“Telling you what I’ve learned.”
“Just stop.”
“Tell me one thing and I will.” I grip the wheel tighter. “Why did Don Pagano Senior arrange a marriage contract for the daughter of asoldatofrom Detroit to an underboss from Miami?”
Her nostrils flare, and her eyes flash with blatant rage. Interesting. I glance between her and the road, willing her to reply because the current Don Pagano had no clue why his father did that when I posed the same question to him this morning.
I was up half the night researching the woman beside me, desperate to know everything about her. While it’s not unheard of for older men to marry beautiful young women purely for how they’ll look on their arm, I’m sensing there is more to this story, and I want to know all the details.
“Why do you want to know?” Suspicion threads through her tone.
“Call it curiosity.”
“Are you like this with all the women you pay for?”
A grin eases across my mouth. “Don’t play cute, kitten. You know you’re the only woman I’ve ever paid to spend time with. First and last.”
“I don’t believe you.”
My smile expands into a full-grown smirk as I take the corner heading toward the pharmacy. “Yeah, you do. You saw last night what women are like with me. You know I don’t have to pay for female company. I just snap my fingers, and they come running.”
“You are the most arrogant man I’ve ever met.”
“It’s not arrogance if it’s true.”
“We’ll have to agree to disagree.”
“I know what you’re doing,” I say as I near my destination. “Stop deflecting and answer the question.”
She purses her lips for a second before replying. “Because he was a pervert.”
It’s not much of an answer but enough to churn the bile in my stomach “Elaborate,” I demand as I stop at the curb in front of the pharmacy.
“No.” Her eyes hold mine with confidence that belies her age, making me wonder exactly what’s happened to this girl that she’s so hardened already. “You have your answer.”
“I’ll find out,” I say, killing the engine. “You might as well tell me.”
“I owe you nothing. Knock yourself out, Gage.”
I drum my fingers on the wheel, titling my head and arching a brow as I look at her. “Gage?”
A genuine smile lifts her lips, lighting up her entire face, and I bask in the glow emanating from her. It’s like being sucker punched in the chest and the dick at the same time.
I want all her smiles.
I want to be the one toputall those smiles on her face.
I want to spend the rest of my life making her smile because it feels like my sole reason for existing.
Fucking hell. If Massimo were privy to my current thoughts, he’d probably keel over in shock before having a field day with them. Not that he’s in any position to throw shade. Catarina has him completely pussy-whipped and proud.
“Earth to Gage.”
I come to as Valentina snaps her fingers in my face.
“You zoned out, and you had this really creepy look on your face.”
Awesome. I run my fingers through my hair. Maybe Rico is right, and Iamgoing crazy. What the fuck is this woman doing to me? “Tell me,” I growl.
