Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 48371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 242(@200wpm)___ 193(@250wpm)___ 161(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 242(@200wpm)___ 193(@250wpm)___ 161(@300wpm)
“Baby.” It’s all I can say. My throat is too rusty to work. Plus I have no words. I squeeze her tight and refuse to let go. I’m swaying back and forth with her little body engulfed in my arms. Finally, I say, “When you’re ready, I’m gonna buy you the biggest diamond on the face of the earth. And you’ll have your forever.”
“I’m ready.” She says it so simply. Without hesitation.
I want to drop to my knees out of the sheer grace of it.
“Yeah?” I choke.
“Yes. I want it all. The ring. The wedding. Babies. Songs. Tours with you as my manager. Do you think that’s possible?”
I squeeze her tighter. “Yeah, it’s fucking done. I promise. You’ll get everything you ever dreamed of.” I release her enough to capture her lips with mine, kissing her into oblivion. It goes on for a good ninety seconds before someone clears their throat.
Turns out, we have an audience. Which is good, because I’m telling everyone.
Pepper’s parents are standing there, along with my mom and Junior, Nico, Sondra, Stefano, Corey, Izzy, the Wonder Twins and the rest of the band.
“We’re getting married,” I announce.
My mom—seriously, my mom, who never calls attention to herself—whoops.
Corey and Sondra join in, and so does Izzy, and Pepper’s band mates.
“Congratulations,” Nico says, taking me in for a man hug. Stefano gives me one, too.
Junior shakes his head at me, but a smile plays on his lips. He offers his hand and when I go to shake it, he pulls me into him. “You know there’s no leaving the Family, right?”
“Yeah, we’ll always be there for each other. Right?” I pull back and look him square in the eye. It’s a challenge and he knows it.
He chuckles and thumps my shoulder. “That’s right.”
Sometimes I think Junior talks a big game but doesn’t mean any of it. Like what he did to Nico over marrying Sondra.
Pepper
My parents pull me over to the side. My dad looks pale and worried.
Crap.
I’m really not up for them giving me any shit about marrying Tony.
“Pepper, are you sure about this? This is what you want?”
“Of course it is, Tom, can’t you see how happy she is?” my mom answers for me.
My dad bobs his head. “Yeah, okay. Listen, Pepper. I just want to tell you…” He looks like he’s going to be sick. “I’m sorry about Hugh. I’m the one who pushed you into that relationship. I made a huge mistake. Huge. And it took other people—practical strangers—to save you from him, when it should’ve been me.”
Ah. I see. Dad is feeling guilty.
I squeeze his hand. “Dad, it’s okay. You didn’t know. You haven’t been on tour with me in a long time. Everything turned out all right. Hugh didn’t succeed in killing me. And now I have Tony.” I look over my shoulder and smile, knowing Tony’s gaze will meet mine, because he always keeps me in his periphery.
They do. Crinkles form around his warm brown eyes as he regards me. I never feel anything but beautiful or brilliant when he looks at me that way. And then his eyes darken, a smolder of promise there making my inner thighs clap together.
I hug Sondra and Corey and Izzy and the band and my parents while Tony finishes pumping hands and clapping backs with everyone.
“Thank you all so much,” Tony booms, cutting through the chit chat. “We want to continue to celebrate with you, so please, let’s move this party up to my suite. Help yourselves to cocktails and food and we’ll join you as soon as we wrap things up here.”
Nico helps encourage them along as Tony ushers me into the dressing room.
The place where this all started.
I turn to him, dipping a finger in my mouth. “I’m feeling a bit nostalgic about this dressing room. You know—remembering my first show here.”
Hunger transforms Tony’s face. “I’m feeling a bit nostalgic about those shorts you’re wearing.” His voice is deeper than usual. “How did this go? I think you start undressing while getting sassy with me.”
I pull my top off and rub a towel between my breasts. “Like this?”
His eyes trace my taut nipples, travel over my butterfly tattoo. “Almost. You need to tuck your thumbs in the waistband of those little shorts and—” he bites his knuckle when I do. “Yeah, that’s it. And then I come over and spin you around.” He molds his hands to my waist and makes a rumble of approval at the connection of skin to skin.
“No, I don’t think it was quite like that.” I look up with mock innocence.
His smirk tells me he knows exactly what I want. “No, it wasn’t, was it?” He captures my wrists behind my back and spins me around. This time he pulls my little shorts down to my thighs, baring my ass.