18 months later
I stared down at the obnoxious ring, how Diego put it. The cursive S and the F held the diamond between them. Diego was absolutely right. This wasn’t a heartfelt engagement ring. For Savio, it had been a joke, a game. It hadn’t changed anything for him. He’d staked his claim, and everyone backed off.
When in the past, everyone in school had whispered behind my back because of my modest dresses, they did it now because of who owned me. It wasn’t really more than that. Not for Savio. He’d wanted me for himself and so he’d staked his claim.
Then he’d moved on. He didn’t wear a ring. Nothing in his life showed that he was mine like I was his.
Feeling eyes on me, I looked up to where Diego leaned in the doorway to my room.
“I told you it was a bad idea,” he said.
“Thanks.”
He walked in and sank down on the bed beside me. “Savio is a player, Gemma.”
“At some point he’ll have to stop. I’ll turn eighteen in two days and he hasn’t even talked to Dad about a possible date for our wedding.”
“Because he doesn’t want to give up his man-whoring ways anytime soon. He enjoys his bachelor days.”
I swallowed down my hurt, embracing my anger. “Has he slept with half of Reno?”
Shortly after our engagement, Remo Falcone had sent Savio and Adamo to Reno. For one, the designated Underboss was still a teenager, so it was Savio’s job to keep everyone in line up there because he didn’t have a family to take care of yet. Since that day I’d hardly ever seen him. I wasn’t allowed to go up to Reno, unlike Diego who’d spent a couple of weeks at a time there over the last sixteen months.
Diego avoided my eyes. “There’s a reason why Remo sent his brother away, and it wasn’t only because of the teenage Underboss. He wanted Savio away from you because even Remo didn’t trust his brother to keep his hands to himself.”
I huffed. “It’s not as if it was only his choice. Trust me, I wouldn’t have let him touch me after all the girls he’s been pawing.”
Diego gave me a look. “Maybe now you wouldn’t. Back then you were still more infatuated. Now you see him for who he is: a player.”
That was true. I was still infatuated. However, being engaged to the man of my dreams was far from the fairytale I’d hoped for. Savio kept sleeping around. Maybe I should have seen it coming. We weren’t in a relationship yet. An engagement in our circles was a formal statement, nothing emotional, especially for the men.
“He’s coming back to Vegas tomorrow,” Diego said suddenly.
My heart sped up. “What?”
Diego regarded my face with blatant worry. “Like you said, you’re almost eighteen.”
“What do you mean? Is he going to agree to a wedding soon?”
Diego groaned. “Gemma, that’s not why. Savio thinks you’re ready to be plucked now. Remo didn’t want that to happen as long as you were still too young, but now he won’t stop his brother anymore. Savio will amp up the charm to get into your pants.”
“Good luck with that,” I muttered. “How many girls has he been with while you were around?”
Diego got up. “Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answer to.”
“I want an answer, believe me.” I needed an answer because I needed my fury as armor against Savio and my still simmering crush.
“Too many to count, and I doubt he’ll stop now that he’s back here. Not unless he gets it from you, but even then…”
I jumped to my feet, too agitated to stay still. “He won’t get anything before we’re married. If he thinks this stupid ring entitles him to anything, I’ll kick him in the balls.”
“Oh, he won’t get a chance to try anything. I’ll make sure of that.”
“You don’t have to hover all the time, Diego,” I muttered. “I can handle myself even against Savio.”
Diego hesitated. “The Falcones are powerful. Remo is my Capo and Savio is my boss, too. He might think he can break the rules of our world and do things before you are married. Savio knows how to sweet talk girls into doing what he wants.”
“I hear you aren’t bad at sweet talking girls into your bed either,” I teased to lighten his mood. His constant worry about me and our financial situation had turned him way too serious.
Diego let out a groan. “Don’t listen to stories about me. They’re not meant for your ears.” He became serious again, leaning forward to stare in my eyes. “I’m serious, Gemma. Dad and I gave you a lot of leeway when we allowed you to fight, but I need to make sure you don’t cross other boundaries as well.”
I rolled my eyes at him, but the worry in his eyes stopped me from provoking him. “Diego, you don’t need to worry. I believe in waiting until marriage,” I said quietly. This serious sex talk drove a blush into my cheeks. “Maybe I like to fight and use words I’m not supposed to, but I’m still a girl. A girl raised with Mom’s values and no sweet talk will make me give anything away before I’m married.” Especially not after how Savio has been acting. He had a lot to make up for. Maybe now that he was back in Las Vegas, he’d finally try to build our relationship and prepare everything for our wedding.
Diego’s eyes softened and he touched my leg, looking proud.
I squirmed. “Don’t look so proud. I didn’t win the Nobel prize.”
Toni and I spent the afternoon of my birthday in a beautiful spa, getting massages and rubs—a gift from the Falcone clan, whom I’d only met at the engagement party so far. Kiara had invited me over for dinner a couple of times, but without Savio, I’d been too shy to follow the invitation. I hadn’t seen Savio yet, so I wasn’t sure if I’d get a present from him as well.
“You need to give him the cold shoulder,” Toni said again. “From what I hear, Savio’s messed around with Dakota.”
I froze. “You’re joking.”
She shook her head with an apologetic grimace. She had no reason to be sorry. Savio Falcone had. “You know how he is. I doubt she’s the only one.”
“She’s Diego’s Ex! Isn’t there some kind of codex against that?” I couldn’t believe him. I was so angry, I had to resist the urge to smash something. I curled my hands to fists, trying not to lose it.
Toni’s lips thinned at the mentioning of Diego. I wasn’t sure what was going on between them, she insisted nothing, but she always got that pinched expression when I mentioned him. “I don’t think he cares. It’s been years since Diego and Dakota danced the horizontal limbo.”
I burst into laughter despite my anger. Someone in the relaxation area shushed us and I clamped a hand over my mouth to stifle the sound.
Toni shrugged. “It’s just sex for him. He uses those bitches, Gemma. You don’t have to worry. You’ll be the one who’ll be his wife, not some skanky plaything. Apparently, Dakota is super smug about getting Savio into bed.”
“I don’t know what she has to be smug about. As if it’s such an achievement to get Savio to sleep with her. He sleeps with pretty much anything with a vagina,” I muttered.
Toni rolled her eyes. “She’s only one-quarter Italian and still thinks she could be part of our world, stupid ass bitch.”
My eyes widened. Toni hardly ever cussed. I didn’t mention that Toni wasn’t a full-blooded Italian either. Her paternal grandmother had been Corsican, which was why her father hadn’t been allowed to become a Made Man when Benedetto Falcone had still been Capo, even though he had to swear loyalty to the Camorra. Things had changed since then, and he had by now made the official vow.
She shrugged with a grin. “She brings out the worst in me.”
“What if he keeps sleeping around once we’re married?” I asked quietly, hating how insecure I sounded. I wasn’t like that, but for some reason, Savio made me feel that way all the time.
Toni touched my arm. “It’s still some time until your wedding. Maybe he’s trying to sleep around as much as possible now so he won’t feel the urge once you’re married.”
I gave her a look. “I don’t think it works that way. He’s such a player.” I couldn’t believe I was repeating what Diego had been telling me for years, but it was an undisputable truth.
“Many men are. I’m not sure if there’s anything you can do.”
“There’s always something I can do. I’ll talk to him.”
Toni shook her head. “Don’t be crazy. You can’t just tell him what to do before you’re even married. He’s a Falcone for God’s sake.”
“As if I could ever forget. Everyone reminds me. And then there’s this,” I said with curled lips as I raised the atrocity that Savio called an engagement ring. The sight of his initials like a goddamn branding still made my blood boil.
Toni stifled a smile. “I’m sure your wedding ring will be better.”
“I sure hope so.”
Toni’s dad picked us up afterward and drove me home. Nobody was in the house when I stepped in. Worry overcame me. I called Diego because he was the only one who usually carried his phone with him. “Did something happen?”
“Sorry, Gemma. The stove in the Capri isn’t working again. Dad and I need to get it running. The place is booked tonight. We’ll be back as soon as possible.” He paused, and I could practically feel his hesitation.
“Is anything with Carlotta?”
Our little baby sister had been born with a heart defect and had spent a great amount of her first year in hospitals, which was why Dad worked even harder in the restaurants to pay for the medical bills. Without the money Diego earned as a Camorrista, we wouldn’t get far anyway. That was why I had been spending more time with Toni recently.
“She turned blue today, so Mom and Nonna took her to the ER. I don’t know when they’ll be back.”
“Is she okay? Should I go to the ER?”
“No, they’ll do the usual check-ups. She needs a new heart, or this will keep happening.” He sighed. In the background, I could hear clanging then Dad cursing.
“I’m sorry, Gemma. We wanted to celebrate with you. Nonna baked a cake. It’s in the kitchen.”
“Don’t worry. I had a great day with Toni in the Spa. I’ll put on something comfortable and watch a movie.”
“All right. See you later.”
I hung up. It was strange being in the house all by myself. Usually there was always someone home and that’s how I preferred it. I was about to head upstairs to exchange my jeans and shirt for something more comfortable when the bell rang.
Peering through the peephole, my stomach did a little flip. Savio stood on the doorstep, smiling.
I jerked back, stunned by the strong way my body reacted to his presence. I hadn’t seen him in over a year. He’d avoided me, I knew that now, and today he showed up as if nothing had happened.
I opened the door, trying to act casual, even as my emotions warred between fury and delight.
“Happy birthday, Kitty,” Savio said before I could tell him off and pulled out brand-new boxing gloves and shoes from behind his back. I’d been wanting these forever, but they cost too much so I’d kept using Diego’s old things.
My eyes widened and I snatched the shoes from his hands. I preferred to wear shoes when I sparred with Diego because he had a habit of stepping on my feet, and these boxing shoes were ultralight.
Savio smirked. “Good to know that you’re more excited about shoes than your fiancé. A typical girl after all.”
I bit back a comment, actually happy that he was here. The quiet house seriously freaked me out.
“Won’t you ask me in?” Savio asked with open amusement.
I hesitated. I was alone and explicitly forbidden from having male visitors. But Savio was my fiancé.
“I’m alone.”
Savio’s brows drew together. “On your birthday?”
“Emergency in the restaurant and my mom and Nonna had to take Carlotta to the ER.”
“Fuck,” Savio said. “Is she all right?”
His honest concern for my little sister made me forgive him momentarily. “Yeah. Her heart is too weak.” I stepped back and opened the door. Savio strode in, as usual, impeccably dressed in black jeans, white T and leather jacket. He looked impossibly good and it was the worst idea to invite him in when no one was around.
“Your dad and brother need to stop being so stubborn and accept the money my brothers and I offered to lend them.”
“To just interest rates?”
Savio turned and in our narrow corridor that brought us closer than I’d intended. His eyes slid over me. “No interest, Gem. We want to help our men. And we’ll soon be family. We wouldn’t even want it back, but your dad refuses to accept money.”
I nodded. That sounded like Dad and Diego. They both wanted to take care of us without help.
It was strange being alone with Savio, and suddenly I wasn’t sure how to act around him. Before seeing him, I’d been furious at him, but now I felt mostly confused.
“You look gorgeous. Eighteen suits you,” Savio said and set the boxing gloves down on the sideboard.
“Thanks,” I said, then quickly walked past him and into the living room to bring more space between us. Savio followed. He looked relaxed and self-assured as he took me in. He shrugged out of his leather jacket and the tight shirt beneath did nothing to hide his muscles.
I stopped in the middle of the room. Suddenly completely at a loss what to do. I’d never been on a date, of course. I hadn’t even spent time with Savio alone except for the few times he’d trained with me when I was younger. This was new to me.
Savio didn’t share my hesitation. Of course, he didn’t. He came closer and stopped in front of me. “Did you miss me?”
“You distracted yourself pretty good from what I hear, so you probably didn’t waste a single thought on me,” I bit out.
Savio took another step closer. I tilted my head back to keep an eye on his face, wary of his motives, and worse, my traitorous body. “Did Diego badmouth me again?”
“Is it a lie then?”
“Is what a lie?” he asked in a low voice. His head was closer than before and his gaze slid over my body once more. The possessive glint in his eyes sent a shiver down my back.
I stood my ground, however. I wouldn’t let him distract or sweettalk me. Diego’s warning and Toni’s words about Dakota rang in my head. “That you were with Dakota yesterday and God only knows how many more girls in Reno.”
Savio grinned, but there was something dark about it. “It’s true.” At least he didn’t lie, but my stomach turned, all the same, hearing the words. “But it’s also true that I thought about you every fucking day. I couldn’t get that last image of you in that dress out of my head. You were always in the back of my mind when I was with other girls.”
Did he expect a thank you? Anger surged up in me, and I turned around. My skin throbbed and I wanted to scream. “I’m glad to hear that you honor our engagement this much.”
Savio appeared in front of me again. “I do honor our engagement. I promised to marry you and I will. I enjoy seeing my initials on you.” He motioned to my ring and I lost it.
“How dare you? You can’t just reserve me like a table in a restaurant and go on living your man-whore life while I sit back and wait for you to make up your mind about our wedding.”
“I’m a Falcone. I can do whatever the fuck I want, Gemma. And I want you, so no one else is going to get you.” He leaned closer. “Nobody will as much as look at you, or I’m going to rip the fucker to shreds, got it?”
I swung my arm back and punched him. Despite his quick reflexes, my knuckles grazed his chin. For once, I’d taken him by surprise. If I hadn’t been this enraged, I would have celebrated my success. I turned on my heel, burning over with rage. An arm wrapped around me and before I could aim a backward kick at Savio, he lifted me off the ground and lowered me to the sofa. I lay flat on my back while he knelt over me and held me down with his bigger body. He didn’t look pissed. The bastard was actually amused by my outburst. “I can’t wait to find out how much of a wildcat you’ll be in bed.”
I couldn’t believe his audacity. “If you think I’ll sleep with you anytime soon, Savio, you’re insane. I’d rather eat one of Diego’s dirty socks than have your hands on me. So if you’re here because of that, you wasted your time.”
Savio leaned down as if he was going to kiss me. I snapped my teeth at him, trying to bite his lip. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to kiss him. I’d spent countless minutes imagining how it would be to kiss Savio, to feel him close, but not like this, not when he kept kissing other girls. “Don’t you dare.”
Savio chuckled then kissed the tip of my nose. “Don’t worry, Gem. I won’t touch you until you’re officially mine. I can wait.” His smile widened. “Especially since no one else will touch you either.”
“You’re not always around, and Diego is neither. There are enough guys who’d love to be with me, Savio.”
It was true and yet an absolutely ridiculous thing to say.
His eyes darkened and my belly did a little flip. “Everyone in this city knows you’re mine, and just remember Gemma, if a guy touches you, Remo, Nino and I are going to dismember him slowly. You know the rumors about how we deal with traitors.” As quickly as it had come, the darkness disappeared from his eyes and was replaced by the usual arrogance. “And we both know it’s me you want, not some loser. You said it yourself, you believe in waiting until marriage, so as your future husband, all your firsts are mine.”
I glared at him. “Get off me.”
He pushed up and jumped to his feet, then he held out his hand. I took it and allowed him to pull me to my feet. “I was thinking, why don’t we work out together again? That way, we can spend more time together doing something we both enjoy until you’re ready to try something else we’ll both enjoy even more.”
“You’re unbelievable.” I stalked away. Despite my annoyance, his stupid comment made me smile. I wasn’t even sure why I couldn’t resist his strange humor. “There’s cake in the kitchen if you’re hungry.”
It was a chocolate cake with eighteen candles. I didn’t bother lighting them. That was Dad’s job. Instead, I cut two pieces off, sad that Mom wasn’t doing it like every year. Feeling Savio’s eyes on me, I tried to get a grip. “I’ll get plates.”
“Wait a sec,” he said, grabbing a lighter from the counter. He lit up all the candles then raised his eyebrows expectantly. “I know you already got your biggest wish, but give it a try.”
I scoffed. “You’re impossibly arrogant, do you realize that? Who says you were my biggest wish?” I blew out the candles, feeling lighter than before.
Savio leaned forward, peering into my eyes. “So what was your wish?”
“I’m not going to tell you.”
“I bet I know it. You want to see my tattoo.”
“No,” I said quickly. Though, I was really curious about it.
Savio narrowed his eyes. “You’re a bad liar.”
I was, but I hadn’t lied. Since Carlotta had been born, I had only one wish. “I want Carlotta to become healthy, that’s all.” My voice broke and I quickly looked away from Savio’s intense gaze. Tears prickled in my eyes. Way to go to ruin the mood.
“Hey,” Savio murmured and pulled me against him. It was an innocent hug, but the feel of his warm, strong chest so close still awakened my body.
His palm stroked my back, again the most innocent touch, but my insides seemed to come alive with a need that terrified me. Clearing my throat, I pulled away. “How about we eat cake and watch a movie. Or do you have somewhere to be?”
Another woman, maybe.
“I have all night,” Savio said as he took our plates and carried them into the living room. We sank down on the sofa. I reached for the plate that Savio held out to me and took a bite.
Savio had already shoved a big chunk of the chocolate cake into his mouth. “Your nonna is a goddess in the kitchen.”
“She’ll slap you for the blasphemy if you tell her that, and she won’t even care that you’re a Falcone.”
When he lifted the fork to his mouth again, my eyes fell on the tattoo on his wrist. Not the Camorra tattoo on the right but the broken watch, speared by a knife on the other. Savio noticed my gaze of course and some of the lightness disappeared from his eyes. I didn’t want to ruin the mood but at the same time, I wanted to find out more about the man whom I’d marry in the not too distant future—hopefully.
“What’s the meaning of that tattoo?” I asked, and Savio relaxed again. Had he thought I’d ask him about his mother and how she’d tried to kill him and his brothers? Savio turned his body to me and extended his arm so I could see the tattoo more closely. The watch was so intricately inked that it looked real, just like the knife which had been driven into it from above. If you didn’t know they were there, you could even miss the scars. I didn’t dare to touch him, not just because I worried this spot was too personal for him but also because I didn’t trust myself this close to Savio. My body had never before felt this abuzz.
“The watch symbolizes time and mortality. People always tell you time’s running out. We have limited time on this earth and that we have to make every moment count.”
“But don’t you live by that credo? You seem to be enjoying your life more than a little, so why the knife destroying the watch?”
“Because I don’t let anyone, not even time or death, dictate how I live my fucking life. So the knife stops the watch from ticking, from reminding me that every moment could be the last. I don’t need reminding.”
I released a small breath. “I feel as if I haven’t really lived yet. You have already experienced so much, and I haven’t.”
Savio moved closer and cupped my face. I became still, as a war raged inside of me. Part of me wanted to kiss him, to feel his closeness, but the other part couldn’t commit to this, not as long as Savio couldn’t commit fully. He couldn’t have part of me, when he saw fit. I wouldn’t allow him to half-ass this. Yet, I didn’t pull back.
Savio searched my eyes. “You’ll experience everything you want with me, Kitty.”
His face came closer and I still didn’t move. My brain didn’t function, even when my mind started screaming at me to stop this.
Our lips were only a couple of inches apart. The lock turned and I jerked away.
“Gemma, I’m home!” Diego called.
I quickly moved to the other end of the sofa, as far from Savio as possible, before Diego stepped in. He was carrying takeout from the Capri. His smile fell the moment he saw Savio. His eyes darted from him to me. “What’s going on here?” He stalked into the room, dropped the takeout boxes on the table then glowered down at us.
Savio leaned back and motioned at the cake. “We celebrated Gemma’s birthday. I didn’t want her to be alone so I kept her company.”
Diego looked at me for confirmation.
“I was lonely.”
Savio’s expression flickered with protectiveness, but then he stood. “I’ll leave.”
Diego shook his head. “I brought enough food. You can eat with us.”
Savio seemed as surprised about his offer as I was. He met my gaze. “What do you think, Gem?”
“Stay.” I didn’t say more.
Savio sank back down and stretched out his legs while he rested his arms on the backrest. His shirt rode up, revealing those infamous horns. Noticing my gaze, Savio smirked.
“What have you got?” I asked Diego who was unpacking the boxes.
“Lasagna and gnocchi.” He fixed Savio with a hard stare. “Why don’t you grab plates and cutlery?”
Savio heaved a sigh but pushed to his feet. “So you can interrogate your sister? Don’t worry, no traditions have been broken.”
He left for the kitchen and Diego turned to me. “What happened?”
“Nothing,” I said with a roll of my eyes.
“Because I came home?”
I flushed. Diego cursed. “I knew it. I just knew it!”
“Nothing happened, Diego. We almost kissed, but we didn’t and we won’t.”
“Next time you’re considering kissing Savio, just remind yourself that his mouth has been between another girl’s legs not too long ago.”
My face scrunched up. “Thanks for the image. I didn’t need that.”
“You do. Maybe it’ll keep you from making a mistake.”
Savio came back with plates and cutlery. He scanned my face then cocked an eyebrow at Diego. “What kind of horror story did you tell now?”
“Only the truth.”
“That’s always the worst,” Savio said with a grin, and Diego actually laughed.
“You’re both idiots.”
They both settled on the sofa, Diego between Savio and me. Savio sent me a wink over my brother’s head. I smiled. I had missed him. Everything. Even his annoying arrogance and teasing smirk.
Diego turned on the latest cage fight. Together we ate and chatted about fighting.
Savio enjoyed it as much as I did. Then why couldn’t he finally give up on other girls and really give us a chance? Turn this engagement into more than a sign of his ownership around my finger?
