“Do you want me to have a look at your arm?” Doc asks and I shake my head. Up until that moment, I had forgotten that I had been shot. It’s just a graze, but the pain has hit now. “I’ll leave the gauze and things for you. You know the drill. I’ll be by tomorrow to check on Mr Bianchi here.” He packs up his bag and starts to head out.
“Thanks, Doc, I’ll see you tomorrow.” He nods before he leaves the room.
“Romero, would you like me to show you to your room?” At my words, Romero’s gaze leaves Alessio and moves to me; the softness in his eyes is unlike I’ve ever seen. He gives me a sharp nod. “Follow me.” I take my hand away from Dante and realize I’ve left blood on him. “Sorry,” I whisper as I rip the gloves off me and throw them into the trash beside the bed.
He doesn’t take his hand from my hip, instead his other hand goes to the other side. We’re all still in our wedding attire and I’m dying to strip off and put on something more comfortable. But first, I need a goddamn shower.
We walk out of the room and I leave the door ajar, needing to hear in case Alessio needs any help. We walk down the hall, “Romero, your room is on your right. There’s food in the kitchen, help yourself to anything you need.”
He gives me a nod as he walks toward the bedroom door, when his hand touches the handle. “Thank you for saving him,” he says softly.
“Good night, Romero,” I reply, not wanting to answer any questions. I know they all have some, but there’s only one person who’s going to demand them and right now, I don’t have it in me to answer them. Not now.
Dante and I are silent as we make our way to my room. I’ve not been here in a couple of weeks. This house has been my safe haven. It will always be and yet, today, I let three men I barely know walk into it. That’s something that has never happened before and I’m still trying to figure out why I did this.
Once we reach my room, I close the door behind us. The floor length mirror in front of me shows me just how fucked up I look. When Alessio went down in the church and I saw the blood pouring out of him, I did the only thing I could. I reached for the skirt of my dress and I pulled as hard as I could, ignoring the ripping sound as I tore it from my body. I couldn’t think about what I was doing, I just did what I had to. But staring at myself, all I see is what I am. A bloody bride. Blood covers my arms, legs, face and what’s left of my dress. I look like a fucking corpse. My gaze goes to the man behind me; his focus is on me. His eyes dark and hard, as he too takes in my appearance.
“I guess I know what everyone’s going to call me now,” I say with a laugh. Although it’s forced, it’s all I can do to stop the tears.
“And what’s that?” His voice is a rumble.
“Bloody bride.”
“Anyone calls you that, I’ll kill them.” It’s a promise.
I shrug, “It’s what I am. Our wedding turned into a bloody union, Dante.”
He spins me around and I crash against his body. “I don’t give a fuck.” He growls, “You’re not a bloody bride. Why wouldn’t you let the doctor see your arm?”
I shake my head. “I don’t like anyone touching me.”
I watch as his features darken, “You let me.”
I’m speechless, I have no idea what to say without making myself sound like a complete bitch. “I haven’t let anyone near me with a sharp object since someone slit my throat.” He opens his mouth to say something but it’s too much. I pull away from him and walk into the bathroom, I need to see what my arm’s like. I managed to tie a piece of fabric from my dress around it after Kinsley helped me in the church with Alessio. Untying the fabric I see the bleeding has stopped, it’s not as bad as I had feared. I won’t need stitches but it’ll leave a mark. What’s one more to add to the mix? I clean the wound and leave it be, I need a shower and putting a bandage on it will be pointless at this stage.
“Kenna…” It’s a gruff whisper, I shouldn’t turn around and face him, but he has a pull over me, one that I can’t ignore. “Fuck.” He grabs hold of my waist and spins me around so that I’m facing him. “You’re supposed to be this docile woman who knows her place.”
I scoff, “Whoever gave you that impression needs to be shot.”
His lips twitch, “How did you know how to fix Alessio? How do you drive like you’re born to do it? Driving at full speed, without breaking a sweat? How the fuck do you know how to shoot a gun and hit the target every time?”
“Dante…” I whisper, we weren’t supposed to be doing this tonight. “Tomorrow.” Even then I doubt I’ll be able to do it.
“You drive me fucking crazy. What the hell am I going to do with you?”
I laugh, “You’re my husband, Dante. I’m sure you can come up with something creative…”
His hands tighten on my hips and he lifts me up. Instinctively, my legs wrap around his waist, my arms going around his neck. His lips are on mine. It’s hot, hard, demanding. I sink into his embrace, his hands sliding from my hips to my ass, pulling my body against his thickening cock. I moan, grinding against it. There’s something about Dante that makes me lose myself. Whenever I’m around him, I feel the heat between us. His tongue sweeps into my mouth, stealing my breath. I push back with my own. My hands fisting into his hair, pulling his head closer to mine.
It’s only when my back hits the bed and he’s leaning over me do I realize that he walked us from the bathroom to the bedroom. I’m in such a lust filled haze that I have no idea what’s going on. “This dress needs to come off,” he growls, the sound reverberating in his chest.
I lick my lips, “You don’t like it?” I’m breathless.
His eyes are dark with lust, “I didn’t say that. It’s fucking tight, it clings to you. It shows me what’s underneath and right now, I need it off, so I can see all of my bride.”
I squirm beneath him, God, why do I find that a turn on? I hear the unmistakable snap, my body freezes as I see his switchblade in his hands. Is he for real? I don’t fight, instead I stay still. I learned from a very young age not to show fear.
“Kenna…” His voice sounds hoarse but I ignore it. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
Now where have I heard that before? Oh yeah, right before my throat got slit. I don’t trust anyone, I can’t afford to. Look where trust got me.
“Baby, I promise.” He sounds as though he’s hurting, but I’m not focusing on him, my eyes are glued on the knife in his hands.
“Do it,” I demand, whatever the fuck he’s doing, just do it and get it over with.
With the flick of his hand, the knife slices through my dress, the ripping sound loud through the silence of the room. As soon as he’s finished cutting my dress, he folds the knife away and puts it back in his pocket. The dress falls away from my body, leaving me completely naked except for the tiny, white, lacy G-string. I’ve never had a problem with nudity, but laid bare before him, I feel oddly exposed in a way I’ve never felt. I lift my chin high, not willing to show any weakness.
“Come back to me… Kenna…. Come back.” His lips are on my neck, kissing and sucking. “Baby, come back.” My hands go to his hair and my back arches as his lips capture my nipple, his teeth grazing them and I gasp. “That’s it.”