Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 95833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
But I don’t need that asshole making things harder.
“Hello, little sister,” Casso says as he sits down in the chair beside Gavino. Nico stays standing a few feet away. He’s wearing jeans and a tight white V-neck shirt that shows off the scrolling black tattoos on his tan skin. I tear my eyes away, unwilling to marvel at his sculpted body, though I feel him staring back at me.
“Biggest brother,” I say and nod to Casso. “I guess you’re here to chaperone.”
“I don’t trust Gavino here so someone’s got to do it.”
“You really think Rinaldo’s dumb enough to jeopardize this deal in our own pool?”
Nico speaks up. “I think Rinaldo’s dumb enough to do a lot of things.”
I glare at him. “Nobody asked.”
He only smiles mockingly.
“Nico knows him better than anyone,” Casso says. “He works with the guy. So maybe you should listen to his opinion.”
“His opinion is worthless. Nico does nothing but treat me like an idiot child. Isn’t that right?”
Nico’s lips quirk. “If the shoe fits.”
“Don’t be a dick right now,” Casso says with a sigh. “Look, I know you two are adversarial, but seriously. Nico has some concerns about Rinaldo.”
I stand up and pull off my coverup. The guys stare at me—my brothers with annoyance and Nico with a shocking and naked hunger—but I force myself to ignore them.
I have one goal tonight, and that’s to get to know Rinaldo. I don’t have any other choice at this point. Time’s up tomorrow, and if I don’t have a suitable match by then, I’m getting shipped off to Dallas for the rest of my life.
Jasha Novalov might be the greatest guy in the world, but I’m not leaving my family, not for anything.
“I’m going to get to know my future husband, so if you three will kindly fuck off, that’d be great.”
I don’t wait to hear their replies. I walk to the pool, jump in, and swim over to where Rinaldo’s relaxing beneath the waterfalls. The clattering water blots out the noise of the deepening night around us and shades us from the spying eyes of my two brothers and their asshole friend.
Nico’s gaze lingers the longest and hardest. Casso gets up and leaves—but Nico remains with Gavino.
Bastard. I wish he’d just leave me the hell alone.
“It’s a nice night out here. I’m happy you had me over.” Rinaldo’s smile is plastered on his face. The last time I saw it, I found him charming—but now it feels fake somehow, almost smarmy and too self-serving.
“It’s not bad. Sorry about my brothers. They’re being really weird about this, as if it’s not hard enough already.”
“They’re protective like they should be. That’s what older brothers are for.”
“Do you have any siblings?”
He shakes his head. “None that I know about. My father was a difficult man and my mother died a long time ago.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“It’s nothing.” His grin never wavers, even talking about his dead mother. That’s strange, right? It puts me on edge, but I force myself to push past it. I’m only rattled by Nico’s wolfish stare.
“Why was your father difficult?”
“Drugs and alcohol mostly. He came and went as he pleased. My grandmother raised me and apparently didn’t do a great job since I find myself employed in your Famiglia.” He laughs and paddles closer.
I smile at him and shrug. “Everyone’s got a past.”
“What about you? What’s your past, Karah?”
I wonder if I should tell him about the attack that took my mother’s life or the way I’ve been trapped in a gilded palace my whole existence—but I should keep things light and breezy.
We fall into conversation. It’s a little strained at first, but he keeps asking questions, following up on my answers with more questions, and I find myself telling him all about my life from what I like to watch on TV to my favorite movies to my habits and routines. He answers whatever I ask of him, but he seems more interested in hearing my voice.
His attention is addictive. At first, I feel shy and awkward but he manages to draw me out, and after a while of paddling around the pool together, we end up sitting on the chairs wrapped in towels as the desert night rapidly cools around us. Gavino is long gone, and even Nico disappeared ten minutes ago.
Rinaldo dries his hair and gives me a lopsided smile. “Well, look, it seems like we’re having a decent time, right? I think I should start asking the real tough questions now.”
“Uh-oh, that doesn’t sound good.”
“How many kids do you want?”
I groan. “I don’t know. Pass.”
“Come on, you can’t pass.”
“Then two.”
He snorts and shakes his head. “You’re the Don’s daughter. You think he’ll settle for two?”
“He’ll settle for however many I give him. Why, how many do you want?”
“Four or more.”
“And are you hiring a nanny?”