Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 80715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 404(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 404(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Constantine lingered. A man too big for this little apartment, so handsome dressed in all black. I should want no association with him after seeing the armored crew that picked him up, but all I felt was sadness at our separation. I didn’t want to confront the reality of my life, that I had to get all of my stuff out of my old apartment, that I had to acknowledge the truth of what had happened . . . and feel it. I could already feel it squeezing me now, Constantine’s presence not enough to erase the ugly truth.
He didn’t ask me to change my mind. He just stared at me like he wanted to give me the opportunity to speak first.
I didn’t have anything to say. And I certainly didn’t want to say goodbye.
He moved into me and circled his big arms around me, bringing me in for a hard hug, his chin resting on my head. It was the first time he’d hugged me like this, face-to-face, affection that was friendly and loving at the same time. “You know where to find me.” He pulled back and dipped his head to kiss me. One of those short, slow kisses. He felt my mouth with his for a couple of seconds, felt the heat burn between our lips, and then he pulled away.
And he left.
Chapter 14
Constantine
Rocco and I sat together in the stands of the small stadium at the Temple, the place where we conducted our affairs in the heart of Rome, a private building gifted to us by the Republic. We’d made a couple of changes and built our own Colosseum inside of it, a fraction of the size of the real one.
A large statue of Mars, the Roman god of war, was mounted over the prisoner’s gate. The walls were carved with Roman numerals and Latin, the coffers on the walls gilded. The top of the ceiling was a dome, decorated in a similar fashion to the one in Saint Peter’s.
I relaxed in the chair and waited for the games to begin. “Should have brought some popcorn.”
“How’s your ma?” Rocco asked.
“She’s good. Health is good. Busy with the restaurant.”
“She’s one hell of a cook.”
“Damn right she is,” I said proudly.
“Didn’t hear from you much.”
“Because I was on vacation, and the last thing I wanted to do was listen to your bullshit.” I didn’t get much time off, so I treasured it whenever it was possible. As the First Roman Emperor of the Roman Republic, not only was all of Rome my responsibility, but the rest of the country too.
He gave a slight smirk. “Figured you were buried in pussy.”
I was definitely buried balls deep in one pussy in particular.
When I didn’t confirm it or deny it, he turned to me. “Don’t tell me you fucked around with Isabella again.”
“God no,” I blurted, regretting that idiotic decision even more now. The god of fortuna had been on my side that evening, keeping Aurelia inside the house so she wouldn’t have to witness the very complicated drama with my ex. An ex I hadn’t been involved with for almost a decade. And I had been stupid enough to think we could just fuck and that would be the end of it.
“She give you any shit?”
“Yes, unfortunately.”
He slowly shook his head. “I fucking told you.”
“I know you did.” I fully admitted it. It was a mistake, and I should have listened to Rocco when he’d warned me not to give her any form of hope whatsoever.
“You could have any woman you want, but you decide to start shit.”
“She’d been married and divorced at that point. I thought it would be fine.”
“Still could have fucked literally anyone else, Con.”
“She’s crazy good in the sack, all right?”
“Not good enough to justify the bullshit.”
“Whatever,” I said. “It’s done.” I stared down at the bottom of the coliseum, the sand pit that was illuminated by the golden glow that came from the lights overhead. “We got into it at my mother’s house. I brought someone to dinner, and she lost it.”
He slowly turned his head to look at me. “You brought a woman to your ma’s house?”
“Yeah.”
“To meet your family?”
“That wasn’t why I brought her, but yeah.”
He looked ahead at the pit again before he turned back to me. “Why are you acting like this isn’t a big deal?”
“I’m not acting like it’s not a big deal.”
“Whoa, whoa, then let’s back up here.” Rocco straightened in his chair and pivoted so he could face me better. “Who is she?”
Brick stepped out of the prisoner’s door, a smaller door that was away from the gate. “We’re ready.”
“Ten minutes!” Rocco shouted across the coliseum.
“What the fuck? Why?”
“Fuck off!” Rocco yelled back.
Brick flipped him off before he walked back through the door.
“Who is she?” Rocco asked. “She lives in Taormina?”