She storms off, and I’m left staring at Matteo again. The guy’s a dick, but regardless of him, I really need to cement the relationship between me and Ari. All the tension is creating an atmosphere. I really just want to punch him in the face, but I turn and follow her upstairs because tonight’s my wedding night. I won’t allow him to come between us. Today has been us showing the world we are a force together. Tonight, I need to solidify that bond. He’s not a factor now that she has my ring on her finger, but I’ll keep a watchful eye on him, anyway.
I reach the door and I stand there for a second before contemplating whether to knock or not, but we’re married now, so I just open it. When I step inside, she’s twisting and contorted, trying to undo the buttons on her dress. Her face full of anger and frustration at how the night has gone, and I step up to her.
“Need a hand?” I slide my hands over her shoulders, and she tenses, bristling at my touch.
“I’m not in the mood, Vittorio.”
I slide my hands down to the top button and flick it open. I breathe across her neck, and undo the next one.With each button, her body relaxes a little more. The next button I open, I place a chaste kiss against her shoulder. I reach down for the next one. I gently roll it between my fingers, popping it open before nuzzling the side of her neck. Her head leans to the side, giving me more access.
I press kisses along the side of her throat up to her ear and groan a little as I nip her ear. I see her skin pebble, but her hands stay by her side. I slowly lick up her neck as I open the next button and kiss along the place I’ve just licked, blowing as I do, creating a shudder that ricochets through her body.
As I undo another, her hands lift, holding the top of the dress when she feels it start to slip. I keep undoing and kissing, licking, before it turns to nipping and sucking. She groans as I undo the last button. I reach back up, grabbing the back of her bra, and I flick it. It springs undone, and she rests herself back against me.
“How do I know I can trust you?”
“You don’t,” I whisper against her neck as I continue paying attention to the space just under her ear that always softens her. “We just have to learn to trust each other. It will come with time.”
“What about the Syndicate?”
“They’ll come for us. We just have to be ready when they do.”
“And whose side will you be on?”
“Yours.”
“Will it always be like this?”
“Dealing with my family?” She nods. “No, it won’t be long before we kill my father or Bellino does. I shrug. Hopefully, they’ll take each other out.”
She lets go of the dress. It slides down her body, pooling at her feet. She turns and stares up at me. “How do I know this is real? How do I know that you won’t betray me for them?”
I reach out. My fingers rest on her waist. My eyes stay trained on hers, which is hard as she stands there in her white underwear, her tanned skin glowing.
The gift I gave her is still strapped to her thigh, but now is not the time for my lustful thoughts. “My father has never been a good man, neither has my brother. They taunted and ridiculed, beat and burned. They tried to mould me into something they expected, and I’d played along because I had to survive, but don’t mistake my survival skills for loyalty. I will light the match and gladly watch them both burn.”
“And how do I know you’re not just saying what you think I want to hear?” Her brows pull together.
“You don’t.” I shrug. “That’s where the trust comes in. If we make a conscious decision to trust in each other and have each other’s backs, no one will be safe.”
“What do you want from me, Vittorio?” She looks away and shakes her head.
“I want you to believe in me. To choose me.”
“That’s it?” She pulls back a little further, her eyes darting around my face, searching for the lie. She won’t find it. I want her. I want her to believe in me. I want to secure a future. A family.
I nod as I step forward. I’m done talking. I grip her hips tighter as I lift her out of the pooled fabric, holding her against my body. She wraps her legs around my waist. Her arms wrap around my neck, and her hand fists into theback of my hair. She stares at me for a second, her eyes boring into mine.
“Us against the world?” she asks. Her gaze searches mine, trying to see any sign of betrayal or deception.
I smile at her. “Us against the world. Forever.”
She crashes her lips against mine. Her tongue forces its way into my mouth. I grip her tighter, wrapping my arms around her waist as I walk her further into the room.
I crawl onto the bed, one arm firmly around her as I lie my body over hers. She stares up at me. I see something different in her eyes. I feel a shift, like she’s trying to let me in, and I take it. I reach up and cup her face.
“You are my family now.”
She nods. I lean in and give her a gentle kiss before pulling back. I climb off the bed. I walk over and lock the door, and when I turn back, she’s lifted herself up on her elbows. The white underwear makes her skin look darker than normal. The gun still positioned against her thigh. I bite my lip as I stay near the door. I remove my jacket. Tossing it on the floor, I take off my shoes as I undo my tie and take a step closer.
