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I kissed the top of her head. “I want to marry you, Drea.”
She peeked up at me, burning a hole through me with those bright blue irises. “Because you need to marry or because you want to make me you wife?”
“Because I don’t want to spend another day without you by my side.”
Alex smiled so wide it illuminated her face. “You have your moments, Luca.”
“Don’t get used to this,” I shot back with a smirk. “I’m still an asshole.”
“An asshole in love,” she corrected.
I threaded my fingers through her hair, gripping her curls. “People like me don’t change overnight. But I will try to do right by you. I promise not to keep anymore secrets.”
Alex kissed my cheek. “That’s all I ever wanted from you.”
Luca
A few days later, everything was falling into place. I told Alex I loved her and the world didn’t burn down. She didn’t run away or spit in my face. In fact, she was more affectionate toward me than ever. And I knew what I had to do before she changed her mind about me.
I left Alex in my mother’s studio, so she could work on the paintings for her exhibition at Tate Modern. She had one month until the show, which meant I had little time to handle my enemies. And with my mother’s upcoming twentieth anniversary showcase, Alex needed to spend more time on her art.
The Albanians would be coming any day along with anyone interested in claiming the bounty on her head. It was only a matter of time before they tried to penetrate my fortress on the sea. Since the last kidnapping, I tripled the guards around the perimeter. I even had Drake setup an alert system to monitor any unusual activity by land, air, and sea.
My father had put up more gates with more guards to block people from entering Devil’s Creek. It was impossible to reach Founders Way by car or foot without special authorization from my father or me. But the type of men we did business with had their ways. They would find a loophole to draw us out of hiding, so I had to be on my toes.
No one would take Alex again.
I entered the vault hidden beneath my estate and stood in the center of the room, admiring all of the precious gems and collectibles my family had either bought, stolen, or won over the years. We had everything from “unrecovered” works of art to jewelry worn by royals. But I was here for one specific piece.
My mother’s engagement ring.
The first time we’d gotten engaged, it wasn’t a romantic proposal. I didn’t even get down on one knee. Alex deserved better, and now that I had a second chance with her, I was never going to let her slip from my grasp again.
Alex Wellington was mine.
My cell phone dinged with a new message. A group chat from Drake that included all of The Devil’s Knights who lived in the area.
Drake: Our queen is on the Il Circo auction page.
He included a link and the images the assholes had posted of Alex naked. Flames burned beneath my skin like I was a fucking dragon about to spit fire. Rage bubbled up inside my chest, squeezing my heart. I knew they would eventually succeed, despite our best attempts to keep her off that fucking site. Even with intervention from our Sicilian friends that were expected any day, we couldn’t stop it.
Luca: Then get her the fuck off it, Battle!
Drake: Easier said than done. I’m working on it.
Sonny: Our queen looks fuck-hot. Bet all those sleazy motherfuckers will pay up just to get a look at her.
Luca: Call my girl fuck-hot again, and I’ll slit your throat.
Sonny: Calm down, psycho.
Marcello: This isn’t the time for jokes, Son.
Finn: Idiot.
Callum: She does look hot, tho. Just sayin.
Cole: 7 years, bro. Damn. How did you last that long?
Luca: I’m glad all of you are taking this seriously. Go fuck yourselves. I’ll find another way to get her off that site.
I tapped the three dots in the corner of the screen, clenching my jaw so hard it felt like it would crack in half.
Luca Salvatore has left the chat flashed on the screen.
My cell phone rang. I expected it to be Marcello or even Drake, but it was my father.
I raised the phone to my ear. “I assume you’ve heard about Alex.”
“Yes. We need to move the wedding forward.”
I stuffed the jewelry box into my pocket. “I have mom’s ring.”
“Good,” he breathed into the receiver. “The Basiles just arrived. I’ve arranged for Domenica to come over tonight for a dress fitting.”
“Alex will hate that.”
“Alexandrea doesn’t have a choice. She chose you. Now we need to move forward with our plans.”
“Dad, she’s for sale at Il Circo. Can’t the dress fitting wait until we get the site taken down?”
