Page 60 of The Don’s Omega

“How soon can we get that added to the contract?” I ask.

“I’ll have Kessler draft it tomorrow.”

“Thank you.”

He’s quiet for a bit, just watching me. I squirm a little under his intense stare. He said he only came to check on me and he can see I’m fine. I’m not sure why he’s still here.

“Was there something else?” I ask politely.

He shifts and then says gruffly, “I think you got the wrong impression about something.”

I frown. “Did I?”

He nods. “About Sandro and me. When you came to my study, you saw something, but it’s not what you think.”

“Oh.” I know what I saw so I’m not sure why he’s lying to me. “It doesn’t matter. You put it in our contract that we can have other lovers. What you do with Sandro is none of my business.”

“While that’s true,” he murmurs, “I’m not sleeping with Sandro.”

I’m not sure I believe him, but I’m also not sure why he’d lie. Perhaps he thinks I’ll withhold sex or something? “As I said, it doesn’t matter. You can sleep with who you want to, as can I.”

Marcello watches me with an expression I can’t fully read. It’s not guilt. It’s not defensive. It’s something more careful than that, like he needs to say something, but worries it might backfire on him.

“I think it does matter,” he says. “I don’t want you to get the wrong impression.”

“Look.” I sigh. “I have eyes, Marcello. I know what I saw. You had Sandro in your arms.”

“That’s true, but it wasn’t sexual. He came to me about a personal matter. I was comforting him, that’s all.”

“You’re seriously not sleeping with him?” There’s obvious skepticism in my voice.

“No.”

“I don’t know that I believe you,” I murmur.

He frowns. “You should. I haven’t touched Sandro or anyone else since I met you.”

That definitely surprises me. I search his face, looking for signs of deception. I’m usually good at spotting liars. Bartending teaches you to read people, to catch the micro-expressions, the averted eyes, the too-quick answers. Marcello gives me none of those tells. He holds my gaze steadily, his voice is level and his body relaxed.

“You haven’t been with anyone?” I laugh disbelievingly.

“On my mother’s life, I haven’t touched another omega since we met.” His gaze is steady.

“That’s surprising,” I say slowly.

“Yes, I agree.” He hesitates. “But it would bother you if I had?”

I don’t feel like being vulnerable with him, so I don’t respond. When I don’t say anything, he sits beside me on the bed.

I tense and meet his gaze. Does he want sex? Is that why he’s going to so much trouble to reassure me Sandro means nothing to him? I wait for him to make some move, my pulse racing. I can’t decide if I want him to make a move or not.

“After today, I too have some thoughts about our contract,” he says carefully.

“Really?” I frown. “But, you came up with the original contract.”

“Yes, but that was then and this is now.”

“Meaning what?”