Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 69945 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69945 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
Several moments passed before either of us moved or spoke. Finally, I opened my eyes. Dom was looking at me, a strange expression on his face. It wasn’t the unreadable cold look he’d given me when I arrived, but it was just as hard to decode. Was he in pain, or was he regretting what we’d just done?
“Are you okay?” I asked when I had the ability to speak.
“I don’t know.”
“Dom?”
He shook his head. “I’ll be all right. I’m just sore.”
I knew that wasn’t all, but I also knew there wasn’t much chance I would get more out of him.
He rose from the bed and held out his hand. “Shower?”
I frowned at him. “Together?”
“Yes.”
My pulse sped back up. He was going to let me shower with him, both of us naked. I’d worried he’d hide himself as soon as he was done fucking me, but he was trusting me with his body even now that we weren’t caught up in the need for each other.
I took his hand, and he pulled me up so we were both sitting. I cupped the left side of his face, once again brushing my thumb over the scars. He shivered like he had the first time. “Thank you for being naked with me.”
That made him smile. “I’m not sure that’s a sentence I’ve ever heard before.”
“I guess not, but I’ll say it as often as you like.” He looked away, and I was afraid I’d ruined the moment and made him self-conscious. “Or I won’t mention it again, but I loved feeling your body on mine. I loved watching you move. Seeing your muscles tighten.”
He turned back to me. “I like watching you come apart.”
I shuddered. He’d completely ruined me like he’d promised to, and I’d loved every moment of it. “Let’s shower.”
I slid from the bed and stood. He moved more slowly, and his leg gave when he got to his feet. I reached for him, and instead of pushing me away, he took my arm.
“Did I wear you out?” I asked.
He glared at me. “I’m perfectly fine.”
“No, you’re not. Your leg hurts, and your arm does too.”
He took hold of my chin and tilted my head up to look at him. “It was worth it, so fucking worth it. My leg will loosen up in a hot shower.”
He let me walk beside him with his arm around me. I was as moved by him letting me help him as I’d been by him allowing me to remove his clothes.
He trusted me, and I was sure he didn’t trust many people, especially not anyone outside his family. How could he after what Lisa had put him through? I believed him when he said he was ruthless as an assassin, and I was sure there were things he’d done that would horrify me, but I was also sure there was good in him. I’d met far worse men than him who did far worse things than assassinate criminals. He could open up enough to trust me, but could he open up enough to love me? That seemed too much to hope for.
26
DOM
Seconds passed before I realized the pounding wasn’t in my head. Someone was at the door. Once again, I’d slept like the dead, lying next to Corey. He was on his back, and my arm lay over his chest. Our naked bodies were pressed together.
I nearly jumped away from him as fear raced through me. Then I remembered the way he’d touched my body as he slowly removed my clothes, the way he’d washed me so carefully in the shower. I was safe with him.
“Mr. Marchesi, are you in there?”
Fuck, it was Beatrice. I could tell by the amount of light outside that I’d slept far later than usual, but I didn’t think there was any need for her alarm.
“What’s going on? Why are you waking me up?” I yelled.
“Corey isn’t in his room. I don’t know where he is, and your sons are here wanting to see you.”
This was not how I wanted to start the day. “Corey is fine.”
“He is?”
I scowled at the door even though she couldn’t see me. “Yes, he’s right here with me, as I’m sure you could have guessed.”
“I didn’t think. I mean—”
“He’s here. Now leave me alone.”
A moment passed, but I didn’t hear her walk away. “What should I tell your sons?”
“Tell them to mind their own goddamned business.”
“They said it was urgent that they speak to you. They seemed…alarmed.”
“Jesus Christ, what time is it?”
Corey had stirred, and he was looking up at me, worry on his face. I brushed his hair from his forehead and smiled at him.
“It’s eleven o’clock, sir.”
Wow. I really had slept late. Of course, Corey and I hadn’t fallen asleep until maybe five. “Tell Val and Vito that I will be there in half an hour.”