“Because you have the personality of a festering wound.”
His lashes lower. He considers me in blistering silence for a moment, then leans down and murmurs into my ear, “Liar.”
He inhales deeply against my neck, raising goose bumps all along my arms.
I stiffen. He exhales, making a low sound of pleasure deep in his throat.
Then he straightens and stares down at me.
“Tell Lili I’ll be back tomorrow at five o’clock. Or would you like me to go up to her bedroom and tell her myself?”
Startled, I glance up at him to find his smirk back in place and his hazel eyes mocking.
He knows she’s here. He’s known the entire time.
Without another word, he turns on his heel and walks out of the kitchen, leaving me sitting alone at the table with my heartbeat throbbing and a million questions swimming in my head.
The most important one being that if he knew Lili was in the house all along, why did he stay and eat supper with me?
“Oh my God,” I say aloud, horrified. “Does that son of a bitch think he’s getting a two-for-one special?”
7
Spider
She’s smart, she’s sexy, and she’s got an arse on her I’d like to bite, spank, and fuck.
Even worse, every time I look at her too long, my dick gets hard as a rock and my mouth starts watering.
That settles it.
I’m never speaking to Reyna fucking Caruso again.
8
Rey
I wait until morning to tell Lili the bad news that her lecherous pig of a fiancé will be paying her a visit.
She takes it like any rational female should and starts crying.
“Zia, please!” she wails, clinging to my arm. “Can’t you do something? Can’t you get Papa to call it off?”
“If I could, I already would have. Now dry your eyes. We’ve got to talk, and I need you to pay attention.”
I shake her off and start to pace the length of her bedroom, over to the dresser and back to the door, wringing my hands in anxiety.
I didn’t sleep at all last night. I lay wide awake in bed, staring at the ceiling, remembering the way that beast Quinn sniffed my neck like I was a candy bar.
And that noise he made.
That low, rumbling, masculine sound of pleasure that came from deep in his throat.
I’m shivering right now just thinking about it.
In disgust, of course. The man is absolutely revolting.
“Okay, here’s the thing.” I pause to gather my chaotic thoughts. “Quinn is a man. Right? A very masculine sort of man. He’s very…manly.”
What the hell are you saying? Pull yourself together!
Sniffling, Lili sits on the edge of her bed and chews on her thumbnail as she watches me pace.
“He’s going to be difficult to handle. Impossible, really. He’s obviously extremely stubborn. And used to getting his own way.”
And arrogant. And gorgeous. And hung like a damn horse.
I turn and pace the other way, dragging my hands through my hair in aggravation.
“And unfortunately tesoro…you should prepare yourself for the reality that he won’t be faithful to you.”
“Who cares if he’s faithful? I’m going to stab him to death in his sleep!”
I pull up short and stare at her in horror. “Don’t ever let me hear you speak such nonsense again.”
“Why not? You killed Uncle Enzo!”
I close my eyes, draw a breath, count to ten, then open my eyes again. I say calmly, “Do you want to die in prison?”
“Did you?”
I was willing to, if it meant I’d never be whipped bloody again.
Instead of saying that, I say, “I didn’t kill my husband.”
“Quit lying, zia! Everybody knows! Why do you think they’re all so scared of you?”
“People are scared of any woman who speaks her mind and doesn’t put up with their bullshit. Now, listen. You said Quinn was kind to you when you spoke. He took an interest in your life. And I think we may be able to convince him to allow you to go to college. So though he has the charm of a rotting carcass, he might prove to be endurable.”
Who am I kidding? Her life’s going to be one long nightmare Groundhog Day.
Lili leaps to her feet and cries passionately, “I can’t marry him, zia!”
My heart goes out to her, but I can’t waver on this. I make my voice firm. “I completely understand your feelings, but the contract is inescapable. If you don’t marry him, it will ruin the family. Your father’s life will be over. Literally, I mean. The Mob will put a bullet in his head for the disrespect.”
I pause, hesitating to tell her this and upset her even more. But she needs to know exactly what’s at stake.
“They’ll do something terrible to you, too. Something worse than death, especially if Quinn discovers you’re not a virgin. We’ll talk about how you can fake that later, but the bottom line is that you’ll marry the Irishman.”
“No, I won’t! I’m in love with Juan Pablo!”
This is when I notice the small dark bruise on the side of her throat.
Except it’s not a bruise. I know a love bite when I see one.
Feeling sick, I stride over to the wardrobe and throw open the doors.
It’s empty.
Lili is sobbing behind me. “I’m in love with him. I don’t care about the stupid contract or what anybody thinks. I’d rather die than marry anyone else. I’d rather die!”
I turn and look at her tearstained face. At the agony in her eyes. At all her shaking, frenzied fervor, and feel a twinge of jealousy.
At least she had this. At least she loved once. The memory of what she shares with Juan Pablo will help sustain her through all the dark and lonely years to come.
The only thing I had to sustain me was the hope that one of Enzo’s violent rages would end in my death.
They never did, though. He beat me near to it many times, but death never came to rescue me.
I had to rescue myself instead.
I cross to Lili and take her in my arms. She clings to me and sobs against my chest, her shoulders shaking. Smoothing a hand over hair, I hold her and make soothing noises until she’s calmed down a little and is only hiccuping.
“Tesoro,” I murmur. “My beautiful girl. You’re the daughter I never had, and I love you.”
Lili whispers, “I love you too, zia.”
“I know you do. And I want you to know that however I can support you through this, I will. I’ll always be here for you. I’ll always take care of you. I’ll never abandon you, do you understand?”
She whimpers.
My voice hardens. “And I promise you that if your new husband ever lays a finger on you in anger, I will end his life.”
That’s as close of an admission of my capabilities as I’ve ever come, but these are dire circumstances.
She lifts her head and stares at me through watering eyes. My heart aching, I wipe the tears from her cheeks with my thumbs.
“Now dry your eyes. Lift your chin. Steel your spine. Caruso women are strong and proud. We keep our moments of weakness private. Your fiancé is coming to see you today, and you need to be prepared.”
Her chin quivers. She shakes her head, clearly traumatized by the thought of having to face him.
“Don’t ever let him see you cry, Liliana. No man deserves your tears, especially not that one. Just remember what I’ve told you.”
I sigh, gathering her into my arms again. She tucks herself into me and sniffles.
After a long time, she whispers, “Maybe we’ll get lucky and he’ll get shot before the wedding.”
I close my eyes, imagining Quinn lying still and silent on the ground in a widening pool of his own blood.
For the first time in forever, I feel happy.
Then I leave Lili alone with her thoughts and get ready to deal with the next important task on today’s agenda.
Firing the pool man.
He’s punctual, the smug Irishman. I have to give him that.
Precisely at five o’clock, Quinn rings the doorbell. Lili and I are already waiting, standing hand in hand in the foyer in tense silence. Beside us stands Gianni, vibrating happiness, practically wagging his fucking tail.
Bettina opens the door and lets the Irishman in.
His ego takes up so much space that instantly, the house feels smaller.
“Mr. Quinn!” Gianni steps forward with his hands extended. “Welcome. So good to see you again so soon.”
Quinn gives him a cursory nod. They shake hands. Quinn glances at Lili and sends her the same disinterested nod he gave my brother.
He doesn’t look at or acknowledge me.
It feels deliberate.
Whatever the reason for it, his snub loosens the vise around my lungs, allowing me to breathe easier.
Maybe I was being paranoid when I thought he was coming on to me in the kitchen. It’s so rare that a man outside my family even dares to look at me, let alone flirt with me, I can’t remember what it feels like.
Gianni says, “Let’s go to my study and have a drink, shall we?”
“No. I’m here to see Lili.”
I can tell Gianni’s offended by the rude dismissal, but he keeps the pleasant smile on his face. “Of course. Would you like to visit with her in the salon, or—”
“We’ll go for a ride,” Quinn interrupts coldly.