Her adorable eyes stamp themselves into my psyche. Few things in life have ever swayed me from my original path, but I’d go in any direction she pointed. Without hesitation.
She works her bottom lip between her teeth before huffing and lifting the papers closer to my face.
“This joke isn’t funny,” she says.
I quirk a brow and squeeze her hip.
“It’s not a joke,” I respond.
“Oh yeah, sure. You—Giorgio Vivaldi, the heir to the Vivaldi fortune—are willingly signing your entire life’s work over to me.”
“I am,” I say without hesitation.
“This makes no sense!”
The exasperation in her voice, which is still throaty from sleep, amuses me to no end.
“It doesn’t need to.”
“That’s the dumbest response I’ve ever heard. Why would you do this?”
I shrug and enjoy watching her features as she struggles to process what this means.
“You’re not planning on committing suicide, are you?”
Before I can answer, she stuns me with an even more ludicrous scenario.
“Or planning to fake your death and leave me with all your horrible mistakes, including a dozen bastards by different women, so you can disappear into the sunset and retire on a beach somewhere without a care in the world, are you?”
“Damn, why didn’t I think of that?” I murmur, just to watch her scrunch her nose in frustration.
“This is a joke to you, isn’t it?” She turns to my lawyer. “This signature isn’t valid because he’s mentally unstable, right? He can’t give me everything, can he?”
“I can and I will,” I say.
She gives the cutest growl and swings her vibrant green orbs up to mine.
“You’re just being a jerk again, aren’t you? Stop mocking me. I cannot handle—”
I weave my fingers into her hair and pull her against me. It’s a little awkward on the couch, but she still fits perfectly in my arms.
“I’m not mocking you, mia topolina. If you’re going to inherit the dangers and risks that come with marrying me, you’re going to accept all the perks, too. All the perks. Every. Last. One.”
Her pupils dilate and red stains her cheeks at my innuendo. I trail my thumb over her face, enjoying the warmth of her blush.
“I didn’t ask for this,” she whispers.
“I know,” I say.
“I don’t want this,” she states.
“I know.”
Her lack of interest and the trust she showed me when she fell asleep beside me—twice—sealed my decision.
“Then why?”
“There is no why. It just is.”
She sighs, glances at the papers in her hand, and sends me a fresh scowl. I continue before she asks why again.
“I have no ulterior motive, Aurora. You asked for my protection. This is the only way I can assure you have it.”
After searching my face, she sighs yet again and drops her forehead to my chest, pulling her hair from my loose grip. I give her a moment to process before wrapping my fingers around her nape.
She lifts her head and pierces my soul with her animated emerald eyes.
“Fine, but if you disappear or die, I’ll devote every ounce of power and spend every cent on either finding or reviving you, just so I can kill you myself.”
It’s not the response I expected, but I was an idiot for expecting anything less. I let my amusement and adoration play on my face and smile.
“Of course, mia topolina.”
She elbows me as she faces the table. With more force than necessary, she slaps the papers onto the desk, snatches a pen from the center of the table, and scribbles where my lawyer instructs.
“We’re not taking actual paper copies of this, are we?” Aurora asks.
She’s too fucking smart.
“No, we’re not. This is a private document. It’ll never leave Mrs. Tamsin’s safe.”
“No electronic copies?”
“We keep scans of every document on a local database,” the woman says.
“Do you mean a local hard drive?” When my lawyer looks as lost as I do, Aurora continues. “Databases don’t store data, they analyze it. Do you have an actual device that stores the files here, or are they sent to a cloud or external storage provider?”
“I… I’ll have to check,” Mrs. Tamsin says.
“There’s no point for either of those. If you have a fireproof safe, then just keep this copy in there. Don’t scan it,” Aurora demands.
When Mrs. Tamsin looks torn, I lean my elbows onto my thighs and take Aurora’s hand.
“Give me a notarized copy. No scan, just a copy. I’ll keep it in my safe.”
Aurora’s fingers stiffen in mine.
“You are not taking that into the Vivaldi family home. Or into any workspace or office where you conduct business.”
“You’re right. I’m not.”
“Then where are you putting it?”
“My townhouse. The address is listed on the document.”
“Just because it’s yours doesn’t mean it’s safe. What if your father—”
“My father doesn’t know it even exists. He may drive by it now and then, but it means nothing to him. He has no interest in that part of the city.”
“Are you sure?”
“Why do you think I picked it?”
She chews on her bottom lip as she digests the information, then gives a nod of acceptance.
“I’m okay with that, I think. You promise you aren’t trying to get me killed? If anyone knows this exists—”
“This is between the three of us. No one else will know unless you tell them,” I assure her.
“Okay. I trust you.”
My heart aches. She shouldn’t trust me, not after I failed my sisters. I cup her face in my hands and brush my lips over hers, but pull back when she gasps. I won’t be able to stop at just a taste, and my lawyer’s office is not where I want to take her virginity.
In fact, after watching her sleep for hours and still look exhausted, guilt creeps through me for even considering acting out my lewd fantasies. I’ll survive another day if I don’t slake my lust, but there’s no guarantee she’ll continue to trust me if I push her too hard.
I can’t lose her trust. I need it.
I tuck her against my side and lean back on the couch to wait for the lawyer to return with my copy of the paperwork. She remains stiff for a moment, but leans into me when I tighten my arm over her shoulders.
“You already gave me this much, mia topolina. Don’t take it away now.”
She aims quizzical eyes up at me, but the only lawyer I trust in New York City returns. I take the folder from her and rise, keeping Aurora plastered to my side, and thank the businesswoman before ushering my prize to the elevator. On high alert, I catalogue Aurora’s every lithe movement while noting each potential danger until I settle her in my car and shut the door. As I stroll around the hood, I send Fiero a quick text, demanding he leave his keycard to my townhouse—the only spare I have—on the kitchen counter in the next ten minutes before I drop into the driver’s seat and hit the ignition.
We make the drive in silence. Aurora barely moves as she watches the world outside the windows, and when I notice her keeping track of street names and familiar buildings, pride flows through my chest but tension coils through her when I open the electric gate and turn onto my townhouse’s narrow lot. Her eyes widen in shock as I pull into the single-car garage—a rarity for townhomes—and I wonder how she’ll look in the throes of passion. The gate and the garage door automatically close behind us.
“This is where you live?” she asks.
I nod, not trusting my voice. My phone chimes and Fiero’s text message displays on the dash.
Of course, the bastard had to leave a no context, highly suggestive and damning message.
Aurora’s eyes flash, but she turns away, hiding her face from me.
“Are you sure this place is safe?” she asks.
“Yes. The first thing I did when I bought it was upgrade the security.”
My fingers itch to weave into her hair, but I grab my phone instead.
“Who is Fiero, and why did he have a key to your place?” she asks, still facing the window.
“He’s the man I’d choose to make my second, if he’d agree to it.”
She swings her eyes to my face.
“But isn’t your uncle the Vivaldi consigliere?”
“He’s my father’s right-hand man, yes. Not mine.”
Her eyes drift toward the windshield as she works through the gravity of my words. Despite the exhaustion and emotional anguish lurking in her eyes, she’s still the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen.
“Fiero is loyal only to me, not my father, so you don’t have to worry about anyone from my family finding out,” I say.
“No one from your family knows?”
“Fiero and I are the only ones.”
She nods, accepting my assurances.
I help her from the car and give her a quick tour of the house and back garden before leading her into the tiny office. She watches in pensive silence as I reveal the hidden safe and relay the passcode to her while I open it.
I step back and gesture for her to place the folder on whichever shelf she wants. She approaches as though she’s afraid a snake will jump out and bite her, but after setting down the documents that detail how everything is hers, she turns and walks away without even checking the contents of the safe.
My phone chimes. I read the message and send a reply, welcoming the change of plans since the demon inside me kept picturing Aurora sprawled out on every surface as I gave her a tour of the house. Willing my cock to soften, I adjust myself before following my future bride into the kitchen.
I pluck the keys from the counter, place them on her palm, and curl her fingers around them.
“You’re welcome here anytime, Aurora. Treat it as your own now. Capisci?”
Tears shimmer in her eyes. My heart hurts. I pull her to my chest and surround her with my bulk, silently promising to protect her from the world. I don’t know what demons she’s fighting, but I swear I’ll decimate every one.
My cock pounds with need, but I cherish how she willingly accepts my comfort. When she gets her breathing under control—the stubborn woman refused to cry—she tentatively rests her hands on my sides.
Any more touching and I’ll fuck her on the counter without the foreplay she deserves, so I grab her nape and push her toward the garage in front of me.
“Wait, where are we going?”
“Out.”
“But I thought…”
“You thought I brought you here just to fuck you?”
“Why wouldn’t I? You said the next time you got me alone, you’d—”
“Don’t you think you’ve drooled on me enough today?” I interrupt, knowing I’ll lose control if I hear her repeat the filthy words I said to her.
I open the car door and push her into the seat before reaching over her and latching her seatbelt.
The embarrassment staining her features is too tempting. I nip her bottom lip and lick her cheek before hovering my lips beside her ear.
“The answer is no, mia topolina. You could drool all over me, and I’d demand more. I want you so bad I’ve got blue balls from how hard I’ve been all day just from letting you nap on me.”
I shut the door and settle behind the wheel, gritting my teeth when she squirms in her seat. After opening the garage and front gate, I put the car in reverse and look over my shoulder to navigate the tight drive.
“If you’re like that, then why are we leaving?”
I block traffic for a moment, ensuring the gates close before shifting into drive, and settle my hand on her thigh. She jumps in surprise, but doesn’t push me away.
“There’s someone I want you to meet,” I say.
She looks at me expectantly. I turn my attention to the road. She sighs and scoots back in her seat as though that’ll stop my hand from inching up her leg.
I can’t help it. I need to touch and tease her until she’s desperate enough to beg.
She grows more apprehensive as I pass through each security checkpoint, and by the time I pull into the underground parking lot, she grips the door’s armrest with white knuckles. I park in the space closest to the elevator and demand she wait for me with a warning squeeze to her thigh. She swallows and nods.
The urge to kiss her nearly wins, but I exit the vehicle and rush her to the elevators. When I wrap one arm around her waist and pull her to my side, she comes willingly. Her submission morphs even the most mundane act into an erotic tease.
I remain aware of our surroundings, unable to ignore the skills and instincts I’ve honed for years, but don’t check for security cameras or potential threats. This building is one of the few places besides my townhouse and my parents’ home where I don’t have to worry about an attack.
“Is this a hotel?” Aurora asks as I mash the button for the penthouse.
“There are apartments in the building, but no, I’m not taking you to a hotel room.”
The elevator chimes as we reach our floor. I step out and enjoy the brushing of our bodies as she walks beside me.
The door to the penthouse opens before we reach it.
Aurora falters as Nico Russo fills the doorframe.
“I didn’t know you were bringing company,” he scowls.
“I didn’t tell you I was, but this is a face-to-face issue, so here we are,” I say.
Even though I know he’s happily married to my sister, I still tighten my arm around Aurora when he gives her a once-over.
“Why are you standing in the doorway? If Giorgio is here, then—”
Serenity elbows her way past Nico and stops mid-sentence as she notices Aurora. Her brows rise and she tilts her head for a moment.
“Aurora? You were just a kid the last time I saw you! How are you? And why are you here with my brother?”
Without waiting for a response, she takes Aurora’s hand and pulls her away from me.
There are very few people I’d allow to come between me and my betrothed.
Serenity is one of them. She doesn’t have a mean bone in her body and there’s no way I can make up for how I’ve failed her.
Even with the dark edge of menace emanating from Nico’s eyes, he watches my sister with the same emotions I feel budding in my chest for Aurora. With a sigh, he stops her from passing with a hand on her slightly rounded belly.
“You can recognize someone you haven’t seen since childhood, but you can’t remember the name of your bodyguard?”
Serenity sighs and pats his arm as she slips past.
“It’s not on purpose, I swear. Remembering and learning are two completely different things, especially during pregnancy, so blame it on the hellion you planted in my belly, not me.”
I chuckle and enjoy the flash of frustrated levity on Nico Russo’s face until he meets my stare and recalls why he asked me here.
He might have a lead on who’s behind the attacks on both our families.
