Page 12 of The Leader

GIO

As expected, she was waiting in his home, or as she apparently called it, “his lair.” He wondered if she would still be as defiant, or more subdued, now that she knew there was no escape from him.

He grabbed her chin, towering over her on purpose. He just butchered a man who touched her and was still pumped up with adrenaline.

“Remember your last words to me,bella?”

Her eyes flashed an unholy light. Oh yeah, she remembered alright.

“Fuck you.”

That you will. “In case you were still wondering; I choose you, Jocelyn Rossi, to be my wife.” No sense in not telling her how it was going to be. He liked clarity.

For a second there, she looked surprised; then she gave him a look, as if she wasn’t sure if he was joking.

“Are you kidding me?”

“I never kid, as you put it.”

“You do know that lacking a sense of humor isn’t something to be proud of, right?” When she didn’t get a rise out of him, she sighed. “Trust me, you don’t want me. I’m not the good little Catholic virgin girl you might think I am.”

“Not looking for one.”

This seemed to have her taken aback. He knew that some Italian families in their circle still expected their women to stay virgin until they got married. He wasn’t one of them. No, he had plans for her beautiful body, and actually liked a more experienced woman.

“You can’t make me marry you, you know. It’s not the Middle Ages anymore. Marriage by proxy is so passé.”

“You’re right,” he admitted.

“My grandfather will never allow you to hurt me to force me into unholy matrimony. So tell me, Detta, how exactly did you think this was going to work out? Can’t hurt me… can’t threaten me...”

She clucked her tongue, a smirk around her lush lips. Had she known him, she wouldn’t have taunted him. Whatever safeguards she thought she had in place against him, he would destroy them. He always got what he wanted. And right now, that was her.

“You sure have me there.” He grabbed her chin, and let his gaze linger on her beautiful lips. He heard her breath hitch, saw her pupils dilate. “This is how it’s going to work out. You are going to marry me without me having to coerce you. See, the deal is that I get to choose whichever Rossi girl I want. Should that girl refuse, I’ll still buy the company instead of allowing a hostile takeover, because I gave your grandfather my word. Thing is, your grandfather will get far less. Barely enough to pay off his debts. Also, his legacy, the company he has built from the ground, will not be inherited by his own flesh and blood. So, you’re going to marry me because you love your grandfather and you won’t want him to end up on the street. But most of all, Jazzy, most of all, you will marry me because you want me. Just as I choose you because I want you.” He dared her to deny it, kissing her neck. She squirmed underneath him, no doubt thinking of a way to deny the attraction between them, but failed when her gasp ended in a moan.

“I don’t want to.” Her whisper was barely audible.

He appreciated her honesty. Especially since he had to admit that he hadn’t considered one of the other Rossi girls, the second he’d discovered she was the one he’d had underneath him in the library. If he was going to have to marry one of them, why not the one he wanted to fuck? Vince would have a blast, if he’d ever admit that. He would claim Gio was following his dick, which wasn’t entirely true. Not entirely wrong either.

“Open your mouth.”

He had his tongue inside her sweet mouth in a beat. She moaned but didn’t pull back. Not even when he lost control and crushed her lips, bruising them until they were a lovely shade of red.

They were both panting by the time he pulled away.

“Next time I kiss you, it will be when you have my ring on your finger. The kiss after that will be when you’re underneath me. Again.”

Thing was, he didn’t take marriage vows lightly. If his father had taught him one thing, it was to respect your name. She didn’t know it yet, but once he gave her his name, he was going to own her.

CHAPTER 9

JAZZY

Much to Jazzy’s surprise, Gio sent her home. Somehow, she’d half-expected him to stash her in his basement. His parting words had sent hot tingles down her spine, but she refused to show him what he did to her. She had wanted to make a sarcastic remark about his confidence, but there had been something in his look, as if it were a done deal, that made her reconsider.

When she finally arrived back at the Rossi mansion, she had come to a few conclusions. She walked up to the front door and took the steps up to the library. It was time to confront the man who had set her up.

Her grandfather sat in his favorite chair, near the fireplace.

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