Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 85976 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85976 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
I wasn’t really sure how much she knew, definitely whatever Matteo knew because he’d given up keeping things from her.
“Did biker boy contact you last night?”
“He did,” I said. “Thanks for giving him my number. I hope you didn’t get in trouble because of me.”
Gianna grinned. “I can handle trouble, don’t worry.”
“I suppose you can,” I said, brushing my hair back behind my ear out of habit, and regretting it when Gianna’s eyes lingered on my injured ear. It was still too tender to wear ear jewelry for more than a very short amount of time.
“You should always wear it like that when you’re meeting with Made Men. Maybe it’ll remind them that women aren’t weak. After all, we handle giving birth.”
I laughed. “Maybe. They’ll probably just pity me. I despise pity.”
Gianna’s lips curled. “Ditto. But I doubt anyone would ever pity you, Marci. Not if you don’t give them reason to. Show them who’s boss.”
I nodded, but my mind drifted to Maddox once more. I was excited about seeing him again in the afternoon, something I hadn’t mentioned to Dad yet.
“I assume there’s a reason why you’re here? And it’s not fitness related.”
I sighed. “It’s probably no news, but Maddox and I got together while I was in the clubhouse.” Together seemed like such a ridiculous description of what had happened, but what we had defied a definition.
“Okay,” Gianna said slowly. “You don’t sound happy about it. Did he force you to do anything you didn’t want?”
“God no. I wanted it. I enjoyed it.” I gave an apologetic shrug. “I know people won’t understand, and even condemn me for it. But I don’t regret it.”
My belly bustled with butterflies just thinking about being with Maddox again. Maybe the odds were stacked against us, but I wanted him.
“There’s nothing wrong with enjoying yourself.”
“Have you lived in a different world these last few years?” I asked wryly.
“I know the unwritten rules. They haven’t changed since I was a teen, but I always had trouble following them. If you want to live by your own rules, you just have to make sure you can live with the backlash. There will be nasty rumors about you, and they probably won’t ever die down.”
I grimaced. Rumors about Gianna’s escape still made the rounds at social events. People had made up the most ridiculous stories. I had never asked Gianna about them because I hadn’t wanted to be someone who listened to rumors.
“Ask,” Gianna said.
“I know what Mom told me,” I said with a sheepish smile. “That you ran off after you got engaged to Matteo because you didn’t want to marry him, but he caught you after almost a year and forced you to marry him.”
“He’d say he saved me from being killed by my asshole of a father by giving me the chance to marry him,” Gianna said, rolling her eyes.
“It’s true, though, right?”
“Yeah, but he doesn’t have to play the knight-in-shining-armor. He only wanted me in his bed.”
I shook my head with a laugh. “That’s why I wanted to talk to you.”
“And it’s why your dad would prefer if you talked to someone else.”
I rolled my eyes. “So you weren’t a virgin either when you married.”
Gianna tilted her head. “I was, but that’s completely irrelevant.”
My eyes widened. “I thought you slept with a few European guys while you were on the run.”
“I wanted to, and I made out with a few, but I never went all the way. Your uncle insists it was because I secretly only desired him.”
I frowned.
“To be honest, if I could turn back time, I probably wouldn’t run, but I’d have sex with Matteo in every corner of my old home to pay my father back and present white sheets to him after the wedding night.”
“So the rumors about you are wrong and still people badmouth you. I don’t want to know what they’ll do with me, considering the rumors are right.”
“You slept with Maddox, so what. That’s your business.”
“I wanted to do it,” I defended myself. I wasn’t even sure why I felt the need to defend myself, especially in front of Gianna, but the rules of our world were deeply ingrained in me.
“Good for you,” Gianna said. “I’m guilty of having a thing for bad boys, as Matteo always points out, and a biker from Tartarus is as bad boy as you can get.”
I huffed out a laugh. “You make it sound as if I’m a randy teenager who just wanted to enjoy herself.”
“You should enjoy yourself before your responsibilities catch up with you. You chose the perfect guy. Nobody will expect you to marry Maddox, even if he was your first.”
“I want to be with Maddox. It’s more than physical.”
Gianna pursed her lips. “It’s your life, Marci. You only have this one go at it. Live the life you want. If you want to have fun with the biker boy then have fun and move on. If you want to have fun and get serious with him, then do that. But either way, the conservatives will burn you at the stake for it. Prepare for the fight of your life and be ready to win.”