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I can’t resist leaning forward and pulling her lip between my teeth, and nipping it playfully. She gasps, and I sooth the sting with my tongue. “I’m going to do that every time you pout.” She rolls her eyes at me, but I can see the smile she’s trying to hide. I give her another quick kiss, unable to resist the taste of her mouth, and stand, lifting us both. “Now, we need to shower and get some sleep because tomorrow is going to be a very busy day.”
“Don’t you mean today,” she laughs as she steps under the spray, turning her face up to it.
I watch her for a moment, a deep satisfaction sliding into my gut at seeing her here, like this, and knowing that she’s mine.
“Yes, I suppose,” I finally say as I step up behind her, unable to stay away from her for too long. She gives me a knowing look over her shoulder, before setting to work on washing up. I follow suit, though by the time we’re done, I’m fucking hard as stone again. And my sweet little mouse knows it from the coy looks she keeps sending my way. But as much as I want to take her again, I know I need sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day.
So I climb out of the shower and dry off, and then pull on the pants I discarded seeing as I don’t have any spare clothes in here. I patiently wait while Gia pulls on some pajamas that she finds left behind in the nearly empty closet, before I move to the back wall and open up the other passageway entrance that was installed in here. She stares at the opening, and then turns her glare to me. I can’t help the sly grin on my face. “Am I going to have to start looking at every damn wall in this place?” she asks me in exasperation. “How many of those are hiding around here?”
I make a mental note to give her access to the doors throughout the house, save a few that I don’t want her near. “Enough,” I reply as I pull her inside, letting the door shut silently behind us. “I’ll show you where they are at some point, but after our guests leave.” I definitely don’t want any of those nosy bastards finding their way in here.
“Uh huh,” is the only reply I get. Clearly she doesn’t believe me, but I don’t care right now. Once we reach my bedroom, I shut the door quietly behind me before we head into the bathroom. “I need to dry my hair,” she says. “Or it really will be a rat’s nest come morning.”
“I’ll leave you be,” I say with a smile as I kiss the top of her head. She moves towards the vanity and I add, “I’m going to meet with Dante. I’ll be back shortly.” She nods and then I head to the closet to change and message Dante to bring the car around.
When I make my way down to the side exit, I find Dante and Alessio both standing there. I don’t bother to hide my displeasure at the sight of Alessio, and by the knowing grin on his face, he’s perfectly aware. “Felt like I should tag along,” Alessio says lightly as I walk past him without a word. Guest and ally or not, I have half a mind to throat punch him for trying to tell Gia she could leave me, but I manage to keep myself from doing anything too stupid.
I hear steps fall in behind me and when I look over my shoulder my scowl deepens when I see Lazaro following us. He gives me an easy smile and says, “Wherever he goes I go,” with a nod toward Alessio. “So, guess it’s going to be a full car.”
“Jesus Christ,” I mutter, giving Dante a look that lets him know how I feel about these additions. His lips quirk slightly before he hides it, and leads us to the waiting SUV.
Alessio climbs in the back with me, while Lazaro climbs in front with Dante. “So where are we going exactly?” Lazaro asks conversationally.
No one answers him. Instead, Alessio glances at me sideways and says, “So you convinced her to marry you, huh? I’m man enough to know when I’m beaten, so I’ll congratulate you while also having the satisfaction of knowing it wouldn’t be happening without a little push from me in your direction.”
This motherfucker is seriously testing my patience. I hear Lazaro snort in the front, and I see Dante studiously avoiding me. The bastard is probably laughing and will make some stupid comment about it later. “I’m starting to rethink this alliance,” I say coldly, giving Alessio a dark look.
Alessio isn’t the least perturbed by my rude statement. “Ah, but we both know you’ll love having us around once you get to know us better. Besides, something tells me you’re going to need all the help you can get with that one, and with Sofia’s influence, you’re going to be pulling your hair out within a month once those two put their heads together.”
“She is a terrible influence,” Lazaro agrees with a chuckle. “The things she used to get up to almost made our father gray before his time.”
“I probably have a few from her too,” Alessio says drily. He looks at me slyly. “So I hope you’re not attached to those dark locks of yours, because they’ll be changing color soon enough.”
“Like I give a fuck,” I say drily. God, do these assholes ever shut up?
“Eh, it’s fine. I’ve decided we need to be friends,” Alessio continues, clearly uncaring that I don’t want to talk to him. Though that last statement makes me look at him like he’s lost his damn mind, because clearly he has. Friends? I don’t have friends, and I don’t need them. Especially not the man who tried to take Gia away from me. Alessio grins and then laughs. “What? You too good for friends?” he taunts.
“You Sicilian lot are fucking nuts,” I reply calmly. “And I don’t need fucking friends. I need allies.”
Alessio waves that away. “Of course, and now you got it. But you seem tense, so you and I are going to have to work on that. The brothers all offered to help with that too, so I’m sure before you leave, we’ll have you eased up in no time.”
“Jesus fuck,” I sigh, rubbing my eyes. “I’m too fucking tired to deal with your stupid ass right now. Seeing as you arrived in the middle of the fucking night.”
“Jet lag,” he says with a shrug.
“Maybe I should put your asses up in a hotel.”
“Waste of money, and we both know you’ll want us close when shit goes down. So sounds to me like you’re going to have to get used to us.” He grins wickedly. “And this will give me a chance to spend some time with Sofia and get to know your lovely soon to be bride a little more.”
At the mention of Gia I snarl at him, “Touch her, and I will lock you in the dungeon for the rest of your stay and make sure you return home missing a few limbs.”
“Damn, is he always this touchy?” Lazaro asks Dante drily. “You need to let him out of the house more. Shake off some of the doom and gloom.”
“Don’t worry, Nico, I’m not going to try and take your woman, you’re safe,” Alessio says with a taunting smile. “Lucky for you, she’s completely taken with you, and I’m not one to poach. So you can tone down the jealous boyfriend routine. And you wouldn’t be taking me down without a fight, and I have more people on my side.” He finishes that with a lethal smile, probably thinking that he can intimidate me, but instead I ignore him.
Dante pulls up in front of our destination, and we all climb out without a word. As we walk into the jewelry store, I ignore the knowing grins on Alessio and Lazaro’s faces. I’m done listening to their shit.
“Ah, Mr. Armani,” the owner of the store says warmly as I walk up to him. Considering he probably only opened up for me, but still looks dressed and ready for the day, means that he realizes the importance of me being here. “Welcome. I understand we are looking for some pieces?”
