Page 150 of Niccolo

“…I’ve… never done this before.”

“Slept with a fellowconsigliere?”he joked. “To be honest, neither have I. But seeing as they’re normally fat, middle-aged men, thank God forthat.”

“No, I mean… I’ve never…” I trailed off.

Niccolo froze.

“…really?!” he asked, stunned.

I shook my head ‘no’…

And he burst out laughing.

“What?!” I snapped, both angry and hurt.

“You’ve plotted the deaths of me and my brothers, and pulled the puppet strings on Turkish and Sicilian gangsters… but you’ve never had sex before,” he said with a disbelieving smile.

The corner of my mouth turned up. “Well… when you put it likethat…”

He put a single finger under my chin and gently tilted my head up.

The sensation was both erotic and tender.

“Well, I’m glad you told me, because now it means I have a much greater responsibility.”

“…what?” I whispered, afraid he was going to say he couldn’t go through with it.

“To make your first time absolutely wonderful,” he whispered, then leaned in to kiss me.

62

Niccolo

When she opened the door and I saw her long, wet hair slicked back from her beautiful face – and still wearing those sexy librarian glasses – I could barely contain my desire.

But when she revealed she was a virgin –

To say I was stunned would be an understatement.

After I got over my initial shock, I found it hilarious.

The gorgeous, cutthroat criminal mastermind who had nearly murdered my family twice over?

A blushing maiden.

Truth was stranger than fiction, indeed.

I had several thoughts on the matter.

One:

That she trulywasa civilian and had no idea what she’d gotten herself into by working for Fausto.

Two:

That this was something I could exploit.

OfcourseI thought that. Ialwaysasked myself abouteverythingI encountered:How can I turn this to my advantage?

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