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“I’ve been dying to get you alone for an hour.” He’s already backing me against a table. “You look absolutely devastating tonight. And now you’re officially mine. Do you know what that does to me?”
His mouth crashes into mine. The kiss is a formal claim, one I gladly welcome. His teeth graze my lower lip, and I gasp as his tongue sweeps in, hot and demanding. One hand fists my hair, and the other hikes my dress up my thighs. He’s stiff against my hip, and I arch into him, needing more.
I clutch his shoulder and dig my nails in. “We’re at our own engagement party. We should be present.”
“Shh.” His fingers slip under my dress, find the damp heat between my legs, and press where I ache. I bury my face into his uninjured shoulder and bite down to keep from crying out. When his thumb circles my clit through my lace panties, my knees wobble.
“There you are.” He kisses down to my throat, his voice both smug and pleading. “You’re mine.”
A voice slices through the haze. “Marco? Nonna’s looking for you. A new guest is asking for the happy couple!”
We freeze, his fingers going still against my panties. Izzy’s footsteps echo down the hall as she glides away.
“Merda.” He grins, a dark and unrepentant glint in his eyes as he pulls me close. “We’ll finish this later.”
I ignore the hot flush of disappointment coursing through me and nod. We put ourselves back together as best we can and slip back into the party, where I catch Sophia’s knowing smile and Izzy’s raised eyebrow as Marco tugs me through the crowd in search of Nonna.
She sees us first and waves us over. She’s standing at the bar with Viktor Volkov, who has a glass in his hand and his pale eyes locked on me. The evening crystalizes to ice as the man lifts that glass in a mock toast. Marco’s hand finds mine.
“He’s here.”
I heave out a breath. “What’s he doing here?”
“Probably sending a message.” Marco’s voice is flat and controlled. “He needs to see for himself that our engagement is truly happening.”
Viktor approaches, striding through the crowd with the casual confidence of a man who’s aware he’s untouchable. When he reaches us, his smile contains no warmth.
“Marco. Dr. Romano.” His gaze drops to the ring on my finger, and the corner of his mouth curves in a smirk. “Congratulations on your engagement. The Benedetti family is…fortunate to have such a dedicated healer among them.”
“What do you want, Viktor?” Marco’s voice could cut glass.
“Merely to pay my respects.” Viktor’s cold smile doesn’t waver. “Oh, and one more thing. I’d like to deliver a message from Bruno Caruso.”
My hand squeezes Marco’s until my knuckles ache.
Viktor leans in, his voice dropping to barely above a whisper. “He says hello to his favorite student and to the doctor whose brother asked too many questions.” He eases back and adjusts his cuffs. “He’s looking forward to reconnecting soon.”
The crowd swallows him before either of us can respond.
I go rigid. The weight of the ring has transformed into more of a shackle than a promise.
Bruno is coming.
Marco draws me against his chest, his strong heartbeat thudding in my ear. “He can’t touch you.”
Later that night, after the guests have gone and the villa has settled into silence, I curl against Marco’s chest in bed. As his arms cradle me, Viktor’s threat swirls around my head. My stomach growls—I barely ate at the party—and my hand rests idly on my stomach.
I want to stay awake, keep vigil, and hold my fear at arm’s length. But his heat and the steady heartbeat drag me under. The last sensation before sleep claims me is of his arms tightening around me, as if he has no intention of ever letting go.
Chapter 18
Marco
Reports from our foot soldiers fill the next hour, and all the while, the memory of Lucia’s body against mine lingers beneath my skin like heat trapped in stone.
Nico walks in at a quarter to seven in the morning with a rigid jaw, avoiding my eyes as he holds his tablet out to me gingerly, like it’s rigged with explosives.
The words on the screen blur and sharpen until the only line I can focus on is the bottom one. The summation of every fear I’ve been too afraid to vocalize.
