AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She looks down at our joined hands and nods.
“I didn’t mean to snap at you. I’m anxious too.”
“Do you think something’s happened to your family?”
“I have no idea. But I don’t like that I’ve sucked you into this.Usjust got really real.”
“What does that mean? Do you not want to be with me now?”
“No. It means I’m fucking selfish as shit because all I want is to be with you. It means that I’m ready to climb out of my skin not knowing if you’re in danger because of me. It means I’m not letting you out of my fucking sight until we’re at my uncle and aunt’s with fifteen armed guards patrolling the property.”
“Look at me.”
I turn my head, and her fingertips rest on my jaw.
“I do not freak out until there is a reason to. I’m scared, but I’m not going anywhere you don’t tell me to. I’m going to listen to what you and your family say, and I’m going to follow the instructions. You are going to do whatever it is you have to do. Then we are going to climb into bed, and you’re going to hold me until we both fall asleep. Whether that’s tonight, tomorrow night, or in nine days. If this has anything to do with me, then tell me what you can. If it doesn’t, then I won’t ask questions. But if this is about me, don’t fucking push me away. You will discover very early in this relationship just how stubborn I truly am. Then you’ll have no choice but to call Laura because you won’t know what the fuck just hit you.”
I love her.
The look in her eyes is one I recognize. Every Mafia daughter grows into it. I’ve seen hints of it in Olivia and Sinead, but Maria and Serafina have had it for far too long. My mother and aunts have it, just like my grandmothers did. It’s a resolve that is utterly unwavering. It’s a mind that can compartmentalize. And it’s a heart that can weather whatever hurricane is about to blow through and still love anyway. I am marrying this woman.
The hand that was on her shoulder fists her hair as the other comes to rest heavily on her throat. We stare into each other’s eyes, and something passes between us. I think it’s an understanding that it’s us against the world. That we’re about to be tested, and we will pass together. I glance down at her lips, and she opens them.
“When we climb into that bed, it won’t be to sleep.”
“Promise, Daddy?”
“My sweetpiccolina, you can take that to the bank.”
“When this is over, will you take me to your club?”
I didn’t expect that.
“Um — Are you sure that’s—”
“I won’t know until I go. Are you uncomfortable because I’m likely to see who you’ve fucked?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
“What?”
“I won.”
She grins, and my hand tightens around her throat. It’s not tight. I don’t want to scare her.
“Competitive?”
“And fucking possessive. I don’t give a shit who you fucked in the past. I don’t love the idea of you being around naked women who want to fuck you. But let the women from before see just who took you off the market. Let them know that you’re training me to be exactly what you want.”
“I’m not training you, Chellie. You’re not my sub. We explore what we like together. I never want our sex to be something I dotoyou. I never want you to just take it.”
“That’s not what I meant. I guess that was a little sex talk tossed in there. But I’m serious that I can live with meeting those women. I know I’ll be jealous, but I can handle that because I know you aren’t going back to them. If you didn’t want me for keeps, I wouldn’t be in this car with you.”
No truer words have been spoken. She wouldn’t have been at my place if I wasn’t serious, and if she had been, I would have sent her home with Luigi and driven myself to this meeting.
“Is there anything specific that intrigues you,piccolina?”
