Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 97921 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97921 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
Lizzy is gorgeous. Tonight, her curly hair has been straightened and has a silky look to it as it rests over her shoulder in deep waves. Her brown skin is glowing. Liz isn’t rail thin like most of the women here. Her body packs a punch in that figure-hugging black dress. I’ve watched as the men here have salivated watching her.
“You checked off beauty. She has her own kind of grace,” I muse aloud.
Gio grunts.
“She’s undeniably smart. I love her humor.”
“She’ll make the perfect mother. She’s perfect to give you that son you want.”
I look to Gio and study him. All other thoughts freeze. My brother knows me a little too well. Every time I make love to Liz, I think of her swelling with my seed and giving me a son, my own heir to the Di Lorenzo throne.
When I hear those three words spill from her lips for the first time, I know I won’t have the restraint to pull from her body any longer. The thought takes root and I’m tempted to coax them from her tonight.
I grunt in reply to my brother’s words and walk off to close the distance between myself and the woman who stays on my mind. I place my glass on a passing tray and walk up right behind her. I splay a hand on her belly and pull her snug to my front and kiss her bare shoulder before leaning into her ear.
Lizzy
“Dance with me,” Dante breathes in my ear.
I look over my shoulder and smile at him. I felt him watching me this entire time. I was wondering how long it would take before he would come to rescue me. These people are nice enough, but I think they’re more nosy than anything.
I turn and allow him to lead me to the dance floor. This music isn’t fun and flirty like our dance on the rooftop and it’s not sensual like our first dance. However, once Dante clasps one of my hands to his shoulder and the other around my waist, I’m transported to another world.
He glides us around the floor to the orchestra music. He’s so smooth. I smile up at him and my heart swells. I’ve loved every side of Dante I’ve come to know so far. He’s supportive, protective, and loving.
“What are you thinking?”
I shake my head. “I never thought this would be my life. Look at me. I’m all dressed up at a ball with my boyfriend.”
He frowns as I say the last word and I pause, dropping my head. He reaches for my face and turns it to him. I look into his eyes and chide myself for being so awkward and goofy.
“I don’t like the title boyfriend. I’m a grown man and you’re my very grown woman. I haven’t been a boy in years and I’m much more than your friend.”
My smile returns. “Well, what should I call you?”
He captures my lips for a searing kiss. “If I have it my way, you’ll be my fiancée soon enough.”
My lips part and I duck my head. Guilt seizes me because he still doesn’t truly know who I am. I don’t know how he will take it once he finds out—that is, if he finds out. Which I have this deep fear he will.
He kisses the side of my neck. “Don’t look so shocked,” he says against my skin, sending a shiver through me.
“I think I’m waiting to wake up. Like, did I slip and hit my head that night on the rooftop?”
He laughs and tightens his hold on me. “No, this is all very real.”
“Okay,” I say and lift my hands to play in the nape of his hair. “Tell me something about you I still don’t know. If you’re going to be my fiancé, I should know more about you.”
He lifts a brow and searches my face. There’s a momentary war that crosses his features, I fear he’s not going to respond. Something lights his eyes and causes me to relax.
“My father and Riccardo wanted to have me committed when I was younger. Not so much my father, but my grandfather pushed it. Nonno started to come to the States then, and he stepped in.”
I gasp and look into his eyes. “Seriously?”
He nods. “I had so much anger after my mother left us. I blamed myself and that began to fester. I was already surrounded by…” He pauses, searching my eyes again for a moment. After seeming to come to a conclusion, he continues.
“I was surrounded by violence, and I started to do weird shit. I had no place to put all the anger and the outlets I created for myself scared the shit out of them.” He snorts.
“Is that why you two seem to have so much tension?”
“You got it, baby.” He winks.
“You know, Gio always told me dating a Di Lorenzo came with its own baggage.”