t this, this kindness? His attempt to understand? Was that what it was? I d
led. I hadn't eaten all day, and as appealing as a hunger strike
already, and sat down. Picking up the knife and fork, I glanced at the door before I dug in. If he returned, I'd be ashamed at
the grilled potatoes spiced with rosemary and more butter. A bottle of wine stood open on the table. I poured myself a glass, sipping it before returning to the meat. I f
lvatore tense when Franco approached us at the church. I'd been guessing when I taunted Salvatore with my comment about being his father's puppet but didn't realize I'd hit the nail on the head. When I'd said it wa
ationship with Salvatore was strained, and I didn't like th
both within a year of each other. I assumed they were who he meant. I felt like a jerk for a minute. I picked up my glass, drai
talked to him when he'd called? Why had I refused to see him when he'd come to the school? I knew he regretted what he'd done, selling me to buy his and our family's lives, but what choice had he had? I was a
ned to be th
I wondered, my fa
ne. Setting it on the nightstand, I pulled back the sheets and cli
r, or she'd be the one here in this bed right now. They'd wanted her, the firstborn. I'd heard my father and my sister arguing, yelling like I had never heard
ting her baby. But it didn't absolve her for leaving me without a good-by
rst we'd traded in the last five years. Maybe it was ti
ly a combination of too much crying,
e door just as I z
pecting Salvatore but
up here yesterday. He moved toward my suitcase. I'd only packed one. It was a brief trip, and
is Salv
a meeting, left ea
s your
ar
rco?" I asked, my
at me, letting me know
in
the suitcase. I went downstairs with my head held high, hoping most of all I w
hot temperatures. I refused to glance around and kept my eyes on the car
a moment to look at him, to see him. He and Salvatore couldn't be more different in appearance. Salvatore was big and thickly muscled, whereas Dominic stood maybe an inch taller but not as
le. The change in his featur
ed his thro
o the backseat of the car. After loading my suitcase in the trunk, Marco climbed into the front passenger seat, and the driver started the engine. I glanced up at the
long drive to Lamezia Terme International Airport. I would connect through Rome, and the combined flights would take over fifteen hours to get back to the US. Getting to Calabria was a pain in the ass. I
d for me to go ahead, guiding me toward the check-in counter. The man seemed to know Marco. I noticed their small exchange when he handed over my passport and ticket, neither
ay," Ma
You won't be allowed p
you over to one of my...c
d in the US, although I spoke fluent Itali
travel
rprised if they let
father's funeral in the newspaper reports, saw my face in the photos along with Salvatore's and numerous others plastered across page after page of both local newspapers I'd picked up. We made big news here. The reining Mafia family, coming to bury their big
seat in front of me. I closed my eyes. I felt my bodyg
vatore's home in Saddle River, I was exhausted. Evening fell, and it took an effort to keep my eyes open, to ta
of landscaping lights. The grounds, from what I could make out, were expansive, with woods circling most of the property. It seemed to me that the driveway was at least a mile long before it finally circled at the main entrance to the residence. A woman came outside and waited for
a'
g to give her a warm smile. I'd nee
turned to the guard who'd flown wi
e arrive?" I asked,
not s
de," the w
ous smell coming from that direction. I could see the living room through a large archway. At the far end stood a wall of glass, and large doors led to a patio. Dim, colorful lights shone of
you h
tifling a yawn. "I
I'll take you
stop her before she tur
ine
hat's a pr
nk y
me. I'd always hated that, actually. I felt uncomfortable and awkward even wit
s the master bedroom. My heart thudded as we approached, knowing he'd expect to have me in his bed. O
doors at the end, we turned to the ri
d, switching on a light and
it a masculine flair, but I liked it, especially the large fireplace I wouldn't have need for just yet. Rainey pointed out the bathroom, which I ba
e've already moved your oth
ave much, hadn't needed much at a Catholic school, but what I had was neatly organized in the open walk-in closet Ra
cour
er to turn down the bed-another thing I
iney," I said,
d my clothes as well as items that did not belong to me. I checked the size of a dress. Four. H
adn't pointed out. I walked over to it, but when I tried t
d, one with copper feet and fixtures. All surfaces were sparkling clean, and on one of the shelves stood several of my favorite bra
drawers and piled my hair up on top of my head. The deep auburn mass would fall to the middle of my back when I let it down. As I undressed, I checked out the rest of the space. Everything
et five and 120 pounds, I was healthy with long, lean muscle, small but pert breasts, and a bubble butt. That was the yoga. The sisters at the college actually allowed a woman to teach classe
er cranking, since it was July and the heat outside was stifling, with the evenings offering only the slightest relief. I wadded up a small towel and lay my head
breath when I saw Salvatore standing
lthough it wasn't necessary. The bubbles created a
but there wa
in circling his neck. A small cross hung from it. It took me back five years, seeing that.
and glan
asleep,
ous to do in
ng it. I'd assumed the double doors had led to the master. Had I misunderstood? "What do you want?" I tried to keep my voice friendly. Sal
ugh his thick, dark hair. It made me think of his brother, of how different
see if you needed anything,
droom, if it was his, but couldn't bring myself to ju
d
of info
oming a little farther inside the bathroom and leaning
uestio
cur
ell him that Luke had been keeping me in the loop with the goings-on of my family while I
Luke once a month ove
ing inte
his chest and studied me c
about? Luke is my cous
ther member of your famil
ou were ke
an eye on my
"You do know I'm a human being, right? That
s anything typical ab
ring my breasts. He didn't touch me, though. Instea
ds? I saw the way he loo
my c
by bl
, I knew there was truth to the statement. I saw it in the slight sh
good as a Benedetti now. Want to be sur
stupid contract doesn't mean my loyaltie
e rose to stand. He wiped his hand on a towel. "Ge
ting out wit
d one of the plush bath towels. He held it out before him but remained several fe
this? What do you
id. I want to s
lar power over me. My heart pounded against my chest as I slowly rose, suds clinging to me as I stood. "You want to see?" I asked again, seeing how his eyes darkened as they raked over me before returning to mine. His attractio
ound me. His hungry eyes held mine, meeting my challenge, posing his own as he dried me, his handling of me rough, the
have a pr
ly, hovering at my naked sex. Again, he
ling like blackest onyx. Something raged behind them, inside them. Something that screa
f it was, I lost, because I blinked first,
to leave the bathroom b
ed towel and held it against mysel
t me and taking a step back inside, bac
his mouth, that rage beh
sh you if yo
s heel and walk
he edge of the