Page 26 of Of Grief And Gratitude

“So did my Mamma,” I explained. “She believed it.”

Riona’s brows rose.

“Yeah. I know.” I ran my free hand through my hair. “That’s not all. She was so happy. I may have told her it was true.”

Riona gasped, and I covered her mouth with my palm, looking around to ensure nobody had heard.

“It gets worse. My father walked in and told her it was bullshit. You should’ve seen her face. He was trying to crush her, and I couldn’t allow it. I held firm, and that’s when he called you. He asked you to come tonight so that he can humiliate me and hurt my mother. I won’t let that happen.”

She shoved my hand away and whispered, “What exactly do you mean?”

“I need you to pretend to be my girlfriend,” I rushed. “For tonight, at least. Maybe a little longer.”

“You’ve got to be kidding,” she said incredulously, wiping her hand across her lips like she was trying to rub my touch from her body. I didn’t like that.

“Dead serious.”

“Yeah, no.” She planted her hands on her hips, then shrugged out of her black peacoat, hanging it on a hook by the door and looping the handle of her purse over it. That’s when I noticed the deep blue cocktail dress she wore. It hugged her curves and dipped just low enough to reveal a tasteful hint of her ivory breasts.

I shook my head and smiled suavely, turning on all my charm. “Come on, Riona. Be my Juliet.”

“That didn’t end so well for Romeo and Juliet.”

“Well, I’m not offering you poison.” Hell, maybe I should have offered her money, but I didn’t think she needed it with how much my father was rumored to be paying for her services.

Riona scowled. “It tastes dangerous already. I’d rather not swallow what you want to shove down my throat.”

Fuck me. My mind conjured an image of Riona on her knees, taking my cock down her throat and swallowing every drop of my come. I didn’t have time for that shit.

“Is that a hard no, then?” I asked, hoping she would change her mind. “I could pay you.”

“That sounds a little too much like your side gig,” she said sarcastically. Her eyes narrowed. “And I can’t be bought. No way in hell am I waltzing into dinner as your happy little girlfriend.”

“I think you’ll want to reconsider.” My jovial façade dropped, and I pressed my lips into a thin line before taking the path less traveled because it was riddled with poor decisions and inevitable heartache. “It would be a shame if our little video turned up in the news.”

The color bled from Riona’s face. “You wouldn’t. That’s illegal.”

“Do you really think I’m concerned about that?” I taunted, spreading my hands to the side. “Who is going to touch me with my family connections? Besides, you were the one in the frame when the camera turned on. There wasn’t a second of that video that didn’t look consensual. It wouldn’t take but a whisper to convince everybody it was planned. After all, look who you were with and what I do for a living.”

“You fucking asshole,” she whisper-yelled at me.

I covered her mouth again, spinning her until her back collided with my chest. I banded my other arm across her middle, letting my fingers dig into her side until she gasped against my palm. “Be very careful what you say next, Riona. I can send that video to every major news outlet with the tap of a button. The way I see it, a family dinner and some dates where I take you out and pay for dinner and drinks look pretty appealing. You play along until I’m reformed, and we can say things didn’t work out, then I’ll delete the video. I’ll even fuck you if you ask nicely.”

It sounded like she was swearing against my palm, but I knew I had her where I wanted when she slumped against me with a defeated sigh. I ignored the small part of me that threatened regret as I felt a tear trickle over the back of my hand.

Chapter Eight

My breath was hot against Romeo’s palm as I tried to hold back the tears that threatened to escape like a dam breaking. A single drop made it through my determined state, and Romeo hummed what sounded like approval.

Before I could escape his hold, the unmistakable tapping of high heels grew closer behind us.

“Piccolo mio!” Antonella Neretti exclaimed as she approached.

“Smile, mia fiamma,” Romeo whispered against my ear. I closed my eyes, and my blackmailer wiped the tear from my cheek before releasing me and holding my hand like I might run out the door. I would have, too, if Sean hadn’t dropped me off. I needed to buy my own car. In New York, I’d never needed one.

We pivoted and faced Antonella together, smiles on our faces. My face hurt from forcing the muscles to freeze in place when I longed to open my mouth and scream.

“Mamma,” Romeo said affectionately, accepting his mother's kisses on his cheeks. “You remember Riona.”

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