“Whose bond?” Pablo asks curiously, searching my face as I blush. “Oh. Welcome to the chaos,hermosa. It’s about damn time. The alpha blockers failed?”
“Savannah is too damn hot today,” I sigh. “How about you switch partners?”
“Verona doesn’t play fair,” Dario warns Ciro, standing.
“No remotes,” Ciro chuckles, watching as Verona shrugs sheepishly. Despite what happened earlier, all three Domino brothers are still wearing their dog collars like good little boys.
Fucking masochists.
“You’re very calm about this,” Nico says, watching as Verona and Pablo switch places. I should be a more active participant in this, but I’m lacking focus.
“You pretty much told me you were my scent match. However, you failed to mention that Ciro was too.”
The alpha in question blows me a kiss before Verona kicks him in the knot. Well, that’s what he gets for not paying attention.
“I didn’t want to put more on your plate when you were already struggling,” Nico grunts. “It could keep.”
“And now it can’t,” I grumble.
“Rosa, I can handle this. I’ll hunt you down if it’s bothering me enough, as you saw today. Also, I am going to very delicately mention that you smell delicious. Did you like our kiss?”
“Ugh, don’t sound so smug about it,” I say, rolling my eyes.
“I’m not. I need to find a bakery to buy a chocolate chip cookie, stat, though,” he says, burying his nose in my throat to breathe in deeply. “Fuck, baby. Please, tell me. It’s more than just my ego on the line.”
“I liked it,” I sigh. “I’m sure this works for your baby-making plan.”
I’m on my back so fast, it takes me a second to realize my dear husband is pinning me to the mat.
“Excuse you,” I drawl in my best ‘bless your heart’ voice. “Would you like to open your mouth, let the words fall out, and use your words, husband?”
“I want a divorce,” he growls, making me flinch as he pins my wrists over my head. He’s not hurting me, and I know I could get free if I wanted to. No, it’s the raw emotion in his words that shocks me into staying still. Nico has never physically hurt me. “Fuck the will, the contract, and everything else, Rosa. I don’t want a goddamned baby. I want you!”
I am sucking in gulps of air as he glares down at me, and the room is quieter than a church mouse on a Sunday morning.
“Nico.” Verona’s voice makes me want to break into sobs, but I hold it back. If I cry, she may kill him.
My girl is learning a lot about herself recently. I’ve watched her pull herself out of a window and help me kill a woman. There’s so much more untapped strength within her than she knows.
“You want a divorce?” I squeak out, my chest heaving.
“If it means we can put some of the awful things I’ve said and done behind us, I’ll file the goddamned paperwork tomorrow,” he grunts. “I don’twanta divorce, Rosa. However, I’ll do it if it means you’ll believe me.”
“Way to bury the lede, brother,” Dario breathes.
“I have the political skills of a bull in a china shop when I get worked up. It’s why I have to cut off my emotions when I’m working. You and Verona are important to our pack. Not because of what you offer us in money or power, but simply for who you are. The wedding was a piece of paper to bind us together. I could have it annulled if that’s what you want,” Nicosays. “Give me the chance to show you this can be real. Let me be the husband you deserve.”
“What if I’m scared?” I whisper, my eyes burning with the pain of not allowing my tears to fall.
“Then do it scared.” His teeth flash at me as he gives me a sheepish smile. “I’ve watched you take on scarier opponents than me. Fuck, I’m not even an opponent. I’m on your side, in your corner, and if I was small enough, I’d live in your pocket!”
His words pull a helpless giggle from me, and his smile grows as he sighs happily.
“You were born to smile and be happy, Rosa. Let me put the laughter back into your life, and be part of destroying the people who have the audacity to be cruel to you while carrying your family name.”
“And the money from your father’s businesses?” I ask. Romance is all well and good, but I live in the real world.
“I’ll expand my current businesses, and figure it out.”
