His eyes searching mine. “Because I meant what I said. I can’t keep you here if you don’t want to stay.”
The honesty in his tone stirs something deep inside me. I look away, my gaze falling to the floor. “What if I want to stay?”
His hand cups my chin, tilting my face back up to meet his. The intensity in his eyes is staggering, a storm of emotions swirling within them. “If you stay, you’re mine. Completely.”
A shiver runs through me at the possessiveness in his voice, but it’s not fear that grips me—it’s desire.
“I don’t know how to be anything else,” I admit, my voice cracking under the weight of my confession.
His thumb brushes over my lower lip, and his expression softens, just enough to see the man behind the mafia boss. “Then don’t try. You were born for this, Amelia. For me.”
I close my eyes, letting his words wash over me. The part of me that used to fight him, that hated him for taking everything from me, has quieted. In its place is something darker, something just as obsessive and consuming as his need for control.
When I open my eyes, the decision is clear. “I’m staying.”
The tension in his shoulders eases, and for a moment, I see relief flicker across his face. But it’s gone as quickly as it came, replaced by the fierce determination that defines him.
“You won’t regret it,” he says, his hands sliding to my waist, pulling me against him.
“I might,” I whisper, but there’s no conviction in my words. His lips crash into mine, the kiss searing and demanding. We are two souls that have no business being together but fit perfectly nonetheless. When he finally pulls away, his forehead rests against mine, his breath warm against my skin.
“I’ll destroy anyone who tries to take you from me.”
I don’t flinch at his words. Instead, I find myself nodding, the darkness in his promise mirrored in my own heart.
“I’ll let you.” I reply, my voice steady and full of conviction.
His lips curve into a wicked smile, and he brushes a strand of hair from my face. “Good. Because we have work to do, my queen.”
The words settle between us, heavy with meaning. There was a time when being called that would have felt like a death sentence. Now, it feels like something else entirely. A coronation. Matteo steps closer, his warmth seeping into me. His smile is intoxicating.
“You know what this means, don’t you?”
I nod, my fingers curling into his shirt. “We build this together. We grow together.”
A flicker of something raw and almost vulnerable flashes across his face, but it’s gone in an instant, replaced by the intensity I’ve come to crave. The need to have him is building inside of me every second, I look into his eyes and shiver as his hands frame my face, his thumbs brushing over my cheeks as he studies me. My heart is racing when he looks into my eyes deeply.
“Say it,” he murmurs.
“Say what?” I look as he smiles and kisses my cheeks gently.
“Don’t test my patience. You know what I’m asking.” he huffs with a low growl.
“I love you, Matteo.” The moment the words leave my lips, his entire body stills. Do I truly mean that, do I really love him.
Have I learned to love him after all of the crap we have been through? For a second, I think he stopped breathing. Then, his grip tightens, his forehead pressing against mine.
“Again,” he demands, his voice hoarse and stern.
“I love you.” I try to make my voice sound convincing so I can see his reaction.
His lips crash against mine, not in desperation, but in absolute possession. As if he’s claiming the words, branding them into his skin. I feel it in the way he holds me, in the way his touch lingers, a lot softer now.
When he pulls back, his eyes burn into mine. “I love you too,cara mia.”
His words are a vow, unshakable, undeniable. Matteo didn’t just take me, he consumed me. I wanted to leave at the beginning. But now I feel at home. Yes, he is possessive and loves to crowd me but I know it’s about safety now. I mainly escape to the garden and watch the birds or plant some flowers. I even started planting some vegetables in a small plot near the back corner.
Matteo’s hands anchor me against him like a promise—no, like a threat. His breath is warm against my temple, his eyes shining with lust and power. When he finally speaks, his voice is velvet laced with steel.
