Total pages in book: 31
Estimated words: 29650 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 148(@200wpm)___ 119(@250wpm)___ 99(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29650 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 148(@200wpm)___ 119(@250wpm)___ 99(@300wpm)
“Don’t hurt her,” she begs. I roll my eyes because I’d never harm my wife, but there’s no need for me to show my hand with her either.
“Hey, girl. Those kittens were adorable,” May says when June answers. My wife is getting as many kittens as she wants. Fuck, I should get one before she arrives, but my dogs need to be trained to handle them first. They’re guard dogs.
“Right. Are you at the diner? It sounds loud.” I hope not because the less she sees of Coleman the better. I want her home getting ready to officially meet her future husband.
“No. It’s the TV. I’m at the apartment, which is a big mistake. I ran into that pervert.” Hearing about some man confronting my woman sends me into a raging spiral, and I wrap my hands around the steering wheel until the leather cracks under my hands. June looks at me like I’m crazy, and I fucking am.
“Ugh. Did you tell him to fuck off?”
“I did, as usual, but he’s creepy and thinks that drop dead means I’m interested. If that fucker calls me ‘Maybe’ one more time, I might forget that I’m trying to be a lawyer or cop and stab him in the eye.”
“Or in his balls,” June offers, giving me a look of warning. Feisty. Alessio’s going to have his hands full with her.
“I’m not getting that close to that STD-ridden cesspool.” I have to hold back my chuckle because my woman has a mouth on her.
“Good girl,” I blurt out in a bit of a growl.
“Who is that?” May’s voice sounds different.
“Oh, that’s my boss.” Fuck. What if she recognizes my voice?
“What’s going on, June?” May sounds suspicious. God, I hope she doesn’t get too curious.
“He’s escorting me home.”
“You’re off already?”
“Yes, I have some matters to attend to, so she has the rest of the day off,” I answer, using a generic American accent, erasing all signs of my Italian roots. June narrows her eyes at me, reading the bullshit from me with questions that will go unanswered for now.
“Okay,” she says. Shit, she sounds weird. Full of distrust, like she believes something is going on with her sister and myself. This charade can’t keep up for long. “So you’ll be coming home tomorrow night?”
“Yes.” No, not if I have anything about it.
I have to hang up before she asks too many questions and June lets something slip.
I scowl and then let out a light chuckle. “Your sister is under the impression that you and I are involved. Interesting. Have any of her former employers begun an affair with her?” I ask.
“Not that she would have told me. She protects me from everything. Well, almost everything.” We both know she didn’t protect her from coming to work for a mafia family, but then June adds, “She told me this job was too good to be true.”
“If you’re telling me the truth, you have nothing to worry about. Just don’t hurt Alessio. He’s come a long way, and I trust him too well to have to find another.”
“I don’t know what you mean. Would you hurt Alessio?”
“Never. He’s like a brother to me, but I’m starting to understand why your sister looks after you.” I turn my head and glare out the window.
“Did you just call me stupid?”
“Naïve is a better word. Let me walk you inside.” She nods, and I unlock the house before stepping inside to check for any danger. Closing the door, I say, “I thought you would have convinced him to get you the kitten.”
“It’s his home.”
She’s obviously not here to destroy us. I walk back into the entryway and shake my head. “He’s going to catch hell once you realize all the power you have.”
June just stares in awe, confused, and then a light in her eyes kicks on before a smile appears. It’s actually sweet that she has no idea what’s to come, and her innocence will work great in getting May to see things my way.
Chapter Five
May
“Girl, something is different about you, and don’t tell me it’s your sister because she’s doing just fine. She’s happier than before and making money. Besides, you talk to her every day. There is something going on with you. Who is he?”
January has always been perceptive and that’s why she makes—or rather will make—a great reporter once she catches her big break. I don’t think working for that station will ever get her on the air, but maybe she’ll meet the right people soon.
“I don’t know what you mean?” My voice cracks, so I’m sure my face looks equally guilty. I’m so glad that she’s in the middle of digging in the fridge so she can’t read the lies on my features.
She lifts her head and stares right at me with her lips pursed. I duck my head into my chest and play with the tattered hem of my tee shirt. “I see you looking off into the distance a lot lately, biting your bottom lip, and I heard you whisper, ‘who is he?’ several times when you think no one is around.”