Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 79304 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79304 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
I’d asked her to marry me because I loved her—not for convenience. But I let it go. “I’m leaving tomorrow for a couple of days.”
As if I’d slapped her across the face, she looked stunned by the announcement. “You just got home.”
“Something came up.”
“Where are you going?”
“Rome.”
“Why?”
“I have to talk to my brother about a few things…I might be gone a couple of days or a week.”
“Really?” she asked in disappointment. “That’s a long time.”
“I’d never leave you unless I knew you were safe. And you can call Damien for anything, and he’ll be at your beck and call.”
“That’s not the problem, and you know it.” Her attitude started to flare, the sassiness coming into her eyes.
“I’m sure you have stuff to do at the Tuscan Rose.”
“But I don’t want my husband to be gone for weeks at a time. I don’t want that kind of marriage.”
“What kind of marriage is that?”
“When the guy takes off and has mistresses and whatnot.”
I cocked an eyebrow. “You think I’m leaving to have an affair?”
“No, but that’s the kind of lifestyle you’re talking about. You didn’t even invite me to come with you.”
“Because I know you have shit to do.”
“The hotel survived before me, and it’ll survive if I’m gone for a week.”
“Two weeks,” I corrected. “You missed this week too.”
“I doubt the people running it would start slacking when they know Hades Lombardi could walk in at any moment.”
I narrowed my eyes, feeling the rage start to ignite my temper. “Do you really think I’m looking for an excuse to sneak off and fuck around?” Her punitive mind had no idea how hard I was working just to keep her. It was fucking insulting.
“I didn’t say that—”
“That’s literally what you just said.” I grabbed her hips and pulled her off me.
“Look, I was just upset about you leaving, and I blurted that out. I didn’t mean it.”
I pulled on my boxers, burned by the insinuation I would do anything like that. “If I wanted to fuck around, I would do it right under your nose. I wouldn’t be a coward and run off to sneak around behind your back. I’d do it right to your damn face.”
She leaned against the headboard, frustrated by the way this fight was unfolding. “I take it back, okay? I know you wouldn’t do that.”
“Doesn’t seem like it.” I moved to the patio doors and looked outside, repulsed by the image of her face.
“I just don’t want you to leave, alright?” she whispered. “Or at least, let me come with you.”
I didn’t have a problem with her coming with me, but I didn’t appreciate the way she went about it. With my arms crossed over my chest, I looked at the city with blind eyes, not taking in a single thing I was staring at.
When I ignored her, she got to her feet and came up behind me. Her fingertips stroked my back, feeling the muscles with her feather-like touch. “I’m sorry, okay? My mother told me my father had mistresses all his life and she never cared about it…but I don’t believe her. He would go on these bullshit business trips—”
“I’m not your father.” I turned around and faced her, the anger tightening all the muscles in my face. I wished I could tell her how I really felt, that I loved her too much to even think about another woman. That all I wanted was for her to tell me she loved me and couldn’t live without me. If only she knew the depth of my feelings, she would understand how ridiculous her insecurities were. “I would never do that. That’s not the kind of man I am. End of story.”
Remorse flooded her eyes. “I’d still like to come with you…if you’ll have me.”
I’d leave her at the hotel while I spoke to my brother. She’d be safe there, my men watching her. At night, I would have a place to unwind, to vent all my frustrations by fucking her senseless. “All you had to do was ask.”
“How long will you be gone?” Damien asked in the entryway while my men packed the vehicle with our luggage.
“No idea. Depends on his reaction.”
“So, you’ll be there for a while.”
Sofia walked behind me and gave one of the men her purse.
Damien glanced at her. “She’s coming with you?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“She asked. I didn’t see the harm.”
When she was out of earshot, he spoke his mind. “You sure she doesn’t love you?”
She just loved my dick. “It’s fun to pretend sometimes.”
He chuckled and clapped me on the shoulder. “I’ll take care of everything here. Fix this shit with your brother. If you need help, let me know.”
“Thanks.” We said goodbye then headed to the car.
“You sure you want to spend all week with this guy?” Damien asked as he hugged Sofia on the sidewalk.