Page 74 of Empire of Seduction

“Okaaaay,” I said slowly. “But I don’t need a guard.”

He held up his palms and lifted his shoulders. “The don’s orders.”

I reached for my phone. Then I realized I didn’t have that asshole’s number. Smothering a curse, I started for the back of the property. Beppe was a step behind me and I felt my irritation double. Over my shoulder, I said, “Can you call him, please?”

“Don D’Agostino warned me that you would be pissed and said to tell you he saved his number in your contacts.”

Of course he had. I unlocked my phone and began scrolling my contacts. It wasn’t underD’AgostinoorVito. It also wasn’tunderAsshole. Then I sawBellounder the Bs, which I knew meanthandsome man. Jesus, arrogant much?

I punched the contact to connect and kept walking.

He answered after two rings. “Diavolina mia,” he said softly, his deep voice like warm butter. “Already missing me?”

“A guard, Vito? Really?”

“It’s for your own safety.”

“I’m not in any danger on my property.”

“Myproperty, and as I said, it’s for your own safety.”

The conversation I overheard earlier played through my head, the one about his men arriving from Toronto. I clutched the cell tighter in my grasp. “What aren’t you telling me? Is there something going on?”

“We discussed this earlier,” was his calm reply.

Fury shot through me like a rocket, an explosion of flames. God, he was infuriating. I wanted to punch him in his I-have-frequent-orgies-with-models face. “Oh, right. Don’t ask questions, go along to get along. Do everything you say. Keep sleeping with you. Got it.” Holding the speaker right up to my mouth, I shouted, “Fuck off, Vito.” Then I disconnected, turned off my cell, and put it in my pocket.

After a few steps I noticed Beppe wasn’t with me anymore. Looking over my shoulder, I saw that he was frozen in surprise, his jaw dropped open. I kept going. He could follow me or not, but I wasn’t waiting.

Eventually, around the merlot vines, he caught up to me. “It’s not wise to yell at Don D’Agostino.”

I clenched my molars together and stopped abruptly. “Beppe, no offense, but I don’t need advice from you on how to act. If he gets mad, that’s too fucking bad. See how that works?”

Beppe stared at me as if I were a brand-new species, some wild animal he hadn’t encountered before. “I’m only trying to help you.”

“Well, don’t,” I snapped. Then I softened my tone slightly. “Please.”

I kept going toward the equipment shed. Now I wished I’d taken Maz up on his offer of a bong hit. I could use a mellow high to counter my anger right about now.

From then on Beppe kept his distance, watching but not interacting with me. I loaded tools and new wood into the golf cart I sometimes used, the exercise distracting me from bossy mafia men who harbored secrets. When I got behind the wheel I motioned to my new shadow. “Let’s go. If you’re really following me, get in.”

Beppe folded his large frame into the passenger seat and I pressed on the pedal. The cart surged forward.

I worked on the fence while Beppe sat in the cart. He offered to help, but I didn’t want it. Normally, I passed off this sort of labor to one of my team, the landscaping crew on staff. But today I wanted to be alone and I wanted to sweat. Too bad I only got one of those two things.

By the time I drove back to the supply shed and put everything away, it was mid-day. “Let’s go get lunch,” I told Beppe. I wasn’t particularly hungry, but he probably was, and at least I could get away from him once I was in the main building.

Celeste, bless her, had warmed up all the leftovers from the engagement dinner for the staff lunch. I told Beppe to help himself, that I’d join him in a minute, then I went to the bathroom. When I was washing my hands, I stared at myself in the mirror.

I hardly recognized myself. My skin was pale and there were dark smudges under my eyes. I looked . . . defeated.

Myproperty.

Myproperty.

Myproperty.

His arrogant voice repeated in my head as I continued to study my reflection. Vito had taken everything from me and yet I hopped into bed with him like a needy bitch in heat. Every time he touched me, I turned to jelly, willing to do whatever he wanted. His sperm was practically still leaking out of me this morning when he told me I was a temporary fuck, one who shouldn’t ask any questions while gratefully receiving his dick.

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