Reign A Romance Anthology - Nina Levine Page 0,96

he really is handsome.

I don’t give him a chance to respond because I’m on Angry Avenue and it’s a one-way street.

Plus, I don’t think I’m ready to hear the answer.

“Expecting me to give up my job just because we’re married is chauvinistic and archaic.”

“My wife is expected to be with me at all public events. And I travel a lot for business.”

“I don’t care if you travel to Mars for business. I’m not quitting my job!”

“I’m open for negotiation.”

“You say that like it’s something I’m prepared to negotiate, and it’s not.” I step closer and shove a pointed finger in his rock-hard chest. “Let’s get one thing straight, Mr. Lastrantonio. I may have agreed to marry you, but I won’t be forced to do anything else. Do you understand me?” He smiles and it’s devastating, and it catches me completely off guard. “And stop smiling while I’m yelling at you!”

But of course, he doesn’t. Infuriatingly, he shakes his head and unfolds his arms casually. “You’re just as feisty as I knew you would be.” His smile softens. “It’s good to see you, Bella.”

I don’t know what infuriates me more. Him looking so damn beautiful it hurts? Or the fact that he’s talking like we’re old friends who haven’t seen one another for some time?

I cross my arms. “Are you kidding me? You think you can smooth talk me right now?”

His demeanor doesn’t waver.

“I know this probably comes as a surprise. But it will all make sense in time,” he says.

He’s so confident, it’s sickening.

“What does that even mean?” My arms fall open. “Ugh, you’re so…infuriating!”

He steps closer and I forget to move, momentarily spellbound by the look on his face. It’s a mix of happiness and smoldering heat. And suddenly, I’m sucked into his orbit and unable to look away, let alone move.

“God, it’s good to see you,” he says.

“You expect me to tell you it’s nice to see you? You’re ten years too late for that.”

A shadow falls over his face. He opens his mouth to say something, but of course I beat him to it.

“Whatever you’re about to say, don’t bother. Unless you’re about to tell me you take it all back and I don’t have to marry you. Otherwise, don’t waste your breath. Nothing you can say will make any of this okay.”

Amusement shines in his stupid, big brown eyes.

And on those stupid full lips that make me slightly achy between my thighs.

“I can see you’re going to be a giant pain in my ass,” he says calmly.

“Good!” I snap, walking toward the door. “Because I’d hate for that to be a surprise.”

7

Alessandro

She slams the door and the sound waves ripple through the room.

She’s going to be a handful.

A real pain in the ass.

So why does it excite me so much?

A smile tugs at my lips because she’s so damn feisty— just as I’d imagined she would be.

My body is humming from the encounter. I was hard the moment I looked up from my desk and saw her standing in the doorway, her beautiful eyes blazing with anger, her wild red hair swirling around her like fire. I had expected it. The moment she’d looked at the CCTV camera and flipped me the bird, I knew I had poked the bear, and oh how I ached for the bite.

Another smile spreads across my lips as I think about her stomping toward me and shoving her finger into my chest. About the way she stood up to me with so much heat in her words.

She’s not afraid of me.

She hates me.

I let her down.

Why pick the girl whose heart you broke?

My smile quickly fades.

If I had thought for a second that me not showing up to her eighteenth birthday would break her heart…

I push away the memory.

In good time my reason for not turning up will come out. But for now, it is a truth I will keep close to my chest.

I return to my desk and sit down. Opening the bottom drawer, I remove a bottle of grappa and splash the grapey liquid into a glass tumbler. Taking a mouthful, I shake my head.

I’ve set something in play, and as much as I think I am in control, I have a feeling I won’t be.

Bella will make sure of that.

8

Bella

The ridiculously large flower arrangement arrives the next morning.

I watch as the delivery man brings it in and places it on my desk. Behind him, my assistant’s face is glowing with excitement.

I look at the card.

Let’s start over.

A

Alessandro.

The