Page 33 of Satin Empire

After I was done experiencing the greatest orgasm of my life, he just helped me unpack.

Normal. Totally normal.

But all that old uncertainty comes back as night rolls around. I can’t keep it at bay, even if we just broke some rules and crossed a whole ton of lines I didn’t even know were there. Forget about his hands on my tits—I want them all over my body now, which is extremely inconvenient for my hatred of him.

We don’t do anything else that night. He doesn’t initiate and I don’t either. We talk about our lives a little bit and he tells me about his family—Renzo, Saul, and Gian, his three brothers, plus their wives and children—and I reciprocate, focusing mostly on my years living with Gran, since I still think of that time as the good old days.

Then we sleep. And he doesn’t fuck me into a messy puddle like I want him to.

“We’re visiting my family today,” he announces in the morning as he cooks pancakes and pours me coffee.

Which is extremely unwelcome news. “You sure about that? I thought I had lounge around the house and pout all day written on my calendar.”

“You did, but I rearranged your schedule. You’re free to pout tomorrow. Though I won’t promise I’ll resist the urge to punish that bratty little mouth of yours.” He drops a plate in front of me and I stare at him, heart racing into my throat, thinking about that enormous cock I felt yesterday gliding in and out of my lips. Holy crap, I run my tongue against my teeth and my mouth is watering at the thought. I’m about to shoot back some dirty and cheeky reply when he suddenly takes a step away from the table.

He stares at me and I can’t read his expression. My mouth falls open, and there’s actual yearning on his face, which is not an emotion I thought he was capable of, but it’s mixed with something else. And just like that, he turns his back to me and walks away, cleaning up the mess from breakfast and completely shutting down. One instant, he’s looking at me like I’m a buried treasure and he’s a horny pirate, and the next there’s absolutely nothing.

What the hell just happened? I don’t understand this guy at all, but I feel too awkward to say anything. Instead, I head upstairs and take a shower, but all the while I think about our short exchange.

There’s tension like crazy between us, but the flirting’s been fun. I could be more careful and not end up on my back with his mouth between my legs again, but that wasn’t exactly the worst outcome in the whole world. I mean, the guy’s really good at what he does.

No, what’s really weird is the way he did a total one-eighty down here. One second, he’s looking at me like he wants to destroy my pussy with those big hands of his, and the next he’s acting like I’m slime mold growing under the table.

We don’t have time to discuss anything. Once I’m dressed, he practically drags me outside to his truck. We head over to the Rossi mansion, and I’m struck a second time by how absurdly big the whole place is. I get out and as I’m heading toward the front door, I pause at a little sign at the base of an enormous bush with long, purple flowers. Butterflies flit all over.

“In memory of Dante. RIP Brother,” I read and look over at Carlo. He’s halfway up the steps already. “Oh, god, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know you had another brother.”

“Dante was Renzo’s best friend. Not a literal brother. He died last year in the fighting.”

“Shit.” I bite my tongue, annoyed at myself for reading it out loud. That’s not going to help this weirdness between us. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s fine. Dante was a good guy. He’d appreciate the sign. Hell, he’d probably think it’s funny how uncomfortable you look right now.” Carlo flashes me one of his smiles, and it helps ease some of the nausea rolling around in my guts.

Carlo gives me a quick tour of the place. It’s huge, with multiple wings and several offices. There are dozens of people roaming around, most of them staff, and a lot of them armed guards. I keep forgetting that the Rossi Famiglia is at war, which means my stepfather’s organization is now joining them.

Out on the back porch, we find two women sitting together and chatting at a table. One is Allegra Rinaldo, very beautiful and Italian-looking, and the other is Saul’s wife, Molly. She’s got auburn hair, green eyes, and the most welcoming smile I’ve ever seen before.

“I know this is probably super weird for you, but don’t worry, it gets easier,” she whispers in my ear after pulling me in for a hug.

Allegra gives me a hug too. “Welcome to the family,” she says, beaming. “You’re the last one, you know that?”

“Last what?” I look around thinking maybe I missed something, but the girls both laugh.

“Last wife,” Molly clarifies. “All four brothers are now officially married. I honestly didn’t think it’d ever happen for Carlo.”

“Speaking of which, I believe you owe me fifty bucks,” Allegra says, elbowing her.

“You two bet on Carlo getting married?”

“Wasn’t fair,” Molly grumbles and drapes an arm over my shoulders. “She knew Renzo was going to arrange things with your stepdad and didn’t tell me.”

“All’s fair in gambling,” Allegra says, sing-songy. “Anyway, Carlo, you can get the heck out of here. Maddie’s out in the garden already digging a hole for her bush.”

“Good luck with that,” Carlo says and laughs to himself as he walks away.

I look a little bewildered. “Bush? Hole?”

“It’s a thing she does,” Molly says, steering me off the porch and toward the garden. There’s a large piece of open, green grass, perfectly manicured. Two kids are playing together, a little boy and a little girl, neither of them older than four. The boy teeters over to Molly and reaches for her, and she scoops him up.

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