Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 34295 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 171(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34295 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 171(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
I growl, my dick raging to life. Fuck. Even now, I want in her. Especially now. I'm a possessive, jealous asshole. Part of me is still furious that her father and Marcello tried to take her from me to give her to another man. Part of me wants to hunt Andrea Maceo down and kill him slowly. The only reason he's still breathing is because Marcello swore he had no knowledge of Emilio's decision.
Emilio has been borrowing money from Alessandro Maceo against the marriage contract for years, trying to keep himself afloat until Callandria and Andrea wed. He's in deep. Far deeper than the bastard can afford. It's a problem.
I groan and regretfully roll off of Callandria, pulling her up against my side.
"You stopped," she says, pouting.
"Only for a little while, bella." I smile, smoothing the wrinkle from her forehead. "We need to talk."
She sighs quietly. "Did you kill him?"
"No." I pause. "But I shot him in the leg."
"He deserved it," she whispers fiercely. "He was going to kill you."
"I know." I press my lips to her forehead. "He told me right before I shot him."
"Why didn't you kill him?"
It's a good question. I wanted to do it. Had he been anyone else, I wouldn't have hesitated to do it, but… "Because I don't want you to spend the rest of your life waking up next to the man who murdered your father," I admit. "It would haunt you and poison us. I won't allow his death to stand between us, piccolina."
I want to be a man worthy of her, one she can look at with pride. I'd never be that had I taken his life. Some part of her still loves him, even though he doesn't deserve it. If keeping him alive keeps her in my arms, then I'll make it my personal mission to keep the motherfucker breathing.
"Thank you," she whispers.
"There's nothing I wouldn't do for you, Callandria. That's what it means to love a principessa, bella. That's what it means to be a man worthy of the love of one."
"You're worthy."
I smile against her temple, glad she thinks so.
"You said the rest of my life."
"Hmm?"
"You said you don't want me to spend the rest of my life waking up next to the man who murdered my father," she says.
I tilt her face up until her amber eyes meet mine. "I'll give you your freedom, bella, but I can't let you go. Don't ask it of me. You're the reason I breathe."
"Then marry me, Luca." She crawls onto my lap, straddling my thighs. "Let's make this alliance binding so no one can try to come between us again."
Dio. How can I say no to that? Why would I when it's exactly what I want?
"As you command," I breathe, cupping the back of her head and dragging her mouth down to mine for a scorching kiss. I pour myself into it, giving her everything I have, my heart, my soul, my life. Every piece of me belongs to her anyway.
"What happens now?" she asks when I roll her to her back. "With my family, I mean."
"It's up to you."
"I think we should throw our support behind Marcello."
I lean up on my elbow to stare down at her in surprise. "Really?
She bites her lip, nodding. "He doesn't want the job. It seems to me like that makes him the best man to do it. I trust him, Luca. We can trust an alliance we build with him. I won't ever trust my father again."
"Then Marcello it is."
"Just like that, huh?"
"Ah, bella," I say, chuckling as I kiss a trail across her belly. "It's never just like that. But when you run the city, you make the rules. And in case you've forgotten, we run the city."
"Lucky us," she breathes, arching toward my mouth.
"For once, I'm inclined to agree. Now hush, bella. I have work to do."
The chains clink as I drag them onto the bed, reaching for her wrists.
"Luca," she moans, her eyes dilating with desire.
"You owe me an heir." I reach for her wrists. "While you're coming all over my cock and screaming my name, I plan on collecting what you owe tonight. So be a good little princess and give me what I want, bella."
"Yes," she whispers. "God, yes, Luca."
Epilogue
Callandria
Five Years Later
"Luca," I moan, running my thumbs over my nipples as I drop down on his cock, riding him hard. Sweat drips down my body and soaks my hair. My lungs burn from exertion, but I've never felt better.
"Cazzo, bella," my husband growls, the chains rattling as he fights against them, staring up at me with that look in his eyes. The one that tells me someone is going to pay for this.
I already know it'll be me. That's the entire reason I chained him to the bed while he slept. Nothing pisses him off more than not being able to touch me when he wants. And nothing makes me hotter than when he finally gets his hands on me.