Cora Reilly

I shifted away from his hand that had moved on from my hair to my throat.

Enemies always aim where they can hurt you most.”

“When I claim your body I want you writhing beneath me in pleasure and not fear.”

I wasn’t looking at him, but at Matteo who had a calculating expression on his face.

“Romero will take over the watch duty until the wedding,” Luca said. Umberto opened his mouth, but Luca raised a hand. “It’s done.” He turned to Romero who straightened at once. They walked a few steps away from us. Gianna pressed up to me. “What does he mean?”

“Romero is my new bodyguard.”

“He just wants to control you.”

“Shh.” I was watching Luca and Romero. After a moment, Romero glanced at Lily, then nodded and said something. They finally returned to us. “Romero will stay with you,” Luca said simply. He was so cold since I’d as good as called him a monster.

“And what am I supposed to do?” Umberto asked.

“You can guard their door.”

“Or you can join our stag party,” Matteo suggested.

“I’m not interested,” Umberto said.

Luca shrugged. “Suit yourself. Scuderi is coming with us.”

My father would go with them? I didn’t even want to know what they were up to.

Luca turned to me. “Remember what I told you.”

I didn’t say anything, only clutched the pill packet in my hand. Without another word, Luca and Matteo left. Romero held the door open. “You can leave too,” he told Umberto who glared but walked out after a moment. Romero shut the door and locked it.

Crushing someone’s throat with your bare hands was acceptable, hitting your wife was not.

Luca is my boss and Aria is his.

Gianna, too, couldn’t escape the dance floor. I caught her dancing with Matteo at least three times and her face got more sullen by the minute.

Sunlight hit my face. I tried to stretch but an arm was thrown over my waist and a firm chest pressed against my back.

He reached up and took a strand of my hair between two fingers.

A blush spread over my cheeks and something in Luca’s eyes changed, some of the coldness replaced by another emotion.