Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 112(@200wpm)___ 89(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 112(@200wpm)___ 89(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
“I know, but you see, I know you, and I know there will be several presents waiting for me under the tree,” Massimo said, making his way over to her and taking a seat opposite.
Elsie continued to stare outside, but he saw the tears glistening in her eyes. She tried to fight them.
“Look at me,” he said.
“We’re fooling ourselves, Massimo. There is no way this can work.”
“I don’t see why not. We’ve been working well.”
“You and Isabella—”
“Is never going to happen,” Massimo said. “I do not love her. I have never loved her. While her father would enjoy a union between our two families, I don’t. I told him that. I do not want Isabella.”
Elsie snorted. “I find that hard to believe.”
“She is an evil bitch, Elsie.”
“But she’s beautiful.”
“And you consider me that shallow?”
“I’m told so often that you guys would have been a power couple. It was what so many people wanted. They would talk about how amazing you are, and how you’d have the most beautiful children.”
“And yet, I married you and consider you the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on,” he said.
He’d never been this honest with a woman. Elsie was different.
She shook her head. “You don’t need to lie. I have brown hair and brown eyes. I’m dull and I’m … fat.”
“Stop,” Massimo said.
He put his coffee mug down on the floor, out of reach of being kicked or tumbling over. Taking Elsie’s mug from her, he placed it on the floor.
Reaching out, he tucked some of her hair behind her ear. Her brown hair wasn’t dull, it was glossy and full of life and bounce. Her eyes were so intense, like she was taking in every detail, not wanting to miss a moment. Those lips of hers were plump, inviting, and he knew felt incredible wrapped around his dick.
Her curves drove him crazy. Her full tits, thick juicy thighs, rounded stomach. Elsie was all woman in every way. He didn’t give a shit if she had dimples or cellulite, but he did care about her trying to hide in the dark from him. When he drove balls-deep inside her, he wanted to look into her eyes so she knew who was making love to her.
He was addicted to her.
He hungered for her.
Elsie was everything to him.
“You’re everything to me, Elsie.”
And one day, he was going to make Isabella pay for driving a wedge between him and his wife.
He had never cheated and he never would.
Chapter Three
Two Days Later
“We don’t have to stay here,” Elsie said, stepping into the kitchen where Massimo was glancing through the fridge. The man never had to cook for himself. He didn’t know his way around the kitchen.
Stepping toward him, she nudged him out of the way with her hip and grabbed the food they would need for breakfast. She wanted scrambled eggs and bacon, and seeing as she could cook and he couldn’t, they were eating what she cooked. She turned on the grill to preheat and then began to crack eggs into a bowl. Massimo moved toward the counter and took his seat.
This reminded her of their honeymoon. The first morning, Massimo tried to cook, but it had been close to a disaster. The sausages had been raw in the center, and she was pretty sure he’d gotten shell in the eggs. It was sweet, but she’d taken over and they’d been able to eat.
In fact, she cooked for Massimo often, much to Lucas, the chef’s, chagrin. Not that the home chef said anything. At first Lucas hadn’t liked her being in his kitchen. Massimo reminded the chef that it was his home, the kitchen belonged to him, and by extension, Elsie. She didn’t want to make waves, so she got Lucas to teach her everything he knew, and they had become friends. Now, the chef looked forward to her arrival in the kitchen. She wondered how he was doing. This was the longest she’d been away from home, and in a strange way, she missed them all.
Massimo’s home was never empty. He had chefs and cleaners, maids, and even butlers, as well as soldiers. Elsie had befriended multiple people, much to Massimo and even the employees’ surprise. They liked her and she liked them.
Also, when they had guests, she made sure Massimo’s employees were treated with the utmost respect.
Within the first week of her being Massimo’s wife, they had a dinner, and she discovered one of the capo’s wives slapping one of the maids. All the woman had done was taken her coat, but the wife in question had felt it had been too … aggressive.
She’d been about to slap the woman again, but Elsie had caught the woman’s hand and reminded her that this was her home, and if she dared strike one of her employees again, she would have no problems dishing it out. She didn’t believe in violence, nor did she condone it, however, she knew sometimes it was the only way.