The Stranger, page 30
“Hmm,” he hums, completely uninterested in my husband’s pride and joy.
I quickly turn away to hide my smile when Spencer’s growly face makes an appearance.
I’ve met most of Spencer’s clients in the five years I’ve been working here, but the voice on the other end of that chat doesn’t sound familiar, so I don’t know who he’s talking to.
As I exit the bathroom, a few minutes later, I hear the guy say, “I think she just threw up on your shoulder.”
“Ah, shit,” Spencer groans, drawing Mia back to gaze down at the patch of white puke that is now soaking into his light-blue dress shirt.
I spin around and head back into the bathroom to dampen a cloth. This isn’t our first rodeo, so we have spare clothes at the office for just such an occasion.
Spencer moves Mia, cradling her in his arms as I wipe around her little mouth first, before moving to his shirt. I hear a throat clear and my attention snaps towards the computer screen. My eyes widen when the handsome and mysterious-looking man staring back at me winks.
“Who do we have here?” he asks, placing his forearms on the desk and leaning closer to the screen.
“My wife,” Spencer growls. “So you can put those eyes of yours back in your head.”
When he releases a deep, throaty chuckle, followed by a full smile, my mouth gapes open. He has nothing on my husband of course, but damn.
With that mane of jet-black hair, eyes so dark they almost appear the same colour surrounded by thick inky lashes, a day’s worth of dark stubble covering his strong jawline, and the deep dimple that sits in the centre of his chin … wow. I stare at it briefly as I’m reminded of something Kayne’s mother used to say. “A dimple on the chin means the devil’s within”.
“I’m Alexander Mancini,” he says, jutting out his chin, and even from our brief interaction, I can tell this man exudes confidence.
“Delilah,” I squeak.
“Delilah Prescott … my wife!” Spencer reiterates. “We’ll continue this another time, Mancini.”
The smile on the man’s face widens as Spencer leans forward to end the conference call without so much as a goodbye. I get the impression his reaction towards me was all show, to goad my husband.
“That was rude.”
“I didn’t like the way he was looking at you,” Spencer grumbles.
“I think you overreacted.”
“He was flirting with you, Delilah.”
“Were you jealous?” I ask, grinning.
“Yes! You are for my eyes only.”
I can’t be mad at him for saying that, because I’ve seen the attention he attracts from women when he is pushing our daughter around in her pram, and I don’t like it one bit.
I reach up and place my palm on the side of his face. “I only have eyes for one man … you.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” he replies.
“Is he a new client? I’ve never seen him before.”
“No, I’ve been working with him for a few months now.”
“Oh.”
“His father is the head of the Italian Mancini crime family, but he has distanced himself from that life.”
I gasp as my hands move to cover Mia’s little ears. “As in Mafia?”
“Yes.”
“Is he the one you said pops kneecaps for fun?”
He barks out a laugh. “I said I know people that would be happy to break a leg to get someone to comply … there was never any mention of knee popping, Delilah.”
“I can’t believe we have Mafia clients. Is that even legal?”
“Technically, we don’t. As I said, he may have the Mancini blood running through his veins, but he lives a relatively crime-free life. With the odd exception here and there.”
“Relatively? The odd exception?”
“This is exactly why I never told you about him. What he does in his own free time is his business. Our company has created a few programs for him … that’s it. End of story.”
“End of story? What happens when his family gets taken down for all their criminal activities? Are we going to end up in prison as well, for our part in it?”
Spencer moves Mia to the side and drags me down onto his lap. “You are letting your imagination run away with you. Nobody is going to prison … least of all us.”
“That’s easy for you to say. What if we get called as the state’s witness? Will the mob put a hit out on us so we can’t testify against them?”
My husband throws back his head and laughs. “Sweetheart,” he says once he’s calmed down. “I created some accounting software for the nightclubs he owns. It is all legitimate. I’d never do anything to put you, our daughter, or this company in jeopardy.”
“Okay,” I say, breathing a sigh of relief. “Have I told you how much I love you today?”
“I believe you said those exact words to me at 3 am this morning when I changed Mia and put her back in her bassinet after her feed.”
“You are the best husband and daddy,” I say. “We are lucky to have you.”
“I’m the lucky one,” he replies as he leans in to brush his lips with mine. “I am going to have to cut you off from those crime documentaries you love so much, though.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
Thursdays are our date night because our weekends are still spent at the estate. Spencer’s mother has Mia overnight, so we order takeout, snuggle in front of the television and watch a bit of Netflix, before getting a much-needed ten hours of uninterrupted sleep.
Our little girl loves her one-on-one time with Eloise.
Unfortunately, she doesn’t have a close relationship with her other grandmother. My mother and I meet for lunch once a month, but I’ve never been back to the house. Most of her time is taken up looking after my sister’s three kids. They all have different fathers. Abigail is now on husband number two, and from what my mother tells me, that could be heading to divorce court as well.
My hands reach up to undo Spencer’s tie before moving to the buttons. “What are you doing?” he asks, cocking a brow.
“You’ll need to change your shirt because you have a meeting across town in an hour.”
He carefully hands Mia to me and when I stand, he reaches out to palm my arse cheek. “Why don’t you change our daughter, put her down for a nap, and meet me back here in five? I don’t have to leave for at least another half hour.”
I glance down at him and smile as my body zings to life with anticipation. This man still does it for me.
“I’ll be right back.”
When I updated my relationship status five years ago, I never would’ve dreamed it would lead me here, but I know with all certainty I’m exactly where I should be. I’ll forever cherish this man for all that he is, all that he has been, and all that he’s yet to be.
Where there is love, there’s life.
The Deal
Coming Soon
Alexander Mancini
I was born into the most influential crime family in the country. Although it’s not a position I want to step into, I’m unfortunately destined to inherit the empire my father has created.
I don’t want any part of it … I like my life just the way it is.
With an infinite stream of power and money at my disposal, I have women falling at my feet, but I’m not interested in a commitment. Why would I be?
That is, until I meet her.
One night with a mysterious woman, and sadly, I’m hooked. When she walked out of my club without so much as a backward glance, it only made me crave her more.
She now consumes my every waking thought, but rest assured I will find her, and when I do, I’ll make her mine.
Chloe Carmichael
I was born into a privileged life. Growing up, I wanted for nothing. But now there are days when I struggle to put food on the table.
Life took a turn for the worse when my mother abandoned us, and my father turned to gambling to cope with his grief. His addiction became so bad we eventually lost it all. Now I work three jobs to keep a roof over our heads. I don’t have time for relationships or a life.
My dad promised he’d clean up his act when things finally hit rock bottom. I thought he’d done just that, until I returned home between shifts to find him on his knees in the living room with a gun pointed at his head.
The moment my gaze landed on the tall, dark, and handsome Adonis who was holding him captive, my heart skipped a beat … it was him. After our one encounter, I’d thought about him often.
That’s when a deal was put on the table: my father’s life spared in exchange for me. I was left bewildered when I became the collateral for his debt.
I’d been traded to the devil.
Finding Him
Do you want to read Logan’s story?
There’s never a wrong time for the right person.
Not everything in life is supposed to be beautiful or long-lasting. I truly believe that we don’t meet people by accident—they come into our lives for a reason.
Although things were definitely changing for the worst in my marriage, I still thought Jake was the person I was going to grow old with. I had no idea he was only there to play a small part in the greater picture, because my destiny lay elsewhere.
Through my husband’s betrayal, life would lead me on the path to him—Logan Cavanagh. A gorgeous, captivating, successful lawyer, and also the unlikely hero in my story … a man who would touch my heart so deeply, I knew I’d never be the same again.
From the moment I laid eyes on Brooke, I wanted her, but there was one problem … she was married to someone else, and I’d never come between a man and his wife.
When her life started to unravel, I was there to help pick up the pieces. I knew going in she was never mine to keep, so when she walked away, there was nothing I could do to stop her. I honestly thought it was the end … that I’d never see her again.
But months later, fate had us crossing paths again and her situation had now changed, so the gloves were coming off. I was all in, and there was no way I was letting her go a second time.
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Also by J. L. Perry
FINDING HIM
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FINDING FOREVER
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FINDING US
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FINDING FORGIVENESS
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MR. BLACK
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MR. EDWARDS
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THE STRANGER
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ONLY ONE NIGHT
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BASTARD
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THE THIEF
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THE BOSS
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SAVIOUR
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NINETEEN LETTERS
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Contact the Author
jlperryauthor@hotmail.com.au,
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