“Our estate is well secured. I wouldn’t risk your safety like that.” I take her hands and bring them to my lips for a kiss.
“Okay.” She’s nervous, but I’m not sure it’s all because of me.
“I want you to relax, Aria.” I sweep her hair behind her ear, seeing the diamond earrings that she got for her eighteenth birthday—a gift from my mother to her future daughter-in-law.
“Sorry, I haven’t been outside in a long time.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you.” I brush my hand down her soft cheek. Her gorgeous caramel eyes look at me with a bit of hope. She doesn’t understand the depths of my obsession, and it’s wise that she doesn’t know until we’re married. Maybe a long time after that. My fidelity is guaranteed.
“How far is your estate?” She plays with her ring, trying to look at it without looking shocked. I hope she loves it; then again, I knew she would.
“Twenty minutes. And it’s your estate as well,” I remind her. Everything I have is hers.
“We’re not married yet.” The attitude is back in a heartbeat, as if talking about the wedding sets her teeth on edge.
I love her too much to think straight sometimes. I try to hold back the anger, but I snip out, “It’s a forgone conclusion, Aria. Get used to it.”
She looks out the window, avoiding my gaze, and I see that she’s upset. Fuck, I can’t let her cry.
“You’ll like it there. I promise.”
“Who lives there?”
“Just my parents and me. We have our own wing.”
“So you still live with your parents?” she teases, knowing it’s customary for many families to be close.
“Yes. I do. I haven’t moved out of the family home. I’m such a disgrace, but at least they haven’t relegated me to the basement,” I answer playfully.
“It’s a shame. I don’t know if this is going to work between us.” I don’t know if she’s playing anymore, and I don’t care. Any mention of us not being together is unacceptable.
I growl and flip her onto my lap with her legs straddling my thighs, her breasts firmly against my chest and her face inches from mine. “Aria Grasso, in two days, you’ll be my wife. Enough talk about it not happening, because it is. Do you understand me? I don’t like to repeat myself.” I tug on her hair at the base of her skull, tilting her head. Dragging my tongue along the column of her throat, I suck lightly on her pulse, feeling it thumping against my lips.
“So tell me, Aria. What is happening in two days?”
“We’re getting married.”
“Good answer.” I drag her head down to mine and kiss her parted lips, slipping my tongue inside possessively, dominating her mouth. Pulling her away gently, I growl, “Perfect answer.” The car hits a pothole and our bodies grind hard, adding to the growing need to be inside of her.
“Sorry, sir.”
“It’s okay,” I grunt.
“Yes, it is,” she moans, rolling her hips on my length and looking like a goddess as she does.
“Fuck, I’m doing my best not to take you. Be a good girl.”
“I thought you said if I was a good girl, you’d make me come.”
“Okay. You’ve been a good girl so far. One for now.” I grip her hips and rock her pussy onto my bulge, allowing her dress to ride up and reveal a pair of white panties—not the pretty pink ones she had on earlier. “You changed your panties.”
“You got them all dirty.”
“I’m about to dirty these ones as well.” I free my cock from my slacks and pull her panties to the side, slipping my cock between the material, skimming along her lips. “Ride my length. Work your orgasm out, my queen.” We move faster and faster until she cries out my name. I snatch her lips in a deep kiss as I shoot my load all over her mound.
“Aria, amore mia.”
“We’re pulling up to the gate, sir.” The car slows down. I lift her off me, fixing her panties and pulling her dress down back in place.
“Thank you, Luigi.” It takes a minute to get from the gate to the front of the house, so I have time to tuck myself away, sticky and wet, smiling like a king. I steal a glance at my bride, who’s flushed and running her hands through her hair to look a little more presentable. I take one hand and kiss it. “And thank you, Aria.”
“Thank you. I guess being a good girl has its benefits.”
“I’m glad you see it my way.” I kiss her lips once more before the vehicle comes to a complete stop, and she reaches for the door, but I stop her. “Wait.” I get out first and take her hand. As she steps out, I drag her to my side. “Come, Aria.”
“I did,” she whispers as her body slams into mine. She pushes away just enough to look like a respectable couple.
“Don Grasso, Signora Grasso, welcome to our home.”
“Thank you, Dom.”
We head into the house to be greeted by my eager parents. They’ve kept their distance from my bride as well. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Aria. You are lovely.”
“Thank you.” There are a bunch of questions going through Aria’s head because, as far she knows, the plans for our marriage have only been in the works for two weeks. My mother has been planning for the past six months with Aria’s mother. My sweet wife has only been legal for two weeks.
“Mama, please let her breathe. Remember, in two days, she’ll be here with us every day.” Aria stiffens a bit, and I pull her tighter to my side, massaging her arm in slow circles.
“Sorry. I’m excited.” I love my mother, and I can’t blame her for the excitement. I’m ready to have her here forever.
“Ignacia, come—let me show you my latest designs,” my mother says to hers. They have been acquainted for a long time.
“Girls, do you want to come with us?” Mrs. Grasso asks Aria and her sister, Gloria. I hold back my need to cling to Aria and release my hold when Gloria grabs her hand.
“Sure. Let’s give the guys time to bullshit,” Gloria says, winking at her husband.
Chapter Four
Domani
“Who needs a drink?” my father asks as soon as all the ladies leave the room.
“I sure as hell can use one,” Don Grasso says. We walk to the living room where my father has a wet bar. Just as we circle it, the Don leans in and adds, “Just so you know—if you do anything to hurt her, our families will go to war.”
“I’ll never give her a reason to be upset,” I admit. I’m too damned in love to see her hurting.
“Please. We’re men with prices put on our heads by our competitors. She will be upset every time you leave,” Cormack Delaney adds in his thick Irish accent. Gloria and Cormack met in Ireland and have been attached ever since.
“Well, I will do my best to make her happy and take out all my enemies before they can get me.”
“What can I get you, gentlemen?” my father asks to break up the conversation. Every one of us knows the dark side of our lives and that risk comes with rewards.
“Do you have Maker’s?” Don Grasso asks.