Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 128290 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 641(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128290 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 641(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
“Wouldn’t you like to know.”
“You have no idea,” he murmurs, and I choose to pretend he didn’t speak.
Enzo cocks his head, and this time, his eyes stay glued on my face as I rub the cool, Vaseline-like ointment across the shape of my lips on his neck.
His skin is warm against my touch, almost as if melting the salve on contact, and I tell myself that’s why I glide my fingers over the space more times than necessary.
“Thank you,” I finally whisper, and our eyes meet. “For the knives.”
Enzo stares as if contemplating a response, and only when I look away does he say, “I had them made for you when I was in Costa Rica.”
My chest clenches and our gazes lock once more.
When he was in Costa Rica.
That’s where I was told he was when my father took me back to Greyson Manor before Enzo was made to think I had changed my mind on our arrangement.
I figured he was fine with my breaking our contract, that he decided it was for the best and didn’t care whether I came back or not. I approached him for this deal, after all, not the other way around.
But if he didn’t care, he wouldn’t have had something especially made for me…would he?
Of course, it could simply have been his way of pacifying me on his return. It’s what most men in our world do, shower their wives with lavish gifts and extravagant trips as a way to keep them in line…or their mouths shut.
I swallow, my hands falling to my sides as I try to step away, but his palms close around my waist, holding me where I am. Right between his strong thighs.
“Look at me.”
I force myself to obey.
His mouth opens, but closes as he reaches into his pocket, pulling his phone out. A curse leaves him and he sighs, pushing to his feet as he shoves it back in his slacks. My eyes follow his until I’m looking up at him, one hand still holding on to my hip.
His free hand comes up, running under my lower lip before he gathers my long hair from my back and lays it across my shoulder, his fingers gliding through its length on their descent.
“Do me a favor?” he whispers.
I nod, not trusting myself to speak with him this close. All I see is him and all I can think is how good his warm grip feels on my body.
“Sleep in the bed tonight.” He might have asked for a favor, but we both know it’s not a question. He’ll see to it that I’m not outside all night, and it’s not worth the risk of him dead-bolting the doors closed once more.
Wait. I frown, looking out at the sky. “What time is it?” I ask, realizing it’s still dark out and he’s freshly showered and shaved. “And why are you in a new suit?
“It’s two in the morning and I have business to tend to.”
“At two in the morning?”
“Didn’t you know?” He tips his head all cocky-like. “Devils work in the dark.”
A light laugh leaves me, and Enzo smiles, an actual, slip-of-the-teeth kind of smile. It’s so unexpected, so…I don’t know, but it sends a flutter through my stomach. The man looks really good when he smiles.
It almost makes him appear a little more human and less like a dark god.
He squeezes my hips before releasing me and makes his way to the door.
“Hey, Enzo,” I call out before I can stop myself, hating how my heart is pounding wildly with his exit.
He pauses just outside the room, looking at me over his shoulder.
“Don’t die.”
His eyes bore into mine and he gives a single nod before walking away.
Nerves flitter through me as he leaves, making my stomach bubble and my skin tingle, and it’s not until I close the balcony doors, climbing under my covers that I realize what the feeling is.
It’s a buzz I’m not sure I know.
A nervous energy I’m unaccustomed to.
A tingling beneath my ribs and an airy sensation swimming in my stomach.
Silly me, I’m so helpless as it’s also…hope.
Maybe I can keep my husband after all.
“I thought he’d never leave.”
My head whips to the door to find Katana smirking back at me.
Or maybe not…
Chapter
Fifteen
Boston
My fingers tingle with the need to rip the messy bun off the top of her head, so I clench them into fists in the covers, not bothering to climb out of bed, but sitting up in the middle of it.
She says nothing as she steps in, baggy sweats and a ratty T-shirt covering her, and somehow making her even more endearing. She’s like a cute little Bratz doll, a little rough around the edges and lacking in grace but somehow still intriguing. It’s annoying.
Katana comes over, climbing up and settling beside me like I didn’t stick her with a blade not even eight hours ago. She’s so at ease that I’m too shocked to speak, silently staring as she lights and hits another massive blunt as if it’s perfectly normal to climb in bed with your ex-husband’s new wife.