“Thank you. I love it.” She smiles. “So, Gabriel, what are you expecting from this marriage?”
I raise my eyebrows. “Other than the alliance?” She nods. “I don’t know. It should be pretty easy, Mutual respect and agreement. Other than that, I didn’t think about it.”
She narrows her eyes. “You didn’t? But what do you think about the marriage besides the agreement?”
“I didn’t have plans to get married, so I didn’t allow myself to think about it.”
“But you were engaged before, so I think you have thoughts about marriage.” Valentina’s green eyes shine with disbelief.
My stomach dips at the mention of my engagement. It seems like it was in some other dimension a long time ago. Somewhere betrayal and disappointment live. A place filled with hurt, lies, and secrets.
The scene is still vivid, carved deep into my memory, and I blink at the memories and focus on Valentina. “How do you know that?”
“I should know everything; we’re going to be married. Besides, I’m a fighter, my brother is a big fan of MMA, and I used to watch fights with him.”
“I see.” I relax and lean back in my seat. “Why do you fight?”
She chuckles. “I fight because I love the power it gives me. Freedom to express my emotions and frustration.”
“Why do you need to feel power?”
“Because of the world we live in.” She huffs. “Not that you would know, but being a woman in our world means not having a say in anything. We live in a patriarchy, where women are expected to be obedient and act as you wish to do what you want. If a woman is speaking her mind, she's disrespectful. If a woman wants to take control of her own life, she's too much and needs to be broken.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Aren’t you exaggerating a bit?”
“Oh, and when we say what we think, we’re exaggerating.” She shakes her head, and I imagine smoke coming from her ears at how worked up she is. I try to keep a straight face, but still, a smirk escapes me. “Something you find funny?”
My eyes meet hers. “Actually, no. The fury inside is driving you to be unapologetically you.” She bites her lower lip, observing me. I lean forward, grab her chin between my fingers, and pull down her lip with my thumb. “Nothing to say? Aren’t…”
Before I can continue, she grabs the lapels of my jacket and slams her lips on mine. It takes me a second to react, but the moment I feel her tongue against my lips, I open my mouth and deepen the kiss. I wrap my hand around her waist and pull her closer to me. The taste of her cherry lips overtakes me, and ignoring all the ringing bells in my head, I pull her onto my lap. I search the skin of her bare thighs between the slit of her dress and follow the silky skin until I reach her round ass cheeks covered with lace. Her hands grip my shoulders as she lowers herself onto my lap against my already hard cock. She breathes out a moan and grabs my lower lip between her teeth before sucking on it.
“Fuck!” I curse after she lets it go.
She smirks, and her green eyes shine with lust. My eyes never leave hers as I trace my fingers from her delicate neck down her chest bone to her breasts, where her hard nipples are peaking against the silk of the dress.
She moves her hips and grinds against my cock. My fingers under her skirt follow the lace between her legs, where I’m met with wetness. I close my eyes, cursing the alarm bells in my head that are telling me this isn't the right time to fuck her. Maybe not, but I need something. Before I change my mind, I follow the path under the lace and between the warmth of her flesh, where I insert one finger. I open my eyes to her open mouth as another moan escapes her. I pull the string of her dress down, and I’m met with perfect, perky breasts and rosebuds. I push a second finger inside her tight, hot pussy, and she shudders beneath my hand. I wrap my lips around her bud and suck on it while I keep working my fingers in and out of her. Her grip on my shoulders grows tighter, and she rides my fingers while pushing her breast in my face. I pull on her nipple and suck hard just as we hear a commotion outside the door. I look at Valentina, and she smirks. I can feel her muscles squeezing my fingers, and just as the sound outside grows louder, she rides the last of the ecstasy and comes all over my hand. Her lips open, and a loud moan escapes her as I place my lips on hers, swallowing her sounds.
Someone’s hand finds the lock from the outside of the door, and in a second, Valentina is off me and a few steps away, facing the window.
The door opens, and Nico enters. “Dinner is about to be served.” He looks from me to Valentina. “Hope you could talk and get to know each other, even if only for a bit.”
Yes, we did get to know each other. Especially my fingers and my mouth.I clear my throat. “Yes, a bit.”
He narrows his eyes. “Well, come on, then.”
“You two go; I’ll join you in a moment,” Valentina says, still facing the window.
I stand, hiding my hand behind my back, and follow her brother. When he turns his back to me, I put my fingers in my mouth and lick them, tasting her sweetness on them. Even her pussy tastes of cherries.
I smirk as I follow Nico into the dining room, where I take my seat next to Salvatore, who regards me with a questioning look.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” He smirks.
I raise my eyebrow. “What?”
“I’m afraid to even say it.” He shakes his head.
I lower myself onto the chair just as Valentina enters. My eyes follow her every move. She's composed again, and with a fresh smear of lipstick.
