My eyes drifted closed, my breath catching as the outside world began to blur—fade—until it didn’t exist at all.
For one suspended moment—
There was no beach.
No Dante. No hospital. No DNA test waiting in the wings.
Just him.
And me.
And something dangerously close to feeling wanted.
When he finally pulled back, the movement was slow and reluctant.
His forehead rested against mine for a brief second, our breaths mingling in the small space between us.
Then—
Just as suddenly as he had appeared—
Dante was gone.
Vincenzo released my waist, but his hand didn’t let go of mine.
His fingers stayed wrapped around mine—firm, grounding, possessive in a quieter way now.
“Don’t tell me you’re jealous,” I asked, frowning slightly as I looked up at him.
The question slipped out before I could second-guess it.
“You’re only ever jealous of someone you care about... someone you love.”
My voice softened, but the words didn’t.
“And you clearly don’t love me. So... what was all of that?”
He didn’t answer immediately.
His gaze dropped to our joined hands.
His thumb began tracing slow, absentminded circles over my knuckles—steady, almost soothing, but with an undercurrent of control that never left him.
When he finally spoke, his voice was quiet.
“He, and every other man alive, should know... you belong to me.”
My breath hitched slightly at the simplicity of it.
His thumb continued its slow path across my skin.
“Call it jealousy,” he added. “Call it possessiveness. I don’t care.”
He lifted his gaze to meet mine, something darker settling behind his eyes.
“You’re my wife. That’s final.”
Chapter 25
