Tris Later, when she was tucking him up in bed, she inspected his features carefully. He showed his fathering, this child born out of what she had thought a night of perfect love and which instead had been an act of ruthless and deliberate expediency. He had nothing of her in him, unless it was his temperament. In looks he was all Tony; his father in exact miniature from his dark blue eyes to his thick glossy hair. When she first discovered she was pregnant she had been out of work and depressed. She had fainted twice in one week and put it down to nervous strain until, despite the fact that she had barely been eating, she discovered that her skirt wouldn't fasten round her waist. She had known the truth then, but refused to accept it, confirmation finally coming in the shabby, impersonal interview room of a pregnancy advice bureau. They had been kind and helpful, offering to arrange for a termination of her pregnancy, despite its advanced state.They had probably considered that sh
TrisEthan was being unusually fractious this morning, and she wondered if he had caught her own tense mood. He had played naughtily with his breakfast, something he never normally did, his mouth sulky and pouting when she scolded him. "Don't go to work, Mummy," he pleaded tearfully. "Stay with me!" "You know I have to go, Ethan," she reminded him gently, "but tomorrow is Friday, and then after that Mummy will be at home with you for two whole days. Perhaps we will go somewhere nice, if you are a good boy for Chloe." "Where nice?" he breathed, tears forgotten. "To the Zoo to see the bears?" "Maybe. Finish your egg, there is a good boy." His recalcitrance had made her late, and although she ran all the way down the bottom of the avenue, she was just in time to see her bus go sailing past. Groaning, she pressed a hand to her side to stifle the aching stitch. She was going to be late, and there was nothing she could do about it, so she might as well make up her mind to accept the fa
TrisTris had worked through her lunch-hour and expecting that Tony would be detained by Gail had not thought to close her office door when she made her call. The result was that he walked in when she was right in the middle of it, and Chloe was describing Ethan"s newest trick. "Personal call?" Tony said sardonically when she had finished. "First time I have seen a spark of life in you since I got here. Does Matt know about him?" "My private affairs are my own," Tris retorted, colour scorching her skin as she realised the inference he had drawn from her words. Of course he would think she meant love affairs. She turned her back on him, searching through the files for an article she needed. When she straightened up Tony was standing right behind her. She could smell the faint tang of his" aftershave. His skin was firm and tanned, the blue eyes framed with ridiculously thick dark lashes. Just like Ethan's. Her heart pounded, and she bent down to close the cupboard drawer, trying to
Tony. Tony sipped his cognac and watched as the party winded down. Luscious chocolate chip cannoli cake and pots of strong coffee were served, and a relaxed atmosphere rippled through the rooms as family and friends began making their good byes.Tension swirled in his gut and fought with the lovely fire of the alcohol. This time he was in trouble. Big trouble. After the phone call with Valarie and Dominick, he decided to confront his mother with a well placed battle plan.Tony knew sticking with the family tradition was impossible. He also realized his mother believed strongly in rules and rarely broke them. He had decided on an alternate plan that seemed brilliant. He would throw her a story about a steady girlfriend, with a wedding in the firm future, and even promise a visit.Then he would calmly insist Valarie marry first because of her history with Dominick, and he would cite Papa’s heavenly blessing. Maybe he would tell her he saw it in a dream, something to soothe her doubts.
Tony. I quickly followed her to the door and held her by her arm. “I have a proposition for you.” She threw her head back and laughed. The smoky sound beckoned like a witch casting a spell. “Well, then, you have come to the right girl.” She licked her lips with deliberate precision. The faint sheen of wetness gleamed in the light.“Proposition away.”He smothered a curse and decided to go for the blunt approach. “I need a pretend wife.”She blinked. “Huh?”“Yes.” He despised the slight flush his ridiculous admission caused and forged on. “I am having some family difficulties and I’m required to marry. I need someone to go to Italy with me for a week, pretend to be my wife, spend some time with my family, then leave.”“Why do I suddenly feel like I dropped into the Lifetime movie of the week?”“What is Lifetime?”She waved his question off. “Never mind, a girl thing. Um, let me think about this for a moment. You need me to pretend to be married to you, hang with your familly, stay in
Tris.Tris glanced at her fake husband and tried hard not to panic. The familiar shortening of breath and hammering heart alerted her to trouble.She swallowed, hid her face behind Italian Vogue, and prayed she’d keep it together. She hated the idea of anyone knowing about such a weakness, especially Tony. The whole crazy plan hit her full force as soon as his private plane shot into the air. Her finger itched with the snug band of platinum gold, and the two carat round diamond sparkled like icicles catching the glint of the sun. The ruse seemed doable in Nadia’s house. A day later, though, with a ring, fake husband, and family to con, she realized she was a complete idiot.What the hell had she agreed to?Tris couldn’t live with herself if she didn’t use the available weapon to keep Tony away from her family.But at what price? Meeting his sisters and mother. Sleeping in his bedroom. Pretending to be someone she wasn’t?Her fingers tightened around the glossy pages, and she breathed
Tony.Tony glanced at the poised woman by his side as he wound his way through the curvy hills toward his home. The top was down, and her gold red hair blew in the wind in a tangled mass, but she didn’t seem concerned. Her pursed lips told him she was thinking hard, probably getting into character to meet his family. During the last twenty-four hours, he’d learned a lot about Tris .Unfortunately, the tiny glimpse only made him crave more.The vivid green of trees and brown earth flashed by and welcomed him in a way that soothed his soul. His family owned land from generations back, which had all been passed to him. But he had always known from his first visit to New york City that he longed to make his mark there. Papa took him to visit his uncle, and the bustle of Manhattan fascinated his sense of challenge.Unfortunately, the crowds and chaos did not call to his need for privacy and land. When he decided to expand La Dolce Famiglia in the States, he sought the excitement of Manhatt
Chapter One. Tris. "So what are we having? Whiskey? Soda? Wine? You look like a wine person, do you need a minute? The bartender asked me , as i settled into an empty chair. "Any chance i can get a cosmo?" i asked looking around,it was a little too quiet for a Friday night. "Nope, but i have all the hard stuff." "Make it a shot of Jack Daniels." i said looking around the empty bar. Its a little past midnight now. And that's when i spotted him. He was tall and had broad shoulders. He had tattoos that slide all the way up to his shirt sleeves, his shirt was purple in color which complimented his skin well. He was about ten feet away from me, but there was enough light that i could see his eyes as they slowly dragged over my body without revealing a single thought. This guy holds his cards well. I though to myself as I caught him lick his slips slowly, such a guy move! The bartender came back to me with my drink and I lost concentration of the guy i was watching watch me for
Tony.Tony glanced at the poised woman by his side as he wound his way through the curvy hills toward his home. The top was down, and her gold red hair blew in the wind in a tangled mass, but she didn’t seem concerned. Her pursed lips told him she was thinking hard, probably getting into character to meet his family. During the last twenty-four hours, he’d learned a lot about Tris .Unfortunately, the tiny glimpse only made him crave more.The vivid green of trees and brown earth flashed by and welcomed him in a way that soothed his soul. His family owned land from generations back, which had all been passed to him. But he had always known from his first visit to New york City that he longed to make his mark there. Papa took him to visit his uncle, and the bustle of Manhattan fascinated his sense of challenge.Unfortunately, the crowds and chaos did not call to his need for privacy and land. When he decided to expand La Dolce Famiglia in the States, he sought the excitement of Manhatt
Tris.Tris glanced at her fake husband and tried hard not to panic. The familiar shortening of breath and hammering heart alerted her to trouble.She swallowed, hid her face behind Italian Vogue, and prayed she’d keep it together. She hated the idea of anyone knowing about such a weakness, especially Tony. The whole crazy plan hit her full force as soon as his private plane shot into the air. Her finger itched with the snug band of platinum gold, and the two carat round diamond sparkled like icicles catching the glint of the sun. The ruse seemed doable in Nadia’s house. A day later, though, with a ring, fake husband, and family to con, she realized she was a complete idiot.What the hell had she agreed to?Tris couldn’t live with herself if she didn’t use the available weapon to keep Tony away from her family.But at what price? Meeting his sisters and mother. Sleeping in his bedroom. Pretending to be someone she wasn’t?Her fingers tightened around the glossy pages, and she breathed
Tony. I quickly followed her to the door and held her by her arm. “I have a proposition for you.” She threw her head back and laughed. The smoky sound beckoned like a witch casting a spell. “Well, then, you have come to the right girl.” She licked her lips with deliberate precision. The faint sheen of wetness gleamed in the light.“Proposition away.”He smothered a curse and decided to go for the blunt approach. “I need a pretend wife.”She blinked. “Huh?”“Yes.” He despised the slight flush his ridiculous admission caused and forged on. “I am having some family difficulties and I’m required to marry. I need someone to go to Italy with me for a week, pretend to be my wife, spend some time with my family, then leave.”“Why do I suddenly feel like I dropped into the Lifetime movie of the week?”“What is Lifetime?”She waved his question off. “Never mind, a girl thing. Um, let me think about this for a moment. You need me to pretend to be married to you, hang with your familly, stay in
Tony. Tony sipped his cognac and watched as the party winded down. Luscious chocolate chip cannoli cake and pots of strong coffee were served, and a relaxed atmosphere rippled through the rooms as family and friends began making their good byes.Tension swirled in his gut and fought with the lovely fire of the alcohol. This time he was in trouble. Big trouble. After the phone call with Valarie and Dominick, he decided to confront his mother with a well placed battle plan.Tony knew sticking with the family tradition was impossible. He also realized his mother believed strongly in rules and rarely broke them. He had decided on an alternate plan that seemed brilliant. He would throw her a story about a steady girlfriend, with a wedding in the firm future, and even promise a visit.Then he would calmly insist Valarie marry first because of her history with Dominick, and he would cite Papa’s heavenly blessing. Maybe he would tell her he saw it in a dream, something to soothe her doubts.
TrisTris had worked through her lunch-hour and expecting that Tony would be detained by Gail had not thought to close her office door when she made her call. The result was that he walked in when she was right in the middle of it, and Chloe was describing Ethan"s newest trick. "Personal call?" Tony said sardonically when she had finished. "First time I have seen a spark of life in you since I got here. Does Matt know about him?" "My private affairs are my own," Tris retorted, colour scorching her skin as she realised the inference he had drawn from her words. Of course he would think she meant love affairs. She turned her back on him, searching through the files for an article she needed. When she straightened up Tony was standing right behind her. She could smell the faint tang of his" aftershave. His skin was firm and tanned, the blue eyes framed with ridiculously thick dark lashes. Just like Ethan's. Her heart pounded, and she bent down to close the cupboard drawer, trying to
TrisEthan was being unusually fractious this morning, and she wondered if he had caught her own tense mood. He had played naughtily with his breakfast, something he never normally did, his mouth sulky and pouting when she scolded him. "Don't go to work, Mummy," he pleaded tearfully. "Stay with me!" "You know I have to go, Ethan," she reminded him gently, "but tomorrow is Friday, and then after that Mummy will be at home with you for two whole days. Perhaps we will go somewhere nice, if you are a good boy for Chloe." "Where nice?" he breathed, tears forgotten. "To the Zoo to see the bears?" "Maybe. Finish your egg, there is a good boy." His recalcitrance had made her late, and although she ran all the way down the bottom of the avenue, she was just in time to see her bus go sailing past. Groaning, she pressed a hand to her side to stifle the aching stitch. She was going to be late, and there was nothing she could do about it, so she might as well make up her mind to accept the fa
Tris Later, when she was tucking him up in bed, she inspected his features carefully. He showed his fathering, this child born out of what she had thought a night of perfect love and which instead had been an act of ruthless and deliberate expediency. He had nothing of her in him, unless it was his temperament. In looks he was all Tony; his father in exact miniature from his dark blue eyes to his thick glossy hair. When she first discovered she was pregnant she had been out of work and depressed. She had fainted twice in one week and put it down to nervous strain until, despite the fact that she had barely been eating, she discovered that her skirt wouldn't fasten round her waist. She had known the truth then, but refused to accept it, confirmation finally coming in the shabby, impersonal interview room of a pregnancy advice bureau. They had been kind and helpful, offering to arrange for a termination of her pregnancy, despite its advanced state.They had probably considered that sh
Tris. We had been on the road for atleast an hour now and I still had this sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, like it was all going to come crashing down. The highway unspools in front of me like a gray ribbon of escape. The city lights shrink in the rearview mirror, swallowed by the night. I grip the steering wheel so hard my knuckles ache, but I don't loosen up. Not yet. Not until I know we’re far enough. Not until the weight in my chest eases even a little.Ethan is quiet in the backseat. I glance at him through the mirror. He’s hugging his stuffed elephant, his face turned to the window. The glow of passing streetlights flickers across his cheeks. He looks small. Tired. But safe for now.The car smells like old fries and laundry detergent. It’s not much, this little sedan I bought cash after we left the last place, but it runs. And right now, that’s all that matters. We pass a sign: I-95 South. Next stop: Anywhere but here.“Hey, you okay back there?” I ask, forcing my vo
Tris. This was definitely not how I thought things were going to go. Today was supposed to be a good day, I was going to get the job and come back home and prepare for starting work. But now things were different, he had found us. I should have known he would have followed me home and I should have lied on the portfolio about where I lived, but all that was too late now. And I had to make my next move and quick. I slammed the door shut behind me, my fingers trembling as they fumbled with the lock. Click. The bolt slides in place, but it doesn’t make me feel any safer. My heart is still hammering like a warning bell, echoing in my ears louder than the silence that fills the house now that Tony’s gone.He was here. He found us. And he was definitely coming back and he was going to take my son away from me, he had the power, money and influence to do it. Again.I pressed my back against the door, squeezing my eyes shut, and exhaled in a shudder. For a split second, I let myself feel i