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“She’s not your wife yet. I don’t want you to use her and then abandon her before the wedding.”

I stopped in my tracks and faced the man who wore his poker face poorly. Gripping him by the collar, I slammed him against the wall across from her door. “Did you just accuse me of being a fucking sick bastard?”

“No. No, I swear.” He tried to free my grip, but it was futile. I could snap his neck effortlessly. If we didn’t have an audience, I would have. Soon he’d meet his fate.

“Then explain yourself,” I gritted out, my teeth clenched.

“It’s just that I have to protect my interest,” he stammered. I slammed him against the surface again and then released my hold. Protect his interest, all right. The stupid prick thought he could get rid of me the moment Mariana and I married.

“Do you mean that I’d sneak in there and fuck her before leaving her naked body ruined and thoroughly pleased, forcing you to run from my wrath?”

“I…that’s crude.”

I snickered and lightly shook my head. “So is your belief that’s all I want with your daughter.”

“So you aren’t marrying her for sex?”

“Of course I am. Daily, but she’ll be my wife, and I’ll be taking pleasure in breeding her.” I hoped that he’d be repulsed to say that he cared an ounce about his daughter, but instead I saw the heat in his face and then instinctively looked down. “You sick fuck.” I gut checked him, sending him doubling over.

My guys ran to my side. “Boss, you need us?”

“Watch that sick fuck. I’m going to see my fiancée.” I twisted the doorknob but it didn’t budge, so I knocked. “Mariana, open up the door.”

There was no movement in the room, which I already knew. “Oh God, please don’t tell me she killed herself,” Rosetti gasped. Why did he believe she’d do that?

“Get out of my way.” I kicked the door down, pretending to be concerned. The empty room eased my heart even though I’d known she wouldn’t be in here. It was irrational, but my emotions took over.

“Where the fuck is she?” I twisted my attention to her father.

“She’s not in there?” He paled and threw himself out of my soldier’s hold. He tore apart the room looking for her, but then his eyes landed on the window’s curtains that blew in the breeze.

“Don’t lie to me, Rosetti. What did you do with her?”

“I swear I didn’t do anything.” He raised his hands and shook, trying to calm me down.

“Find her,” I barked before storming out of the room and then the church. My body heated and my soul ached to find my future bride. I called my men and then they gave me the address of where she was at.

An hour later, I entered the little dive motel. Disgust filled my nostrils. She didn’t deserve to be holed up here, and she wouldn’t be for long. Time to claim my wife. With a quick talk to the woman at the desk, I had her key and entered her room. The sound of water splashing down on the tile sent my blood pumping. Lust and fear rushed into my brain. Was she in there alone? She’d better be, or he was a dead man. No, it wasn’t possible. My men would have dealt with it for me.

The door opened, and I got my first glimpse of Mariana in a towel, smiling before her eyes focused on my enormous figure. Her mouth fell open, and fear swept across it. I was intimidating, so her reaction was expected.

Chapter Six

Mariana

“I found you, little rabbit.” The look in his eyes sent me stumbling backwards. It was dark, dangerous, and way too attractive. The man in front of me stood at six foot four, built almost as large as a fridge. His shoulders were broad, waist narrow, arms crossed as he stood in a black tux with a sleek gray vest. My eyes ran up and down his body. I told myself that it was for safety purposes, protecting my life, but the truth was far worse. The man had an instant pull, an aura that commanded attention from men and women alike.

He stood with an elegant strength that drew me in as much as it frightened me. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I lied, my voice betraying me as it shook.

“Don’t play coy with me, Mariana. I’m Giovanni Lupo, your fiancé.” Giovanni Lupo, the Don of Sin City?

“You have the wrong person. That’s not my name.” I continued the deception. This time my control hid the lie, or so I believed.

“Professional, practiced. You even lie like your family. But that won’t do.”

I released a heavy sigh. “If you despise my family so much, why bother stalking me and demanding I marry you? It seems kind of pathetic.” I finished with a brief, scoffing laugh.

He shrugged. “My disgust with your family changes nothing.” If I was being honest with myself, I preferred his hatred for my family. They revolted me, and none of them truly cared about me.