I moved in, pressed my hands to either side of her face, and kissed her—madly, hungrily—right there in the center of the square.
She gasped, but I didn’t let her breathe. I devoured her moan, grinding my arousal against her as my tongue claimed hers. She sucked on it, twirled her own around mine with fierce, unrelenting desire.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the stares.
Wide eyes. Shocked faces. Scandalized whispers.
No one dared show affection like this in public.
I didn’t care.
Let them watch.
Let themknow.
Alina’s eyes sparkled, her cheeks flushed pink, her chest rising and falling with quickened breath. Her nipples strained beneath the silk of her gown.
“Was that the surprise?” she asked, brushing her swollen lips with the tip of her finger.
I shook my head, lips twitching into a faint smile. Without a word, I seized her hand and led her away from the square, leaving the murmurs and stares behind us.
We found a quiet café at the edge of the marketplace, hidden in the crook of a vine-covered alley. I gestured to a small outdoortable, and she obeyed—still breathless, still reeling from the kiss I’d planted on her like a brand.
The torch-lit terrace glowed with a golden warmth. Iron poles curled with delicate designs held the flames aloft, casting shadows against the cobblestone walls and blanketing everything in a rich amber hue.
Chairs and benches wrapped in thick red and blue blankets added a rustic charm to the setting. Tables were dressed in fine Italian linen, the soft fabric fluttering with the breeze. The scene was cozy, intimate, and deceptively gentle.
I ordered two glasses of Valpolicella, a velvety red from the Veneto region. It was rich with dark cherries, wild berries, and the faintest kiss of spice—one of my favorites.
As we waited, I reached across the table and stroked her hand. “You look breathtaking, as always,cara mia.”
“Thank you,” she murmured, lowering her gaze, then lifting it again through thick lashes. “Isthisthe surprise?”
I smiled. “Just wait.”
The wine arrived, deep and ruby-colored in crystal glasses. We sipped and slipped into idle, flirtatious chatter as the evening sky melted into night, stars blooming like secrets above us.
With each sip, the Valpolicella curled warm through my limbs. The alcohol’s soft buzz relaxed my body, but my mind remained razor-sharp, focused solely onher.
Her auburn hair fell like liquid fire around her face, and all I could see were those eyes—wide, luminous, glittering like constellations. Desire curled hot and fast through me.
I wanted her.
But more than that, I wanted toownher.
The thought of killing in front of her, of showing her what I was truly capable of, made my blood hum with anticipation. She would see me for what I was. A monster. A god. And she would bend beneath my will.
Other couples trickled around us, filling the space with low laughter and clinking glasses. The air buzzed with warmth and closeness, but the center of gravity belonged to us. I knew they could feel it—our tension, our heat, the magnetic force tethering us.
I slid my chair closer, circling the table like a predator drawn to prey.
Lifting her hair from the back of her neck, I leaned in and nuzzled the delicate curve of her throat. Her skin was warm and smooth, scented with jasmine and sin.
“You’re everything to me,” I whispered, lips grazing her ear. “Cara mia.”
“As are you,” Alina breathed, tilting her head back and baring her slender neck in offering. Her hand glided along my jaw, stroking the rough stubble languidly. “You please me to no end.”
“I strive to satisfy,” I murmured.
