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Her laugh vibrated into me. “Self-defense training. I’m good with the knife.”
“Will I discover any other secrets?”
She relaxed next to me, settling her head on the pillow. I faced her.
“I don’t want to live in Italy. My sister needs me. I have friends here.”
“My father’s still young, and I have no ambition to take his place before he’s ready to step down. My business requires me to return often, but I want our life here.”
She scooted closer and rested her hand on my chest.
I lifted her fingers. “Why have you taken off the ring?”
Leaning up on an elbow, she glared at her hand. “I…um…”
“Allegra? Where’s your ring?”
Her gaze slowly shifted to mine. “At the bottom of the lake.”
***
Allegra slept. Her hands pillowed beneath her cheek. Warm breath slipped past her lips, and long, dark lashes shadowed against her olive skin. I trailed a finger over the soft slope of her shoulder.
My gut tightened. Already, she was mine.
After slipping out of bed, I dressed in my slacks, took my phone out to the private balcony, and called my father.
“Is she as you remember?” he asked in lieu of hello.
“Five years is a long time,” I said. “The wedding will go forward as soon as possible.”
His robust laugh brought a smile to my lips. “Tell me about her.”
“She’s going to challenge my patience.” I leaned back and closed my eyes. “Her sister is trouble for Orlando.”
“Put him to work making inquiries into Luca. Before his murder, he was doing business with Alex Ferraro. If you need more motivation to get the businessman to talk, I’ll send Stefano. You need to take these two weeks to romance your bride.”
I glanced over my shoulder. Allegra stared at me from the bed with a sleepy softness. The blanket had slipped, giving me a peek at her pink-hued nipple. My gaze stayed with hers.
“She’ll surprise you,” I said in Italian, knowing she understood every word I spoke.
“A woman is a beautiful rose, rare in its intricacies, the scent unlike any other flower. Her touch is in the softness of the petals.”
I chuckled. “You’re a poet, old man.”
“Ascoltami per un momento.”Listen for a moment.
“Yes, I’m listening. Water and sunlight to bloom. I promise, I’ll keep her wet and warm.”
Allegra arched a brow.
“Bah. She won’t bloom without being nurtured. You can be abrasive, figlio mio.”My son.
Allegra stretched, rolled to her belly, and wrapped her arms around the pillow beneath her face. We stared at each other. I spoke to my father, but my words were for her. “She’s rare and beautiful. She’s fearless, and she comes with thorns.”
He laughed again. “She will need them with Giada.”
“She forgets her place in this family.” I leaned forward in my chair. Only hearing my words and not my father’s, Allegra’s brows furrowed. “I won’t tolerate her interference.”
