Wife (Betrothed Book 1)

by Penelope Sky

  “I suppose.” She turned back to look at him. “But I’m still interested in seeing what he does…” She set down her drink and was about to slide out of the booth when some other woman appeared. “Never mind. We’ll find out anyway.”

  We couldn’t overhear their conversation, but the girl only had eyes for Hades, which made sense because he was the only young guy in the group. They conversed for a while, and then she walked off.

  “Well…” Esme turned back to me. “Look at that.”

  “He’s working. She picked the wrong time.”

  “So, you think he would have gone for it if he weren’t?”

  My gut told me he wouldn’t, that he wouldn’t have even bothered pressuring me unless he were serious about it. But I also understood that I really didn’t know Hades…at all. We had explosive chemistry and a connection that went all the way down into my bones, and for some reason, that seemed to be enough reason to trust him. “Probably not.”

  Two guys came over to talk to us, and I felt bad for the guy who picked me because I was already taken. But Esme seemed to hit it off with the man who came over and bought her a drink. They talked for a while, laughed, and even shared a few kisses.

  “So, you wanna get out of here?” The guy next to me was handsome, had enough looks that he could probably get away with that behavior with someone else. But I wasn’t interested. I liked a bit of conversation before hitting the sheets.

  “I’m seeing someone.”

  He nodded slowly. “No surprise there. Pretty girls are always taken.”

  I nodded to Esme. “She’s not.”

  “Because she’s so hot that she knows she doesn’t need to settle.” He slid out of the booth. “Nice meeting you.”

  He walked away and left me alone with Esme and her new boy toy. They were close together, her hand on his thigh as they shared a few heated embraces. Things were getting hot.

  I should probably leave so I didn’t look like a weirdo watching two people make out. I opened my clutch and set some cash on the table, when another guy sat next to me. One guy had just struck out, so another came up to bat.

  “I was just leaving…” My words died in my mouth when his calm countenance came into my view. His jawline was covered by a thick shadow of hair, a deep color that matched his eyes. His leather jacket hid his muscular arms from view, but there was no doubt he was fit as hell.

  His arm moved to the top of the booth, his fingertips immediately digging into the back of my neck. He leaned in slowly, his cologne surrounding me just the way it did in bed. Every time I left that hotel room, my clothes reeked of it. My mother had mentioned it so many times.

  My reaction was instinctual. My hand reached for his thigh, and I squeezed it through his jeans as I felt his lips land on mine and kiss me. His fingers dug deeper into my hair as he cradled the back of my head, giving me tongue in a public place.

  My fingers gripped his thigh tighter before sliding underneath his shirt and grazing up before touching his rock-hard stomach and chest. Images flashed in my mind of us together, naked and sweaty and grinding on a bed.

  He ended the kiss and pulled his fingers from my hair. “Let’s go.”

  Once we were in my apartment, we went straight to bed. Clothes were ripped off, and we eagerly rushed until he was inside of me. Once his dick had successfully shoved itself deep within me, we both slowed way down.

  My fingers dug into his hair, and I ground into him, moaning so loud because he felt so good.

  Best dick ever.

  Sex always seemed to be missionary, which I didn’t mind because it was my favorite position. What woman didn’t want a sexy man on top of her, kissing her and fucking her while she just had to enjoy it?

  “Hades…” I was so lost in him that I said his name, so swept away in the goodness between my legs, I could hardly breathe. “God…Hades.” My ankles locked around his waist, and I pulled him deeper into me, wanting every single inch before he came. My toes curled and ached as I came, as my pussy exploded around his dick.

  My climax always seemed to bring him to the edge. He watched my little performance, watched me unravel until I was nothing but a body and hormones. Then he finished by releasing inside me, giving me a big load of come that I would keep all night.

  I closed my eyes and relaxed, so satisfied I could fall asleep right then and there.

  He gave me a final kiss before he slowly pulled out of me and rolled to the other side of the bed.

  Having his bare dick inside me was so much better than the chafing latex of a condom. I wasn’t sure I could ever go back…even after he was gone. I kicked the covers out from under me before pulling them up to my shoulder. The nice thing about screwing in my apartment was I didn’t have to make the journey home.

  He was the one who had to do it.

  After he cooled off, he rolled toward me and hooked my leg over his hip, pressing our chests close together with our faces near each other. He watched me with his gorgeous eyes, took in my fatigued expression.

  “If I fall asleep…just let yourself out.”

  “I’m not leaving.” His hand snaked up my back and slowly moved into my hair. He was such a hard man who knew how to fuck, but he could be so gentle too. His hand cupped my cheek, and his thumb brushed across my bottom lip.

  “Well, you aren’t staying.”

  “I’m staying until morning.” He defied me and didn’t back down, like he somehow could call the shots even though this wasn’t his place. “I’m tired of meeting at hotels and then heading home in the middle of the night. Not doing that anymore.” His fingers returned to my hair, and he moved them into my strands, massaging my scalp.

  I wanted to fight it, but I wouldn’t win anyway. I was also too tired to really care. I wanted to kick him out just to set boundaries…not because I actually wanted him to leave. “Were you working?”

  He nodded slightly. “And what were you doing?”

  “Helping Esme get laid.”

  “I’m sure she can manage that on her own. You’ll only disappoint the others when they realize they can’t have you.”

  “Can’t have me?”

  He nodded. “You’re mine.” His fingers trailed down my back, over my ass, and along my leg. His eyes stared at me the same way as he did when he spotted me in the bar…like nothing else mattered.

  “I’m not anybody’s.”

  “My dick says otherwise.” His hand stopped on my lower back and tugged me a little closer, making my tits press against his chest. “And you know I’m yours.” He rested his face next to mine, bringing us so close together that we seemed to be more than just lovers.

  Everything felt right, so I didn’t argue with him. I let it be…and enjoyed it. This was the first time I’d been with a man who made me feel so much…so much passion…so much everything. That told me it wasn’t a solid foundation, because real relationships needed more than sex and attraction. They needed truth, honesty, friendship… We didn’t have any of that. We hardly knew each other. It was just…a dream.

  “How’s your week been?” he asked.

  “The same. My stepfather thinks I’m inadequate.”

  “He doesn’t think that.”

  “He doesn’t give me any responsibilities.”

  “Maybe. But I assure you it’s not because of your lack of qualities.”

  “Did he tell you this?” I didn’t know what they talked about in private, but I didn’t see how Hades could mention with me without explaining our relationship.

  “No. I just know.”

  “I was there the other night, and I swear the mafia met in the lounge. It was like nine in the evening.”

  His caresses stopped, and his eyes focused intently. He was noticeably still. “What are you talking about?”

  “A bunch of men in suits came in late and took over the lounge. Kicked out the bartender like they owned the place. I went in there to tell them off, but something told me to back off.”

  “Yes…you did the
right thing.”

  “I told Gustavo, and he said I was exaggerating…but I wasn’t. It’s like he doesn’t know anything about his own hotel. One guy kills himself, and then this? I mean, that’s just strange.”

  Instead of asking a million questions like a normal person, he stayed quiet, his brain working behind his stoic gaze. Minutes passed, and it seemed like he wouldn’t say anything else about it.

  “Do you know anything about that?”

  He didn’t blink. “I’m at the hotel very seldom.” He didn’t answer the question at all.

  “So, is that a no?”

  His eyes shifted back and forth as he looked into my gaze. “I’ll talk to him about it. Let you know what I find out.”

  9

  Hades

  The men opened the steel doors, and I stepped inside to the main floor of the operations building, hidden in plain sight in Florence. From the outside, it looked like an abandoned museum that was in such decay that it needed to be torn down. Inside was where we cooked our crystal, prepared it for shipment, and then distributed it by carriers on the ground or vehicles that drove it up north.

  In the center of the room was one of my cooks.

  He was dead.

  A deep mark was around his throat where the noose had been tied, and his face was blue because he’d died of suffocation. His body was rigid since he’d been hanging by the rope for several hours after he was gone.

  At least he hadn’t been tortured.

  Damien stood next to the body, his arms over his chest. “Found him hanging from the main bell of the cathedral this morning.”

  I already knew who was responsible.

  Damien lifted his gaze and looked at me. “He’s one of our best cooks. Now production will be halted.” He waited for me to stay something. When I didn’t, he pressed forward. “This was Maddox. Sending a message.”

  “Message received. He wants to be murdered.” I lifted my gaze and looked at Damien. “I have alternate cooks in mind. They’ve been vetted. So we don’t fall behind, I’ll step in and finish the last batch.”

  Damien nodded. “Alright. What do we do about Maddox?”

  “Not sure yet. But I’ll think of something…and it’ll be good.”

  I went to the Tuscan Rose to see Gustavo.

  We had a lot to talk about.

  I did my best to avoid Sofia. That woman was stealing all my nights, so she also was stealing all my days. I was always tired, always running on empty. But I wouldn’t change a goddamn thing.

  If I saw her in a tight skirt with a low-cut blouse, my professionalism would go to shit.

  Thankfully, I got into his office without seeing her.

  “Hades, to what do I owe the pleasure?” Gustavo stopped working on his computer and gave me all his attention. “Sorry about canceling a couple of weeks ago. That cold I had—”

  “We have a problem with Sofia.”

  “Sofia?” He may not be related to her, but it was obvious he had affection for her just by how he said her name. He adored her. There was a picture of her on his desk, along with her mother.

  “Yeah. She saw the mafia in the lounge.”

  He sighed. “Yeah, she told me about that. I told her that her eyes were playing tricks on her.”

  “If she’s gonna work here, she needs to know what she’s dealing with.” I didn’t want Sofia walking around oblivious to the true operations of this hotel. She had a big mouth, and that might land her in hot water.

  He sighed loudly. “Sofia is never going to have a serious position here—”

  “She’s determined to change that. You aren’t going to be able to shake her unless she knows the truth. Even if she never does have a part in the business, she’s going to have to know the truth someday. She can’t be naïve forever.”

  “It’s not my place to tell her.”

  “Then you need to talk to her mother about it. Because Sofia is going to do something that’s will put her in danger. She’s got a moral compass and a strong sense of integrity. She’s not going to like the truth. But she needs to hear it—and deal with it.”

  Gustavo listened to me and shook his head slightly. Then he lifted his gaze and looked at me again, this time with suspicion in his eyes. “How do you know all of this about Sofia?”

  “Because she told me. We had a long conversation when you were ill. She’s a very ambitious woman who wants to run this hotel someday. She needs to understand what she’s working for. Maybe she’ll want to walk away and pursue something else. That’s her right.”

  “I understand, Hades.”

  “Or you need to fire her.”

  He chuckled. “Like that would work. How can you fire someone who doesn’t have a real position?”

  Nothing about this was funny. “You need to tell her. Next time I see you…it better be done.”

  He nodded in agreement. “Since I agree with you, I’ll talk to her mother. Sofia is old enough now. She should know the truth. But you’re right…she’s probably not going to like it.”

  I shook his hand before I walked out. I headed down the hallway and entered the main lobby of the hotel. But luck wasn’t on my side because Sofia must have just returned from lunch. In a tight black dress with matching pumps and a red blazer, she looked fuckable as always.

  All I could do was look at her…since touching her was off-limits. My hands slid into the pockets of my slacks as we came closer together.

  She stopped in front of me, holding a paper bag. “Just had lunch.”

  “What did you have?” We were in public, people walking around everywhere.

  “A panini.”

  I’d spent the night last night, and it was so hard to leave. Now, it was hard to stay…to stay and act like she meant nothing to me. My hand wanted to slide into her hair so I could pull her in for a kiss.

  “Did you talk to Gustavo?”

  “I did. He said he’s going to look into it.”

  “Good. Thank you. I wish he would listen to me that way.”

  I was a criminal and a murderer, but I wasn’t a liar. I hated pretending to be something I wasn’t…especially to her. I wanted to come clean because I wasn’t ashamed of who I was. I wasn’t ashamed of how I earned a living. But I didn’t want to scare her off either.

  Unfortunately, if I ever wanted there to be a chance to keep her, I had to be straight with her. I couldn’t develop her trust with a lie. I couldn’t let her think I was someone else…and have feelings for that man instead of me. “Come over for dinner tonight.”

  If this had been a couple weeks ago, she would have thrown a tantrum on the spot. But our intimacy had deepened, and so did her affection. She still insisted this was a short-term thing, but I was slowly getting her to see me in a different light, to give me a chance to be more than just a fuck buddy. When she smiled, I knew she was about to give me the answer I wanted to hear. “Sure.”

  There were several dining tables in the house, but this one had the best view of the city. The top was a long piece of rustic mahogany, big enough to fit twelve grown men. I didn’t have meetings at my house often, but I needed something to take up the luxurious space.

  Sofia wasn’t the kind of woman to talk too much. She didn’t need to ramble on to fill the silence, and she didn’t take the lack of conversation as an indication of our failed chemistry. She could sit there quietly, switching her gaze between me and her food. “Didn’t know you could cook.”

  Because you don’t know anything about me. “I can do everything.”

  “Everything? That’s quite a resume.”

  We shared a bottle of white wine and picked at our food in silence. Overnight, I’d managed to manipulate this woman into being something she didn’t want to be. Now she was having dinner at my house with the intention of sleeping over. Weeks ago, that would have been impossible. I pushed her into a relationship she didn’t want to have.

  Now I was about to blow it all.

  It was enough to make me reconsider my decision
. But I shouldn’t hide myself from any woman…even if she was the first woman I’d ever wanted. I was proud of the man I was, and I stood by every decision I’d ever made—even pushing a guy out the window. So I looked her in the eye and told her the truth. “I’m the biggest crystal distributor in the south of Europe. My territory includes all of Italy, Greece, and parts of Croatia.”

  She’d just taken a drink of her wine, and she held her glass there as her throat shifted with the swallow. She slowly lowered it once more, watching me with a guarded expression.

  “When I told you I operated a bank, that was the truth. I opened it years ago, and its main purpose is to launder money for me, as well as my associates.”

  Her hands came together, and she continued to watch me silently, her green eyes reflecting the light from the suspended chandelier. Her palms gently rubbed past each other as her mind worked to understand everything I had said. “Why are you telling me this?”

  “I want you to know who I am.” My fingertips rested on the stem of my glass, and I watched her with a rigid posture. She didn’t throw the bottle of wine at my head and storm off, so that was a good sign. But her lack of reaction was also concerning. She was either hollow inside…or had the best poker face in the world.

  She grabbed her glass and took another drink.

  My impatience started to make my fingers twitch.

  When she returned it to the table, she licked her lips and looked at her food once more.

  I’d lost control of the situation—and it drove me crazy. I had no idea what she was thinking, and that lack of information made my head spin. I couldn’t read her…I couldn’t feel her. I needed something from her, and it wasn’t readily available. “Do you have a problem with that?”

  She crossed her arms and leaned against the high-backed chair. “No.”

  No? She didn’t give a damn I was a criminal? “I don’t think you understand.”