Total pages in book: 132
Estimated words: 127249 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127249 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
“I wish,” she mumbles, grabbing a sarong from a deck chair and tying it around her waist.
“Reino,” Noah exclaims. “Do you want to swim with us? We can play volleyball in the pool. Daddy bought a net.”
“Uh, no.” He shifts his weight. “I have work to do.”
Noah makes a disappointed sound. “Please?”
“We can play soccer later,” Reino says, looking anywhere but at me before he all but runs back to the house.
Frowning, I watch his hasty retreat. He seemed really uncomfortable around me. I hope not all Dante’s men are going to treat me like that.
Ignoring the unwelcome feeling settling inside me, I turn to Noah. “Want to play volleyball?”
He claps his hands. “Yay!”
I get the net from the chest with the inflatable toys in the pool house and play with Noah for a while. Spending time with him has a soothing effect on me, maybe because I’m completely present in the moment when I’m with him. There’s no place for the past when Noah takes up all my attention.
I’m pushing myself out at the deep end to fetch the ball that Noah has knocked into the shrubs, both of us laughing, when a pair of well-worn boots appear in my line of vision. Poised in mid-air with my upper body supported on my arms, I look up into the face of a blond man with a square chin and sharp cheekbones. He’s dressed in ripped jeans and a denim jacket.
His name is Kent. He’s one of the men in Dante’s inner circle, which means Dante trusts him. Yet for some reason, he makes my skin crawl. Maybe it’s the bashful look in his eyes that accompanies his cocky smile. He hasn’t given me a reason to dislike him, but he’s not my favorite person in Dante’s employ.
I push myself out all the way and straighten in front of him. Instead of stepping back to give me room to maneuver, he obnoxiously remains in my personal space. I’m balancing on my toes with my heels hanging over the edge of the pool.
My hackles rise. I don’t give him the satisfaction of backing down by moving sideways around him.
Squaring my back, I stand taller. “Move aside, please.”
“Of course.” He takes one step back. “You’re the boss.”
I narrow my eyes. “Can I help you?”
“You need to use sunblock.” He juts his chin at my chest. “You’re burning.”
“If you’re concerned about the state of my skin, you should take that up with my husband.”
He chuckles. “I didn’t mean to offend you. I just came to see if I could get you anything.”
Why do I get the impression that he’s needling me, that this is some kind of test?
I know perfectly well what he means, but my question makes it clear that his offer is unwelcome. “Such as?”
The way he inconspicuously leers at my body makes me uncomfortable. I resist the urge to cross my arms over my chest. I won’t let him know he has any effect on me.
His smile stretches. “Something to drink. I thought Noah might be thirsty.”
I open my mouth to say if Noah is thirsty, I can fetch him a drink myself when I spot movement from the corner of my eye.
Before I can process the visual, Dante is next to us. He grabs Kent by the lapels of his jacket and not-so-gently shoves him away from me.
Dante’s tone is murderous. “I advise you to take your eyes off my wife before I remove them from your skull.”
I glance at Noah over my shoulder, worried about him witnessing the violence, but Dante’s words didn’t carry farther than necessary.
Kent raises his hands. “My apology. I was only trying to help.”
Noah, who has stopped testing how long he can hold his breath under the water, has spotted Dante and is already climbing out at the shallow end. “Daddy!”
“No running, Noah,” Dante says, not taking his eyes off of Kent. “The paving is slippery when it’s wet.”
“I know.” Noah walks to us with careful steps. “Mommy said if I run around the pool, I’m not allowed to swim anymore.”
“Your mom is always wise.” Dante lets Kent go with another shove and says under his breath, “Wait for me in my study.”
Kent makes a point of not looking at me. “Good day, Mrs. Morici.”
Dante glares after Kent until he’s disappeared into the house.
Noah hugs Dante’s legs, getting his jeans wet. “Are you going to play volleyball with us?”
Dante puts a hand on Noah’s head even as his attention remains fixed on me. “Sorry, buddy. Not today. Something important came up. Maybe tomorrow. Give your mom and me a moment. We have to talk.”
Noah squints at us. “About grownup stuff?”
Dante pats his shoulder. “That’s right.”
Recognizing the dark look that’s come over Dante’s face, I swallow. “Noah, please go fetch the ball. Just be careful of the thorns.”