I quirked an eyebrow, she laughed, stuffing her House Lo Mein in her mouth. When she finished, she spoke again.
“I thought Albie and my father were behind my shop being torched.”
“And?”
“I was wrong. I just found out my dad’s pretty much dying…fucking emphysema. Imagine being a bastard your entire life and then your body betrays you.”
Being quiet between mouthful, I watched the pups scamper about. They started to mew loudly.
“They need to go out,” Simone said and moved to the side door. “Be right back.”
Bracing myself on the counter, I gave a small smile.
Michail Franchesko was dying.
The man who had stolen my father’s life, caused his empire to crumble by causing his death…was dying.
Does he still deserve a swift death…or does he deserve to see the future you want with his daughter?
My palm slapped against the countertop. I was so deep in thought, I didn’t even hear Simone come up behind me.
“You okay?”
Lie,I thought.
Hideaway the emotions,I thought.
Turning to her, I took her in. She looked smaller than I remembered. This story I was about to tell her was going to rock her fucking world. It would either destroy us or bring us closer together.
Fuck.
She touched both sides of my face.
“Lucien…”
Catching both her hands in my own, I kissed both her palms. “I need to tell you something.”
Her face remained neutral and she nodded.
“Not here though… let's take a bubble bath together.”
She gave a slight laugh and I took her hand and led her out of the kitchen. The pups yipped happily behind us and followed us up the carpeted stairs and into our bedroom.
I didn’t let go of her hand until I went into the bathroom. Ms. Porter had bought some bubble bath stuff from Bath and Body Works. Pulling it from under the sink I read over the bright pink and purple label.
I was Bratva.
I didn’t do bubble baths.
I didn’t know how else to break this fucking news to the woman I….
“Do you have cancer?”
Turning, I found Simone’s eyes on me. “No, nothing like that. I just need to tell you something.”
Finally, the tub filled up with water, bubbles were practically oozing out of the tub because I had emptied half the bottle.
We shed our clothes but I paid extra close attention to Simone. Watching her body looking ripe for the taking. Her stomach was flat and taut and her breast hung, ripe and amble. I could spend all day just biting, kissing, and licking at her flesh. Leaving love bites all along her body, marking her as mine.
