Hush: Family Secrets Read Online Free PDF Page A

“Now back to this Uri. You two looked pretty comfy in that embrace. Oh God, you should have seen Raphael watching you two, he looked pissed.”
    We both laugh at that. I hadn’t seen anything but Uri, but I’m sure the look on Raphael’s face was priceless. Raphael couldn’t spark half of the electricity Uri sent through my body.
    “It doesn’t matter. I don’t plan to marry either of them,” I huff and cross my arms. Shannon lifts her brow at me. “What?”
    “You won’t date and you won’t agree to anyone Papa wants for you. You are so beautiful Val, you deserve love too,” Shannon says.
    “You think this,” I point between her and Luca. “Adds up to love?”
    I feel like trash right away for the words that have fallen out of my mouth. Shannon is so sensitive and to prove it she blinks back tears and turns from me. I hate that I have upset her.
    “Sorry Shannon, I’m sure things will work out for you and Luca,” I say gently.
    “It isn’t the way I dreamed of finding a husband but I believe I can make the best of it,” Shannon sniffles.
    “And you will,” I assure her.
    She turns back to me with a small smile. “If I hate him I could always come stay with you in Europe,” she giggles.
    I frown at her. “I am not going to Europe,” I huff at her.
    “You don’t see the way he is watching you,” Shannon laughs louder.
    I may not be able to see him but I can feel him. I have to fight not to look at him again. He is wearing the hell out of that suit. It is tailored to perfection and that red tie adds something sexy and sinister to his appeal. He was handsome in his suit and open collar shirt in the store earlier, but this tonight has me thinking thoughts I just don’t recognize.
    Yeah, I feel him in more ways than one.
    ~B~
    “Who was that?” Luca asks as he stands by my side.
    “No one you should be concerned with,” I reply.
    “Oh come on. I see the way you are looking at her. Who is she? She is damn beautiful,” Luca says with a wide grin.
    I roll my eyes and take a sip of the drink I happily managed to get my hands on. It is the only thing keeping me from flying across this room to smash in the skull of Raphael Giordano. His eyes haven’t left Valentina. I have had my eyes on her and him this whole time.
    Knowing he believe she will ever belong to him is setting fire to my blood. I have no idea where this jealousy is coming from. I am not a jealous man, but the thought of any man just thinking about touching Valentina is making me twitchy.
    “If you must know that is your future sister in law,” I reply dryly.
    Luca furrows his brows and looks across the room at Shannon and Valentina standing together. Even from here it is easy to see the resemblance. Luca’s eyes grow large as the confusion starts to clear.
    “No way, why the fuck did I get the shy one?” Luca growls.
    “Because Valentina belongs to me,” I growl back.
    Luca lifts a brow, tilting his head at me. “Since when? By the way where is Genève?”
    “I sent that whiny brat back to New York where she belongs. I don’t know what your father was thinking trying to bind me to that,” I shake my head in disgust. “I’m too old for her shit.”
    “Oh please you act as if you are an old man,” Luca chuckles. “Clearly this one is younger than Genève, a lot younger.”
    “It’s not the same,” I grunt.
    “Why not because this one happens to be a whole lot hotter,” Luca teases.
    “You should be keeping your eyes on your fiancée,” I warn.
    “She is no Pamela,” Luca grunts this time.
    “Don’t start this again. That ship has sailed. You haven’t even given this girl a chance,” I say pointedly.
    Luca sighs and gets that lost look on his face that he tends to get these days when he thinks of Pamela. “I really fucked up. I didn’t mean to hurt her. Despite what you think I did love her. I still do. I’m just not like you. I can’t just walk away from what I have known my whole life.
    “I see