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And that was tonotlet go of Ysabel. Regardless of her past, he wanted to...do his duty.

"One hundred percent—-"

His duty was what mattered, he thought determinedly. He would stand by her even if she was—-

"Una vergine."

A pregnant—-cos'era quello? Cosa ha detto sua nonna? What was that his grandmother said?

Did she just say hisfidanzatawas a virgin?

The stunned expression that flashed over Massimo's features had hisfamigliacoughing (except for Sarica, of course, who snickered without shame) while hisfidanzataturned red as a tomato at the matriarch's revelation.

"This was something we had to medically certify," Potenziana relayed briefly, "as it was the only request made by Ysabel'smother. She wishes her daughter to be given the choice to stay pure until her wedding day, and it shall be so...if it is Ysabel's desire as well?"

Ysabel wished the ground could swallow her up. If she said 'yes', would Massimo not think her a prude? But if she said 'no', would he not think of her as easy?

She took a deep breath even though she still had no idea what to say, but just as her lips parted, she heard Massimo drawl—-

"The answer to that shall be between myfidanzataand me, but you have my word that I will abide by whichever choice Ysabel makes. And now, if you could excuse us..."

Giancarlo returned to his family's side just in time to see Massimo walk away with hisfidanzata,and worth noting was how his brother's hand was already pressed possessively against Ysabel's back.

"It seems I have missed a lot," he murmured to hisfidanzata.

"If you want the TL;DR version—-Massimo has numerous cold showers to look forward to, in case Ysabel chooses to keep her V-card before their big day."

A slight smile curved over Giancarlo's lips at her explanation, and the sight immediately had Sarica's hatefully gullible heart skipping a beat.Grr.She turned away without a word, intending to hitch a ride back home with Ezio...but this was easier said than done, with strong fingers already cupping her elbow to spin her back into facing her annoyingly gorgeousfidanzato.

Just a few months more, Sarica desperately reminded herself.Just a few months more, and then she'd be free.

I AM TO BE HER FIRST.The words were all Massimo could think about as he led Ysabel to his car, which was parked just outside the hospital's basement lobby.

I am to be her first!

It was the craziest thought to have, especially since just seconds ago he had been convinced that she was pregnant with another man's child—-and he had been willing to claim her baby as his if that was what it took for their wedding to push through.

How the hell had he come to this point?

It was as if Ysabel had woven a spell around him, and he would rather face an eternity of torment with her by his side rather than have her leave.

Ysabel glanced warily at Massimo when he opened the car door for her. "Where are we going?"

"I'm driving you home." Massimo's tone was curt. "Unless there is somewhere else you want to go?"

Ysabel shook her head, and once inside, she watched him walk around the car, all the while thinking...was this truly happening?

Massimo slid behind the wheel and noticed Ysabel struggling with her seatbelt. "Let me..." He reached across her to help her out, but then he heard Ysabel catch her breath as the side of his arm brushed against her breasts...

Fuck.

The sound of her seatbelt snapping back to the side of the car had Ysabel gasping in surprise, but as soon as her lips partedopen, Massimo was already covering her mouth with his, and butterfly wings fluttered like crazy inside her stomach.

Aaah.

The sudden onslaught of Massimo's deep, forceful kiss swept all thoughts out of Ysabel's mind, and all she could do was hold on to his massive shoulders for life as his tongue delved past her lips. The way his fingers gripped her hair as he pulled her head back made her toes curl inside her shoes; his touch was almost savage in its possessiveness, and shelovedit.

This...