Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 73663 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73663 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
She can’t meet my eyes as she hovers right inside the threshold. “Mr. Rossi, you called for me?”
“Close the door.”
She does it but doesn’t look happy. Carlo and Saul are staring and I can tell she’s feeling very awkward. Despite being a lioness in bed, she’s a tiny little mouse all over again, looking abashed and meek. It pisses me off—I want her to show my brothers the beast she’s got hidden away behind those walls.
“What can I do for you, Mr. Rossi?”
“Maddie, these are my brothers, Saul and Carlo.”
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Carlo says before she can greet him. He throws up his hands, looking disgusted, and gestures at her. “You want to marry this? She can’t even make fucking eye contact, bro. How the hell do you think this girl’s going to survive in our world?”
Silence falls. Rage rolls down my spine in a wave. Saul looks panicked—he must recognize the look on my face as I climb to my feet.
“Carlo,” I say slowly, “you will apologize to Maddie for that.”
“Fuck, no, I won’t,” he says, meeting my stare with defiance. The bastard likes to push my buttons but he’s gone too far now.
“Either you apologize or I am going to make you apologize.”
“It’s okay,” Maddie says, eyes wide, hands waving in the air. “I’m not insulted. Really, it’s totally fine, I don’t mind.”
“It’s not,” I snap at her. “My brother insulted you and you’re okay with it?”
“I don’t—I mean, I can’t—” She’s blinking rapidly and takes a step back toward the door like she’s going to run.
“Okay, enough of this.” Saul gets to his feet, looking annoyed. “Carlo, go wait in the fucking lobby, you prick. You’re not helping.”
“Renzo’s going to fuck us,” he says softly, almost pleading with Saul. “You see that, don’t you? He’s lost his mind.”
“Just go. We’ll talk later.”
Carlo hesitates, but he shakes his head and leaves the office. Maddie shrinks away from him as if he might strike her.
But if he tried something like that, I’d kill him, brother or not. I hate the way Maddie looks right now like she’s terrified someone might throw her out the window. I can’t blame her, not after Carlo’s outburst, but she’s stronger than this. I just need them to see it.
“Maybe this is a bad time,” Maddie says once Carlo is gone. “Maybe I should come back later.”
“Stay,” I order and she doesn’t move. I look at Saul. “She’s perfect. Single, unattached, Italian. Yes, she’s quiet, but she’s beautiful and I believe she will make an adequate partner. At this point, all I need is a wife and a child on the way to quiet the worst of the rumors.”
Saul grunts in response. Maddie’s staring at me like her eyes might fall out of her head. I wish I could talk to her alone, make her understand that this is a good thing, that she and I can do something beautiful together. I’ll give her everything and ask only for her loyalty and a baby in return. But she’s frightened, and I can’t blame her.
She got a glimpse of what I am, and she’s not sure she wants to get involved.
“Carlo is right. Not because there’s anything wrong with Ms. Sorrento, but because she’s not connected to our world. That was the whole point of marrying Allegra.”
“It’s better this way. Maddie won’t stir up any of the families. I won’t be showing any favoritism by taking an outsider as my bride. You know some of the other organizations were going to be very unhappy.”
Sault tilts his head side to side. “You’re not wrong.”
“Maddie is perfect,” I repeat, emphasizing the word. “We have an arrangement in place. Two years, one baby, then she’s free to go. By that point I’ll have full control of the Famiglia and the city, and it won’t matter if I get a divorce.”
“That’s a good point. When Don Rinaldo got divorced five years ago, nobody really made a big deal about it.”
“Not even when he married his twenty-year-old mistress.” I sit back down and lean into my chair. “Trust me, Saul, I’ve thought this through. Maddie might be an outsider, and she is very quiet, but she’ll be the ideal stopgap measure.”
He turns to inspect her. “Maybe you’re right.”
Maddie stares between us before finally erupting. “Are you two absolutely deranged? I’m standing right here. You do realize I haven’t agreed to anything yet, right?”
Saul laughs. He glances back over his shoulder. “Maybe Carlo was a little too quick to judge.”
I stroke my chin, remembering the way she rode me. “He was much too quick. She seems mousy and reserved, but there’s some strength inside.”
“Can you two hear me? Stop talking like I’m not in the room.” She tugs at her curly hair, a nervous gesture. “I haven’t agreed to anything. As far as I’m concerned, I turned down your offer.”