Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 79336 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79336 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
I hooked my arms around his neck, and I kissed him differently than I had in the past, let all of me pour into him, let my heart and soul release in the kiss. “I love you,” I said between our kisses. “For the rest of my life.”
I couldn’t believe this was my life.
I couldn’t believe this man was mine.
He was still asleep next to me, his smile absent while he dreamed, his entire face relaxed as he continued to rest until almost noon.
I loved the view, but it was hard not to touch him.
Medusa sat up from the couch and looked at me like she needed to go out.
I put my finger to my lips to tell her to be quiet, then snuck out of bed before I silently got dressed. I snuck out of the room with Medusa, and we left the corridor and took the stairs to the bottom floor. We stepped out into the garden, and she immediately pranced around to find a spot to do her business.
I walked with her down the path through the trees, glancing around at the private estate that looked like it’d been preserved since ancient Rome. In the corners far in the distance were the armed guards, but I just stayed in the center and close to the house to avoid them.
A pool was hidden from view by the trees, so I walked down the path to look at it, the dark-blue tile along the edges, the loungers around it. I decided to take a seat in one of them and enjoy the sight of the water while Medusa continued to enjoy the outdoors. She found a patch of grass in the sun and lay down so she could bask in the warmth.
I wasn’t sure how much time passed, but then I heard his voice from behind me.
“There you are.”
I turned to see him standing tall in nothing but his black sweatpants, the dark ink everywhere, that beautiful smile on his lips. His eyes shifted behind me to look at Medusa on the other side of the pool. “She must really like that sun spot because she’s not even getting up to say hi to me.”
I got to my feet to kiss him. “Morning.”
“More like afternoon.” He squeezed me to him and kissed me, his big hands making their way up my dress like my ass was a magnet for his palms. “Sorry I slept so long.”
“You’re fine. I would have stayed in bed, but Medusa needed to go out.”
“Thanks for taking care of her.”
“She’s kinda my dog too, now.”
He smiled at me. “More than kinda.” He gave me a gentle spank before he sat on the lounger and patted his thigh.
I made myself comfortable across his lap.
He was big enough to be a chair, handle me just fine. “Beautiful day.”
“Really is.” I hooked my arm around his neck and kissed him again, just because I could. “Love you.” I said it just because I could say it. Said it because I knew he would say it back.
He smiled like he fully understood. “Love you too, sweetheart.”
I dug my fingers into his hair, touching him far more than I ever had, feeling like he was fully mine. “Do you have work today?”
“I have work every day. But I’m gonna blow it off.”
“And do what?”
“You—obviously.”
“Ooh, works for me.”
“Then we’ll go out for a nice dinner.”
“Or we can stay in for a nice dinner.”
He chuckled. “Even better.”
When Medusa got too warm, she left the sun and moved around the pool toward us.
“Hey, baby girl.” He petted her and rubbed her around the neck. Then he gave her distinct pats on the flank—like she was built solid. “Now I gotta keep two women happy every day.”
“Good luck with that.”
“One likes sex, and the other likes hamburgers.”
“Well, I like sex and hamburgers.”
That adorable smile moved onto his lips again. “And that’s why you’re my woman.”
Chapter 15
Constantine
“What the fuck is wrong with your face?” Rocco asked as he stood across the table from me.
“What?”
“You’ve been smiling for like fifteen minutes straight. It’s fucking weird.”
I scoffed. “Fuck you, asshole.”
“What are you so happy about?”
“Aurelia.”
“She suck your dick for the first time—”
“Are you trying to get me to punch you in the face?”
He gave a quiet chuckle. “You make it so easy, Con. May as well put a big red button on your forehead that says Aurelia on it.”
“Your woman should be your big red button.”
“Seriously, tell me what you’re so happy about. Because last time we spoke, you were in a pretty dark place.” He moved to the open chair and dropped into it, shutting the laptop in front of him even though he hadn’t been using it.
I’d had to look my brother’s killer in the face and play a game of diplomacy. It felt like a betrayal to him and to my family. The guilt choked me from the inside out. But then a fight with Aurelia changed all that. “Aurelia said she loved me.” The smile crept back at the memory, the way she didn’t let me finish saying it first before she cut me off.