Page 26 of Dark Breaker

I glance at Fabio. “Still here? Don’t you have a bachelor party to attend to?”

“Have a good night, Rosa,” he says.

“I hope you have a way to get home,” I tell him. He’s too drunk to drive.

“Your concern is touching,” he mocks.

“Fine, I hope you die!” I tell him.

He gives me an amused look, then explains: “My brother is driving me.”

“You really think he won’t sleep with someone?” Michela asks me loudly.

“I don’t know.” I give Fabio one last look. “But we’re done here.”

I hit the gas and take off.

In my rearview mirror I can see Fabio still watching us. I wish he wasn’t so hot and so protective of me—it would make me feel far less guilty about not wanting to marry him.

Maybe he’s actually a good guy?

Then I remember the look of contempt in his eyes.

Nope.

When I’m halfway down the street he finally turns back and walks unsteadily from view.

Well, either way, that was an interesting night.

4

Fabio

Igrab the glass of tequila from Nicolo’s hands and gulp it down. The salt around the rim makes my mouth feel dry after, but I hardly notice. I’m too distracted.

When I saw those two guys touching Rosa, I lost it. They were wrapping their grimy hands around my future wife. Before I knew what I was doing, I was stalking toward the pool, my ankle knife in hand. When they pulled her into the water, I dove in after them and slashed them badly. I wanted to seriously fuck them up even worse, but I couldn’t really do it, not in front of so many witnesses. And apparently one of those dudes is our host. Nuncio, or something.

I didn’t really have to use the knife, but I wanted to hurt them. I also wanted them to stop touching her immediately. It worked.

Man, she looked so beautiful when I pulled her out, with her wet hair glued around one side of her face, and her remaining features glistening ravishingly beneath the light. Her body was pressed against mine almost sensually when I hauled her out of the pool, and when I sat beside her, the way she wrapped her fingers around my arm gave me an instant erection.

I don’t know why my body is so attracted to her when my mind is so repelled. It’s true what they say, the cock has a mind of its own. She’s the kind of girl I’d one-night-stand in a heartbeat, but wouldn’t dare consider keeping around. Not with her attitude and sharp tongue.

Speaking of which, she didn’t seem all that thankful I’d saved her at all. No, she only mouthed me off like the she-devil she is. I’m definitely going to have to discipline her after we’re married. I can’t condone that sort of behavior from my future wife, especially not in public.

Nicolo brings me another drink, and another. I take them all, hoping to forget that I’ll soon be marrying this hot she-devil. But I don’t forget. I keep thinking about the press of her body against mine, and her hand wrapped around my bicep.

Nicolo chuckles when he brings me another tequila. He points at my crotch. “Shouldn’t you have whiskey dick by now? Looks like you have a freakin’ alligator in there! Here, let me grab those strippers I talked about.”

I grip his shoulder, hard. “No. Another drink.”

I keep trying to forget her, but as the drinks keep coming, all I succeed in doing is knocking myself out.

I wake up the next morning in my penthouse suite with the urge to vomit. I get up, race past a pair of bodies, and rush to the ensuite bathroom. I only dry heave over the toilet. Still feels shitty as hell—nothing like a good esophagus ripping to begin the day.

Finally, I recover and return to my bedroom. I’m already fully dressed, wearing the same clothes as I did last night. My brother Nicolo is here, lying on the floor next to the bed with some naked slut he picked up from the party. I’m relieved that my own bed is empty. I wasn’t kidding when I told Rosa that the last thing I need is some other woman in my life. I’ve got my hands full with her.

Nicolo rubs his eyes and looks up at me.