Page 90 of Poison and Wine
My eyes popped wide. “Notice you?”
She dropped her gaze to her strappy red heels. “Since the night we slept in each other’s arms, you’ve been ignoring me. You barely look at me, least of all talk to me.” After she swallowed hard, she dared to look up at me. “I thought by wearing this dress you’d notice me again.”
Fucking hell. How could my bride be so fucking naive? “You don’t think I’ve noticed you?” I questioned, my voice becoming impossibly deep.
“Yes,” she whispered.
Slowly, I shook my head. “I notice everything about you, Kitten.”
She frowned. “Then why haven’t you come home at night to be with me? And why don’t you talk to me anymore?”
I placed my hand onmy hips and countered, “Because you’ve got me by the balls.”
Of course my innocent wife would blush at the mention of my balls. “W-What?”
I chuckled darkly. “You’re in my head and under my skin. I want to possess you mind, body, and soul.” I pushed a strand of hair out of her face. “And feeling that way about you fucks with my head.
“Because you don’t want to care so much for me?” she questioned softly.
With a shake of my head, I replied, “Because I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“I don’t understand.”
“The moment you became my wife you gained a target on your back. You could argue as Alessio Neretti’s daughter, you were born with one. Enemies of your father or enemies of mine would use you to get to us.”
Her brows rose in surprise. “And that’s why you’ve been staying away? Because you’re worried about protecting me?”
“Aye. And because I’m a man who doesn’t do well with expressing feelings.”
She scowled at me. “I’m well aware of your aversion to feelings.”
“I swear that if anyone can get me to change, it’s you, Kitten.”
Tilting her head at me, Caterina said, “I’ll let you off the hook this time only if you promise to communicate with me.”
With a grunt, I replied, “I’m not making any promises.”
“Callum,” she implored.
“Fine. I’ll communicate with you if you’ll do what I ask of you.” When she opened her mouth to protest, I shook my head. “Like I said before, it’s for your protection.”
“I’ll try,” she relented.
I motioned to the door. “We better go.”
“You’re not going to make me change?”
“Would you?”
“Yes.” At what must’ve been my surprise, she added, “But I wouldn’t like it.”
I threw my head back with a laugh. “Oh Kitten, you’re going to be the death of me.” Her sly grin hit me right in the pants. I took her hand in mine and led her out to the waiting SUV.
It only took ten minutes to arrive at the club. When we exited the SUV, the bright camera flashes momentarily blinded me. If there was one thing I loathed, it was having to make nice with the press. But we needed a positive public profile not just for our legitimate business ventures, but to hide the darker shit we were involved in.
Turning back to the SUV, I offered my hand to Caterina. As she stepped out, her eyes skittered over the crowd with an almost deer in the headlights look. Leaning over, I whispered in her ear, “Don’t worry. I’ll do all the talking. Just put one foot in front of the other.”
Swallowing hard, she gave a slight nod. After assessing the journalists waiting on us, I steered Caterina over to the one who worked for the entertainment section of the Globe. My assistant had reminded me earlier in the day who Delia Hunter was, and that I should be sure to make nice with her.