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The corners of my lips twitch involuntarily, threatening to smile. Beside me, Don Guerra watches them as well, his emotions less guarded as his eyes light with fatherly affection.
“It must be hard raising five daughters with a last name like yours,” I observe, the statement made more out of curiosity than anything.
What a stark contrast to my father, who could pour all his ambitions into his one and only son.
“You have no idea,” he says, his voice low and rich with meaning. Then he turns to level me with a solemn gaze. “Hear me well, Leo. You now possess one of Earth’s greatest gifts. You can either cherish it as it should be cherished, or you can squander it and learn too late about the consequences.”
I bristle at the don’s bold words, and a scoff bursts from me as I stand to my full height. “Is that a threat?” From where I stand, it sure sounded like it.
Guiseppe assesses me with a calm gaze, his eyes searching my face as the silence stretches between us. “No, it’s just a fact,” he says, his tone measured. Then he tips his chin in the direction of the dance floor. “Perhaps you ought to spend more time dancing with your new bride.”
In a flash, the exchange between us feels like a different game entirely. This is a power play meant to destabilize me. My temper flashes white-hot, and I bite down on the words that threaten to spring from my mouth without proper consideration.
“Thanks for the advice,” I state, downing the rest of my whiskey in one go. Then I set my tumbler on the bartop and stalk away, heading for the exit.
12
TIA
My feet ache from dancing in my heels, and my carefully styled hair falls loosely around my face by the time the night is over, and Leo and I depart. We aren’t going far—just to Leo’s suite, where he took me the first night I met him.
Though I haven’t had a drink, I stumble as I walk, my soles aching and blistered as I danced to my heart’s content, determined to enjoy one last night of fun with my sisters. The wedding went off without a hitch. It was a grand affair, and despite the circumstances, I ended up enjoying the reception immensely. In part because I hardly saw Leo after our first dance.
But now, as he leads me down the hallway to our new shared living accommodations, I’m faced with the fact that it’s what comes after the party that I fear.
I haven’t been with anyone except Leo. After the way he made me feel so good before utterly destroying me, I’m terrified of what he might have in store for me tonight. Still, I hope I might have the opportunity to enjoy myself, even if it’s only a little.
Because the one saving grace going into this marriage is that I know I’m attracted to Leo—and that he’s very good in bed. It doesn’t matter that he also makes my heart ache, and my skin burn with fiery rage.
Today proved as much. Despite how much I hate him, my body still craves his touch.
Not to mention, the survival of my family rests on my shoulders. This alliance is only as real as the marriage we’ve entered into. So I need to make this work—at least until I find a way to crush Leo and bring down the Moretti family once and for all.
“This is us,” Leo says, leaning his back against the heavy wood door to his room. His hand twists the doorknob, and he steps back to welcome me inside.
I can smell the lingering scent of whiskey on the air behind him, and I suspect he’s had a decent amount to drink. But he’s as dexterous as ever, his strides confident and measured as he stalks into the room and starts to undress.
Closing the door behind us, I watch him for several moments, unsure of what to expect.
My heart slowly calms from its frantic beat as I realize he doesn’t intend to pounce on me now that we’re alone. In truth, I had no idea what to expect walking into tonight.
Now that I’m his, he could do anything.
And after the electric feel of his touch during the wedding ceremony, I thought he just might demand I fulfill his conjugal rights. But right now, he seems more inclined to get ready for bed as he undoes his bowtie with deft fingers before he shrugs out of his black tux.
I’m tempted to follow his lead and pretend like he’s not there while I take off the confining white casing that’s made it challenging to breathe for more hours than I can account for at this point. But if I’m going to win over my new husband and get close enough to learn his secrets, I can’t fall prey to the temptation of keeping my distance.
“Do you mind?” I breathe, turning my back to him to expose the satin buttons running down my spine. They’re low enough, I’m sure I could undo them myself without too much trouble. But this gives him an excuse to touch me.
Leo pauses, his green-gray eyes flashing to my face momentarily. Then he turns his attention to the buttons of my dress as he makes swift work of them.
“Thank you,” I murmur, peering at him over my shoulder as I look up through my lashes.
He simply grunts, returning his attention to undressing himself.
Positioning myself so I’m well within Leo’s line of sight, I reach behind my back to drag the zipper of my dress down in what I can only hope is a seductive motion. Once again, his gaze flashes in my direction, and a slight scowl buckles his brows.
With a sigh of relief, I let my wedding dress fall to the ground, pooling around my feet as I shed twenty pounds in an instant. Mother insisted it was the perfect dress for the occasion, but I’ve never felt such immense relief as I do to be rid of the confining fashion.
