Page 56 of Ruthless God

Matteo smirked. “Oh, we heard you loud and clear, brother. Come on, boys, Massimo wants to be left alone with his wife.”

Romeo shook his head, but even he looked amused. Fuckers. Once I felt better, reckoning was going to come for them. I waited until they closed the door behind them and patted the space next to me on the bed. Luna looked at it, then at me, her eyes widening, all her thoughts displayed so carelessly on her face. I held in a smile. It wouldn’t do for her to think I was laughing at her.

Cautiously, she sat down on the bed beside me, trying to leave as much room between us as possible. “Here’s your water.”

“Help me with it.”

She narrowed her eyes. “You need me to help you… drink water?”

A small ember ignited in those fascinating gray eyes of hers. Nice to see her family hadn’t succeeded in extinguishing her flame.

“It hurts my wound when I lift my arm,” I answered her seriously.

She looked like she was trying to decide whether or not she should believe me. I kept my expression neutral. Her lips twisted slightly as she moved closer to me and lifted the glass of water to my lips, gently tipping it back. I kept my eyes on her as I drank the water.

She licked her lips, her movements unsure, as if she didn’t know what to make of this.

I didn’t fucking either. It would surely give Matteo more ammunition if he could see me like this.

Once I finished, she pulled the empty glass away, holding it between both hands on her lap, her gaze down on the mattress.

I kept my eyes on her, taking in those delicate features and feeling a small pinch in my heart the longer I looked at her. I didn’t know what to make of this feeling. I reached up and rubbed the pain away, drawing her attention.

“Didn’t you say it hurts if you lift your arm?” she asked, looking at my hand over my chest. Fuck.

“Have you heard from your family?” I asked, changing the subject so I wouldn’t have to answer her.

She seemed taken aback. “My family?”

I nodded. “There has been word that your father already arranged a marriage for your sister.”

She sat up, her face showing her surprise. “What?”

I nodded.

She frowned. “Will I attend the wedding?”

“Fuck no,” I answered, a little more harshly than I meant and making her jump.

She looked at me, then at the door. She looked ready to bolt.

I let out a small sigh and wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her in close to me.

She tried to resist. “Your wound…”

“Don’t worry about it.”

She pulled back until she could see my face. “Don’t worry about it? It’s all I’ve been worried about for days.”

“And you’ve made such a good nurse, I’m sure I won’t be bedbound for much longer.”

Something flashed in her eyes. She didn’t believe that I was supposed to be bedbound now, not that she would have called me out on it. So my wife wasn’t as naïve as I had thought. Good to know.

“When I said you’re not attending the wedding, I meant I don’t want you anywhere near where it would be taking place,” I explained, wondering why I was bothering with this. She was my wife. She was supposed to do as I told her without question.But fuck me if I didn’t have this urge to tell her, to take away that startled look on her face. That look that could so easily change to fucking sadness, which would no doubt feel like a punch to the gut.

“Where would it be taking place?”

“New York,” I said, watching her face carefully. It seemed Andre had done a good job sheltering Luna from all the Lombardi’s business and everything that had to do with the mob, considering she gave no reaction.