Tempered by Her Read Online Free Page A

inner Dom want to play. “You’re
in for a long wait, Zane Risso.”
    I flashed my teeth at her. Game on.
    ****
    Theo called me a few times over the weekend, trying to get me to go to Chantelles , but I didn’t have the energy or desire.
    “The fuck has gotten into you?” Theo’s voice bellowed through my cell.
    I propped my feet up on my coffee table and flicked through a few
channels until I found Sunday Night Football. “Nothin’.”
    “Bullshit. It’s usually you dragging my sorry ass out to get some
action. Who is she?”
    I swigged from my cold winter lager, my stomach tight as a mother
fucker. “Who is who?”
    “Whoever the hell has sunk her damn claws into you. ”
His exasperated exhale had me pulling my cell away from my ear again. “What
witch cast her spell and tamed the selfish prick?”
    I chuckled. I couldn’t help myself. “I’ll never be tamed.”
    “ Coulda fuckin’ fooled me,” he grumbled.
“Just like the rest of our buddies … find a good woman, agree to a ball and
chain, and become a world class bore.”
    “Fuck you.”
    “I don’t do blood, cuz.”
    “Fuck off, then.” I took a long pull of my beer.
    “Damn, man. Tell me I’m not right. Tell me you’re just in some fucked
up funk.”
    I shifted on my leather couch, but kept my tone level. “I’m just in
some fucked up funk.”
    “Thank God. Next weekend?”
    “Yeah, sure.” Another minute of his bellyaching about not getting any
action that weekend, and I hit the end button and tossed my phone onto the
cushion beside me. “Fuck.”
    ****
    Wednesday night family dinners sucked. No matter how hard I tried, I
showed up late and pissed Papa off.
    Mom met me at the door as always with a smile, kiss, and lingering
hug—the highlight of the night. She pulled back and peered up at me with the
same blue eyes I saw every morning in the mirror. “How are you, Zane?”
    “Good.”
    “Liar.”
    I quirked a smirk and glanced away. “I’m good. Really .”
    She murmured a noise of disbelief, and taking my arm, led me toward the
dining room. We walked through the arched doorway, and everyone present smiled,
Papa included.
    A shiver slid down my spine as I halted in my tracks.
    “Zane!” Lia hurried to me, greeting me like Mom did. “What’s wrong?”
she whispered, pulling away, hands gripping my upper arms and peering up at me.
    Damn Risso women intuition. “I’m good.”
    “Well.” Her face lit up again. “I’m going to make your night even
better.” She held out her hand to her husband Ryan, her dark eyes shining.
    “How are ya, brother?” Ryan asked, a grin in place, as he pulled Lia
against his side.
    “Good. Good.” I glanced between the two of them as Ryan planted a kiss
on the top of my baby sister’s head. They’d always been sickeningly in love,
but the look they shared… “What’s going on?”
    “Well.” Lia sounded breathless and peered up once more at Ryan. “I’m … we’re
going to have a baby.”
    It took her words a few seconds to sink in, but when they did, the
tension left my body. I swung Lia up in my arms and spun her around. No wonder
Papa grinned rather than frowned over my usual lateness. Fuckin’ tears pricked
my eyelids.
    I set Lia back on her feet and kissed her cheek, her laughter still
tickling my ears. “Congrats, Sis. Best news I’ve heard in ages.” Once I
released her, she leaned into Ryan. He wrapped his arms around her again. I
clasped Ryan’s shoulder. “So, when’s the big day?”
    “Early July the doc said.”
    “How ‘bout you two?” I asked, turning to greet Cole and Gwen.
    “Oh, another ten years at least.” Gwen laughed, a sparkle in her hazel
eyes.
    Papa shot her a glance, brow furrowing, but Cole shook his head.
“Already trying.”
    The grin returned to Papa’s face.
    ‘Course they were trying after a mere four months of marriage. The good
son needed to carry on the Risso name, make the old man proud and all that
shit.
    A few minutes later, we