Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 84324 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 422(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84324 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 422(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
“Nope, he paid her five million, and she agreed to do anything Adriano wants,” Little Ricky says, his voice filled with laughter.
“For the love of God, shut up,” I tell the fucker.
“Don’t take the Lord’s name in vain,” Mom chastises me.
“Sorry, Ma,” I apologize. Knowing she’s worried, I place my arm around her shoulders and give her a sideways hug. “Her name is Laurie Barnes. She’s twenty-five and from Ohio, so I doubt she knows anything about our world. She was in a bad relationship with a fucking idiot and lost her job, which gave me the perfect in to make her an offer she couldn’t refuse.” Knowing the object of my obsession belongs to me, a smirk tugs at my mouth. “Right now she’s at The Mark, but once she signs the contract Salvatore is drawing up, we’ll get married and I’ll bring her home.” The second Mom opens her mouth, I add, “No big wedding. It will be something small and fast, like yours was. Laurie’s already overwhelmed, and I’d rather ease her into the family little by little.”
“Why a contract?” Dad asks as he flips the meat on the grill, the delicious aroma making my stomach growl.
“It’s better than holding a gun to her head when I force her to bind herself to me for life,” I answer truthfully.
Mom glances between Dad and me, worry creeping into her eyes. “Just be gentle with her.”
When Little Ricky lets out a snort, I give him a dark glare, which makes him fake a cough while walking to my parents’ house.
“Where are you going?” Big Ricky asks.
“To get something to eat,” he replies. “The meat is taking forever.”
Tiny quickly follows Little Ricky. “Tori made creamy potatoes and garlic bread.”
“Don’t eat it all,” Dad shouts.
Mom moves to Dad’s side, and when he lifts his arm, she snuggles against him and says, “I made extra.”
Big Ricky frowns while taking a sip of his beer. “How’s this thing between you and the woman going to work? You know, with her not being from our world.”
“I have no idea.” Not in the mood for beer, I set the bottle down and pull my phone out of my pocket. “We’ll take it one day at a time.”
I bring up Paulie’s number and press dial.
“Yes, boss?”
“Is she okay?”
“I think so. She hauled the food cart into the bedroom and locked herself in there. Want me to check?”
“No.”
I end the call, and not in the mood to search through the past week’s messages, I shoot Rosie a text.
Adriano: Give me Laurie’s phone number again.
Rosie: Say the magic words and the genie will grant your wish.
I let out an audible sigh.
Adriano: Please.
Rosie: Please what?
“Christ, Rosie will be the death of me,” I mutter.
Adriano: Please with a fucking cherry on top.
Rosie: Now that wasn’t so hard lol.
A second later, the number comes through, and I program it into my phone.
After pressing dial, I listen as the call connects. It rings a couple of times before my butterfly answers, “Hello?”
“Did you eat?”
“Ah? Adriano?”
I walk in the direction of the old oak tree so I’ll have some privacy. “Yes. Did you eat?”
“Yes. The food was delicious… Thank you.”
Silence falls between us, and for several seconds I just listen to her breathing.
Eventually she asks, “Are you still there?”
“Yes.” I glance up at the huge branches where the tree house is. Georgi, Augusto, and I used to spend endless hours up there.
Unable to think of anything else, I ask the first thing that comes to mind. “Why did you date that asshole?”
Laurie is quiet for a moment. “I don’t know. I guess I was stupid.” A heavy sigh comes over the line, and her voice sounds fragile. “Austin was nice in the beginning.”
“Which tells me he wasn’t nice in the middle and at the end,” I grumble, anger instantly rippling beneath my skin. “What did he do to you?”
“Oh, it wasn’t like that. He wasn’t abusive. He just… didn’t care.”
“In my experience, people who don’t care are cold and cruel. You don’t have to physically hurt someone to abuse them.”
Laurie doesn’t say anything, and as I begin to frown, I hear her sniffle. Her voice is hoarse when she talks again. “Sorry, it’s all so fresh.”
Hating that I even have to ask the question, I growl, “Do you miss him?”
“Oh, hell no.” At first she sounds disgusted, but then she suddenly lets out an incredulous-sounding chuckle. “I so did not expect to have this conversation with you.”
“How else will we get to know each other?”
“You didn’t give me the impression that you wanted to get to know me.”
My frown darkens. “I said you’re mine. One would think that spells it out to you.”
“I just thought… you know.”
I glance over the property, considering going back to the hotel so we can have this conversation face to face. “No, I don’t know. Enlighten me.”