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So did I, but only what Elisabetta ordered me to, and none of it this heavenly.
And whether Nonna meant right that moment or a more permanent arrangement I didn’t know. I’d never had a grandmother, or at least my mom always said they had died. I’d always longed for a big family so as far as I was concerned Nonna could move in. With a little luck, my new husband could be persuaded to stay mostly in the penthouse over the casino. I was sure he would want access to whoever he was fucking there, because after meeting Terry, I was determined it wasn’t going to be me.
Imelda showed me around. I even peeked in the small guest room downstairs that Nonna had claimed and trailed around the other four. Apart from the gorgeous kitchen, there was astudy, a large office, a great room, a separate dining room, and a beautiful sunroom that overlooked paradise.
“I was chatting with Nonna and they have housekeepers in weekly, but I’m…” She blushed.
“What?” I asked absently. Could I cope with daily reminders of Terry to be able to gaze on a view like this?
“You aren’t going to need me full time, but I babysit for my cousins often and I could go to childcare classes.”
I glanced at her, confused. “Childcare?” But then I got it and was at a loss. She was assuming we wanted kids. And knowing Dario and the whole heir fiasco inla famiglia, I assumed he’d want a surrogate rather than adoption. Imelda grinned.
“Sorry, you haven’t even had a honeymoon yet.”
Nor were we likely to.
The pool was stunning. A gorgeous patio surrounded it on three sides and the gardens extended to the beach. The private beach, so I understood.
I saw three men standing off to one side, all talking to Alvize, and curiously I stepped through the sliding doors and approached them, Imelda following me. They all nodded respectfully as I approached.
“Signor,” Alvize spoke. “This is Riccardo, Marcus, and George. They are the team assigned to protect the house today. Signor is appointing another seven men so they can rotate.”
I blinked. “Ten?”
Alvize nodded.
“Is that really necessary?” I asked, completely aghast. But then, Rocco had more than that. Only, living in this slice of paradise I didn’t want to be reminded of anything ugly. Like guns. Like death. But I supposed that was naïve. I’d grown up around this life and now I had married into it.
I smiled and shook all their hands, then retreated inside with Imelda. “I suppose I should unpack.” Not that one case wouldtake a lot of time. Imelda, of course, showed me to the master suite, which was as breathtaking but still as charming as the rest of the house. I asked to see the others and there was a smaller one at the end with its own cute bathroom. “This will do,” I said firmly and bounced on the bed. “It isn’t the one they found Gizella in?”
Imelda shook her head, but I could tell by her shocked expression that she expected me to unpack in the master suite. She was tactful enough not to voice an opinion though, and I was grateful. I knew Imelda would have had the same long day as I had, so I dismissed her to go home. Apparently, in the morning we had to discuss ideas for my full wardrobe as Signor Banetti had informed her the mayor’s dinner was in three days. I wasn’t sure it was necessary. I mean, how many times could someone wear a suit?
I unpacked and went down, dutifully eating supper with Nonna. She didn’t say where Dario was, and I didn’t ask. I excused myself after cleaning up and decided to grab a shower. This room didn’t have a bath and I had no intention of using one of the others.
I must have fallen asleep because my door banging open woke me and I bolted up in bed, convinced there’d been an explosion. I immediately recognized Dario and we stared at each other in silence for what seemed the longest five seconds of my life.
“Why are you in here? Did Imelda not show you where our bedroom is?”
I took a steadying breath. “I prefer to sleep in this one.”
He smiled, but there was no humor in his gaze. I lay back down and rolled over, giving him my back, only to screech a second later as all the covers were yanked off me and strong arms simply picked me up like I was a child.
“Get off me,” I snapped, struggling uselessly as he strode out of the room and headed to the master. “I won’t—”
“Yes you fucking will,” he snarled and silenced me. My heart rate skyrocketed. He looked like some avenging angel. No,devil. Why wasn’t I terrified? I wasn’t about to admit what I was feeling instead.
“You sleep in here,” he vowed and pushed into the master bedroom, walking to the bed and unceremoniously dumping me on it. I scrambled back against the headboard, knowing running would be useless.
“What’s the matter?” I taunted. “Everyone else turn you down?”
I saw a flash of confusion cross his face, which silenced me for a second before he yanked at his shirt, buttons pinging everywhere. “Why would I go anywhere else when I have what I bought and paid for waiting for me at home?”
I didn’t gasp. The hit to my heart was soundless. “I’m tired.”
“Oh, you will be,” he promised and started unzipping his pants.
Heart in my throat, I was helpless to do anything other than watch those skillful fingers remove his clothes.
