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“Good?” I ask Aurora. She nods, taking another sip. “Louis Roederer Cristal,” I elaborate. “A special reserve from my private cellar.”
“You must really be trying to impress me.” She grins at me.
“Is it working?” I shift in my seat, watching her over the rim of my glass.
“You had me at ‘I do’,” she quips, and then stops short.
“That so?” I tilt my head. “I remember things being a little different.”
“I guess that’s why we’re starting over, right?” She gnaws her lip.
“Exactly.” I set my glass down. “Shall we eat?” She glances at her plate.
“Um… oysters?”
“It is said to be the most potent aphrodisiac.” I chuckle.
“It’s not like you need…” She trails off then grins. “I hear they’re also good for semen production.”
“I guess we’ll have to fact-check that later.” I grin over my champagne glass. Aurora’s cheeks turn into a beautiful shade of pink and she licks those plump red lips.
“Can we enjoy our appetizer now? That stuff looks delicious.” She licks her lips again, seeming suddenly out of her depth.
I allow my eyes to explore her mouth and nod. We start eating, but I keep my eyes on my deceitful little wife. She playfully lifts an oyster and tips the contents into her mouth, the smooth column of her throat moving smoothly as she swallows.
“So, tell me,” I prompt. “What was it like growing up as a De Luca?”
She looks up for a moment as if she’s contemplating her response.
“Bleak,” she finally says. “I had a father and brother who didn’t care about my existence. An aunt who…,” She frowns before she trails off. I wonder what she’s going to say about her aunt, even though I know it’s just going to be one of her lies. The thought brings my focus back to my purpose.
“Your aunt…?” I press.
“Who raised me and loves me like her own,” she completes. The words are stilted. Of course they fucking are. “I shouldn’t complain. I know there are others who had it far worse.”
“So you grew up with your aunt?” I respond. She nods, tracing a fingertip around the edge of her glass.
“It was not easy, but I managed. I guess the hardest part was being the daughter of Fernando De Luca.” Her lips twist slightly. “You know how it is, I imagine? Growing up in a family like ours…”
“Yeah,” I huff, because I know exactly what she’s talking about. The suspicion, the constant threat. There’s no such thing as a regular childhood when you’re raised in the mob. For a moment, I feel a sense of kinship draw me.
Stop it, Ivanov.
“I was always treated like an outcast,” she continues. “Making friends wasn’t easy. Everyone had to pass stringent security checks – not that there were many who wanted to volunteer for the role. Parents weren’t happy with their kids hanging out with Fernando De Luca’s daughter. Later, when I was older…it got even worse. Nobody wanted me around with a band of heavies trailing me everywhere.” She shrugs wryly. “I guess I can’t really blame them.”
“You were lonely.”
“I coped.” She shrugs again, fidgeting with her hand. “I mean, not every teenage girl needs a flock of girlfriends to cruise around with.”
“What about boyfriends?” I run an eye over her. “I would assume they’d have been willing to take the risk for a beauty like you.” My teenage self would have been all over her like a rash. Then again, I was already killing in the trenches while she was in school.
“Stop it,” she giggles, setting her glass on the table. “I think you probably figured out the answer to that when you…” She looks down, her cheeks flushing. I feel my lips flicker up at the thought of my virgin bride. So reluctant, yet so ripe. I remember the thrill of being the first to plough that furrow, and it has my cock tightening just thinking about it. Taking her innocence had been so damn sweet.
Pity it hid a pitch-black heart.
“What about you?” She changes the subject abruptly. “I know you didn’t have it easy either.” She leans forward, cupping her chin in her palm as she watches me. She seems genuinely interested in knowing about me.
“You’ve probably heard the stories.” I try to shrug off the intense look she is giving me. I swear she stares at me like she can see into the dark depths of my tainted soul.
