Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 77359 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77359 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
After breakfast, there was a little time before we had to head to the church, and I paced the mansion. Most of the rooms were familiar to me now. The massive bedroom Massimo and I would share. The guest rooms. The hidden room upstairs. And Stefano’s office.
The door was closed, so I didn’t look inside, but I thought about all the time I’d spent in there. He’d made me feel welcome. And safe. And normal. He was definitely the most normal of the three brothers. I’d needed that when I first arrived.
Hell, I needed that now. But now because I was afraid of his brothers—but because I loved Stefano, too.
When I was about to walk away, the door opened. Stefano stood there looking amazing in his black tux. For a moment, I forgot everything else. He looked so damn good. I wanted to kiss him. To throw myself in his arms. But that part of my life was over. Massimo had claimed me in his bedroom last night, and he was about to publicly claim me at the wedding. I could never be with Stefano again.
The pain on his face made me wonder if he was thinking about that, too. But if so, he didn’t say anything. Instead, he reached in his pocket and held out his hand.
“What’s this?” Surprised, I looked at the small, hard plastic thing he placed on my palm.
“I heard that your something blue wasn’t quite what you expected. So will you take this?”
“But what is it?” I’d seen things like that in his office, but even though my computer skills were improving, I didn’t know what it was.
“A flash drive. It holds the code for the video game.”
A lump formed in my throat as I examined the little drive. “The whole game?”
“Yes,” he said. “It’s a lot better than it was—thanks to your ideas and suggestions.”
I shook my head automatically even as my fingers closed around it. “You’re the one who knows how to do all those things.”
“You made it better—trust me. That’s why I’d like you to name it.”
I gasped. “Name the whole video game?”
“Yes.” He grinned at the look on my face. “Not today. You’ve got enough on your plate today.”
“I-I’d be honored,” I said. And I’d make damn sure that I’d come up with a name that did the game justice. It had been one of my first tastes of freedom, and it would always have a place near my heart. “Thank you.”
He took my hand and squeezed it. “I was thinking of attaching a chain to it, but it wouldn't make a very good necklace. Maybe you could just leave it in your dressing room. It’ll still be yours and still be blue.”
“I’ll find a place for it. Tuck it into the waist of my dress or something.”
“You don’t have to—”
“I want to,” I told him. It was tempting to stand on my tiptoes and kiss his lips to silence his protests.
But I didn’t. And I never would again.
“Thank you,” I whispered again, and then I had to leave. It was just too upsetting to be so close to a man I could never have.
Later, at the church, my mom sat with me while two women did my hair and makeup. I barely paid them any attention, but my mom kept up a steady conversation. Maybe she knew how nervous I was.
I barely looked in the mirror when they were done. It just wasn’t important. What was important was the men I loved.
After the stylists left, my mom went to get me some ice water. To my surprise, the door opened a few seconds after she left. Thinking she’d forgotten something, I’d turned. The person in the door was twice the size of my mom. It was Carmine.
For a moment, he didn’t speak. I met his gaze and held it. “You look beautiful,” he said finally.
Since I was wearing a silk robe, I assumed he meant my hair and face. “Thank you.” My voice was only a whisper. “My mom’s going to help me put on the dress when she gets back.”
“I know we only have a moment.” His voice was gruff, but I could hear the feeling behind it. “I know I’m not supposed to be here.”
“I’m glad you are.” I stood up and went to him.
He plunged a hand in his pocket. “Here.” In his palm was a silver car key.
For a brief moment, I smiled. “You’re helping me escape?”
He answered my smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “It’s for the car, since you know how to drive it now. For your something borrowed. I wish I could give it to you, but…”
He trailed off. We both knew I wasn’t allowed to have something like that.
I took the key and squeezed his hand. “Thank you. I’ll give it back after the wedding.”