He stood and stepped away, running a hand through his hair. He was frustrated. He had never given her any reason to think something like this.
Where was this coming from?
“Alana, I care for you. I love the time we’ve spent together. I—”
The words ‘I love you’ were close to spilling from his lips.
Did he love Alana?
Yes.
Without a doubt.
She had quickly become his entire world, his thoughts always filled with her. He hadn’t even looked at another woman since they’d started their relationship.
“I left Chicago a day early, wanting to surprise you,” she said softly.
He jerked around and looked at her staring down her hands.
“What?”
“I wanted to surprise you. I got so jealous over the women at the clubs, so I figured I would come home and celebrate with you. But then I heard giggling in the hallway, and when I went to the door, I saw you go into the apartment with a couple of girls.”
“Me? After the club, I went to my house. Jaxon—”
He stopped and stared at her.
Fuck me sideways.
Jaxon had stayed at the apartment.
“I thought he was you.”
He took a step back, feeling as though he’d taken a blow to the gut. Swallowing hard, he rubbed his chin.
“So you thought I would fuck other women while you were supposed to be out of town?” He couldn’t believe it. Resting his hands on his waist, he stared up at the ceiling. “You really think I’m that type of guy?”
“You said you had a younger brother. You didn’t say you were twins!” she cried out.
He and Jaxon were twins. He was older than his brother by a few minutes, and he always called Jaxon his younger brother, because he was. They were genetically identical, but there were noticeable differences between them.
“Even if I never mentioned we were twins, you didn’t think to bring this up when I was here two weeks ago? That’s what that was about? You thought I’d cheated on you?”
Biting her lip, she nodded. Big fat tears spilled from her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.
“You didn’t ask. You didn’t want to confront me to find out the truth. You didn’t even want to fight for what we had. You just shut me out.”
“I know what I saw,” she hiccupped.
“That was my brother!” London hollered.
He inhaled sharply, not wanting to lose his temper. He was trying to remember she was ill.
This wasn’t the time for them to talk, so he backed away.
“I want you to know that I would never have cheated on you. I care about you, deeply. No one means more to me than you. But if you can’t trust me, then we might as well stop while we’re ahead.”
Spinning on his heel, he stormed out of the bedroom.
Pain filled his heart at the sound of her crying as he left the apartment and shut the door behind him. He stood in the hallway and stared at his apartment door, his chest rising and falling fast.
Music could be heard coming from inside. There was no way he could go in there. No doubt his brother still had guests over.
Blowing out a deep breath, London made the long, lonely trip back to his suburban home.
He thought he and Alana could have a future, but it looked as if his past reared its ugly head and bit him in the ass.
TO BE CONTINUED…
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About the Author
Peyton Banks is the alter ego of a city girl who is a romantic at heart. Her mornings consist of coffee and daydreaming up the next steamy romance book ideas. She loves spinning romantic tales of hot alpha males and the women they love. She currently resides with her husband and children in Cleveland, Ohio.
Read More from Peyton Banks:
Read To Me
Ciccone Brothers #1
By S. Rena & BL Mute
Read to Me: Ciccone Brothers #1
A Dark Mafia Romance
Love makes you weak.
It breeds doubt, confusion, and doesn’t belong in our world. Something my father made sure of, and like the doting son, I believed him.
I guard myself…put my focus on corruption and fear instead.
But, Arloe—she was never afraid.
She fantasizes about men like me, except I’m real and my life is no fairy tale.
They call me a monster—a thief in the night created to cause chaos, but she’s always loved a good adventure into the unknown.
Perhaps that’s why she reads.
Read To Me: Ciccone Brothers #1 © 2021 S. Rena & BL Mute
All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
Written by S. Rena & BL Mute
Edited by Studio ENP
Dark Romance Note
WARNING: This a standalone dark mafia romance that contains violence and content that may be triggering and should be read by a mature audience (18+).
Foreword
“Power does not corrupt. Fear corrupts… perhaps the fear of a loss of power.”
- John Steinbeck
Chapter One
Arloe
“You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me,” I yell and smack my hand against the steering wheel.
For the third time this week, I get to work to find my designated parking space is yet again occupied. There it is, the steely black Bugatti Chiron that’s been the biggest pain in my ass. How ostentatious?
My car rolls to a screeching stop along the curb a few spaces down, reminding me of how badly I need to have my brakes checked. I scoff at the sound, a twinge of envy rolling through my body at how vastly different the two vehicles are. Not only is the prick parking in the spot that is clearly marked Ever After Books, but he is mocking us middle-class people.