Page 20 of Wicked Throne

I didn't like his tone.

Yes, like you wanted to bike back up the hill...I thought.

"But the bike," I protested.

"It'll be taken care of... let's go."

I gave a slight stump of my foot and gave in. I knew he was thinking that he had won some sort of battle but I was annoyed as hell.

I hated it.

I could tell he was a person who liked to win just as much as I did.

Chapter 12

Thierry

My Tesoro was shivering in her the winter coat that she had found. It almost seemed to bother me just a little that she felt uncomfortable. Soon she would be in front of a warm fire and hopefully, her sour disposition would mellow out at the surprise that I had in store from her.

The underwear that she had bought at the pharmacy was in the paper bag and it was gripped tight in her grasp. Silently, I laughed. As if reading my thoughts, her stormy brown eyes turned to me.

"I'm going to have you thrown in prison when we get back to Atlanta," she shrugged.

"Luckily," I murmured. "I've made a friend in the major's sweet wife."

She rolled her eyes probably remembering our first encounter.

"We should discuss what we consider cheating soon, Diamond."

The sound of the crinkling white paper bag filled my ears. Diamond was ignoring me again and I found that that crept under my skin. I was like a kid on the playground wanting to get attention. But not just anyone's attention.

"What else are you thinking about, Tesoro..."

She gave a huff, turning her eyes back to me where they belonged. "What does that even mean?"

I smiled.

"Tesoro?"

"Yes," she rolled her eyes. "You say it and sometimes I immediately...."

"Get wet?"

She rolled her eyes but a smiled peered on her lips. I'd cracked the ice just a bit between us and she smiled. "Not exactly...but...again what does it mean?"

"It means beautiful in Italian," I shrugged. "And you are.... you're fucking gorgeous, Ivy Scarpetta. And you're all mine."

Before we could say much more, the driver had stopped the car and we'd arrived. The door to the car opened and I stood back and for just a moment as the frosty air filled the car I could see little snow flurries. The forecast on my phone had called for a little snow tonight but I wondered if it would start earlier.

"Let's go see that surprise," I had turned to help my wife out of the car.

It felt foreign to think now that I was married.

Diamond eyed my hand but excepted; her hands felt like ice in my own and I promised myself to buy her the finest leather gloves. We journey up the steps of the house and one of the guards opened the door. Helping her take her coat off and hang it up, she stood waiting.

I grinned and finally took her hand to lead her into the giant living room off to the side. Before opening the door, I stopped myself and took her in. There were scarlet undertones from the cold on her unblemished brown skin.

"Are you sure you want this surprise?"