Page 66 of Thorns of Death

“You’ve got to relax.” She was eager for answers, but getting to Enrico’s house at six in the morning wouldn’t open doors.

“I am relaxed,” she retorted dryly. It was a total lie. “Did Marchetti confirm?” I smiled smugly, remembering his reply,

Fully expect to get on my knees.

That man was insatiable when it came to oral sex. I didn’t know if it was normal or not, but I freaking loved it. Although I was still mad at his idea of marrying me. As-fucking-if. “What?”

I must have been daydreaming too much because Tatiana stared at me with interest.

“Nothing.”

Her shoulders tensed.

“Then why the smugness?” She took two steps and put her palms on the bed, leaning over me like a mother prepared to bestow punishment. Or a smattering of kisses. My heart clenched. Not that I ever experienced those things with my mother… I’d missed out on so much. “You better tell me, or I’ll tickle you to death.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, he confirmed.”

She narrowed hers in return. “You’re not telling me something.”

“What?” My tone was too defensive. After all, I had nothing to hide. Except for the amazing sex I had with a man full of secrets. “It’s not like you tell me everything.”

We had grown surprisingly close over the last few weeks. I liked her a lot and was thrilled to call her family. Illias was an overbearing, protective brother-slash-father, but Tatiana was the perfect balance of caring and trouble. I could see us becoming friends.

“For your own good.”

I blew a raspberry in frustration. “That’s for me to decide.”

“Did you talk to him?” she asked suspiciously. Her eyes narrowed even further on me, and I could feel heat rising up my cheeks, my blush betraying me. I nodded wordlessly. “When?” she demanded to know.

“God, if you were my sister, I’d be a nun,” I muttered under my breath. “Doesn’t bode well if you have a daughter.” Their favorite aunty would help them out. But I kept those words to myself. I couldn’t reveal all my plans on how I’d become her future children’s favorite aunt, could I?

Tatiana’s expression turned dreamy. I was certain she already pictured different ways she’d spoil her children and kill anyone who got anywhere near them, but the sober look returned to her eyes way too soon.

“When did you talk to him?” she repeated.

“Last night.” Curse my red hair and my pale skin. If I hadn’t seen the birth certificate, I would have guessed my mother was of Irish descent to have passed such a complexion down to me. Or Scottish. But Cortes sounded more Spanish. Jesus, I just wished there was a way to stop the blushing.

Tatiana’s eyes widened. “Oh my gosh.” She was really taking this caretaking thing to a whole new level. “Oh my gosh. Did you… Did you have phone sex with him?” My body heated up. “While I slept? In the bed next to you?”

“Well, I had to ease his worries,” I mumbled. “I left him with a note that I never wanted to see him again. And now, I’m asking to see him. So—”

“So you played him,” she finished for me. She sounded slightly impressed. “Are you sure we’re not related?”

I let out a chuckle. “We are now.” Although truth be told, how in the fuck would I know? I had my mother’s name, but I had no clue where she was from. Or who she was.

“Go get ready. Make yourself gorgeous but not slutty. Kind of innocently beautiful.” I gave her an eye roll. “That way when I ‘hold you at gunpoint,’ Marchetti will spill all the secrets in his attempt to save you.”

I gave her a dubious look. I wasn’t sure that Enrico would go as far as saving me. “He might be suspicious.”

“Why?” I shrugged.

“He’s not a dumb man.”

“Well, duh. The man hides behind his luxury brands and somehow has time to run a large part of the underworld. Yeah, I’d say he’s dumb. But he’s blind when it comes to you.”

My eyes bulged out of my head. “What makes you say that?”

She shrugged her slim shoulders. “I saw the way he looked at you in the video at the fashion show.”