Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 84219 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84219 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
My jaw clenches, and I shake my head because it’s not an option.
I don’t care what I have to do to keep her. There’s no way I’m letting her go.
Chapter 31
Samantha
Walking into my apartment, I glance at the window and let out a sigh when I see another bouquet of flowers.
My freaking place looks like a flower store!
Yanking my phone out of my handbag, I press dial on Mr. Vitale’s number.
Not even a second passes when he answers, “What’s wrong?”
“I can’t move around in my apartment,” I complain. “Stop with the flowers, Mr. Vitale.”
I glance around at all the colorful arrangements and shake my head.
It looks like a unicorn puked everywhere.
“I’ll stop on one condition,” he murmurs.
“I’m not ready to talk about us,” I warn him.
It’s been over two weeks, and I still can’t bring myself to make a decision. One moment, I’m willing to give things a try between us, and the next, I shut it down because Mr. Vitale is, and always will be, a mafia boss.
“I want you to call me Franco,” he murmurs.
“Oh.” I narrow my eyes. “Is that it? Will you stop leaving flowers at my window?”
“Yes.”
“Fine,” I sigh as I drop my handbag on the couch and walk to the window to retrieve the latest peace offering.
“So you didn’t throw any of the flowers I left for you in the trash?” he asks.
“Of course not. They didn’t do anything wrong.”
He chuckles, and the sound has my heart beating faster.
I’ve barely seen him because he’s staying away from the companies until he’s dealt with whoever attacked us.
That’s another reason why I’m hesitant to give things a chance between us.
“How did things go at the office today?” he asks.
“Good.” I tuck the device between my ear and shoulder and lift the arrangement into my apartment. Shutting the window, I say, “I’m not talking with you about work. That’s what office hours are for.”
“Fair enough.” His tone is laced with amusement. “What would you like to talk about?”
“Nothing. I just called to tell you to stop with the flowers. I’m hanging up.”
Before I can end the call, he admits, “I miss you.”
I press my lips together so I don’t say the words back to him and make a non-committal sound.
“Can I come up?”
A frown appears on my forehead. “You’re here?”
“Yes. I dropped the flowers off a couple of minutes ago.”
I shake my head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Please.”
I glance at the window, and seeing Franco standing there, I startle.
“You’re sneaky,” I whisper into the phone.
“All is fair in love and war.”
I move closer to the window and lock eyes with him through the glass.
We stare at each other for close to a minute while I try to sort through my feelings about him being here.
Giving in, I end the call and unlock the window.
Franco pushes it open, and I watch as he climbs inside. When he straightens to his full height, he tucks his phone into his pocket.
This is the first time he’s come through the window wearing a suit and not his uniform from Paradiso, and it makes everything more real.
It merges my mystery man with my boss, and my confused mind gets a little more clarity.
My heart, on the other hand, starts to beat faster and faster until it’s a mere fluttering in my chest.
When I started working at Vitale Health, I had a crush on Mr. Vitale.
Just like every other woman in the building.
Of course, it died a quick death when I became his PA, but now it’s back. Add to that my love for my mystery man, and I feel a little overwhelmed.
I move to one of the couches and sit down. Staring at the coffee table, I try to shove my feelings down because I need to be sensible about the situation.
Franco takes a seat next to me, and he places his hand palm up on his thigh.
My eyebrows draw together as I lay my hand in his.
His fingers weave with mine, then he says, “Christ, I missed you.”
I missed you too.
Lifting my hand to his mouth, he presses a kiss to my skin.
My heart wars with my mind, and I feel a little lost.
“Want to talk about it?” he asks.
Closing my eyes, I lean against his shoulder. I smell his aftershave and feel how solid he is beside me.
“Even if I can look past you deceiving me, it won’t matter, because you’re one of the heads of the Cosa Nostra.” I suck in a deep breath and let it out slowly before I continue, “At the end of the day, you’re a criminal.”
He takes a deep breath and tightens his hold on my hand before he mentions, “Honestly, the Cosa Nostra does a hell of a lot for the city. We provide jobs to thousands. We keep the gangs in check. We keep drugs off the streets. It’s one of the reasons the police look the other way. We do half their job for them.”