Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 103124 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 516(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 344(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103124 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 516(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 344(@300wpm)
And her hair. It’s a wig. A platinum blonde bob. Even if it isn’t her mass of red-gold curls, it looks good on her.
She pauses, her large eyes scanning the room for me. When a server walks past with a tray of drinks, she swipes a glass of champagne and gives him a wink.
God, she’s fucking perfect.
I bring my own glass to my lips. Watching her. Trying not to picture those long legs and stilettos wrapped around my hips as I fuck her on the kitchen table for defying me.
Beside me, my driver Matteo raises his eyebrows. He’s been a trusted friend and one of my lieutenants since I came to America. He’s one of the few men I let into my inner sanctum.
“Good Lord, she’s an angel,” he murmurs, watching her intensely.
“If that angel is Satan,” I mutter under my breath.
He chuckles. “I hope you know what you’re doing because she doesn’t look like the type who will take anything lying down.”
“No, but that’s never stopped me before.”
“She’s going to be a handful.” He’s amused because he thinks I’ve bitten off more than I can chew.
A smile tugs at my lips. “I’m counting on it.”
He steals another look at her. “She’s definitely stunning.”
The rest of the guests think so too. Men track her with their appreciative gazes, while women watch her with either envy or fascination as she passes them by. Her presence attracts much attention.
And she’s got mine.
I take the stairs from the mezzanine to the party.
I’m just about to walk over to her when Anastacia steps in front of me, her face pinched. “I’m sorry, Domenico. I was very, very specific about your requests.” She is clearly flustered. No, not flustered. She is furious. “It’s like she gets pleasure out of being so defiant.”
I can’t help but grin, which seems to upset Anastacia more. “Relax, Anastacia. If Bella had turned up wearing what I requested, I would be disappointed.”
“You mean, this was a test?”
“No, a test would be a ridiculous waste of time. It was simply a suspicion.” I glance at my fiancée walking through the crowd, shining like a diamond in a room full of people all dressed the same. “She would never stand for being told what to do.”
“I wish you had told me.” Her voice is strained.
I drag my eyes from Bella to look at my assistant, my jaw tightening. Sometimes Anastacia steps too close to the line. She forgets that I am her boss and acts as if I am her friend, not her employer. She can be arrogant. Almost possessive. But it only takes a dark look—like the one I am giving her now— to put her back in her place.
She draws in a deep breath. “I apologize.”
Anastacia is a classic example of an overachiever. She takes the falls terribly hard. So I ease up on her, knowing her mood is about to plummet.
I surprise us both and let it go.
I cup her shoulders. “Relax. Stop taking everything so seriously. You’re at a party. Enjoy yourself.”
I leave her before she can reply but feel her eyes on me as I move through the room to find Bella.
I find her standing with her back to me, studying one of the ice sculptures.
“Nice hair,” I say.
She swings around, and her eyes narrow when she sees me.
“Thank you. I was thinking of making it a permanent thing.”
“You are?” I ask lightly.
“Yes. After all, blondes have more fun and all that.”
She’s goading me, and I like it.
People spend so much time kissing my ass. It’s a breath of fresh air to be with someone who doesn’t.
I lead her onto the dance floor.
When I pull her into my arms, to my surprise, she doesn’t try to fight it. In fact, she slides her arms around me like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
“You look stunning,” I say as we start to dance.
“You’re not mad that I defied all your very specific instructions?”
“Not at all.”
A small smile tugs at her lips. “Interesting.”
“Why?”
“I thought you’d get all possessive and controlling when you saw me.” She gives me a wicked smile that goes straight to my cock. “I did it to prove a point, you know.”
“You don’t say.”
She glances around the room at the other people on the dance floor, then asks, “So where have you been?”
“Why, have you missed me?”
“No, just curious.”
I twirl her, then pull her back to me. “I’ve been working.”
“Ah yes, world domination. Tell me, how is that working out?”
“I’m winning,” I say, enjoying the feel of her curves against me as we dance.
“Of course you are.” She slides her arm back around me. “Kidnapped any other unsuspecting tourists lately?”
“No, the last one was a nightmare.”
“I heard she had good reason to be.”
“No, she’s just one of those hard-to-please types.”
“Perhaps, she’d be nicer to you if you didn’t try to boss her around so much.”