Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 88182 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88182 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“Soon. Not now.” He draws away. I’m left against the copier, heart racing, feeling like I’m even more lost than before. “Take some time to acclimate to our new reality. Take the day off if you want.”
“No. I have work.”
“Suit yourself.” He gives me a lingering look. “Come visit my office if you need to.”
“I’m fine.”
“You will be.”
He leaves and I turn around so he doesn’t see me gasping for air, doesn’t see the flush of desire on my cheeks, doesn’t know how badly I wanted him to keep going—and how that makes me despise myself in ways I can’t fully understand.
Prime makes me feel like I’m the center of his universe. It’s incredible, the intensity of his need and his attention.
But how much of myself can I sell to stay by his side? How much more can I lose?
I know what I’m gaining. I see it whenever I visit home. My mother’s so much happier and my father seems relatively stable with constant help.
He gave me everything growing up. He worked long hours, ground his body down, twisted himself to make ends meet, and now I can do this for him. My father deserves better.
Good thing I already made a deal with the devil.
CHAPTER 20
PRIME
Idon’t like the way my wife looks at me.
Before she learned about my real job, she thought I was a playboy idiot. Barely more than a collection of nice watches, expensive suits, and attractive one-night-stands.
That was how I liked it.
My lifestyle acts like a shield. Surely nobody would think a man like Prime Spadaro might be running one of the most complex and lucrative drug export businesses in the region.
I let her see through my mask. I gave her a glimpse of who I really am.
And she fucking hates it.
But at least she hasn’t left.
For the first few nights, she slept on the couch. I put an end to that and dragged her back into my bed. She reluctantly fell back into our routine, and now she’s back to acting like my personal assistant, but not much more.
I find it bothers the fuck out of me.
I came into this wanting a business partner. Deanna’s not much more than arm candy. She’s proof to Augustus Fontana that I’m a serious man looking to do serious business.
Beyond that, she’s nothing.
Except now I find myself itching to cross the invisible barrier between us at night, to roll toward her warm body, to kiss her neck and suck her tits, to slide my hand between her legs, to fuck her until she’s grinding and moaning and begging for more, for deeper and harder—
Which wasn’t supposed to happen.
Now instead of her husband, I’m the fucking criminal who tricked her into this arrangement.
But if that’s what I have to be then I’ll learn to live with myself.
“Looks like we’ll need to resurface in the next year,” I say as I walk across one of our largest lots. It’s located out in west Philly not far from the University of Pennsylvania. We get a lot of college traffic and the spaces are almost always full.
“I’ll make a note of it.” Deanna scribbles on her clipboard. I used to hate that fucking thing. The sound it made as she swapped out papers.
Now it’s strangely adorable.
“Why don’t you go digital? Wouldn’t that be easier?”
“I write faster than I type. When I get back to my desk, I’ll input it all into my notes app for organizing.”
“Makes sense.”
“Why do you care? You’ve never been interested in my process before.”
I take her arm. She stiffens but doesn’t pull away. We wander together through the rows of cars. “Maybe I should have been.”
“You’re only saying that because you feel bad about, you know—“
“Being a drug dealer?”
“Your words, not mine.”
“If it helps at all, I’m more like a drug exporter. I work with large quantities.”
She grimaces. “That’s not better.”
“Suit yourself.”
“Can I ask you something though?”
I lightly stroke her hand, not sure why I’m doing it, but I like to touch her. “Go ahead.”
“Don’t you ever worry?”
All the fucking time. “Be more specific.”
“About the cops. About the morality of it. About… I don’t know… people finding out.”
“I’m not ashamed of who I am. And the police aren’t an issue.”
“You sell drugs, I’m pretty sure they’re a big deal.”
“Not in this city.” She looks mildly alarmed and I try not to laugh. “My Famiglia deals with them. Police Chief Jeffers is a good friend of Stellan. Actually, friend isn’t the right word. More like beneficiary.”
“He takes bribes?!”
“We don’t call it that, but absolutely, yes he does. I see that I’ve scandalized you, darling.”
“I’m processing this new reality, that’s all.”
“Here’s the truth of who I am. I don’t care about many things. I’m not close with many people. But I’d kill and I’d die for my Famiglia. I’m fiercely loyal to my few friends. And I honor my word above all else. I’ll protect you, Deanna, and your family will be looked after, no matter what happens. You don’t have to be afraid.”