Hurt filled my stomach, and I wondered why he still didn’t want to kiss me. I had just offered my body to him every night, all night, for the chance to be closer to him and to spend more time with him. Yet, he still didn’t want to kiss me?
It twisted my heart.
There’s still time. You can fix this.
Did Israel want to fix this? Because in all of the years I’d spent watching my uncle and my aunt break and mend their marriage, I learned one thing throughout all of it: Both parties had to be willing to fix things.
“I’ve got some phone calls I have to make,” he said, pulling away. “I’ll be in my office.”
He stood from the couch and stepped around me like I was nothing more than furniture.
“Sounds good,” I said softly, confused.
“You should make yourself a nice, long bath. And if you’re still in it once I’m done, I’ll come join you.”
I whispered. “Will you really, though?”
“What was that?”
I thought quickly as I stood. “I said, ‘I really should, though.’”
He nodded. “I’ll come find you once I’m done.”
I watched him walk down the hallway and back into the kitchen. Heading, well, wherever the fuck it was that he wanted to work. I turned myself toward the stairs and tried to ignore the pounding in my head. Mostly, because I wasn’t sure if the pounding was from the fear of everything, the excitement of my deal with Israel, or the nervousness that he might actually kill me in the end.
“Come on, Bonnie,” I murmured. “You can do this.”
And as I moved towards the stairs, I heard Israel’s voice wafting down the hallway, already distracting himself with something else.
4
Israel
I heard the whirring of the elevator and strode from the kitchen. I’d been trying for the past few days to work as much as I could from my penthouse so I wouldn’t have to take Bonnie with me anywhere. And, despite our deal, I hadn’t yet done anything with her in the evenings.
I couldn't bring myself to do it. That woman made me weak. She made me feel as if she had my balls in a vice grip, and I didn’t need that kind of distraction in my life. Not while our lives were on the line.
But a visit from my brother was much overdue. I greeted him the moment the doors opened. “Giovanni.”
“Israel,” he greeted, catching me in a bear hug.
I clapped him on the back, glad to see him. I grunted as his hand came down against my stitches and the extensive bruising that had resulted because of them. Still, it didn’t stop me from hugging the life out of my younger brother.
I mean, I hadn’t seen him since the wedding.
He cupped the back of my head. “How are you, brother?”
I sighed. “Could be better. But what is our world without someone trying to kill us?”
“You speak the truth, Iz.”
“It’s good to have you here, Gee.” I released him. “How long are you staying?”
Bonnie’s voice piped up behind me. “Giovanni, I didn’t know you were coming.”
My brother shot me a look. “You didn’t tell her?”
I snickered. “Do you tell your girlfriends anything?”
He whispered. “She’s your wife.”
I shook my head. “She married me under a false name. That nullifies our marriage agreement.”
Bonnie cleared her throat. “You know I can still hear you two, right?”
Giovanni held his arms out for her. “Come give your kind of brother-in-law a hug.”
I chuckled, but Bonnie didn’t move. And I didn’t like that. I didn’t like the fact that this woman—who was practically a stranger in my home—wasn’t playing the part she needed to be playing.
You’ve got one chance, Bonnie. “Come on. Give him a hug.”
Her eyes slowly slipped over to me. “I’ll hug him when I’m ready.”
Giovanni looked over at me. “Well. Anyway. I’ll show myself to a room.”
As Giovanni picked up his things, I set my sights on Bonnie. She sure as hell wasn’t ever going to be rude to a guest like that in my home ever, ever again. And if she had to learn that lesson the hard way, then so be it. Giovanni was family. That man was my brother. He had always been there for me whenever I needed him, which had been many times. Especially growing up in the kind of household we did. He was welcome here anytime, and no woman that lived with me would ever turn a cold shoulder to him. Oh no, I’d see to it myself that Bonnie’s attitude changed, and quickly.
Otherwise, I’d toss her out into the street until she decided to drop the disrespect.
5
Bonnie
I knew Israel was going to be upset with me, but he could kick rocks. I had never liked his brother, not from the moment I laid eyes on him.
You know how, sometimes, you can just look at someone and see the sliminess dripping off them? That was Giovanni, and the number of ass pats I got from him at my own wedding while Israel had his back turned to me made me sick to my stomach. Granted, it was my fault for not telling Israel any of this was going on. But, at the time? I was just trying to keep my head above water.
But, as Giovanni left to go get settled into his room, I felt Israel staring at me. Stalking me out, like a hunter following a blood trail to the victim of its bullet. So, I stilled the roaring seas of my stomach and looked him straight in the eyes. Because the last thing I needed to be doing right now was showing weakness.
Israel ground his teeth together. “So. Not a fan, I take it?”
I clicked my tongue. “No, I don’t like him. Never have.”
“Sounds like a personal problem. And one you need to fix quickly.”
“Well, I don’t appreciate you bringing someone into our space when—”
Israel lunged at me. “This isn’t our space, Bonnie. It’s mine. And I’m letting you dwell
