Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 91238 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91238 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
“Still like me?”
“Baby, I love you now more than I ever have.”
A little thrill runs into my stomach. “It was hard, you know. The second I started talking, my father looked at me like he despised me. I knew my relationship with him would never be the same after this, but maybe a part of me thought we might reconcile one day. At least that door’s closed now. I won’t always wonder.”
“I’m sorry. I really, really am. I know how much your family means to you.”
“Dad isn’t my whole family. Sophia’s still talking to me. The other uncles appreciate what I did and I think my other cousins will come around eventually. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll be on good terms with everyone but my dad.”
Unfortunately, my dad is the only one that really matters. But I don’t say it out loud. Gian knows it as well as I do. The Don is the head of the family, bottom line, for good or bad.
“I swear, Allegra, I’m going to give you everything you need. That’s not some empty promise. I want to make you happy.”
“You’re doing great already.” I switch feet with a smile. “And I’m sure you have other ideas in mind.”
“Dozens. Hundreds. So many ideas, I don’t think you’ll be leaving my bedroom for months.”
“I’m your captive now?”
“Absolutely. There will be rope involved.”
“Oh, don’t tease me.”
“I always do.” He raises my big toe to his lips and kisses it. I laugh, wriggling a little, but he keeps rubbing.
We lapse into silence. I let myself enjoy the foot massage. It’s strange how comfortable I am with this man and how much I’ve given up for him. “I made the right choice,” I say softly, more to myself than to him.
“I love you for it.”
“You love me for a lot more than that. But I really did make the right choice. I’m sad, but that’ll pass.”
“It’ll pass,” he agrees, and leans over to kiss me.
My phone buzzes. He grunts when I check it, lips pecking at the shell of my ear. Apparently, my foot is forgotten. Which is a shame, but his hands move to more interesting parts of me.
Sophia: Hey, girl, you alive? Just thinking of you.
I smile to myself. A warm feeling fills my guts. I’m still a little mad at her, but I’m happy we’re rebuilding our friendship.
Me: I’m good. Last night sucked, but it was for the best.
“Quit texting,” Gian says as he lifts my shirt and kisses the tops of my breasts. “I’m trying to get you wet.”
“No worries on that front,” I say, wriggling my hips against him.
He chuckles, low and gorgeous.
My phone buzzes again.
Sophia: Lunch today?
Me: Can’t today. But tomorrow?
Sophia: See you then, girly.
“That’s enough.” He yanks down my pants with one hand and steals my phone away with the other. As he runs his tongue down my slit, he throws the phone across the room. It clatters into the wall.
“If you broke that—” I say but my anger gets broken off by a low moan as he sucks on my clit.
“I’ll make it up to you baby,” he whispers, his mouth doing its beautiful, dirty work, sucking and licking, his fingers sliding inside of me, until I come on his mouth in a burst of pure bliss.
Yeah, I made the right choice.
Chapter 42
Gian
One Month Later
The truck rolls down a quiet neighborhood block. We’re on the edges of West Philly in territory that used to belong to the Russians. “A week ago, they had gangsters on that corner,” I say, nodding toward a little bodega sitting on the intersection. “Now, nothing.”
“Gotta admit, bro, I really thought the Rinaldo guys were going to be fucking worthless.” Carlo grins at me and makes a gun shape with his fingers. “But those fuckers like to battle.”
He’s not kidding. Once the Rinaldo Famiglia made it official, their Capos started organizing themselves with our forces, and they weren’t shy about getting aggressive. For the first time in a while, we’re making progress against the fucking Aslanov Bratva bastards.
“We have a long way to go though,” I say as I park in front of a coffee shop. “Jasha Aslanov’s a vicious fuck.”
“You’re telling me.” Carlo’s eyes darken as he glares outside. “Do you know how much it hurts to get shot?”
“You’re still whining about that?”
He grins and punches my arm. “Just saying, I’ve got skin in the game. How about you?”
“I’ve got skin too.” I look at my hands, thinking of Allegra. “More skin than I know what to do with.”
“Lovesick fucking…” He curses at me in Italian. It’s lighthearted though and I don’t mind. Carlo doesn’t get it, and I’m not sure he ever will.
But Renzo knows. We’ve talked a couple times over the last few weeks about what it’s like to care about someone more than yourself. It’s lifechanging. World-altering.