I tip my face up to his. “Dom insisted on birth control. We were only married a few weeks when he told me he didn’t want any more children. He has his heir.” My lip curls, and I’m aware I’m probably saying too much, but I don’t think there’s much harm in telling Fiero this.
“He said he was over raising kids. Cesco was thirteen when I moved in, and he’d just initiated. He was largely independent. The girls were younger and needed more care and attention. They were confused and hurting and missing their mama. I tried to be there for them, but I wasn’t who they wanted. Dom would shout at them and tell them they were too soft when they cried for Marguerite. Then one day, their grandmother showed up and took them away, and I never saw them again. That was five years ago.”
“He made out you didn’t want them or couldn’t cope, but I knew it was a lie.”
“They are sweet girls, and I already loved them. They were the reason I got up out of bed each morning. If it hadn’t been for them, I think I would’ve thrown myself off the roof of the house that firstyear.”
“Will you tell me?” Sincerity bleeds from his eyes, and I want to confide in him.
“It’s not a pleasant story.”
“I already know that.”
I nod just as Ana hollers that dinner is ready.
“Rain check.” Fiero lifts me off his lap and onto the bed. “Stay put.” He dashes into the bathroom, returning a few seconds later with a warm cloth he uses to clean between my legs. Then he pats me dry with a small hand towel before planting a tender kiss on my lips. “Wear a pretty dress. We’ll eat outside.”
We head into the closet together, and I remove a white silk and lace bra and panties set from the drawer. It’s pretty and the material feels so soft to the touch. I’ve never had any lingerie that wasn’t basic or cheap, so this is a major thrill. Fiero’s eyes are out on stalks as he watches me put them on.
“Fuck.” He adjusts himself in his boxers as his heated gaze rakes over me. “I need you again. If it wasn’t rude to let Ana’s dinner go cold, I’d push you up against the wall and impale you on my cock.” He prowls toward me, and I’m rooted to the spot, incapable of moving. “You’re so sexy.” He kisses me ravenously as his hands mold to my curves, and if he doesn’t stop, I’ll have to change underwear already.
He pulls back, rubbing at his face. “Damn, I’m insatiable for you.” I flush all over, and a full smile spreads over his mouth. “You look good enough to eat, baby, but you’ve got to cover up before I pin you to my bed and never let you out of the room.”
Doesn’t sound too bad to me.
I blow him a flirty kiss as I pluck a pretty pink summer dress off a hanger and slide it over my head. The straps are wide enough to cover my bra straps, and it has a fitted top that only shows a hint of cleavage before it falls gently to my knees. It’s soft to the touch, feminine, and pretty, and I feel like a million dollars in it. After slipping my feet into a pair of nude wedges, I spritz some of my new, expensive perfume, dabbing it at my wrists and both sides of my neck.
Fiero hasn’t taken his eyes off me, and he’s still standing in hisboxers, sporting a massive bulge, when I turn to face him. The goofiest smile slides over my lips. “I thought we didn’t want to waste dinner?”
“You’re so beautiful, kitten. You steal all the air from my lungs.”
Warmth mushrooms in my chest, and I’m practically floating on a cloud as I traipse into the bathroom to fix my hair and apply a little makeup. Butterflies turn loops in my stomach, and this heady rush is entirely new. I suspect I know what it means, and it’s dangerous in the extreme, but right now, I don’t care. Fiero Maltese is slowly bringing me back to life, and there isn’t a single bone in my body that regrets it.
19
FIERO
Ican’t stop looking at her. It’s like an addiction. Everything she does seduces me, ensnares me, mesmerizes me. A girlish giggle filters into the nighttime air as she smiles at me. Her gorgeous face is flushed with color, her eyes bright and alive, her smile warm and genuine. It’s a far cry from earlier. “Stop staring at me and eat!” She jabs her fork in my direction. “This salmon is so good, and you’re letting it go cold.”
“It seems I’m only hungry for one thing.” Snatching her free hand, I bring it to my mouth.
“You need to eat, old man. How else will you have the stamina for me?” she teases, and I lightly graze my teeth across her knuckles.
“Brave, kitten. Very brave.” I’m beginning to think she’s sassing me on purpose so I’ll fuck her. She seems equally as obsessed with me, at least in the moments where she’s not lost in her head and fighting whatever demons plague her. Valentina is keeping a lot of secrets. That much I know for sure now.
“I’ll make you a deal.”
Her glare is instant, and I burst out laughing. I sling my arm around her shoulders and press a kiss to her delicate cheek. “Come on, baby, you know it’s our thing now.”
“It better not be.”
“I’ll eat if you tell me how you came to marry Dom.”
She pushes her half-eaten plate away. “Way to ruin my appetite.”
I scowl. I’m not the only one who needs to eat. With the things I have planned for her, she’ll need every ounce of energy. “Let’s finish dinner, and we can talk after.”
Her chest heaves up and down. I lean in and kiss her. “Eat, baby. You need to eat too.”
