“You let me worry about that.”
I gnawed my lip as I studied him. “I don’t want you to hurt her, Michael. She’s still so young.”
Closing the distance between us, he placed his hands on my shoulders. “Look at me, stella.” The energy between us was palpable as I gazed into his dark eyes. “I willneverhurt you or Alexis. If you trust nothing else, please trust that.”
My pulse thrummed as I stared at him, entranced by his deep voice, even if I wouldn’t admit it. “What if I...did agree to marry you. Would you want to...be with me when I’m not ovulating? What are the terms you’re looking for?”
His eyebrows drew together. “I find that to be a strange question,” he murmured, “but let me assure you, I want to be with you as much as possible. We have so much lost time to make up for.”
I struggled to breathe, my brain fuzzy from his nearness and his sandalwood scent. It enveloped me as it had all those years ago, and I felt the insane urge to lean into him and burrow into his strong body.
“So, a marriage to produce an heir and satisfy Victor’s loyalists,” I said, contemplating the idea. “I can see the benefit for Alexis. I need to do everything I can to protect her...” I gnawed my lip, realizing I’d gone mad for even considering his proposal. “And you can be with other women when I’m not ovulating. I know you’re very fond of the redhead—”
“Katia?” he asked, lifting his eyebrows. “I didn’t realize you’d noticed. Yes, I’m very fond of her, but our romantic relationship ran its course years ago.”
My eyes narrowed as I studied him. “She’s very beautiful.”
“And very intelligent,” he said, nodding. “She runs the books for several of my clubs and other businesses.”
Jealousy curled around my spine like a snake as I struggled to tamp it down. “And the other women who work in your clubs? How are they faring?”
“The women in my clubs are treated very differently than the ones in Victor’s, Bianca. I don’t allow trafficking, and I mean to eradicate it once and for all. The women who work for me are adults who do it willingly, and I take very good care of them. Many of them are mothers and wives, and everyone in my organization respects them.”
A slow breath left my lips as my muscles slightly relaxed. “That’s good to hear, if it’s true. I always felt sorry for the girls who were made to dance in Victor’s clubs. They eventually became women who had nowhere to go, and many turned todrugs and violent men to help them. They were prisoners of their circumstances, and that always made my heart hurt for them.”
“Because you were a prisoner as well,” he said, the words more of a statement than a question, since we both knew they were true. “One day, we’ll discuss what happened the night I was supposed to meet you, but not now. We don’t have much time, and things must happen quickly before Victor’s men hurt you or Alexis.”
I pursed my lips, wondering how I’d gotten myself into this strange situation, so similar to the discussion we’d had so many years ago. “If we marry, I won’t mind if you’re with other women,” I said, the words patently untrue, but borne from my awful sexual experiences with Victor. “I won’t trap you—”
“Wait,” he interjected, squeezing my upper arms. “No, stella. I’m known for my loyalty, and I will honor my vows.Whenwe marry, I’ll be faithful to you.”
My eyes darted back and forth between his. “That’s not necessary or practical. I’m not...”
“Not what?”
“I’m not...” Drawing away from his grasp, I began to pace. “I don’t like sex, okay? I’m not...good at it, or whatever.” I circled my hand and felt my cheeks heat with embarrassment. “I can come to you when I’m ovulating, but you won’t want me to otherwise. Trust me.”
A slow rage fell over his features as a muscle ticked in his jaw. Anger burned in his eyes as he watched me pace.
“I’m sorry if that makes you angry. It’s just how it has to be.”
He closed the distance between us and took my hand, stopping me in mid-stride. Lifting my hand to his lips, he softly kissed it as I stood frozen, entranced by the feel of his lips on my skin. For a man so feared and hardened, he had surprisingly soft lips.
“That bastard never took the time to please you,” Michael said softly, latent anger in his tone. “Part of me is thrilled, because it’s less time that his disgusting hands touched you. But the other part of me is furious he made you believe this.”
Leaning closer, he brushed a tendril of hair from my forehead. “Listen to me, stella. You deserve to be loved like the magnificent woman you are, and I aim to do that every night when we’re married. There will be no other women. I only want you.” Pressing my hand to his heart, he flattened his hand over it as I felt his firm heartbeat beneath my palm. “Do you understand?”
“No,” I replied honestly, shaking my head. “I don’t understand anything. This entire conversation is insane.”
Chuckling, his lips curved into a smile, transforming his face into the most handsome one I’d ever seen. “That’s the second time you’ve accused my proposal of sounding insane. You’re going to give me a complex. I’ve only proposed twice, you know, and both times were to you.”
“Why did you never marry?” I asked softly, genuinely curious. “Surely there were many Italian mothers pushing their pretty daughters in your path.”
His smile deepened, and his eyes darkened with secrets I couldn’t discern. “That’s a discussion for another time. I need to return you to the jogging path before anyone notices your absence.”
Drawing back, he released my hand and placed his hands in the pockets of his expensive dress pants. “I need an answer after you speak to Alexis this morning. Nick will put my private number in your phone. It’s secure, so you can text me.”
“And if I say no?”
