It’s the sort of tired that has nothing to do with the amount of sleep I’ve gotten.Exhaustion has seeped into my bones and made me sick to death of being told what to do.
Heneedsto talk to me.
Dadneedsme to marry a stranger from a family considered our mortal enemies until roughly three minutes ago, or so it seems.
Danteneedsme to stay out of his way while he does his super-important work.
And dear old Papaneedsme to be a happy newlywed in front of strangers.
What about what Ineedfor once?
The front door couldn’t possibly swing open at a worse time.A yelp squeezes its way out of my throat before Dante strides in unannounced and unexpected.
He stops dead for a second before closing the door.“Not the welcome a husband wants from his wife,” he murmurs with a wry smirk.
“I didn’t expect you.”And I’m holding the phone that my ex keeps texting me on.Dante would flip his shit if he knew about our conversation, even though I’ve done nothing wrong and can prove it.I even told Enzo it’s inappropriate to text me.
I get the feeling the walking enigma now staring at me wouldn’t care too much for the facts.
“I left my phone upstairs,” he explains.There’s something about the way he says it.Suspicion in the way his gaze ping-pongs over the room while the rest of his body stays still.He’s sizing up the situation.
One silent beat after another makes the skin on the back of my neck prickle uncomfortably until I have to ask, “Are you going up to get it?”
Isn’t Papa going to be worried if you take too long?Yeah, I’m not suicidal, so I keep that question to myself.
“What’s happening here?”he asks, folding his arms and testing the strength of his jacket sleeves.I vaguely remember him mentioning a meeting this morning with some important person or other, which means he’s dressed almost as nicely as he was last night and looks sinfully tempting.
It doesn’t help that I now know how good he is with his hands.Combined with the number of years since a man last touched me, my core quivers when I remember how hard I came, and a flush warms my cheeks.
The phone is still in my hand and chooses this very moment to buzz twice with a new message.Fucking Enzo.
Adrenaline starts pumping when Dante’s attention lands on the phone, which, to my horror, I tighten my hand around.Why not come out and admit I’m trying to hide something?
“I’m going to ask you again,” he announces, his gaze drifting upward, slowly taking his time.
Only now do I remember I’m wearing nothing but a black satin robe I pulled on while I was still damp from the shower.It clings to my body in a way that obviously interests him.
Either that, or there is suddenly something fascinating about my boobs.
“What is happening here?”he asks softly, finally looking me in the eye.“What are you hiding?Don’t think about lying, either.I can read you like a book.”
My heart is pounding out of control by the time he takes one slow step toward me, then another.Stalking me like an animal, the way he so often does, cornering me the way a predator traps its prey.
“Well?”he asks, dark eyes narrowed.“Are you going to give me an answer?”
11
DANTE
She’s hiding something.Does she think I’m stupid?There’s guilt written all over her flushed face, and the color deepens the closer I get.
It’s the way she holds the phone close to her side that makes it obvious.
“Let me see.”I hold out my hand, crooking my fingers, doing my best to ignore the cloud of fresh-showered fragrance she’s wrapped in.How long has it been since I gave in and buried my face in a woman’s neck when she’s just out of the shower?Since I felt wet hair slide through my fingers while I tipped a woman’s head back to angle her mouth against mine?
“Absolutelynot.”She even has the nerve to toss her head, which makes her damp locks slide over her chest and shoulders almost hypnotically before she hisses, “I deserve privacy.”
“It wasn’t a request, Sophia.It was anorder.”My hands are aching to take hold of her.In my head, I see myself grabbing her wrist and twisting until she drops the phone so I can take a look at whatever she thinks she’s clever enough to keep from me.“This is my house.You are my wife.And considering I took on the cost of your phone bill, I have every right to see what you are trying to hide.”
