Page 33 of Raising His Baby (The Sartoris 2)

“Get your hands off me!”

“Something about you makes a man want to do things.”

“I don’t care about your perverted thoughts. Let go.”

He dipped his head toward hers. She turned away, a bad move because it exposed her neck. Cason didn’t take advantage of it, thank goodness, but she heard a low rumble from his throat.

“If you want, you can have me,” he suggested.

She blinked at him. “You’re not asking me to marry you!”

“Interesting, but no. I’m saying we can be lovers. I promise you I’m very generous.”

“Please, I heard a similar promise from Romy.”

He shrugged. “You’re looking for a higher bid? Then I’ll bid higher. Tell me what you want, and we’ll come to an agreement. Tonight you can be in my bed. I will make sure you’re exhausted enough to sleep.”

She clenched her hands at her sides. “The only reason I’m not punching you in the face right now is because I’ve had enough of the violence. You and your brothers think so little of me that you can offer me money to go from one bed to the other?”

He had the nerve to look surprised. “I assure you I didn’t mean it like that.”

“I’m wondering how bidding could be taken any other way. Get off me, right now!”

He held on a little longer and stared into her eyes. “I’m very serious, Sonya. I will take care of you for as long as my interest remains. Afterward, I can give you a good sum that will keep you for a while. You’re sure you don’t want to put your pride aside and think about it?”

She lowered her voice so that he had to lean even closer to hear her. “Ten years of soccer have made my legs very strong. If you don’t let me go right now, when I get free, I’m going to kick your balls into the stratosphere.”

Cason snorted, and he did his best to suppress his laughter. “I might want to see you try.”

His hold loosened, and she pushed his chest with the flats of both hands to force him to release her all the way. His hands slid lower on her waist.

“What’s going on here?”

Both she and Cason froze. R

omy stood in the kitchen doorway, and his cool blue gaze took in the position of Cason’s hands and how her body was pressed up against his brother’s. She jerked out of his arms, and Cason let her go.

“Fratello—”

“Good night. It’s late.” Romy turned on his heel to leave the room.

Sonya wrestled between running after Romy to explain what happened, demanding Cason do it, or just heading to her own room. She and Romy weren’t seeing each other. He’d gone out on a date, and he knew about her trying to meet up with Kevin. So why did she still feel like she needed to explain?

Cason dropped back into his seat and picked up his cup. She yanked it from his hand. “Are you going to go explain to him what happened?”

“Why should I? It works in my favor if Romy thinks you’re so easy that as soon as he got loose from your web, you ran to me.”

“You’re a lowlife!”

The smile left his face, and he looked hard at her. “I told you I’m going to look out for Romy any way I see necessary. You think he—or any of us—should fall over you because you brought him his son? You think that gives you an automatic in to this family? I see you as just one more woman who’s trying to use him, and I’m telling you, lady. That’s not going to happen, not with Romy.”

She had never heard such bitter anger in his voice. If she weren’t looking into his face, she might have thought it was Ezio speaking. They sounded just alike right then.

“So in other words, I’m an enemy in this household? You’re all going to bully me until I leave?”

The sudden anger drained away from his countenance. “No, you’re not an enemy, and I’m not going to make you an offer again.”

“Of course not. You already did the damage.”

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