Page 35 of Empire of Seduction

“But you did fuck her.”

“Before.”

Maz began sorting the pans by size. “It’s fate, V.”

“Stai zitto!There’s no such thing,coglione.”

“Yes, there is. It’s like Enzo seeing Gia in that fashion show. Fate, fratello.”

My older brother saw his now wife at a random private fashion show in Milan. He ended up kidnapping her andbringing her on the yacht with us, which I’d hardly call fate. “Well, this is not the same, so put it out of your head.”

“Is she hot?”

I thought of Maggie, spread out on my hotel bed, her eyes hooded and heavy with lust. I couldn’t remember the last time I went three rounds with a woman in one night, but I hadn’t been able to get enough of her. She had long legs and a tight ass, her body lithe and muscular like a dancer, probably from working outside every day. And the way she’d sucked my dick? A revelation. Not many women handled my size easily, but Maggie hadn’t blinked.

So yes, every single thing about that woman was hot.

But admitting it to my brother was a mistake.

“She’s cute.”

“Please. I know that look. It’s the same look Enzo had when he watched Gia on the yacht’s security camera.”

Setting a bin on the counter, I leaned a hip against the stainless steel. “I’m not obsessed with her. And she thinks I’m married.” I held up my left hand to show him the ring.

My brother shook his head. “Wearing that fake band is big fucking mistake. Enzo and I both tried to tell you, but you wouldn’t listen.”

“It keeps women away until I need one.”

“Big fucking mistake,” Maz repeated.

“Well, I wasn’t wearing it during our night together. You’ll be happy to know that when she saw me wearing it here, she punched me in the stomach.”

Maz threw his head back and laughed, putting a hand on the counter to steady himself. “Oh, how I wish I’d seen it. I like this woman already.”

“That’s good because you’ll be staying with her.”

That got a frown out of him. “Wait, I’m not staying with you?”

“There’s no room. My cottage only has one bedroom. She has three.”

“And you don’t mind?”

My head snapped up and I leveled a glare at him. “Donothit on her, Massimo.”

“Why not?” He held up his left hand, free of wedding rings. “She’s single. You said she’s cute and I’m hot. There’s nothing to stop us from fucking.”

This was true, yet I couldn’t explain the ball of fire gathering behind my sternum right now. It lodged there, like heartburn. “Except I’m telling you not to, stronzo.”

“Because you want to fuck her.”

“Because I don’t want you making things messier than they already are.”

“Ah, yes. Vito and his need to keep things tidy and sensible. Stick to the plan.”

“Mock me if you want, but at least I’ve kept—” Instantly, I clamped my mouth shut. He was here doing me a favor, and I couldn’t argue with him.

He slammed a sauté pan down and lifted a brow at me. “At least you’ve kept a job. Is that it?”

---