Page 34 of Roberto

Dario had certainly losthismind over Alessandra when they first met. I had watched him unravel right before my eyes.

But at least theirstory had a happy ending.

I had always thought it could never happen to me… and yet here I was, struck by the ‘thunderbolt’ – the old Sicilian term for love at first sight.

Actually, not ‘love’…

But overwhelming desire.

Lust.

Obsession.

The fact that she’d rejected me only whetted my appetite.

The fire I’d seen in her eyes only fanned the flames of my desire.

I had to have her.

Iwouldhave her.

It was only a question ofhow.

I poured myself another glass of scotch. I figuredthatwas the only way I was going to be able to get to sleep tonight.

And even then, I would dream of her…

And what I was going todoto her once I had her.

18

My cell phone woke me.

I opened my bleary eyes to white-hot sunlight streaming through the windows.

The digital ringtone, normally just background noise, was like an icepick through my eardrums.

I propped myself up on one elbow and immediately regretted it as my head throbbed and the room spun slightly.

I noted that I was only wearing boxers. I didn’t remember undressing, but apparently I had before I’d collapsed into bed.

I fumbled for my phone on the nightstand and saw Niccolo’s name on the screen. I answered immediately.

“…hello?” I croaked.

“Jesus, SOMEBODY went through the meat grinder,”my brother said cheerfully in Italian.“It’s almost 11 AM – aren’t you out of bed yet? Or did you even GO to bed?”

“Can you not speak so loudly?” I groaned.

“I’m speaking in a normal voice, you little reprobate. How much did you drink last night?”

I glanced over at the bottle of scotch on my nightstand. It was nearly a third empty.

“Too much,” I muttered.

“I’ll bet. Anyway, I’m about to leave Hong Kong.”

“Did you book a private jet?”

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