Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 56742 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56742 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
Swear you’re telling the truth.
I swear, Elio, I reply. I’m more confident about this than I’ve ever been about anything in my life. When we were talking about kids, I was thinking about US having a family. When I think about the future, I see US together. I can’t imagine anybody else. If we didn’t work out, I’d be a spinster forever.
If we didn’t work out? There’s no way for that to happen, my perfect girl, unless one of us cheated. I’d die before I cheated on you, and I’d kill any bastard who touched you.
I don’t want to be with another man. I look across the room, wondering why Mom’s panting so hard, and then I realize the sound is coming from me. You’re the only one I ever want. I promise. I’d never cheat on you.
Good, he replies. When this Russel crap is sorted out, we’re going to be together. Properly. You’ll be my mafia queen. You’ll always be at my side.
Me, a queen? I smile. I never thought I’d hear anybody say that.
You’re a kind, funny, sassy, beautiful, sexy, curvy, perfectly plus-size queen. Get used to it.
Perfectly plus-size? I write. That’s something else I NEVER thought I’d hear.
There’s something I don’t want to hear, beautiful—any negativity about your size. It was one of the first things I noticed about you. Your curves are perfect. Your thick, gorgeous legs. Your chest. Your wide hips and every single curvy part of you drive me wild. Never, never fucking talk badly about that. Understand?
More tingles move through me. I’m done being guilty about the way he makes me feel, the flurry of lust, the heat. So what if this has been the most eventful, stressful day of my life? This, right here, is real. We’re real.
Thank you for saying that, I reply. It means a lot.
It’s true. I’m sorry, angel. I’ve got to go now. Business, but I’ll see you soon.
Be careful.
I will. I’ve got a whole lot to live for now.
I love you, I type. Then I hover over the send button and quickly delete the message. That might be a step too far. Though, would it, after everything we’ve shared, this instant connection?
Screw it. Typing it out again, I click send.
Then it’s like fate gets involved. A moment later, I get a notification. The text failed to send. My signal has just dropped out. Call me superstitious, but maybe that’s a sign. I quickly unsend the message, meaning it won’t try to resend when the signal returns.
I lie down, too restless to sleep, my mind filled with vivid dreams about the future. Before, they were fantasies. Now, it’s real. There’s light at the end of this. There’s hope. There’s love. There’s family. When you get right down to it, that’s the most important thing.
CHAPTER 24
Elio
“His boys are going to get suspicious soon,” Luca says as we sit on the balcony, looking over our city. The large lights of the stadium construction have started going up on the outskirts, a project we never should’ve gotten involved with without proper vetting. “We’re going to have to drag the information out of him. Once we learn where he’s saved the video and any copies, we can end the bastard.”
“I’ll do it,” I growl. “After what he did to my woman.”
“Is there a reason you’re smiling?” Luca snaps.
I flatten my lips. “No.”
“You sure about that? We just learned Mom cheated on Dad. There’s a fucking sex tape of her out there.”
My brother doesn’t understand that while parts of my world are falling, others are ascending as if on an angel’s wings. Others are pulsing so damn brightly.
“I don’t know what to make of it,” I say, running a hand through my hair. “I can’t think why Mom would do that.”
“Did you ask her when you gave them a ride?”
“No, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. We need to focus on the business at hand. We can hear her justifications later.”
“Justifications, not reasons… interesting word choice.”
“Is there an acceptable reason?” I snap.
“I’ve cheated,” Luca mutters. “I’ve had girlfriends who have cheated, too.”
“You’ve never been married. Once a person takes that oath, it’s for life. I don’t give a damn what ups and downs you have. You stick to the path. Loyalty, honesty, family… That’s what a marriage means.”
Luca sighs. “I’ll try to talk to her soon. I feel like a kid who’s just learned Santa isn’t real. Everything’s been pulled out from underneath me.”
“I know,” I say darkly. “Mom’s a good person. If she did this, she must’ve believed there was a reason.”
“Or maybe, no matter how good a woman is, there’s always a chance they’ll stray.”
“No,” I snap. “I don’t accept that. I don’t believe it. There are good women out there. I’ve found one, and when this is over, I’m going to marry her. You’ll be my best man and soon an uncle. We’ll have it all: the Family back where it belongs and the Shanks in the dirt.”