“Why?”
“When I decided that I wanted you, it was unconventional.”
“How?”
“I will tell you later.”
I rolled my eyes. “This isn’t right. I said no fucking lies or secrets.”
“You did, just give me some time.”
The chains dropped from his hand.
He put his attention to his ankles and unlocked each, one by one. “There are many things I need to explain to you.”
“And you will?”
“I will, but not tonight.”
Once he was free, he yanked up his pants and zipped them up.
A minute later, we were heading back to our suite.
The guards did their best to avoid gazing our way. I wondered what could have been going on in their heads.
Soon we were safely back in our suite and in our bed, Gianni pulled me close to him and stroked the side of my face tenderly, as if trying to reassure himself that I was indeed real.
My mind churned with questions, but now wasn't the time for more answers.
I was beyond exhausted, and he was an enigma wrapped in a mystery—a puzzle that I needed to solve.
Piece by piece.
Day by day.
But I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt, for now.
“Princess,” he murmured, and his breath was warm against my ear. “I know this is hard for you and I hate myself for putting you through this at all—the arranged wedding, the darkness when it comes to certain truths—”
“But you don’t regret it?”
“How could I, when. . .all of that got you in my arms?” His sincerity took me by surprise.
Even though I knew damn well that he had done unimaginably atrocious things, there was a humanity in his words that disarmed me.
“Gianni,” I whispered, looking into those wicked green eyes. “If you want me totrulytrust you, there can be no secrets.”
“Soon you’ll know everything.”
“Then,thatis the moment I will trust you.”
“Give me a few days.”
“No. I want to know tomorrow.”
He frowned, clearly not liking that answer. “Tomorrow will be a long day.”
“Why?”
