Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 27333 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 137(@200wpm)___ 109(@250wpm)___ 91(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27333 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 137(@200wpm)___ 109(@250wpm)___ 91(@300wpm)
There were many other things I had planned to say to him at that time, but he had started kissing me already, and well, I was distracted after that, and by the time Lorenzo had allowed me to breathe, there wasn't any time to talk.
He had already helped me out of the car, and as soon as I was standing next to him, he had raised my hand to his lips, and well, I was even more distracted after that.
Because who knew, right?
I don't think anyone could have ever predicted how impossibly sweet the Beast of New York could be.
Or attractive to a bevy of college girls, for that matter.
And oh, the way they just wouldn't stop staring and giggling as Lorenzo and I walked past them—-
"This is the last time you're walking me to class," I mutter under my breath.
"I see."
Oh, I so bet he does.
Or at least that was what I was thinking until I saw the impassive expression on my husband's face and realized he was right.
I am the idiot between us, and no, oh God, no.
Lorenzo stiffens when he realizes I'm fighting back tears. But when he starts to let go of my hand, I know exactly what he's thinking, and I tighten my grip and refuse to let go.
"Don't force yourself," he grits out.
Shame makes it so hard to speak. I hate how I've needlessly hurt him. But because I also know silence is going to hurt him more—-
"You got it all wrong," I whisper jerkily in Italian. "I want this to be the last time because I'm jealous."
My husband only stares at me.
"Non vedi come tutte le altre ragazze ti stanno guardando?" Can't you see how all the other girls are staring at you?"
But still, he stares, and I start feeling nervous and desperate. Have I hurt him so that he thinks I'm lying? What can I possibly do to—-mmph!
I'm suddenly in my husband's arms, and even though there are countless other students and faculty members around us, he's kissing me so wildly and hungrily that I just know I can't ever be jealous again.
Because this kiss?
It has the words 'I'm hers' written all over it, and by the time he lets me go, I'm just a complete mess, with how my lips feel so embarrassingly swollen even as my heart starts aching in the most unbearably sweet way.
Oh, Renzo.
I just know I'll dedicate a dozen pages to writing about this in my diary later.
"You're jealous," my husband suddenly says, and in a tone so guarded that it forces what few brain cells I have left to work overtime.
"Yes," I say finally. "I am."
I'm not sure why he needs to hear me say it.
I just know he does, and the moment I give him the words, it's like having the sun shine for me alone.
Oh, my love.
My husband's lips haven't moved at all, but it's those green eyes of his that say everything he has to say, and I really do think it's true.
Whether he likes it or not—-
I think we really are starting to fall in love.
Journal Entry
Foe and faux.
It's no coincidence they sound the same.
ONE OF THE PERKS OF owning a college was having an office of his own on campus, and it was here that he spent hours each day researching like mad.
Is jealousy equivalent to falling in love?
Is jealousy an indicator of love?
How to turn jealousy into love?
A month had already passed since Lorenzo had started accompanying his wife to school, but the memory of her jealousy hadn't gotten old at all.
At that time, he had thought the way she had suddenly become silent and withdrawn was because she had finally realized what it meant to be seen with the Beast of New York.
Just shows what an idiot you are, Anghileri.
But of course, he knew better now.
His wife being an angel, he should have known that Gazelle wouldn't act like other women did and start screaming, nagging, and throwing things when jealous. Because his wife was perfect in every way, she hadn't even blamed him for making her jealous. Instead, she had simply asked that he didn't walk her to class.
Why the hell am I so damn lucky?
Truth be told, if she had asked something else, he would have given it to her. But since her safety remained his number one prerogative, Lorenzo could only offer an alternative, and that was to do everything in his power to let the whole world know she was the only woman for him.
But how are you going to do that, Gazelle had asked him seriously, and since Lorenzo had been hoping that time she would ask exactly that—-
Like this.
He had waited until they were outside her first class before bending down to mark her neck with his possession.
And now it's your turn.
He would never forget the way her eyes had widened at his whispered words. He would remember it until the day he died.