Page 101 of Dangerous Contract: Part 1

Her smile slowly disappeared. “I want to be yours, Raz. I really do.”

Hope filled him as he moved away from the wall and strode over to her. Pride gone out the window, he knelt in front of her.

“Then be mine, Rosa. Just be mine. I promise you don’t have to worry about anything else. I won’t let harm come to you. My family, my businesses, none of that will bring harm to you.”

“I want to believe you, Raz. I do. But...” She stared around the room, searching for the right words. Finally, she said, “I’m scared. And I’m wondering if I’m jumping out into the dating world too soon. I just got divorced, Raz. I had a husband. Now, I don’t. That’s a big change. Shouldn’t I take some time to adjust to this change?”

If she was anyone else, he’d tell her yes. But she wasn’t anyone else. She was his Rosa. Since he couldn’t say yes, he remained quiet.

“And you’re a big change for me, Raz. Your lifestyle, your personality, your career, all of this is new to me. You live in an entirely different world from me. I don’t know if I’m ready to step into that world yet. I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready to enter that world.”

“Then let me into your world, Rosa. I’ll come into your world.”

A sad smile crept across her face. “You can’t leave your world, Raz. Your family, this casino, needs you.”

“ButIneedyou.”

“You just met me.”

“And you’re already more important to me than this damn casino.”

“Are you saying you’d give it up for me?”

“I’ll sign my shares over to my brothers if you want me to.”

“Yeah, right!”

“I’ll never lie to you, Rosa.”

She held his gaze for a long time before saying, “What if I asked you to do that? What if I asked you to leave it all behind? All the crime stuff. And don’t say there isn’t crime stuff. I’ve heard the rumors. If I asked you to leave it all behind and come into my world, would you do that? Would you really leave your world behind and join me in mine, Orazio Cattaneo? Think carefully before answering, Raz. I’m done with half-assed relationships. I’m done being an afterthought. I’m done coming last instead of being the most important person in my partner’s life. From now on, I want it all. No, Idemandit all. I deserve it all. All or nothing. Can you give me your all, Orazio Cattaneo?”

Chapter Twenty-One

ORAZIO

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“Would you give up your life of crime for me, Orazio?” Rosa asked.

Raz swallowed. “You want me to turn my back on my family?”

“Is that what you think I’m asking?”

Yes. Kind of. Fuck.He didn’t know. He didn’t like playing guessing games.

“Just tell me exactly what you want from me, Monique.”

“And you’ll do it?” she questioned. “You’ll do whatever I want?”

Would he do it? “There’s a lot I will do for you, Rosa.”

“But will you do what I want right now, Orazio?”

“I need to hear what you want in detail first.”

She shook her head. “I feel like you’re searching for loopholes.”

“I’m not. I...” He paused, still kneeling before her. “I’m willing to give up this casino if you don’t like me working here and don’t like the rumors you’ve heard about the things that go on here.”

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