Matteo’s grandfather, who he called Nonno, was the ruler of this ruthless family.
The Fausti men revered women and respected them.
They were known for stealing the hearts from their enemies’ chests while it was still beating—of course, these enemies were men and had done something personal to offend one of them.
The Fausti family was set up like a royal family, in terms of their rankings and how they operated, though they acted more like a bunch of deadly cats.
Those facts alone had my head spinning. I was sure it was going to combust once I started meeting all the members.
I blinked at the man on one knee before me. He smiled, and my breath caught. I felt the steam in the room touch my lungs, and I wanted it to keep touching my lungs because it smelled like his cologne. It was citrusy with a touch of spice.
“All is good, Stella,” he whispered, taking my cold hands in his warm ones. “Things are happening as they should. And when it comes to my family, I’ll take the lead.”
I looked away from him, toward the running water. “You called me something else on the phone.”
He was still for so long that I wondered if he had turned to stone. I met his eyes, feeling heat rush to my cheeks.
“I did. Did you like it?”
“Yes,” I whispered. “I did.”
“Bene,” he said, taking my hands, kissing my knuckles. “Always be honest with me. Tell me what you don’t like and do like.”
“I more than liked it,” I said. “I loved it. It made my heart and stomach feel funny, but in the best way.”
“I get that every time I look at you, baby.”
I wasn’t sure if the puddle on the tile floor was me or the water from the shower. I managed to smile at him and fix a strand of his inky hair that had come loose. He kissed my pulse and said, “Bath time. I’ll go grab the nurs?— ”
“No,” I said, and my tone was final, my mind made up. “Will you help me instead?”
His eyes were intense on mine, questioning my decision.
“I’m a dancer,” I said. “Or was. Privacy’s not a big thing for me.”
“Doesn’t matter what you were before. You’re here with me now, and you’re whoever you want to be.”
I shrugged. “I’m not uncomfortable with you.” I untied my robe and let it slide to the floor. I held out my hand, and he took it with a deep breath. It would be dishonest for me to claim thatmy heart didn’t speed up and my stomach didn’t swish when I heard his intake of breath as I stood under the spray, my back to him, moaning because the hot water felt so good.
It was the first time I’d taken a bath on my own. I physically couldn’t before. And it was my first shower since my time being caged with that woman. The hot water in the servant’s quarter of the château only lasted for about five minutes before it turned ice cold, especially in the winter. I’d battled pneumonia more times than I could count. I waited for the day Régine would have it fixed, since she hated putting me in any danger, but each time I’d get sick, she’d say, “It’s too expensive to fix. We’d need an entirely new setup. Wash faster!”
There was no rush to wash faster. The warm water flowed over my body, and I closed my eyes in pure ecstasy. Whatever shampoo and body wash Matteo’s sister had brought over for me smelled divine. Mia called the scent that,divine, and said she thought I’d like it. I loved it. It seemed made for me. I couldn’t wait for it to linger on my skin so I could smell it all day.
“That needs to be opened.”
“Oh,” I said, smiling a little. I’d just been sniffing the bottles.
Matteo stood from the seat in front of the mirror and took the shampoo from me. “Turn around,” he said. And when I did, he squeezed some of the liquid in his palm and started to massage my scalp with it. I had to press my hands against the tiles to keep steady. I’d never felt pleasure like that before. It radiated from my temples to the base of my skull, all the way to my lower back.
When he started to wash me, my knees gave out.
He said something soft in Italian, wrapping his arms around me, while he seemed to carry all my weight. The water beat down on the expensive shirt he wore, but he didn’t care. After a few seconds I whispered, “I’m okay now, but I don’t think your shirt is.” He held me even tighter, setting his face in my neck, kissing my pulse.
If he kept touching me that way, I would have to sit.
The heat from the water, but mostly him, was making me a little lightheaded. But…I was enjoying myself too much. I turned in his arms and looked up into his eyes. Droplets of water were collecting on his dark lashes, and his warm eyes could have melted chocolate. He had an intensity to him that I’d never experienced from another person before. It was aimed all at me.
Keeping eye contact, I started to unbutton his shirt. He didn’t look down or away from me. It seemed like his eyes were narrowing even further, his stare only growing hotter.
