Franco's Fortune (Redemption Book 2) Read Online Free PDF

But if what he suspected was true, he’d have to be
careful, go easy with her, bring her around slowly. He would never
hurt Jo. If he’d read the look in her eyes right, she’d been hurt
enough.
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    “Most of my clients would kill for your hair.” Anita
Santisi, Franco’s cousin and one of Philadelphia’s top hair
stylists, loosened Jo’s hair from its braid and fluffed it out
until it streamed down Jo’s back. Feeling out of her element in the
upscale surroundings of Anita’s hair salon, Jo shifted
uncomfortably in one of the large chairs. She glanced around,
anything to avoid the wall of mirrors that reflected her very real
discomfort. The bustling salon was filled this morning with
sophisticated women dressed in the latest casual fashions. Somehow,
even wearing kimonos over their clothes, with dye on their hair or
sitting under dryers wearing plastic caps, the women projected high
chic. Flashes of gold and diamonds on fingers and wrists peeked
from the sleeves of the dark gray kimonos. Anita’s staff, men and
women alike, was young and beautiful and dressed in head-to-toe
black.
    Anita had been welcoming and friendly since Harris
had dropped Jo off at the shop fifteen minutes ago. With her edgy
sophistication and sexy clothes, Anita had always rubbed Jo the
wrong way. While Anita and Doriana resembled each other with their
thick black hair and large gold-brown eyes, Doriana was softly
sweet to Anita’s sharp angles. Now Jo saw that despite Anita’s
brazen sexuality, her eyes were sad. Jo knew little about Anita’s
personal life except that a man had once hurt her badly. Maybe she
and Anita had more in common than anyone would think.
    Jo sighed. Focusing on Anita diverted her from the
real purpose of her visit. She was here to get glammed up. She
hated that expression. Drawing on the well of pride that had always
been the source of her defense, she pushed aside her misgivings and
stole a glance in the mirror. She seldom wore her hair down. The
sunlight streaming through the large windows highlighted the golden
strands in her wildly flowing red hair. She wouldn’t admit it to
anyone, but she’d always been a tad vain about her hair.
    “Girl, you are going to look ravishing when I’m done
with you,” Anita said.
    Jo caught Anita’s gaze in the mirror and shot her an
ironic look. “You’d have to be a miracle worker to do that.” She
grabbed the mug of coffee from the worktable in front of her,
needing a little caffeine sustenance.
    Anita frowned. “Why do you say that? You’re gorgeous
with those green eyes and high cheekbones. I’m only enhancing
nature. You’re going to drive Franco crazy. I can’t wait to see my
arrogant cousin taken down a notch or two.”
    Widening her eyes, Jo nearly dropped her mug onto
the Formica counter. “I’m not here to drive him crazy. I’m here
to…you know why.” Franco had already explained Jo’s presence to his
cousin. Anita was family and could be trusted.
    Anita came around to face her, leaning her hip
against the counter. “Seriously, Jo, there isn’t a part of you that
wants to see the man squirm? The times we’ve been together at
family gatherings, you and Franco are like two sparks, ready to
flare up the minute you touch.” She laughed softly. “Or like two
cats hissing at each other.”
    She gave Jo a self-satisfied smile. “You two don’t
fool me one bit. Why do you think I’m so successful? I can read
people. You are going to have my cousin worshipping at your feet
when we’re done with you. The man’s already got a thing for
you.”
    Jo laughed at the absurdity of it all. “Please,
Anita. I am in no way Franco’s type.”
    “You think not? Girl, open your eyes.”
    “They are very open to how Franco feels about me.”
She lowered her gaze. Anita had hit on a partial truth. When Franco
had kissed her yesterday, a part of her had been tempted to give in
to the curiosity that had eaten away at her from the first time
she’d met him.