Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 77359 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77359 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
“For me, too,” Carmine said. He opened his arms and whispered, “Welcome back,” when I sank into his embrace. Then he put his hands on my shoulders, leaning down to look me in the eyes. “Is it what you want?”
“I do.” My voice rang clearly through the room.
Massimo shook his head. “Now she says it loud and clear.”
My cheeks reddened, and I recalled how quietly I’d said it at the ceremony earlier. “I’m sorry. I was just ... everything was so confusing. I was happy to be marrying you, Massimo. But ... I was just so sad about these guys.”
“Then it’s a good thing we’re here,” Stefano said, and I wholeheartedly agreed.
Then I turned back to Massimo. “Can we really do this?”
It was Carmine who answered. “He’s the boss.”
Massimo spread his hands wide, as if showcasing all the possibilities. “Other people arranged for this marriage. But I don’t see why we shouldn’t choose how we want things to go moving forward.”
“I never get to choose things.”
“Maybe that’ll change,” Stefano said, and we both looked at Massimo.
“Maybe, up to a point.”
I still couldn’t quite believe it. “Is this real?”
“Yes,” Massimo said. “I think it works. Since you moved in, I’ve felt closer to these guys.”
“Albeit jealous sometimes,” Stefano said.
“Yes,” Massimo admitted. “But if you two hadn’t taken an interest in Leila, I might not have seen what a wonderful woman she was.” He looked at me. “And I want that woman to have what she needs.”
“I need all of you.”
“It works, somehow,” Carmine added. “But maybe we’d better fill her in on the ground rules.”
My breath caught in my throat as I waited, looking from one man to the next.
“Absolutely no hint of this in public,” Massimo began.
“Of course,” I agreed quickly.
“I want to make sure you truly understand,” Massimo said.
Carmine put his arms around my shoulders. “Leila, if there were even the hint of a rumor that you were with one of us, it would make Massimo and our entire organization look weak. That would put us all in danger. Real danger.”
I trembled, instantly worried. “Then maybe we shouldn’t—”
“We should,” Stefano said firmly. “Because it’s important. And because it’s what we all want.” I gave him a grateful smile.
“We can arrange something back home,” Massimo said. “Maybe institute some sort of rule that staff can’t go on the upper floors except during certain hours. That should make it easier to be discreet.”
That sounded good. I wanted to make love to them in every room of the mansion.
“And we can put in some security measures. Sensors and cameras and things like that,” Stefano added.
“You can do that?”
“I can.”
A new thought occurred. “Did you put the tracker in my purse that they used to find me when I got locked out of that restaurant?”
“Yes.” He faced his brothers. “I think it’s time that I get more involved in the family business.”
My jaw dropped, and Carmine and Massimo looked shocked as well. “B-But I thought you wanted nothing to do with that,” I stuttered.
Stefano shook his head. “Let me clarify ... I want to be more involved with the business of keeping my family safe. That doesn’t have to just be about men with guns. There are all kinds of technical measures we can put into place.”
Massimo nodded. To me, he looked relieved that his baby brother wasn’t asking to be involved in the seedier aspects of the organization.
Stefano winked at me. “I might as well shift into security tech anyway. AI’s coming for my coding job.” I smiled, even though yet again, I didn’t really know what he meant. But I knew he’d teach me about it if I asked him to.
Then his expression sobered, and he looked deep into my eyes. “All that matters is to keep you safe, Leila. And I can do that by setting up tech in the cars you ride in and the rooms you sleep in. And finally, I’ll install a camera in your shower and no matter how busy I am, I’ll monitor it closely every single day. Nothing’s more important than your safety.”
My cheeks reddened, but I laughed. Carmine did as well.
“Be serious,” Massimo said, but he couldn’t help the smirk that crossed his face.
“So are we really doing this?” Carmine asked.
“Wait,” I said. “I mean, yes, I want to. But what about your other rule, Massimo? The one, uh, limiting what I can do with your brothers.” My chest flushed as I remembered the thing he was allowed to do with me that they weren’t.
When Massimo didn’t answer right away, Carmine dove in. “That’s up to Massimo, but it’s a different ball game now. We’re not always going to be sneaking away with you one at a time.”
For a moment, I didn’t know what he meant, and then my heart rate tripled as I realized. “You mean ... we might all be together? At the same time?” I couldn’t bring myself to say anything more specific, but I figured I deserved a little bit of slack considering I’d been a virgin a mere twenty-four hours ago.