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her about what she’d done. He maintained his distance unless they were making love. He worked and went out of town often. She basically spent his money and looked for activities to occupy herself. Yet, something had changed between them.
She held up the glass, and a server appeared at her side with an empty tray. Once she’d placed her glass there, she wandered toward a position that would put her directly in her husband’s line of sight.
For a minute, Shakarri hesitated. This wasn’t their personal party, so she couldn’t influence the guest list. Someone had invited Ms. Thing, and she had showed up in style—“style” being a loosely used term. Madison’s dress might as well be a piece of plastic wrap. It was that shiny and almost as transparent. Anyone could see she wasn’t wearing a bra. Not that she needed one.
Madison explained something to Ezio with excited gestures that made her boobs bounce, and the deep cut in the front of her dress almost revealed all. Every man standing in her group seemed to be mesmerized. To Ezio’s credit, he never appeared to look. Yet, with her in his face, he couldn’t possibly miss the performance.
She’s a business-owner? Looks more like a slut. Probably born into it.
Shakarri thought of her own figure. She wasn’t small, but she tried to keep the weight gain under control. Lately, she had gained about seven pounds, but she didn’t worry about it. Moving into position, she knew she looked good tonight. As tiny as Ms. Thing was, she didn’t have much of a butt. Shakarri’s was big and round, and she already knew Ezio liked it.
She stopped moving and clasped her purse in front of her with both hands. A peek around the room brought three different men into focus. She’d spotted them earlier, checking her out when she walked in on Ezio’s arm. When her husband introduced them, they were all over her until Ezio cut them all to ribbons with just a look. Shakarri didn’t remember their names. They weren’t important in themselves.
“Do you know why he married her?” someone nearby said, a little too loudly.
“Can’t imagine. She didn’t have anything to offer from what I heard.”
“You’re not saying it’s love?”
“Don’t be stupid! She’s black.”
Shakarri almost laughed. As if her being black meant Ezio couldn’t love her? These women were catty, and a few of the men were no better. She’d heard their gossip from the moment she started attending these social events or networking gatherings. Whatever they were. A few of the people were okay, but so far she never gave any of them a chance. She’d kept to herself, talking to them only when Ezio led the conversation. Her view was that she would leave soon, but now it was different. She had a different plan.
Shakarri flicked her gaze for a second toward each of the men, and they stirred from their corners right away. They headed in her direction, but then she focused on Ezio, holding his gaze a beat longer. Her husband’s attention left Ms. Thing. In fact, he moved around her as if she weren’t bouncing right in front of him.
Ezio came straight for Shakarri, neither acknowledging those who spoke to him on either side nor apparently seeing them. He watched her, eating up the space between them. The men who had started toward her saw Ezio and halted. Shakarri bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing.
Ezio arrived in front of her and ran his palms over her bare arms. She suppressed a shiver. “You left me alone,” she said, keeping her voice low and vulnerable, her chin almost touching her chest. “People talked about me. They said some hurtful things.”
“Who would dare?” he demanded. His anger ignited. “What did they say? Never mind. Tell me who it was, and I’ll take care of it.”
She bit her lip again, harder this time and looked up at him. Her husband went still. She moved closer to him until their bodies touched. “I’ve been lonely. You’re working all the time.”
“Shakarri.” His voice came out hoarse. “I’ll take off work from tomorrow and take you wherever you want to go. Tell me where. I’ll make the arrangements.”
“But you have that deal you were talking about, the multi-million dollar one.”
“They’re all multi-million dollar. Romy will handle it.” He stroked a thumb across her lip, and right there in front of all of those who talked down about her, he kissed her lips and crushed her to him. Shakarri snuggled close to her husband, and when he released her mouth, she laid her head on his shoulder and shut her eyes. She was right.
“Ezio, do you mind if I go home now? You can stay, but—”
“We’re leaving.”
He made their excuses, and as Ezio led her toward Ms. Thing, who fumed, Shakarri winked. They drew alongside the woman, and Shakarri paused to speak to her in a low tone. “Not in this lifetime, girlfriend. He’s mine, and I plan to keep him for a while. Come near him again and see what you get.”
Madison gasped, but she couldn’t form words to respond. They headed out the door, and once they were in the car, Ezio took Shakarri’s hand and laced his fingers with hers. “What did you whisper to Madison? She seemed shocked by it.”
If Shakarri refused to answer, Ezio would get mad. She liked the mood he was in now. Kicking off her heels and tucking her feet up into the seat, she twisted to face him and curled against his side. She held onto his arm and pressed her boob against him while looking up at him. “I don’t want to talk about her. There’s something more important I want to tell you.”
Yep, he was putty in her hands. She wondered at what point she learned how to use feminine charms at command. Then she realized they came into play as soon as she knew the truth about how Ezio felt. He had kept his distance to hide it, but he moved too late.
“What’s that?” he said. His gaze slid to her cleavage. Ezio never tried to hide his desire for her. Whenever she caught him looking the way he did now, it lit her on fire.
She took one of his hands and laid it on her belly. “I’m pregnant.”
He sprang forward. “You’re kidding? Tell me you’re not kidding, Shakarri.”
“I’m not. I missed my period, and I took like three tests to be sure. I made an appointment with my doctor, but I know I’m pregnant.”
