Maxim gave me a look, voice thick with sarcasm. “Yeah. Sure.”
My scowl deepened. “What the fuck, Maxim? You know me. I don’t do that kind of shit.”
He stared at me for a moment, then stood, poured himself a glass of scotch, downed it in one go, and said flatly, “Oh man, you really have no idea! You’re in a relationship with Emily. You’ve been together for, what, five months now? You’re insanely jealous, aggressively possessive, stupidly protective, and ridiculously loyal.
I’ve known you for twenty-eight years, and this is the first time I’ve seen you monogamous. She packed her shit and moved out a week ago, and you kept your dick in your pants the whole time. So like it or not, you’re in a relationship with this girl. And in a relationship, people own up to their mistakes, apologize, and move on to the best part.”
“Which is…?”
Maxim grinned, that infuriating smirk on full display. “Mind-blowing makeup sex.”
I poured another glass and returned the smirk. “For a guy who’s mostly been dealing with whores his whole life, you sure talk a lot about relationships.”
“I’ve got a solid theory, and you know it.”
I took another sip of my drink and walked over to the terrace, my eyes locking on Emily’s window.
“I’m not in a relationship with anyone. And I’m not apologizing to anyone,” I said firmly, staring into the dark.
TWENTY-THREE
Carlo
I stood at the end of the hallway, my mind spinning with all the different ways I could torture Maxim for planting that ridiculous idea in my head, an idea that stuck like glue and wouldn’t let go. Finally, I moved, taking a few long strides until I reached Emily’s door.
As I was about to open it, the door across the hall swung open. Giorgio stepped out, shirtless, a gun pointed directly at me.
When he saw me, he quickly lowered it. “Hello, boss.”
I glanced past him, through the open door, and saw Aida kneeling naked on the bed. Her seductive smile was aimed squarely at me, and her eyes daring me to react. I hadn’t seen her since I banished her to the kitchen for mouthing off to Emily.
I gave Giorgio a curt nod, ignoring Aida completely, then turned back to Emily’s door and walked in. The second my eyes landed on her, it felt like a fucking boulder had been lifted off my chest.She was sitting there in a blue satin top and matching shorts, her wavy hair spilling over her perfectly shaped shoulders.
God, I’d missed her. Missed the scent of her hair. Missed the taste of those plump, delicious lips. Missed the way she made my body feel. And all of it scared me. I was afraid to admit to myself that maybe Maxim was right.
She sat on the couch with a book in hand, one brow arched as she stared at me. Her eyes burned with fury. She wasn’t planning to make this easy.
I walked over to the bed and sat down. “Pack your things. You’re coming back to where you belong.”
Her frown deepened. She crossed her arms over her chest, book still in hand, and scoffed, “You’re unbelievable, Carlo. You show up after a week, that’s all you’ve got? You seriously think you don’t owe me an apology for how you treated me?”
“I didn’t do anything wrong, so there’s nothing to apologize for. Besides, I don’t apologize to anyone.”
Frustration etched across her face. “I’m not going to let you bully me anymore. I can’t stand being controlled like some lifeless doll. I’m a human being Carlo, do you get that? If we’re going to have a relationship, there needs to be mutual respect. After everything you’ve taken from me, that’s not too much to ask.”
There it was again, that ridiculous talk of arelationship.What the hell was wrong with everyone in this house?
“We’re not in a relationship, Emily,” I said flatly. “I’m your capo. You follow my orders.”
Her face flushed, and I silently cursed my big mouth.She gripped the book so tight her knuckles turned white. Her voice was calm, but the fury in her eyes was barely held back. “So I’m only one of your whores then? Is that why you ignored me for a week and now you show up expecting your little slut to spread her legs on command?”
I opened my mouth to answer, but she didn’t give me the chance. “No, Carlo. That’s not happening. I’m not your whore, and you sure as hell aren’t my capo. I don’t remember taking any damn oath to you.”
I rose from the bed and walked toward her, stopping a few steps away. “Listen, Emily. I’m not some hero from those shitty books you read.You’rethe one who walked out. Did you really expect me to chase after you like some lovesick puppy, apologizing, begging you to come back?”
Her eyes widened, and her voice cut sharper. “Yes. I expected you to come explain why you fucking tagged me like a goat. I expected you to apologize like a man and promise you’d never treat me like that again. That’s the only way this could’ve been something real. Something mutual. Something with respect.”
Her voice sounded defeated and for a moment it felt like someone had their hands wrapped around my fucking heart. Then Lucia’s eyes flashed in my mind. Her sad, empty eyes, and her betrayal.
