Alessio I walked into the room to find beauty and fabian glancing in my direction, and the expression on her face is laced with guilt. I prowl toward her and she tips up her chin. "Were you talking about me, Beauty?" I murmur and she huffs."My every conversation is not about you.""What were you two talking about, then?""None of your business.""Everything about you is my business," I pause in front of her, "and you’d do best not to forget that."Fabian clears his throat, and I shoot him a sideways glance."We were discussing the Christmas bash," he explains."Is that right?" I turn to her, "That what’s got you tied up in knots, huh?""Exactly," she snickers, "Iam the one tied up in knots." She exchanges a glance with Fabian who chuckles."She’s been worried about finding a DJ for the party. It’s why I offered my services.""You’re going to DJ?" I scowl."Sure," he raises a shoulder, "it’s no biggie. I did it at many of the parties during my university days.""And here I thought y
Violet "This is where we’re having dinner," he murmurs as he lowers me into a chair. I take in the crisp white table cloth that covers a table that has been set with silverware for two. The alcove is sheltered from the breeze by a screen on one side. The view itself is undisturbed though, and I glance out at the sea that stretches out into the distance. A cool breeze tugs at my hair. I tuck the strands behind my ear, turn back to the table arrangement. There’s a vase in the center of the table with one single perfectly formed black rose, the edges of the petals a blood red. It’s a perfect bloom, unlike anything I have ever seen. He reaches for a blanket that has been placed on a stool by the side. He places it over my lap, then tucks it at the sides. "How does that feel?" "Good," I murmur. "Not too cold? Not too warm?" He nods toward the patio heater, "Should I turn that off?" "No," I pat the edge of the blanket, "I am comfortable, as is." "Good." He reaches for a napkin, shakes
Violet "Dessert?" I blink rapidly. "Is Pablo going to serve us dessert?""He offered to make dolce for us, but I told him to wait. We’ll have it after.""After?" My cheeks heat, "After what?""After..." He lifts me up onto the table, then pushes my legs apart. The dress I’m wearing is pushed up to above my knees. He slides his fingers up my thighs, and I try to squeeze them together."Relax," he murmurs, "I am going to make this so good for you."That’s what I am afraid of.I peer at him from between my eyelashes. "I thought you weren’t going to shag me?""Doesn’t mean I can’t pleasure you," his eyes gleam, "while I feast on you."A pulse flares to life between my legs. It mirrors the beat of my heart, the thud-thud-thud of the blood roaring in my ears as he rises to his feet. Without taking his gaze off of mine, he leans over and shoves the rest of the crockery aside. The dishes and remaining cutlery hit the ground with a crash that sweeps through me. He eases me onto my back, then
AlessioThis woman... The things she says... She never ceases to surprise me. I grip her shoulders to pull her up and she wraps her arms around my neck. "I mean it, Ales," she murmurs, "I want you inside me, one way or the other.""I don’t want to hurt you." I wrap a strand of her gorgeous hair around my fingers, "Right now, your comfort is more important than anything else to me.""And I already told you that I want you."I peer into her face, take in her flushed features, her gaze wide with anticipation; those green eyes stare back at me and in them is a look of feverish need. I wrap my fingers about the back of her nape and bring her forehead to mine, "Any other time, if you weren’t pregnant, I’d not deny this to you, but right now, given your condition, it’s not something I can give you.""Alessio," she pleads, "this is no time for an attack of conscience."I laugh, "Trust me, if it were up to me, I’d be inside you so often you wouldn’t be able to walk straight, but this is not ju
Violet We didn't get to the dessert, after all. After I came, he'd taken off his shirt and made me wear it over my torn dress. Then he'd scooped me up into his arms and carried me to his bedroom. We hadn't encountered anyone on the way. Not Isabelle, not Pablo. Apparently, his staff knows when to make themselves scarce. And, yep, he broke his own rule for us to have separate bedrooms. I had fallen asleep promptly. When I woke up, he was gone. I had spent the rest of that day working on my dress, with Andy for company. Oh, also I'd moved my things into his room, and he hadn't said anything. It might be because I didn't see Alessio all that day, or for that matter, on any of the days that followed our reconciliation. Isabelle mentioned to me that he has been deep in negotiations with rival clans to restore some semblance of peace in the country. This means that the security around the house has been tripled… Or so she tells me. Not that I can tell the difference. For all practical
Alessio "I hear your wife’s throwing a Christmas party?" JJ Kane, the head ofThe Kane Company, tilts his head, "That’s the thing with women. They have to make their presence felt, don’t they?"I curl my fingers into fists at my sides. How dare he talk about her? And how the hell does he know about the Christmas Party? Invitations had only been extended to my brothers, my father and my Nonna. And yeah, Beauty had insisted that Isabelle and Aurora be included.Initially, I had refused her and she had pleaded with me. She had batted those big, green eyes at me and I had been a goner. Of course, I had agreed. Isabelle is loyal, no question. And Aurora? She knows better than to open her mouth about anything she sees and hears. There’s no way either of them would have spoken to anyone about the event. My brothers wouldn’t have breathed a word to anyone… Nor would Nonna. As for the Don... Well, much as I don’t trust him, given he knows that Violet is pregnant with his grandchild, not even
AlessioI draw in a sharp breath, glance at him. "What are you trying to say, Alessandro?" I say in a soft voice."Just that you are no longer Alessio, the Capo of the Cosa Nostra.""I’m not?" I frown.He nods, "You are a husband and a father-to-be, too… Roles which you, clearly, place a lot more importance on than just being the leader of our clan."I blink, "If you mean I am neglecting my duties as the head of the clan—""I mean that you are taking a bigger picture into view. You are looking to the future, and for the first time, you are planning with peace in mind, rather than a short-sighed chance to gain the upper hand."I rub the back of my neck, "Is that a backhanded compliment? If so—""It’s not a compliment. It’s a fact." He folds his arms across his chest. "You want to ensure that you neutralize any possible threats against your family. It’s understandable. It’s why you went ahead and met with two of our fiercest rivals. It’s why you didn’t breathe a word about it to anyone
Violet It’s six days to the Christmas party, and I am almost done with the projects I have undertaken. My dress is done. So is the other outfit I have been working on. My morning sickness is also almost gone. And if I have to stay another day cooped up in here, I am going to go stark, raving mad. Clearly, the lack of sex is getting to him. Since our tryst on the terrace, I have not seen him at all. If he does sleep at night… It, clearly, isn’t in the bed next to me, as his side of the bed remains untouched when I awake in the mornings. He hasn’t been in the room, as far as I can tell. Which means he is sleeping somewhere else. Likely, in his office atV enom. Is he also sleeping withsomeone else there? But he said that he wasn't screwing anyone else. He wouldn't lie to me, would he? I tighten my fingers and Andy yowls in protest.He flicks out his baby claws and I yelp as he scratches me. I release him and he jumps down to the floor, then walks away with his tail high in the air. I