Monster A Dark Arranged Marriage Romance - Vanessa Waltz Page 0,103
over.
Alessio acted as if he had nothing to fear. “Yes, I can.”
Crazy asshole. “My father will shit a brick, and I’d rather not deal with the drama.”
“Sweetheart, you need to wake up.” He smoothed his wet hair and wiped the moisture on his blazer. “Do you not realize what’s at stake? Do you want more family members to die? They will if you don’t—”
“Shut up. Just stop.”
Agony pricked my chest as I turned from him. I couldn’t fight it much longer. My future had rewritten itself the moment my sister’s had ended, but accepting her death was impossible. I grabbed a photo of us from my nightstand and stared at our happy faces. The emotional release wouldn’t come. Tension clenched my guts. It was a hell like I’d never experienced.
“She’s gone.”
“I know.”
His touch rolled over my shoulder and squeezed, which through the damp T-shirt felt insanely intimate. It was as though he’d caressed my skin, and jolts zapped across my body. I leaned away, hating how his decade-older gaze absorbed every detail in my room. He was such a predator. There was no subtlety in how he smirked at my Aerosmith poster or the accounting textbooks stacked on the bookshelf. Then his attention landed on the save-the-date pinned to my corkboard, and the arrogance wiped from his face.
“Why did you keep this?”
A fist-sized lump lodged in my throat. “I’m her maid of honor. I picked the design.”
“Carmela and I are done.”
A pang struck my heart. “Forgive me for clinging to what’s left of her.”
Nothing about Alessio was soft, but he dropped his voice so there was less gravel. “I get that you’re in pain, but we have things to do. Together.”
“I won’t do anything with you.”
“Don’t make me be an asshole, Mia. It’s pointless. You know I could snap your spine like a wishbone. This posturing is a waste of time.”
“Fuck off.”
His mouth thinned as I blasted a shotgun to his peace offering. Alessio yanked the save-the-date from the pin and ripped it into quarters. Pieces of my soul drifted to the floor. “I’ve tried being patient. I’m not a patient man, but I’ve allowed you time. Time we don’t have.”
“Six months isn’t enough—”
“Sorry. That’s all I’ve got.”
I’d numbed my feelings since Carmela died, but his callousness hurt.
He was a prick.
“You never cared about her.”
“You know that’s not true. I liked her. I won’t pretend I loved her, but she was a nice girl.”
He converged on me like the clouds outside. I swallowed hard when he sank into the mattress, his body crowding mine. Harder than denying my sister’s death was rejecting him. Every time he kissed my cheek, said hello, touched me, a flight of butterflies took flight, and I burned from the inside out.
That didn’t mean I respected him.
A part of me hated him for not loving her.
Alessio’s calluses grazed my jaw as he turned me toward him, setting off a chain of electric impulses that didn’t care about loyalty.
Our gazes clashed.
“I’m going to say three things. They won’t be easy for you to accept, but you have to because there’s no way out of this. Number one. We are getting married in a month.”
A hot wave of fear bulldozed my steel walls.
“Yes, Mia. You’ll be my wife.”
My stomach clenched as I imagined walking down the aisle with him. I could barely handle his presence. How would I tolerate a marriage?
“Two. I know about David.” His voice hardened as he dropped the words like a hammer.
I sucked in a tight breath, prepared to deny, deny, deny. “Who?”
“Sorry to tell you, but it’s common knowledge. I’m amazed Ignacio hasn’t chopped off his head, because the bastard tells anyone who’ll listen he’s banging the boss’s daughter.” An apologetic smile flashed across his face. “Don’t take it personally. He doesn’t have much else to brag about.”
“We’re not a couple.”
“I don’t give a fuck. You’re not to see him anymore. If you do, I will find out. And if he touches you while you’re wearing my ring, I’ll kill him.”
“You’re not serious.”
“I am.”
He was horrible. I would never marry him.
Alessio didn’t speak for several moments, as if he wanted to brace me. “Three, I want kids. When we’re married, we’ll start trying.”
That nailed me with a gut-punch. My whole body went limp. The three bombshells exploded in a massive wreck. Men like him didn’t want kids. They tolerated them.
“You want a baby. With me.”
“Yeah, I do.”
“Are you fucking crazy?”
“No, I’m practical. In a few years, maybe less, I’ll be boss. My boys—or girls—will be the faces of my legitimate businesses when they’re in their twenties. Plus, I need to be able to play with my children. I’m thirty-three. Do the math. I can’t wait too long.”
Water plinked against the large windows as I stared at Alessio. He didn’t grin, laugh, or hint that he was joking. My stomach sank. It made sense, but there was no way in hell.
“You’re out of your damned mind. I’m not your baby machine. And I won’t marry you.”
Alessio smiled as though my protests amused him. “Tick-tock, Mia. It’s happening.”
“Leave!”
A polite man would’ve obeyed, but the smile carving his cheeks proved he was anything but decent.
“Get. Out!”
Dad’s voice boomed through the wall. “Everything okay in there?”
“We’re fine.” Alessio turned toward the sound. “No need to worry.”
“Are you staying for dinner?”
“No, he’s not!” I stormed to the door and threw it open, snarling. “Dad, make him leave!”
“It’s all right, Ignacio.” Alessio cut off the words about to fall from my dad’s mouth. “I’ll go. I think she’s gotten the message.”
No, she hasn’t.
He said goodbye to Dad, who shook his hand. “I’ll have her ready for you tomorrow.”
“Good.” Alessio buttoned his jacket and caught my gaze. “See you.”
Fuck you. Fuck you both.
# # #
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Acknowledgments
I am grateful for my author friends, Sosie and Winter, who listen to me blab endlessly about my books. Thank you Kelley Harvey and Christine LePorte, my fabulous editing team! Thanks to Kenzie of Nice Girl Naughty Edits and Rafido for cover design. And lastly but definitely not least, my fans for being patient as I delayed this book.
Anthony is the most complex character I’ve ever written, which is why this took so long to write. His book has been brewing for over a year but when it came time to tell his story, I didn’t know where to begin! It took a lot of trial and error. I had so much ground to cover and had to do it delicately. I poured my soul into this book.
I sincerely hope you enjoyed it. Thanks again for sticking all the way through!
Also by Vanessa Waltz
Filthy Rich Villains
Monster
Sinners of Boston
Arranged
Taken
Faked
Contemporary Romance
The Cinderella Arrangement
The Roommate Arrangement
The Secret Arrangement
The Guarded Heart *as Blair LeBlanc
Vittorio Crime Family
High Stakes (Vittorio Crime Family #1)
Double Blind (Vittorio Crime Family #2)
End Game (Vittorio Crime Family #3)
His Witness (Vittorio Crime Family #4)
Cravotta Crime Family
Married to the Bad Boy (Cravotta Crime Family #1)
Knocked Up by the Bad Boy (Cravotta Crime Family #2)
Tied Down (Cravotta Crime Family #2.5)
Property of the Bad Boy (Cravotta Crime Family #3)
Owned by the Bad Boy (Cravotta Crime Family #4)
Bad Boy Empire
Hitman’s Bride
His Secret Baby
Romantic Comedy
The Mechanic (Fair Oaks #1)
The Detective (Fair Oaks #2)
Jingle Balls
The D
Royal Romance
Dirty Prince
About the Author
Vanessa Waltz loves to write steamy romances. She lives in the Bay Area with two crazy cats. To be the first to know about her new releases, please join her newsletter (no spam, ever).
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