Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 85490 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85490 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Her back arches and I cup her breasts with both hands, and we kiss over her shoulder, until I stroke her clit with one thumb, sending her over the edge.
We come together for the second time this morning.
She gets breakfast eventually. English muffins and eggs. I serve her while she lounges on my couch, looking out the windows at the view of the lake. I breathe in the smell of her skin, still damp from sex, and I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to wrap myself in a t-shirt more in my life. We sit together, legs tangled up while we eat and drink more coffee, watching the sun cross over the lake.
“Can I share something with you?” I ask her, leaning over to kiss her neck.
“Of course. If you’re in a sharing mood, go for it.”
“Just a warning, it’s about my dad. About how he died.” I give her a second to process. “He killed himself.”
“Oh.” She frowns up at me. “Oh, Marco, that must’ve been hard.”
“I was a kid, you know? I didn’t understand. Mom was a mess after he did it, a real fucking wreck, and I only found out later that he was in some serious debt. That’s why he decided shooting himself in the head was the only way out. Left me and Mom here on our own, to fend for ourselves, and when shit got too hard and Dad’s debtors came knocking on her door, Mom ditched me. I don’t know what happened to her, but one day she was here, and the next she disappeared. Maybe she’s dead, who knows. Might as well be. But my aunt took me in, and lucky for me, because otherwise I would’ve gone into the system, and who knows what would’ve happened to me there.”
Laura raises my hand to her lips and kisses it. “I’m sorry that happened to you. I can’t imagine abandoning my son in the middle of all that.”
“Yeah, I can’t either. Mom wasn’t in a good place before Dad died, and I guess everything after was too much for her. Anyway, I’m not making excuses. Fuck her. And fuck him. But I wanted you to know that part of me.”
She nods a little and leans in closer. “I know what you mean. It felt good telling you about Ethan last night.”
“It feels good telling you about my parents right now. I don’t talk about it very often.” Not even Valentina knows, but I decide it’s probably not the best to mention her right now.
“If you ever want to talk about it more, you know I’m here.”
“Same goes for you. But I don’t know, for me, the past is the past. I fell in with people that helped me channel some of my anger into more useful purposes, you know?”
She laughs softly. “Like Luciano Santoro?”
I grunt and look away. “He was a big part of my life.” In more ways than I think she could understand, he saved my life.
“It’s okay. I mean, it’s weird, but it’s okay. You can tell me about it, if you want.”
“There’s not much to say. I fell in with Luciano after he helped me with my dad’s debt and I started working for him. He gave me purpose and directed me when I was busy getting into trouble and fighting just about anyone who was willing. That’s when I realized my computer talent was more than just some goofy kid shit and could be a real asset. Without him, I would’ve ended up drifting through life with no real meaning behind my actions. Luciano gave me the gift of a family and a cause.”
Laura stares at her cup before turning her head to kiss my arm. “It’s weird, hearing someone talk about Santoro like that. In my family, he was basically the devil. Him and my dad, they had a complicated relationship. They loved each other and hated each other just as much. I feel like those two nearly took the whole city down with their feud.”
She’s right about that. The war between Santoro and Bianco was epic and awful, and I’m still dealing with the fallout. “We don’t have to let that get between us,” I say, but I’m conflicted. All this time, I’ve been plotting to fight her family, and now suddenly I’m saying shit like that. How can I mean it, when I plan to restart the war? But right now, Laura feels more important than revenge. The fight, the struggle, the anger, it’s all fading with her in my arms.
“I don’t want it to, but I’m also not sure what my brother’s going to say when he finds out about this. I mean, you were Santoro.”
“He’s been leaving me alone for a while now. Maybe I’m not on his radar anymore.”
“Trust me, you are. Everyone that used to be a part of the Santoro mafia is. I just—” She chews her lip and doesn’t finish that thought.