He’s never sounded like this before. Maybe when we were talking about my depressing family history, but that’s it. Like a normal, average human. “Thank you. I owe most of it to Teresa and the other girls.”
“I doubt it.” He strokes his jaw, grinning. “I knew you’d polish up like this. I figured it from the moment I set eyes on you. That’s why—”
So much for that. Something breaks deep inside me when I understand he’s looking at me as a future money maker. He’s imagining how much he’ll be able to charge for me once the new brothel locations are set up, which should be any time now.
Our eyes meet, and his narrow for a beat. “That is,” he continues, quieter, “I knew you’d be a knockout in the right clothes and everything. You needed the chance, is all.”
“I guess you’re right.” I look into the mirror again and don’t feel so pretty anymore. Cheap, more like. “Do you think anybody will think it’s weird I’m not wearing jewelry?”
“Hmm. I hadn’t thought of that. Follow me.” He takes off out of nowhere, leaving me with no choice but to follow him down the hall to the master suite at the far end. I’ve never been down here before. It’s been ten days and I’ve never seen where he sleeps.
“Wait out here.” He makes sure I’ve stopped before he opens the door. Okay, so I still don’t get the privilege of entering the inner sanctum. You’d think I’ve earned his trust by now. I haven’t even tried to get away yet.
He doesn’t keep me waiting long. “Try these.” He hands me a velvet box. “They’ll look great on you.”
They’d look great on anyone. “Wow. You trust me with these?” I hold up one of the diamond drop earrings, admiring the way the stones sparkle.
“They were a gift from my father to my mother on their twenty-fifth anniversary,” he explains, watching as I put them on. They’re long enough that the smallest stones dangling from the bottom almost brush my shoulders. “And they hold a great deal of sentimental value to me, as they did to her. I’d think knowing that, you’ll take good care of them.”
I would have anyway, but I’m not in the mood to argue. “They’re beautiful.”
“You wear them well.” In another, narrow box is a bracelet of diamonds and sapphires just big enough to be impressive but not so big they look flashy or obnoxious. I like Mrs. Bruno’s taste. I mean, her son sucks royally, but that can’t be entirely her fault.
I turn my arm back and forth, hypnotized by the way the stones sparkle. “Thank you. This is nice.”
“Nice?” he snorts after getting rid of the boxes and closing his door again. “That’s an understatement. I don’t think you want to know how much you’re wearing right now.”
“You’re right,” I mutter, following him. “That’s for sure the most intimidating part of all this. How much money I’m carrying on me right now.”
“There’s nothing to be intimidated about.” He completely missed the point, of course. What else is new? “You’ll be fine. You’ll make me look great, which bodes well for the family.” He practically jogs down the stairs, lighthearted, while I follow as quickly as I can in heels I’m already starting to regret. I’m not exactly the girl who wears them regularly.
I’m glad he’s acting this way. I really am. Otherwise, that fluttery, nervous feeling that erupted in my gut earlier might’ve been too much to fight against. I should thank him for being the unfeeling ass he is.
It’s better that I not forget our roles here. No matter how incredible he looks in a tux.
Naturally, he’s unaware of anything but himself. “Chuck’s outside with the car.” I check my clutch one last time to make sure I have everything I need before following Luca out to where a black limousine awaits.
Time to pretend I don’t hate this man.
Chapter Nineteen - Luca
“Paul Giordano has three sons. Paul Jr., Eddie, Rico. They’re all roughly the same age as Vincent and me. His wife’s name is Constanza. His daughter, the one who’s getting married, is—”
“Natalia.” Delilah stares out the window, arms folded. “I saw it on the invitation. Her fiance’s name is Ignacio Marino.”
“Nice,” I admit. “I didn’t know you were paying attention.”
She shakes her head just enough to make the earrings sparkle. “I have a brain under all this hair.”
Nice hair, too. Beautiful. I can’t believe how much I want to sink my hands into it. There’s something about her perfect beauty that makes me want to ruin it. I want her disheveled, tousled. I want that dark red lipstick she’s wearing smeared over her mouth. I want mascara running down her sweat-dampened cheeks.
Later. That can come later. Now, she needs to be perfection, which she is.
Or she would be if it wasn’t for this icy attitude she’s giving me.
She tips her head to the side. “You said his daughter who’s getting married. Does that mean there’s another one?”
“Oh, yeah. Olivia.” I sit back against the leather seat, concerned now. “I remember hearing something around the time all hell broke loose. She either ran off or ended up getting kidnapped. There was a lot more going on then, so I overlooked it. Either she’s there tonight, or she isn’t and we can assume she’s still the elephant in the room.”