Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 62266 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 311(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62266 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 311(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
“Same.” Cosima lifts her glass up over her head. A few people smirk.
“You’re pregnant?” Rochelle gasps, her eyes lighting up with excitement. Cosima nods.
War motions for the two bodies to be removed. “Have them bring out the next course,” he says.
“Yeah, I don’t think anyone is going to eat the soup now,” Cosima says, and a few people snicker, helping some of the tension bleed from the room.
“Dinner and a show?” Tova glares at War, who only kisses her in response.
“That was badass.” Cosima turns to say to me. “And I got a souvenir.” She holds up the gun.
“All right now.” I chuckle, taking the gun from her. Dario is smiling and shaking his head at us.
“I told you that it would all work out.” Dario says it loud enough for the whole table to hear.
“I think your father is bored in retirement. He’s now a matchmaker.” Rochelle is shaking her head but fully smiling.
“I’m more nudging people along. War was dragging his feet, and these two—”
“Wait, you planned this?” Cosima asks. “But what about the Sal stuff?” Dario shrugs one shoulder.
“I made that deal before I saw what was happening between the two of you. But Sal still came in handy.” There is a smugness to his tone. He winks at me. His way of saying he's good with how things have played out.
“What about that one?” Cosima points across the table to Ronan, who is once again on his phone.
“All in due time.” Dario says it like it’s a promise.
I don’t think he’s wrong either.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
COSIMA
Imake Z mingle with everyone to put them at ease a bit. He’s always appeared to be the more laid-back one, but now everyone is leery of him. I mean, they should be, but it was more a warning shot to the other families. Don’t fuck with us and get out of line, and we won’t fuck with you.
It doesn’t take long with my dazzling charm and Z relaxing to get the temperature of the room to come back down. Even War is being extra chatty. It’s still crazy to me how much his demeanor has changed since he and Tova tied the knot. Then there is Ronan who remains as stoic as ever.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” I ask Tova.
“I bet my life I am not thinking what anyone else in this room is thinking.” Yeah, she’s still reeling from that whole scene. “Dinner and a show.” She shakes her head, and then a giggle bubbles out of her. “All right, what are you thinking?”
“That we need to read all the tea Z has on everyone. I bet it’s so juicy.”
“I don’t know if I can handle any more tonight.”
“All right,” I sigh. “Maybe next weekend. We can do a girls’ night.”
“Right,” she snorts a laugh. I bump my shoulder with hers.
“Look at us two married broads and knocked up too. Not to mention my dress. It’s killer.”
“Not as killer as your hands,” Tova deadpans.
I spread my fingers out. “These hands are deadly.” I wiggle my fingers. I still can’t believe all that went down. It was all very Z, though. The man is sneaky and plots further ahead than any of us can imagine. I think his hands are actually the most deadly in the room if you're going off tonight.
“Are you ready to get out of here?” Z comes up behind me, wrapping one arm around my stomach, the other over my chest. I grip his forearm, dropping my head all the way back to stare up at him.
“If you are.” I lick my lips. I don’t think the scene that played out in front of me tonight should be a turn-on, but God knows I can’t control what turns my vagina on these days.
“More than ready.” He spins me around in his arms, taking my mouth in a kiss. This one is different from all of our others. I can’t even explain it. It’s possessive but also freeing.
It’s the first time that everything is out in the open to everyone when it comes to our relationship. We no longer have to hide. We can finally show our love for one another openly.
“Take me home.” Z wastes no time, lifting me into his arms and heading toward the doorway. We don’t even bother saying goodbye. I merely wave over his shoulder at Warren and Tova as I’m carted away.
I expect to see the car we came in waiting for us when we exit the restaurant, but it’s nowhere in sight. What the heck?
“Did you call for the car?” I ask Z, who begins placing me down on my feet.
“We’re not taking the car.” Confused, I follow his line of sight. That’s when I see his motorcycle. Holy crap. I’ve dreamt of Z taking me out on his bike so many times. Fantasized about it actually.