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)
“Yes,” he says, turning away. “Of course.” He walks to the bathroom, unbuckling his pants.
I turn around as they come off, heat turning my cheeks pink. “What are you doing?”
“Taking a shower. Would you like to join me?”
“No! We need to talk. There are a million things we have to discuss.”
“Later. Right now, I’m tired.”
“Wait. Hold on. At least tell me where I’m sleeping.”
I hear the shower turn on. I risk a peek and the bathroom door’s still open. He’s standing next to the stall door in only his boxer briefs, his gorgeous, muscular thighs bare, his arms and chest naked, the water streaming down from a gorgeous rainfall shower head. His lips quirk as he slides his underwear off and I stare, not turning away this time, my mouth hanging open. He doesn’t try to hide himself as he walks to the door.
“You’re sleeping with me. Still sure you don’t want to join me?”
“Yes,” I whisper, though now I’m tempted as my eyes move up and down his body, from the perfect V leading to his half-hard cock, so long and thick and covered in beautiful veins, up to his little round nipples, and to those gorgeous lips.
The lips of a killer. The mouth of a liar.
“The door isn’t locked if you change your mind.”
He shuts it and the spell breaks, leaving me alone in this strange room, in this strange house, regretting every decision I’ve ever made that led me to this point.
Chapter 15
Renzo
Maddie doesn’t meet my gaze as I come out of the shower wearing only a towel. I get dressed in a pair of joggers and a simple black t-shirt—no reason to torture the poor girl, she’s clearly struggling—and finally walk over to sit near her at the nook. I’m in a lounge chair, and she’s got herself buried under blankets, her knees pulled to her chest and her arms hugging herself tight.
“You wanted to discuss how this is going to work.” I lean forward, making sure she’s listening. “I’ll make it simple. You’ll live here in this house as my wife. There are some simple rules you’ll obey, and if you’re careful, there won’t be any issues. However, if you decide to make my life difficult, I will move you somewhere less comfortable until you’ve given birth, and at that point, our relationship will be over.”
Her jaw’s working as she rotates until she’s sitting cross-legged and staring at me, still in her work outfit. I wonder why she hasn’t gotten changed—probably still think there’s some way out.
But it’s much too late.
My mother’s illness is not widely known in the mafia circles. The other families know she disappeared from public life, but they believed that’s because she’s mourning my father. They don’t know how bad her Alzheimer’s has gotten, and I want to keep it that way.
Not because I’m ashamed. No, I’m far from ashamed. I love my mother too much and care for her too deeply to ever feel shame. It’s more that I need to keep her safe, and the other families will find some way to exploit her condition if they find out.
That’s the sort of world I live in. Where men and monsters will use old, sick women against their enemies purely to get a tiny edge in the constant struggle over control of the streets.
That’s why Maddie’s so important. Not only will a wife and a child lend me some legitimacy, but it’ll distract everyone else from wondering where Stella Rossi went. At least for a while.
“Do I get to make rules too?” she asks, eyes narrowed.
I gesture at her, unable to suppress a smile. My little mouse has some spine, although she likes to hide it. “You can try.”
“First rule. I choose when we have sex, and we only do it until I’m pregnant. Once there’s a baby in me, no more touching. Understand?”
I gesture my assent although I really doubt she’ll stick to that. “Anything else?”
“I want to keep working. You mentioned finding me a new position, but I don’t want that. I’m going to remain your office manager.”
“Everyone will wonder why I have my wife doing menial labor.”
“It isn’t menial. I keep things running smoothly. I’m important, even if you don’t see it.”
“I didn’t mean to suggest otherwise, I’m only pointing out how it’ll look from the outside.”
“I don’t care about appearances. This is what I want. Will that be a problem?”
“No, it won’t.”
“Good. Last rule. I want my own room.”
“Absolutely not.”
“Excuse me?”
“While you’re my wife, and until you’re pregnant with my child, you will sleep in my bed. I want easy access to you, bella topo. Strictly for business reasons, of course.”
Her jaw works. I can tell she doesn’t like this, and honestly, if she had opened with that demand I might’ve agreed. It wouldn’t be such a bad thing to keep our distance, and I could put her in the far wing away from Mother where she’s least likely to cause problems.