Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 68628 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 343(@200wpm)___ 275(@250wpm)___ 229(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68628 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 343(@200wpm)___ 275(@250wpm)___ 229(@300wpm)
Tosca nods, lips pursed. "Yes, of course." She looks at Quinn. “Would you rather be killed?"
Honest and pragmatic, as always.
Quinn looks at me and doesn’t respond at first, as if she’s actually weighing her options.
"I’ll have to think about that,” she says quietly.
Nonna laughs, Eden chokes on a sip of wine, and Sergio sighs.
"For the love of God, someone tell me that we are honeymooning in a dungeon,” I say under my breath to Sergio. A nice, well-equipped dungeon with handcuffs and implements…
Quinn takes an enormous bite of pasta and chews with her mouth wide open.
"I’d really prefer not to have to kill you. Killing is messy.”
"That's the nicest thing you've said all day," Quinn snaps.
Sergio gives me a wan smile. I don't know what it means, but it doesn't make me feel good about things.
"I assure you, mia donna, I will not treat you badly.”
She openly guffaws at me. "Hello? That was a given."
Oh, it absolutely was not.
Yeah, forget the idea of trying to win her over. That's fucking hopeless.
She opens her mouth to say something else when all of a sudden, she begins to choke. She's gasping for air, pounding the table with her fist, trying to dislodge whatever it is she's choking on. I get to her before anybody else does. I lift her straight out of the chair, as if she were a small child, bend her over my clasped fist, and heave. With a cough and a splutter, she begins to breathe again.
Her face is beet red, her eyes bugging out of her head.
"They just saw you try to manhandle me."
"Oh, so I should've just let you die?"
"You sure like to threaten that, don't you?"
Holy shit, this woman.
"Did you choke on your tongue?"
"No, why? What kind of question is that?"
“Fucking pity,” I say under my breath.
Nonna stands and claps her hands together. “Limoncello! You know, in my city when a man saves woman from choking…"
I’m starting to lose my patience. "No, I have no idea what they say."
Nonna’s eyes twinkle. "It's a good omen. Means you will love each other forever."
She waddles off to the kitchen.
"Put me down!" I blink in surprise, not expecting that Quinn’s going to start telling me what to do. I stare at her. Sergio stands from the table.
"Are you OK?" Quinn nods.
I almost drop her. I put her down and give her a gruff, “Be careful."
"Of course," she says sarcastically. "The next time I'll actually chew my food before I intentionally choke myself."
“Good idea.” It’s hard to speak through clenched teeth.
I didn't miss how small and fragile she was in my hands.
I didn't miss how good she smelled either, like lilacs in full bloom. Or how soft her skin was. Or the quick mental image I had of how easily I could overpower her.
The woman has masochist written right down her back. Literally. A swirly tattoo that labels her as someone that is sexually aroused by pain.
As luck would have it, I’m a sadist.
I stick my fork in my pasta and take another bite. It's delicious, like everything that comes from the Rossi kitchen, but I barely taste it.
"Time for dessert!" Tosca says, rising. “We have something to celebrate tonight.”
"No dessert for me, thank you," I say gruffly. I need to get out of here. “I'm going home to arrange things before the wedding."
"Bad idea, brother." Sergio meets my gaze. I raise my eyebrows, a silent question.
“You two are in danger until we do what we need to.”
Of course, I’m on the cartel’s hit list, I knew that I would be. But to me, being on the cartel’s hit list is no reason to hide. I’m not ashamed or afraid.
I’ll have to keep that in mind.
Sergio lowers his voice. “We just swore you in, brother. Don't wanna lose you this quick, not when a simple step will prevent this."
I get it. But I don't want to be anywhere near Quinn until I have to be. I look at Tosca. “Do you mind?"
She grins, her whole face lighting up. "Are you kidding me? I miss when I had people living here. We hate that this huge place is so empty. We were actually thinking of selling it—"
"You do not sell The Castle without talking to me first, okay?" Sergio interjects.
"I know, I know, you and Romeo. It's just a lot for us to maintain. And yes, Adriano, you're welcome to stay. We’ll set you up in a guest suite and make sure you have everything you need for the wedding."
"Thank you. I don't want a big to-do, Tosca. We’ll keep it simple. Justice of the peace. Witnesses. We don't need a big celebration."
My betrothed lifts her chin and stares at me. "Says who?"
Jesus Christ. I give her a forced smile. "We don't have time for a big wedding, darling." The sarcasm drips from my mouth, but somehow it seems to bounce off of her.