Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 116471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 582(@200wpm)___ 466(@250wpm)___ 388(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 582(@200wpm)___ 466(@250wpm)___ 388(@300wpm)
Ines sighed again. “I hope you’re at least happy with your marriage so far?”
I blushed. What could I say? “Samuel’s been very kind so far.”
Sofia gave me a doubtful look, but Ines seemed relieved to hear it.
Not long after, Azzurra returned with a tablet and three glasses.
“You can go home now. You worked so hard today,” I said with a grateful smile as I took the espresso martini.
Azzurra gave a small nod and slipped away.
Ines, Sofia, and I clinked glasses and then took a sip. The cocktail was delicious but way too strong for me. I put it down on the side table. I didn’t want to risk being drunk on our second night as a married couple. Though some liquid courage wouldn’t be the worst. I’d really love to be intimate with Samuel again, even if I was still a little sore, but I wasn’t sure if he’d initiate anything.
Danilo appeared in the doorway. Sofia looked up at him with a pinched expression. “Are we leaving already?”
“No,” he said matter-of-factly, as warm as a piece of brick. His eyes found mine. “I’d like to talk to you, Emma.”
I stifled a small smile. I would have been surprised if that wouldn’t have been the case, but I would have to give him a piece of my mind regarding Sofia. If he thought he could meddle in my marriage, then he couldn’t expect me not to do the same with his.
I followed Danilo into the living room. He turned to me, his expression softer but also filled with a deep brotherly concern. “Is there anything I should know?”
I raised my eyebrows, amused. “I’m sure there are plenty of things in the world you should show a greater interest in.”
Danilo moved closer and got down on his haunches in front of me. “Last night, I couldn’t stop wondering if I should have stopped this marriage from happening.”
“You were the one who agreed to it in the first place, Danilo.”
His expression became wary. “Did he treat you right?”
A blush crept up my throat and cheeks. I couldn’t hold Danilo’s gaze. “He treated me like a wife should be treated by her husband.”
“That doesn’t constitute for much in our world,” he drawled. “If he hurt—”
Danilo shot to his feet before Samuel even spoke up. He stood in the doorway. Unlike my brother, I hadn’t heard him approach.
Samuel’s eyes locked on my brother as he strode into the living room in long, confident strides. “I ask you not to shove your nose into my private business.” Samuel stopped in front of my brother. They were the same height. The air bristled with their dominance as they tried to stare each other down. It was clear they had a long history of these stare downs. Samuel smiled in a way that made me nervous. “But I can assure you I took all the necessary precautions to hurt your sister as little as possible on her first night.”
Boom. My mouth fell open, and blood shot so rapidly into my face, I was sure I would combust. Did he really just say that in front of my brother?
Danilo rocked forward as if he was going to attack Samuel, who braced himself. Then both men looked at me, and my brother straightened, righted his tie, and turned to me. He kissed my forehead and strode out without another word.
Samuel regarded me coolly. He pushed his hands into his pants. “I know this was quite embarrassing for you. But your brother has dropped very similar comments about both my sisters in the past, so it was time he got a taste of his own medicine.”
I gave him a doubtful look. “Do you always share details like that with other men?” I felt very uncomfortable thinking that other men would know about what happened behind closed doors.
Samuel stepped up to me and touched my shoulder. “No. I don’t intend to share any kind of information about our life, especially what happens in our bedroom with others.”
“Okay.” I could feel my face cooling off. “I would like to return to Sofia and your mother.”
Samuel nodded. “I should probably make sure Danilo doesn’t say anything to my father that causes an unpleasant atmosphere.”
I scoffed. “Good luck.”
Once our families took their leave, Samuel joined me on the porch in front of the fireplace. The lights from the other houses reflected on the surface of the lake like doors to another sphere.
Samuel had a tumbler with a generous amount of a dark amber spirit in his hand. I could still feel the gentle buzz from the wine and that one sip of the espresso martini, but Samuel obviously could tolerate far more alcohol. He had drunk four glasses of wine for dinner, plus whatever Danilo, Pietro, and he had consumed in the office, which likely hadn’t been little, and now the tumbler. I had to admit I worried how well his body tolerated the amount of alcohol. It indicated that it had a lot of practice.