AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Before the last word even leaves my lips, he captures it in his and as his strong hand snakes around the back of my head and he grinds his lips to mine, it’s as if I have traveled a long and weary road and I finally made it home.
CHAPTER23
ALESSANDRO
It’s like an explosion that sets fire to our past and allows us to step from the flames to meet the future. We bear the scars of that but ultimately have survived and as I kiss the woman I love, I can’t stop. She is like a feast for a starving man and as I pull her body even closer, it just isn’t enough.
I don’t even care that we are being watched from every angle on every monitor in the property because Winter is in my arms where she should never have left.
It’s only when the sound of tires crawling up the driveway alerts us, do we pull apart and I stare with surprise at the cavalcade of black cars that are sweeping to a stop.
Winter says fearfully, “Who are they? What’s happening?”
“I don’t know.”
As I grip her hand tightly, I’m aware of a movement behind me and Salvatore, my grandfather’s consigliere, steps into the sunlight and stands by my side.
“What’s going on, Salvatore?”
“Don Giodano and his family have been invited to lunch.”
“Don Giodano?”
I’m surprised because he heads up a rival family to ours and I wasn’t aware they were friends now.
Salvatore says in a low voice, “Perhaps Mrs. Delauren would be more comfortable in her room until they have left.”
Winter makes to pull away on hearing his words and I tighten my grip. “She stays with me.”
Salvatore nods but I don’t like the gleam in his eye and as the doors open and Don Giodano steps out, he says quickly, “You should welcome him in your grandfather’s absence.”
Knowing it would be disrespectful not to, I drop Winter’s hand and step forward, my mood set to polite bastard.
“Don Giodano, welcome to our home.”
He grips my hand in a bone-crushing handshake and his eyes slide from me to Winter and he nods respectfully. “Mrs. Delauren, please accept my condolences for your loss.”
“My loss?” Winter looks confused, and the eagle-eyed Don takes it all in and smirks. “I see you have yet to be informed of your husband’s ill health.”
“For good reason.” I fix him with a warning glare, and he nods, a small smile lying on his malevolent face.
I’m surprised when the door to the second car is opened and one of his soldiers helps Don Giodano’s wife from the car. From the other side steps another woman and now I understand exactly what this is. An intervention of the most devastating kind.
I nod my welcome as they reach the Don’s side.
“Mrs. Giodano and Allegra, may I welcome you to our home.”
The smile Allegra flashes me is seductive and loaded with intent. She bats her long lashes in my direction and appears shy, but she is anything but. She is a conniving bitch who is intent on securing the best possible marriage and as her dark green eyes sweep over Winter with derision, I feel the prison gates slamming shut in my face.
“Mrs. Delauren, such a terrible tragedy. Poor Massimo, you must be out of your mind with worry.”
Beatrice the Don’s wife vomits insincerity and heads straight to Winter’s side and takes her arm.
“We should stick together being two wives of very powerful men. Even though yours is, shall we say, incapacitated, you are still to be given the respect you deserve.”
Salvatore nods respectfully and says, “Follow me. Don Majerio is waiting for you on the terrace.”
As they sweep past me, it leaves Allegra to step by my side, and she smiles seductively and says in a flirtatious voice, “Alone at last, Alessandro.”
