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And just like that, desire heats up in me yet again. A throbbing between my legs tells me that my body is very much in favor of that idea. His nostrils flare, and his eyes ring with silver. “You like that, yes?”

I hook a leg over his hips, rub myself against him. “Uh, yes.”

He kisses me, his tongue dancing fire against mine, his cock immediately stiffening. He rolls me back onto the mattress, pins me down by my arms. Things are just starting to get even more interesting when his phone rings. Then my phone rings. Then we hear the front door open and bang closed, followed by footsteps on the stairs.

“I don’t care what she says,” Aidan’s voice drifts through. “I’m in charge, not Yvonne!”

Moonface barks, and Matteo replies, “Don’t think anybody’s told her that, pal.”

Minnie’s sweet tones float in the background, not quite clear enough to make out the individual words, and I hear Pietro down there too.

“Fuck,” Luca groans, pushing himself off me and growling in frustration. “How long did that last? An hour?”

I laugh and pick up my phone. Donna, telling me there must have been some kind of miscommunication because we weren’t at the emergency meeting that we’d called. She follows up with some suggestive emojis that imply she knows exactly what we’ve been up to.

There’s a knock on the door, and Luca sits on the edge of the bed and shakes his head. “Fuck off!” he bellows.

“Sorry, boss,” Matteo replies. “But Aidan and Yvonne are going to either kill each other or fuck each other or both. Minnie says you need to practice your deep breathing. Pietro says he needs access to the new computer system. Donna’s got ice cream. And, uh⁠—”

“Mommy and Daddy are busy,” I shout. “Why don’t you guys give us five minutes’ peace?”

A pause. A snigger from Matteo. “Sure thing.”

I lay a hand on Luca’s shoulder, enjoying the firm muscle beneath my touch.

“We’ll definitely get our own place,” I say, sighing. “And we don’t tell any of them!”

Luca takes my hand, lifts it to his mouth. Kisses my palm in a way that makes me go weak.

“Yeah, we will, cara mia. With the best goddamn sex dungeon the world has ever seen …”

Epilogue

Rosa

Afew weeks later, we finally manage to clear some time to make our first trip to Italy together. Officially, at least.

We flew into Milan on a private jet, rowed across that beautiful lake with its magical mist, and now we’re here, with the Lombardis.

The dog is happy to see us, as is Bruno. Veronica? I’m not entirely sure. She stares at me for a moment, as though still weighing up how she feels. Then she simply nods. “Thank you,” she says. “You kept your word. It does not bring her back, but it is something.”

She turns and leaves, Stella on her heels. Aaah. I feel all warm and fuzzy inside now.

I see Bruno, who watches her going with a sad look in his eyes. I hope she will get better. I hope she rebuilds. But that, as with many things, is out of my control.

“Are you ready?” I ask Luca. He nods, firmly, but I can see he’s tense.

“For what?” Bruno asks, confused. Fuck. Here we go again.

“For us to go downstairs, into your library, and look at the Bargain.”

He frowns, shakes his head in bewilderment. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Rosa.”

“Yeah. I know. Come on. I know where it is.”

We traipse down the stairs, and I go to the cabinet where he keeps it. I know its tricks by now, but even I feel a reluctance to pull that drawer open. I’d much rather read one of those fascinating books on the shelves. My eyes wander. That one about the genealogy of the Egyptian witch goddesses looks especially interesting …

No! I snap back. Open the drawer. Lay the damn document out on the table. Bruno stares at it and grimaces. “It almost got me again, didn’t it?”