Her cheeks flush and, when she flicks her eyes up to me again, a tentative smile graces her lips.There.That was what I came for, I realize. Two years and I’ve not forgotten the similar one she gave me when I said she would pick her own clothes from now on. Such an odd thing for me to consider worthy of remembrance.
“It’s not that heavy. The lace is-”
“Have you kissed any man with these lips, Caterina?” I ask, my hand rising toward her face. She freezes, standing still as a statue as I rub my forefinger over her plump bottom lip. It’s stained the color of berries, ripe and sweet.
“No, of course not,” she whispers when I tilt my head, silently demanding an answer.
“Of course not,” I repeat, pleased. I’d dare any man to try it. I would cut his lips off and feed them to him.
“You know girls like me are sheltered.Alessio…”she breathes when I caress her soft lips some more.
“Sheltered, yes.” I like the way she said my name, and I continue my gentle exploration, knowing how sensitive lips can be. I know so many ways a person can be tortured, hundreds of ways to inflict pain, and I’ve spent years experimenting. But, I have no wish to torture Caterina except with pleasure. I want to elicit sweeter moans than I usually hear from my little bride-to-be.
“Are you nervous about our first kiss?” She flushes redder and turns her head. “Look at me,” I command.
She glares at me again. A good girl with some spark. That’s more like it. I can’t allow her to contradict me in public, but a challenge in the bedroom is far more entertaining than complete submission.
“I am nervous. Maybe it’s nothing to you but it will be my first kiss, and everyone will be watching.”
I frown, not liking the thought of anyone else having part of it, even as mere witnesses. That possessive animal inside can’t bear the thought of sharing any part of Caterina.
It’s nothing but a symbolic kiss for the Trio. Think of how her brothers will hate watching, and you can kiss every inch of her in private soon enough.
I could kiss her now if I choose though. No one here would stop me.
Back and forth, I rub those pouty, red lips, my thumb dipping inside just once to where it's warm and wet. I close my eyes and picture my cock sliding in her mouth. When I open them again, her eyes have grown dark like onyx, and Iache.
At length, I’m rewarded with a small huff of air, a breathy little sigh. Her body is still tense but not with fear. She shifts and her breath comes faster. I know the signs of arousal well. Just a taste. I lean forward, amused by how wide her eyes grow as the faint scent of cloves and vanilla greets my nostrils. Sweet and delicious, Caterina.
“Alessio?” Gia calls through the door before I can press my lips to hers. Gia, the only one daring enough to interrupt us. “You risk insulting everyone this way. It’s not proper for you to be in there, and you know it. If Father finds out, you-”
I drop my hand and step away from a quivering Caterina. Violently pushing the changing room door open, I give my half-sister a scathing look and then leave the women behind without another word.
Two more days and she’ll be in my bed. I can find out what her brother gave her for her birthday then. From the moment I set eyes on her again, the excuse I’d made for coming to Chicago today never even entered my mind.
8
Caterina
“With so many sinners under one roof, this cathedral should go up in flames at any moment,” Gia mutters under her breath.
One of my many Morelli cousins acting as flower girl gasps at Gia’s blasphemous words. Someday, she’ll learn as I did - if God is real, there is no absolution in store for our men. They are evil to the core, and we all bear the taint of their sins, with or without the three-headed wolf marking our flesh. But for today, she is still a child and I smile at her. “Chiara, take Bruno’s hand and go line up.” Her little brother is acting as our ring bearer. With a nod, she leads him away from us and prepares to walk down the aisle.
From the vestibule, I can hear Frankie singing a hymn to our two hundred guests. So many important members of the Trio in one building along with the politicians and businessmen who aren’t afraid to show their faces among us. I feel nauseous with nerves.
“Just a few more minutes, Caterina. Oh, I’m so excited for my wedding day!”
I summon a smile for Sofia who means to be supportive but, dear God, I don’t think the girl realizes what she’s in for. She probably doesn’t know that her fiancé and his brother partied all night on the Strip, and two girls were spied slipping out of Carlo’s hotel room in only their underwear at six this morning, no more than she believes the photos of Carlo with different models on his arm mean a thing. According to Frankie, her mother has convinced Sofia that theirs is a long-distance love match, and Carlo has only been playing the part of a carefree bachelor until she was of age for their engagement to be announced publicly.
“There’s Valdo… and Armando,” Gia comments, peering through a small diamond-shaped window.
Alessio hasn’t joined them yet, but I don’t think he’s going to stand me up. I’m not that lucky. “He looks good,” I say of Armando in his suit.
“I’m sure he knows it,” Gia grumbles, turning away.
“Poor Valdo is miserable in his little tux,” Sofia giggles from beside her sister.
We share a grin, and I’m glad they’re with me, but my brothers were not asked to stand beside my groom, naturally. There is one part of my brothers; however, which I will carry down the aisle. My jack knife. Tucked inside my corset and pressed between my breasts, the cold metal of the handle is oddly comforting. I’ve been keeping it on me since our plane touched down yesterday afternoon.
