Her nails scratch the back of my neck. “I’m almost there. Spill inside me. I want to feel you.”
Gazing down into her eyes while she asks me to fill her up has me barrelling to the finish line. I thrust my hips hard,slapping against the back of her thighs, but keep my control like I did all those years ago, desperate not to hurt her. A sheen of sweat coats my skin, my entire body on fire as my orgasm sizzles through every cell.
With each rock of my hips, I spill into her, my dick pulsing as she milks my cock.
Rose arches her back with a shallow whimper on her lips. Her nails claw at my shoulders as she vibrates beneath me, her legs quivering around my hips. “D’Angelo.” Her voice is nothing but a breathy whisper fanning my cheek. But my name on her tongue as she comes undone is the best sound in the world.
I kiss her, still rocking into her as we both ride the tsunami of our release. The words I love you are on the tip of my tongue, but she’s not ready to hear them yet. I spoke those words before—they just aren’t enough to convey how I feel. There are no words in the English dictionary that can encompass what I feel for her. I’ll just have to show her.
I roll to the side, but pull her with me, our bodies locked together. Our breaths mingle as we both come down from our high. I swipe the hair from her face and we just gaze into each other’s eyes for a beat too long.
My hand trails down her spine, catching the raised welts and slashes on her skin, and I curse myself for never feeling them or noticing them before now. “Is this why you wouldn't get naked in front of me?”
She nods, hiding her face in the crook of my neck. “It’s a sure way to kill the mood. They look hideous.”
“I don't give a damn what they look like. You're always beautiful to me. My beautiful queen, who's been so strong despite everything you've been through.”
“I got so used to hiding them from Angelos, it's just become habit.”
“You never have to hide anything from me, fiore mio.” I pepper her face with fresh kisses, hoping I can reassure herwith my words, my touch, and my devotion.
“You have to go. If my brother finds you here, he’ll kill you.”
“I’m not going anywhere. I’m never leaving you or my son again.”
“But my bro?—”
“Shh.” I kiss her lips and it’s full of unspoken promises. “Tomorrow, I’m going to have a meeting with Elio. We have some business to discuss. Then we’re going to tell Angelos the truth. You’re never going to need to hide these scars again. He’ll know I’m his real dad. I’m not perfect, but I’m no monster. Then we’re going to go back to England and live a normal life and we’re gonna be fucking happy.”
“Are you still going to be my gardener?”
“Yes. I’ll be your gardener, chauffeur, chef. Whatever you need. But most importantly, I'm going to be your husband once I've taken care of business.”
“I vowed I'd never marry another man.”
“I won't force you to do anything you don’t want to, but when you're ready to marry again, I hope you choose me.”
She closes her eyes and presses a soft kiss against my lips. “I’ve never heard you speak so reasonably or rationally.”
I quirk a grin. “I can be reasonable. Just don’t choose anyone else or I’ll have to kill them.”
A smile breaks through her weary face. And she snuggles against me, her breathing soft, her heart rate soothing me, and despite everything that’s happened in the last twenty-four hours, I’ve never felt closer to her.
36
ROSE
Ichew my thumbnail raw, pacing the length of my bedroom like a caged bird. My stomach twists in knots, tighter with every breath.
Dan straightens his tie, cool and composed, like we’re just heading out to a Sunday brunch, not a showdown with my brother.
“Dark grey looks good on you,” I murmur, my eyes raking over him despite the storm inside me. “Matches your eyes.”
It’s the first time I’ve stopped pacing since I woke up this morning, and it lasts all of three seconds before the anxiety pulls me back into motion.
Dan’s hand catches my wrist mid-step, his fingers warm and steady. He tugs me closer, anchoring me to his chest. “Stop worrying. Everything will be fine.”
Fine, he says. He has no idea how volatile this could get. Has Dan forgotten what he did the last time he was here? “You have no idea how much my brother hates you,” I breathe, my chest tight.
