Page 44 of Thorns of Blood
“Why do you keep calling me wildflower?” I asked, rather than comment on his optimism.
He shrugged.
“You smell like wildflowers.” I frowned. “It’s fitting since you definitely behave wild and smell like flowers.”
“Not true,” I spat defensively. “There isn’t a single bone in my body that’s wild.” Maybe crazy, but definitely not wild.
“Let’s agree to disagree.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Whatever.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “You should put a shirt on.” He cocked an eyebrow. “I’m just setting expectations.”
Pushing him now was the wrong thing to do, but I just couldn’t help it. My attention kept falling to his bare chest and that six-pack of his.
“What does my shirt have to do with expectations?”
“I expect you to wear a fucking shirt at all times. And there’ll be no touching.”
He appeared amused, although there was something unnerving in his gaze as they locked on my parted lips. My breaths grew shallow and heat bloomed between my legs.
No, my body’s reaction means nothing, I convinced myself. And this… whatever this was… it was biological.
He nodded and stubbed out his cigarette, standing and crossing the room, where he stopped with one hand on the doorknob.
“If you demand that I wear a shirt,” he said, twisting the knob and opening the door, “I have to command that you don’t.”
He shut the door behind him while I stared at it, realizing that for the first time in my life, I needed a cold shower to cool this heat that brewed in my veins.
FIFTEEN
GIOVANNI
The moment I stepped into my office, my phone rang in my back pocket. I didn’t need to look at the caller ID to know who it was. I suspected Kingston and Louisa learned of my change of heart the moment I deviated from the plan.
I let it ring and ring before finally answering the call.
“Louisa,” I greeted her.
“What the fuck, Giovanni? We agreed you’d bring her here.” Her voice, so similar to Liana’s, sliced like a knife through the room.
“She doesn’t want to see you.”
Not exactly a lie, although it was slightly twisted, since I had no intention of taking her to Louisa and Kingston even if she did. After eight years, I finally had her in my grasp.
“Impossible.” Disbelief had her voice cracking.
“Possible. She’s a different person.”
“She’smysister. I’m different too, but I still need her. She’s a part of me.”
My gaze settled over the horizon as static filled the line. I didn’t understand twin bonds, but I knew not to dismiss Louisa’s feelings.
“How long has it been since you’ve seen her, Louisa?”
“More than eight years.” The anguish in her voice was palpable. “But?—”
“I warned you she’d be different.” There was still that badass bitch boss I saw in Liana eight years ago. It was undeniable that she was a strong woman, but just as Kian said, she’d gone through hell with Santiago and Perez. No human would come back from it sane.
