Page 59 of Fight Me Little Pearl

“It’ll make me feel better.”

He picks up his toothbrush while I watch him. He’s right, but I’ve always hated background checks. It’s like an invasion of privacy. But I understand Valentino’s concern, especially since the entire point of my marriage is for the safety and protection of the Barbieri clan.

“I’ll send you their names as soon as I find out who’s coming.”

“Thank you.” He kisses my forehead and starts to brush his teeth.

Things get a bit heated in the shower and we go downstairs about half an hour later. I glance sideways at his beautiful face. I’m going to be away from him the whole day, and I’m already dreading it. My attachment to Valentino is crazy, but I’ll never let him find out because he doesn’t feel the same way.

“I’ve organized a bodyguard who’ll be with you the entire day,” he says as we reach the breakfast table.

I groan. “Come on, Valentino, do I really need that?”

“Yes,” he says seriously. “Your protection is my priority.”

“I hate the idea. Everyone is going to look at me.”

“He’ll be discreet. None of your friends will even know he is there.”

I think of Louisa’s sharp eyes. “Louisa will and she is going to laugh at me.”

“Let her,” he says carelessly.

When I sigh, he reaches for my hand across the table and gently tugs me towards him. I sit on his lap, my lips pressed into a pout.

“It’ll be over soon, okay?” he assures. “I’m handling the situation. But until then, you have to get used to having a bodyguard with you at all times.”

I nod. “Okay.”

“Good. You’ll see. He’ll blend in so you won’t even feel his presence.”

“Good,” I smile.

Louisa is waiting for me at her house, and we embrace each other for a long time. It feels like so much has happened since we last saw each other and I feel overcome with excitement at seeing her again. Before my marriage, we saw each other at least twice a week.

“Marriage looks good on you,” she says as we run up the stairs towards her bedroom. “You look happy.”

“I am happy.”

She opens her door, turns to me and pretends to gasp. “The killer is making you happy? Who would have thought?”

I enter her room and she closes the door.

“Right, tell me everything. Don’t leave out anything.”

“Oh, Louisa, I’m so confused. I can’t understand what is happening to me. All this is exactly what I didn’t want for my life, but it’s happening, and—” I shake my head.

“And you like it?” she finishes, holding my gaze.

This is why we get along. She knows me too well. “Yes. I like it.”

“And is that so bad?” she asks.

“He’s not called the Silent Night for nothing, Louisa.” I lean forward, even though there’s no one in the room with us. “When we were in Italy, he raised a gun at his own cousin for disrespecting him, and he has shown no remorse since.”

“Hot.”

“What?” I explode.

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