She touches the bruising on her neck. “I’m aware of the situation.”
“Then why are you making my life so hard?”
“Because this is how it’s always going to be!” She says it so suddenly and with such passion that it surprises me. I pause, completely off guard for a moment. “All my life it’s been this way. Do this, do that, and you know what? It never helps. It’s all just an illusion. There’s no safety. There never was. The sooner you get it, the sooner we can start getting along.”
I try to process what she’s saying, but I have trouble making it fit. “I don’t know what happened to you, princess, but you’re mywife now. I’m capable of making sure nobody ever touches you again, you just have to help me do it.”
She seems bitter as she shakes her head. “You don’t get it. I’ve been here before, okay? Even when we made it through—” Her gaze goes distant like she’s remembering something. She swallows hard a couple of times, her face paling. “Look, I don’t want to talk about it anymore, okay? I’ll follow reasonable rules. I’m not an idiot. I want to avoid getting myself killed. But sleeping in your bed isn’t happening.”
I study her closely. Something bad definitely happened to her at some point in the past. I can tell she wants to bring it up but doesn’t know how. I could ask; only I don’t want to risk pushing her away by pressing too hard right now.
Instead, I decide ordering her around isn’t going to work.
Not with a woman like Fiorella.
Which is why I try something I’ve never considered before.
I get vulnerable.
“What if I said it wasn’t only about keeping you safe?” I lower my voice and move closer to the bed. She’s watching me warily now. “What if I said I want you in my bed, not just because you’d be easier to watch, but because I’m a selfish fucking bastard?”
Her lips part slightly. Her eyes widen a touch. Her fingers twitch as she brushes them across her thighs. Is she thinking about getting fucked on my desk right now? Because that’s all I have in my head anymore.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She’s breathing fast and staring.
“You know damn well that’s not true.” I stand closer. I want to touch her. Fuck, I want to brush my fingers along her skin, over the bruises on her throat, and bury my mouth with hers. I want to crush her lips, bite them, and make them bleed. Listen to her moan under my weight. Make her fucking shatter as she whispers my name. “Tell me you haven’t thought about it since it happened.”
She grips her Kindle tighter. The screen flexes, and her knuckles turn white. “Not a single time.”
“You’re lying.”
“It’s like you never touched me.”
“We both know that isn’t true. You’re marked by me. You can’t get it out of your head.” I lean in closer. “Just like I can’t.”
That’s right; she likes that, but it also scares her. Her breath’s coming faster now. Her mouth is fully open, and her eyes are wide with surprise, but she’s not pulling away. She’s not telling me to fuck off. If I reach out, I don’t think she’ll stop me. I don’t think she’ll tell me not to.
No, I think she’ll suck in a little sexy breath and slip her tongue between my teeth.
There’s a knock at the door downstairs. The bell rings a couple of times. Fiorella jumps and tries to cover her reaction by tossing her Kindle aside and getting out of bed.
“That’s probably Elisa,” she mutters, looking away from me. “She brought some of my stuff.”
“That’s good.” I don’t move as she brushes past me close enough to kiss. “I’m going to fix my bed; then I’ll help you get settled.”
“It’s fine; we can do it.”
“I know, but I want to. And when I want something—” I let that hang between us. Her cheeks are flushed, and her chest rises and falls. Fuck, she’s such a pretty thing. I’m afraid if I keep pushing, she’ll only turn and run, or maybe I’ll end up breaking her.
But I can’t help myself.
“Sometimes you just have to want.” She hurries away, leaving me alone for a moment with a smile on my face.
Stefano’s right. Marriage makes everything more complicated.
But I might actually like it.
Chapter 14
