“No.” She frowned. “I hate public events. I’d rather stay at home with my books and music. I also need to video-callMamma.”
I placed my hands on her shoulders, but she kept her gaze lowered.
“Are yousure? It might be fun.” We both knew it wouldn’t be. It was a political event full of Rome’s most egotistical people. It would be tedious. “I might need your help to stop Santino from killing Callum in front of a room full of cameras.”
She laughed, her hazel eyes shimmering with the same mischief Sani’s had. Buccini fire.
“You’ve got me wrong, Aria. If my brother wants to kill someone, I won’t stop him.” She held up a pair of gorgeous diamond earrings to my ears and, without meeting my gaze, said casually, “I’ll pass him the weapon and mop up the blood.”
The Beginning Of-
It was a media circus before we even left the car, camera lights flashing against the tinted glass and journalists shouting our names. I twisted my neck, slipping a finger beneath the collar of my shirt to breathe a little easier.
“Are we getting out?” Aria asked, that cute little dip between her eyebrows deepening as she frowned.
I blew out a deep breath. Tonight’s event was like any other high-society party, filled with the city’s wealthiest and most powerful faces, but my gut twisted with something unsettling. Maybe it was the first public event I’d be walking into with my wife on my arm, which made me feel vulnerable for the first time in my life. It gave my enemies a target. And just knowing she was already on their radar, whoever they were, made me want to lock her away in a tower on a remote island where no one would find her. But that would be unhinged. Even for me.
I glanced at her stunning face, which broke into a soft smile as she lifted her hand to cradle my cheek. My heart soared. Maybe I wasn’t above a remote island after all.
“You look nervous,” she said.
Did I? Fuck. I never looked nervous, but yeah… if that’s what this feeling was, I didn’t like it.
“It’s not too late to send you back. Stay with Raya and my men at the apartment. I should have come alone. That way, I could at least focus on what I’m here for. Information.”
She scoffed. “I just spent hours getting ready, and you suggest that now? I’m coming. I want to be here, by your side.”
She looked exquisite, as she always did. The black dress reminded me of the one she wore at the gala when I first told her she was mine. I’d meant it then, and proved it every day since. No one was taking her from me. They could try their fucking best, but it still wouldn’t be good enough.
I’d made sure Maximus, Camilla, and at least two of my men were on the guest list and had more surveying the premises. My Glock was hidden at the back ofmy trousers, though I hoped I wouldn’t need it. I shoved my shoulders back and grabbed her hand. “Okay. Fuck it. Let’s go.”
Tapping my knuckles on the window, Belio opened the door for us, and the noise of the paparazzi hit first. Their eager voices shouted our names. A question was directed at me about how I felt about Mayor Caruso’s crackdown on organised crime. I ignored it all, focusing on helping Aria out of the car. We gave a quick pose for the cameras, charming smiles fixed on our faces, but my eyes kept scanning the crowd, searching for anything or anyone suspicious as I kept Aria safe against my side.
Entwining our hands, we rushed into the historic building. The party was being held on the elegant rooftop bar, so we waited for the lift. The moment the metal doors locked us in alone, I breathed a sigh of relief.
I needed to get my head straight and keep my emotions out of this, but finding out about Aria’s mother was sending me into a tailspin of anxiety. I hated that I hadn't told her yet. Maybe I should have before tonight, but selfishly, I wanted to protect her heart a little longer. I needed to find out what more I could from Piero first.
Aria narrowed her eyes. “What’s going on?”
“What?”
“You’re so tense. Are you worried about what Raya said?”
I blinked at her. “Raya? What did she say?”
She rolled her eyes. “About my father setting you up? Do you think that’s a possibility tonight?”
“Anything’s possible.” I rubbed my jaw. “However, I have no choice but to trust him. Just as he has no choice but to trust me. We could both screw each other over, but I’m hoping he has more sense than that.”
Aria suddenly pressed the emergency stop button on the lift, bringing it to a halt. I frowned as she stepped between my feet, kicking them wider with her heels and pushing against my chest until I leaned back against the mirrored wall.
“This brings back memories,” I teased, smirking as I instantly grew hard.
“Is this what you need to help you relax, husband?” she husked against my lips, pressing her palm against my erection.
I groaned, letting her play for a few seconds before I wrapped my hand around the back of her neck and devoured her lips. Our tongues caressed in sensual sweeps as she rubbed up and down my length over my tuxedo trousers. When she reached to unzip me, I grabbed her wrist, spun us around, and held her arm above her head against the mirror.
Her blue eyes widened, full of heat and desire, as I gave her a sultry smile. “What I need… is to hear my wife’s pretty moans and taste what’s mine.”
