“What happened?” I demand as Vittoria runs toward me.
She shakes her head, and plows into my chest. As she tilts her face up to me, there’s so much emotion in her eyes it looks like she’s a second away from crying.
“What the fuck happened?” I growl, ready to rip whoever upset her apart with my bare hands.
She shakes her head again as she reaches up, and framing my jaw, she pushes herself on her tiptoes. I automatically lean down, and when she stops a breath away from me, I realize what’s happening.
I wrap an arm around her waist and lock her body to mine. Bringing my other hand to her cheek, I brush her curls out of the way.
My eyes search hers to make sure I’m not misreading the moment, then she whispers, “I’m ready.”
I stare at my beautiful angel, and the last resistance around my heart is obliterated. The most intense emotion detonates in my soul and my entire world shifts on its axis.
Brutal possessiveness. Unreasonable jealousy. Violent protectiveness.
They all shudder through my body as this woman claims every inch of my dark soul.
I brush the unruly curls out of her face again, my gaze staring deep into hers. In this magical moment, I connect with her in a way I’ve never connected with another person.
With unconditional love spreading through every fiber of my being, I close the distance between us.
My lips brush over hers before I pull slightly back again. Our eyes lock, and I make a silent vow to her.
I’ll protect you with all my strength. I’ll love you until the day I die. From this moment, I live for you, my precious wife.
My mouth takes hers with an uncontrollable hunger that forces her a step backward. I hold her so tight her feet lift from the floor.
Fucking finally.
Her lips feel like the soft rays of the sun in the early morning hours. When my tongue enters her mouth, and I taste her for the first time, her light is so strong it forces the cold darkness in me back until she’s shining brightly in my heart.
I groan into her mouth, and my body shudders from the intense emotions she evokes in me.
Tilting my head, my lips knead hers, my tongue dominates her mouth, and my teeth tug at her lips, wanting her never to forget this kiss.
Her first kiss.
I growl against her mouth, “Mine.”
Before she can nod, I claim her again and devour her until we’re both breathless. Needing more, I carry her to the veranda, and sinking down on a lounge chair, I pull her onto my lap.
My hand wraps around the back of her neck, and I hold her in place as I steal more kisses from her.
Time falls away, and nothing matters but Vittoria and how fucking intoxicating she tastes.
Even when my lips tingle from all the friction, I keep lapping at her mouth.
I’ll never get enough of her.
I break the kiss for a moment and look at her flushed face. Her eyes slowly drift open, and all I see is amazement.
Not wanting to burst the intimate bubble we’re caught in, I whisper, “Does this mean you’re developing feelings for me?”
She moves her hands to my jaw and brushes her thumb over my bottom lip. “Yes.”
A smile spreads across my face, and I hug her tightly. My hand grips her chin, and I lower my head again, sealing our mouths together.
For someone who never cared for kissing, I can’t bring myself to stop.
As the minutes trickle by, the kiss grows gentler, and between the brushes of our lips, Vittoria smiles.
When I finally lift my head, she lets out a happy sigh, then whispers, “Now I regret making the rule.”
I smirk at her. “Hmm…if only you’d known what you were missing.”
She trails her fingers over my cheek and jaw while she stares at me.
Standing up with Vittoria in my arms, I carry her bridal style toward the pool.
She quickly catches on and tightens her arms around my neck. “No, Angelo. I washed my hair this morning!”
Letting out a dark chuckle, I run and leap into the pool. The water swallows us for a moment before I push her to the surface.
The instant my head breaks through the water, I yank Vittoria to my chest and seal our mouths together.
Holding onto my shoulders, she wraps her legs around my waist. I reach down between us, and as I devour her once again, I free my cock from the swimming trunks. I shift her panties to the side, and I enter my wife with a desperate thrust.
Christ, her pussy is my personal heaven.
Mine. All. Fucking. Mine.
Vittoria moans, and I feel a shiver race through her body.
I push her against the side of the pool, and while memorizing every inch of her mouth, I fuck her slow and deep.
“We can postpone the trip,” I mutter.
Standing with my arms crossed over my chest, I stare down at Tiny in the hospital bed.
Yesterday, his appendix ruptured, and we had to rush him to the emergency room.
I almost had a fucking heart attack, and the scare made me realize how much Tiny means to me.
Vittoria sits next to the bed and straightens the sheets over her bodyguard’s chest while saying, “Just get better, okay.” There’s so much worry on her face it squeezes my heart. “Is there anything I can get for you?”
Tiny shakes his head. “I’m good. Stop worrying.”
She shakes her head and takes his much bigger hand in her smaller ones.
Over the past two and a half weeks, the two have become close. Tiny’s a fucking overprotective bear when it comes to Vittoria, and she’s accepted him as her friend.
Tiny glances at me. “Sorry, boss.”
“There’s nothing to be sorry for,” I assure him.
He sighs before saying, “Go on the trip. I’ll get out of this place soon, then I can fly out to join you.”
Giving him a scowl, I shake my head. “When was the last time you had a break?” When his eyebrows draw together, I mutter, “Right. You can’t even remember. Stay at home and let Rita take care of you.”
His eyes flit to Vittoria, but I quickly intervene. “Big Ricky will be with us. Nothing will happen to Vittoria.”
“Your health is important to us,” Vittoria says while patting his hand. “Please get some rest.”
Tiny grumbles something under his breath, then mutters, “Fiiiiine.”
Big Ricky steps forward from where he was hovering behind us. “Don’t you dare watch The Vampire Diaries without me.”
Tiny lets out a chuckle but stops and flinches in pain.
Letting out a sigh, I move forward and pat his shoulder. “You deserve time off. Get some rest.”
“Yes, boss.”
Vittoria gets up from the chair, and leaning over Tiny, she presses a kiss to his forehead as if he’s a big baby. “I’ll call every day to check in on you.”
A disgruntled sound rumbles from my chest because her lips are touching another man. I know it’s just Tiny, but the jealous side of me doesn’t want to share her with anyone.
Tiny lets out a chuckle, which gives him a stab of pain in his gut.
“Serves you right,” I mutter.
“So jealous,” Vittoria teases as she comes toward me.
I hold out my hand to her, and when she places her palm against mine and our fingers interlink, I tell Tiny, “And lay off on the junk food.”
He lets out a heavy sigh. “Yes, boss.”
We leave the room with Big Ricky right behind us.
If I didn’t have two important meetings lined up in Sicily, I’d postpone until Tiny was good to travel.
I check the time on my wristwatch and say, “We’ll just swing by the mansion to get our luggage, then haul ass to the airport.”
“Okay,” Vittoria murmurs, her worry for Tiny still etched on her beautiful face.
She grips my forearm with her other hand and moves closer to me when we exit the hospital.
She’s a fucking quick learner. I only had to tell her once that I want her glued to my side whenever we’re out in public, and she’s not once slipped up.
It’s just easier for me to protect her should there be a sudden attack.
Not that I’m expecting one. Things have been good the past year.
Vittoria and I climb into the back of the SUV, and when Big Ricky slides behind the steering wheel, I say, “You’ll have to stay with Vittoria whenever I have to take care of business.”
I see his eyebrows draw together in the rearview mirror, but he doesn’t argue.
Since he started working for me, he’s never left my side. Where I go, he goes. But with Tiny in the hospital, I need him to protect my precious wife. I’ll also have Uncle Maurizio’s men at my disposal while we’re in Sicily.
Besides, I can take care of myself.
