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“Isn’t that why you didn’t want to consummate the marriage?”
Her face had gone a delightful shade of pink. He loved the look on her. It was stunning. He wanted her to blush a lot more often.
“I didn’t consummate the marriage because I didn’t want to scare you. You don’t know me, Lucia, and the men in your world might be happy bedding women they don’t know, and hanging up some bloody sheets like a prize. You’re my wife. You’re my prize, and there is no fucking way I am going to let anyone look at what is mine, or even think about what I was doing to her. Do you understand? I am not giving you back. You are mine, and when you are ready to take my dick and fuck, that is when we will consummate this marriage in full.”
He had taken her by surprise. Her lips fell, and her face was still a pretty shade of red. It was a color he could get used to on her.
“We’re getting off topic. Can I trust you?”
“Yes.”
“So, if your father were to ask you to spy on me, would you tell me?”
She frowned. “I, uh ... yes, I’d tell you. Does my father want you to spy on me?”
“Lucia, your family and none of the Bonaldis like me. They have given you to me as a peace offering, and in doing so, they think they have insulted me, but they haven’t.”
“They haven’t?”
“No, because of the women I could have chosen, you were the only one I wanted.”
He shocked her.
“I am? Why?”
This made him smile.
“Because you’re different.” She wasn’t ready to hear that he thought she was beautiful.
“I am?”
“Your eyes,” Boone said. They went a little wide. He couldn’t help but chuckle. At times, she was just so adorable.
“What about my eyes?”
“You’re kind,” he said. “You don’t see the world in the same way everyone else does.”
“That makes no sense.”
“Trust me, one day, it is going to make a whole lot of sense. I’ve known a lot of people, Lucia. I’ve met and dealt with a lot of bad people. Most of the people associated with the Bonaldis are bad people. They are going to reach out to you and attempt to sabotage me. They’re going to try and use you against me.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Lucia, when the time comes, I am going to need you to do exactly as I say.”
“You are?”
“Yes, but until that time, I think we should enjoy each other. What do you think? Get to know one another, and you need to stop worrying that I am going to kill you. I have no desire to kill you.”
She was, after all, an innocent in this.
“Okay.”
“Now, enjoy your salad.”
She nodded her head and picked up her knife and fork. He didn’t touch another bite of his own food until she had started to eat her chicken salad. He saw the pleasure in her eyes, and it was so good to see her enjoying her food.
“Tell me what you like,” he said.