Sophia smiles, warming my heart.She may not like what I say next but she should know my intent.“I’m not giving you back after a year.”
14
Sophia
Massimo had to know that’s exactly what I wanted to hear, yet the most self-assured man in the world looks at me as though he doesn’t know exactly how I’ll respond.Like in one breath I would say I love you, and in the second tell him that I don’t want him forever.That’s not how this love story is going to go though.My father isn’t talking to me, and the last time I was able to connect with Anna she was convinced I was forced to marry Massimo, when nothing could be farther from the truth.It’s not going to be easy to bring them over to acceptance, but I will try.
Especially for Anna, I will try.Thoughts of my father turn my thoughts to sadness, and I refuse to allow that in my space of happiness tonight.
“Tell me you love me again?”I implore, running a finger through the dark black hair that curls slightly on his chest and trails down to far beneath his navel.
He rolls on top of me, caging me between him and the bed.Massimo nuzzles his mouth into the sensitive area of my neck and kisses it, trailing hot little kisses all the way to the sensitive shell of my ear.“I love you, kitten.You’re mine forever.I will never let you go.”
“I don’t want to be anywhere except in your arms, Massimo.I love you so much it hurts.I don’t want to divorce you at the end of this year.Would you have let me go if I said that’s what I wanted?”
He doesn’t lie.“No, that was never the plan.”
“The plan?”
“After I realized that I loved you, I was going to make you fall in love with me one way or another Sophia Maria Roselli.No matter what, I was going to make you want to spend the rest of your life with me.”
“And Massimo Roselli always gets what he wants, no matter what?”
He shrugs and gives me a smirk that tugs at my heart.“Would you like me to say no?”
I laugh, kissing his mouth.“No, I always want you to tell me the truth Massimo Roselli, because if you lie to me, I swear I will give you the cold shoulder Cassone treatment and you will not like it one little bit.And I may be tempted to put some ground up chili peppers from hell in your meals.A Cassone woman or two have been known to have very effective results with this method of getting even with our men.”
Massimo laughs, kissing my lips.“You are the light in the life I always thought would be shrouded in darkness, kitten.Now, go to sleep or I swear I’m going to spend the rest of the night making you scream until I finally grow weary of hearing my name.”
“No more,” I protest.“I don’t think I’ll be able to walk straight tomorrow, and besides my ass hurts.”I stick out my lower lip for dramatic effect.
“Good,” he says playfully.He runs a hand along the curve of my thigh.“This belongs to me.I share with no one, for any reason.Understand, kitten?Do not show it to other men.”
I nod, consenting in the moment, but I don’t apologize for it, and I’m not planning to.I’m sorry he didn’t like it, or that it upset him, but I’m a survivor too, and that one move threw the detective off guard and gave us the time we needed before Emil arrived.Massimo knows it and so do I.No matter that he doesn’t want me to put myself in danger, if it keeps him out of jeopardy then I will do whatever it takes.Whether my overprotective husband likes it or not.
Massimo strokes my hair, gathering the long strands in his hand while I look into his eyes, listening to the strong beat of his heart.“We’ll give your sister a call in the morning.See if you can get her to answer the phone this time.Your father too, if he’ll take the call.”
“That sounds good.Do you think I’ll be able to tell her something about the Amortes soon?She’s so tired of being cooped up.This should be a happy time of her life and yet she’s stuck in that house with no one but Papa to keep her company.She said Bartelo is so busy these days that he barely has time to stop by and see her.I need to see her, Massimo.Maybe a video call?”
“Anything you want, kitten,” he says tiredly, closing his eyes as his hand strengthens around me as though I may want to slip from his reach.
“I’m not going anywhere, Massimo.”I caress the soft hairs on his belly as his breath becomes normal and regular and he falls into a deep sleep.There has to be a way to get my sister out of that house and doing something fun.It has to be so depressing being pregnant, alone, and without even her fiancé to keep her company right now.I should be there, but that’s not possible, at least not yet.
I know that until we get the Amorte situation settled we’re going to have to remain under constant lock and key with numerous guards and soldiers, but that doesn’t make it any easier.I snuggle against my husband, the warmth and protectiveness of his arm around me making me feel safe, loved, and like our troubles will go away.I can only hope that in time they will.
But when my dreams come, Papa’s angry voice is yelling, screaming for revenge against the Rosellis for taking what doesn’t belong to them, for taking his little princess.His screaming rings in my ears over and over while Anna stands sobbing, her belly swollen with child, crying on the very steps I stood when Massimo waltzed into our home and took me away from my family.The day that Papa just let me go and didn’t fight to get me back at all.
No matter which way I turn, every direction, there’s another family who wants to kill me, scream at me for what the Cassones have done, what I’ve done to the Roselli family, to the Amorte family, and when I look to my father, all he can do is yell at me in disgust.“You’ve brought disgrace to the Cassones, my daughter the traitor!”
15
Massimo
Iget dressed quietly, letting Sophia sleep, knowing she didn’t sleep well after feeling her shift in her sleep while listening to the small pants under her breath that sure as hell weren’t sexual.I’ve seen enough fear in my life and whatever she was dreaming about last night had her rattled, fearful enough to cry in her sleep.The only audible word was Anna.
I’m more determined than ever to get this thing with the Amortes done and over with now, even if it costs more than my father wants to pay, more than I want to pay.I’ll fucking pay it to let Sophia’s life and that of her sister go back to normal.No matter the cost.
I close the door quietly and walk downstairs to the smell of eggs, Aleppo pepper, and avocado toast.“Smells great,” I tell Layna.Elsie walks by.I gesture up the stairs with my eyes.“Sophia is still sleeping.She didn’t rest well last night.Check in on her in a couple hours but let her sleep until then, please?”
