her as a date. Since, clearly, that was what this was. That was what Lorenzo and Giana would think when they saw us.
It was what I would want them to think.
Even if it would come with its own complications. Namely, the grapevine this family had. The gossip would travel fast. I’d be getting dozens of calls and texts. Namely from my mother, demanding to know more. Since I was never seen with anyone. Let alone someone I would introduce to members of the family.
But that was better than Lorenzo finding out the truth. That this woman had seen me doing my job, even if she didn’t know that. That being close with her could mean dangerous complications in the future. For myself, mostly, since I’d been careful to cover up Miko and Nero’s involvement in the actual murders.
“What happened to your hand?” Giana asked, making me stiffen again.
“Oh, this?” Millie asked, waving her cast at them as she shifted position, damn near grinding her ass against me in the process in her attempt to stay close, to keep up this weird facade she was playing at. “So silly. I was taking a run,” she said, leaving out the running through the woods, being chased by a would-be murderer part. “Then I tripped, and tried to break my fall, but ended up breaking my wrist instead. Right, honey?” she asked, turning over her shoulder to look back at me, beaming. But there was something in her eyes that I couldn’t quite place. Something mischievous, sure, but darker than that too. Almost… vindictive.