Page 3

CHAPTER THREE

I woke to a gentle sway of movement, my cheek pressed against something warm and solid. And there were bands of steel wrapped around my back and my feet.

A sudden panic washed through me, I stiffened, and tore open my eyes, ready to fight whoever was doing this to me.

The first thing I saw was an amazing ceiling fresco, then Vince’s face leaning close. “Look who’s finally awake,” Vince murmured, his deep voice rumbling through his chest. “You’re cute when you’re not plotting my demise.”

His masculine scent enveloped me, a mix of sandalwood and something uniquely him.

My body immediately calmed down. I scowled at him, then looked around and took in the opulent surroundings as he carried me up a staircase. “Where are we going, and why are you carrying me?”

“You’ve drooled all over my shirt. The least you can do is let me deposit you somewhere before I change. ”

“I do not drool!” I protested, mortified. Then I noticed the dark stain on the dress shirt above his chest and winced. “Okay, maybe a little.”

Vince chuckled, the sound sending a shiver down my spine. We entered what could only be his master suite—all sleek lines and muted grays, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the lush grounds.

It screamed wealth and power, just like his apartment in the city. Just like the man holding me.

Suddenly, I caught sight of the blood stains on his shirt and the makeshift bandage on his bicep, stark red against the white of the shirt. “You’re hurt! Put me down this instant. You shouldn’t be carrying me with an injured arm!”

He pulled me tighter against him. “It’s nothing,” he said, but I could see the tightness around his eyes. He was hurting.

“Nothing, my ass,” I retorted, squirming in his grip. “Let me go, right now.”

Vince’s arms tightened around me, his gaze intense as he looked down at me. “You’re mine,” he said, his voice low and possessive. “And I will never let you go.”

My heart stuttered at his words, a mix of panic and exhilaration coursing through me. I wanted to argue, to push back against his claim, but a part of me—the part that was unequivocally falling in love with this man—was thrilled at the idea of being claimed by him, of belonging to this man.

Oh man, how far gone was I?

I swallowed hard, trying to ignore the way my body—and mind—reacted to Vince’s possessive declaration. “Put me down,” I said, my voice wavering slightly. “You’re injured, and I’m perfectly capable of walking next to you. ”

With a reluctant sigh, Vince gently lowered me to my feet right next to the bed. The moment I was steady, I turned to examine his arm. “We need to clean this properly,” I said, my fingers hovering over the makeshift bandage.

“It’s fine,” Vince grumbled, but I could see the pain etched in the lines around his eyes.

“Don’t be stubborn,” I scolded him and slapped his chest.

He narrowed his eyebrows and stared at me. “You care for me; you must really like me.”

I raised an eyebrow. “You’re hurt and obviously lack any self-preservation skills. Of course, I care. Now, we need to clean you up and take care of this. Where’s the first aid kit?”

“We’re not even married yet, and you’re already bossing me around,” he said and pulled me closer.

I raised my head and faced him. “And you’re surprised, how?”

Vince gave me a lopsided grin, one that showed a dimple I’d never seen before but which made my heart jump in my chest. “I’m not. I just wanted to state it, so there’s no misunderstandings in the future.”

I rolled my eyes. “What kind of misunderstanding are you talking about?”

The second corner of his mouth joined the first one into a full-on smile. “That you belong to me, and you like it.”

I raised my eyebrow. “There’s quite a difference between caring for someone and belonging to someone.”

“Well, we’re lucky enough to have both.” He gave me a peck on the nose, then let me go. “Let’s take a shower first and deal with that”—he nodded at his arm—“afterward.”

I cocked my head. “You just want to see me naked. ”

He grinned and waggled his eyebrows. “Damn right, I do. I wanted to take you in the shower ever since you surprised me and watched me jerk off that day.”

Oh man, I could feel the heat rise up my chest. I couldn’t believe it had only been a couple of days ago when I’d surprised him and witnessed his self-care under the shower. Was that the beginning? Was that the moment my hatred for this man changed to intrigue and later affection?

“You’re cute when you’re getting all shy and embarrassed,” he said, grabbed my shoulder, turned me around, and pushed me toward a door that probably led to the en-suite bathroom. “I knew the moment I caught you watching me that you were still a virgin.” He suddenly stopped and gripped my shoulder. “Jemma?”

I looked at him over my shoulder, surprised at the sudden change in his voice. He sounded unsure. “Yes?”

“What happened in Italy?”

That’s where his mind went when he thought about my virginity? I sighed. I’d tried so hard to put the kidnapping behind me. To stop thinking about it at any cost. “I was incredibly lucky,” I whispered.

He turned me back around. “I really want to know, Little One. Tell me.” He took my hand, then pulled me toward an armchair, sat down, and pulled me on top of him. “What happened?”

I closed my eyes for a second. “Fee, Sophie, Cara, and I spent the weekend in Verona because Cara was obsessed with Romeo and Juliet.” I smiled at the memory. Cara was the bookworm of the family. Shy, introverted, usually quiet. I’d never seen her as hyped as when we stood under that damn fake balcony .

He nodded. “Verona is a beautiful city.”

I stared at him and suppressed a shiver. The Salvinis were Italian; of course, he would know the country. “I basically blackmailed Cara in order for me to join her on all the dumb touristy things; she agreed to go clubbing with me.”

And I’d pressured not only Cara but had gotten Sophie and Fee to join us, as well. And that’s how we ended up in that club I chose… “I bullied them into going clubbing with me, and that’s where…” My breath hitched. “…Where we were drugged and taken.”

Vince pulled me tighter against him.

“They took our clothes. And then, in that dark room in that basement.” Just thinking about that cold, dark, room; the other naked girls who were held there along with us; the sheer terror I’d felt every time I’d heard footsteps…

I pressed my eyes closed and clenched my fists, pushing the nails of my fingers into my skin, the pain a welcome distraction. I focused on my breathing like I’d learned in therapy. Inhaled, counted the seconds in my head, held my breath, counted, then released my breath, counted again. I repeated the action until the panic that was clawing at my throat subsided enough to open my eyes again.

I met Vince’s gaze, his dark eyes filled with concern and something else…anger? No, fury. His jaw was clenched, a muscle ticking at its edge, and the veins on the side of his neck were clearly visible.

“Jemma,” he said, his voice low and controlled. “You don’t have to continue if it’s too painful.”

I shook my head. “No, I…I can talk about it.” I took a deep breath, steeling myself. “We were there for three days. They…made it a game as to who to pick, and whenever they pick ed Cara or me,” I continued, my voice barely above a whisper, “Sophie or Fee volunteered to take our place.” I stared down at the hands in my lap because I couldn’t look at him. Couldn’t face him looking at me. The pain in the back of my throat was almost too much.

And he wasn’t wrong. “I wouldn’t have remained a virgin if it wasn’t for them.”

Fee and Sophie were protecting me when I was the one who caused the whole mess in the first place. I was the one responsible, and yet they sacrificed themselves for me. And me? I just stood there, completely scared and frozen, and let them.

How could I ever pay them back? And why was everyone I loved getting hurt because of me? I was a true curse to the people in my life.

Vince lifted my face with his finger under my chin. “It wasn’t your fault,” he said firmly. “You hear me? None of it was your fault.”

I opened my eyes and met his intense gaze. “But if I hadn’t insisted on going to that club?—”

“No,” Vince cut me off. “You couldn’t have known. Don’t blame yourself for what those monsters did.”

I nodded. Rationally, I knew he was right, and I was really grateful for his words. But how could I believe it when it was the same story over and over again? I could’ve saved my mother, and yet I couldn’t, and she died. I could’ve chosen a different club, or we could’ve just stayed in our hotel and spent a fun evening there.

And because of me, we didn’t .

A tremor ran through my body, and Vince’s arms tightened around me. Would it be the same with him?

Would he get hurt—even worse than he already had—because of me?

Because I loved him? Because of something I did? What if I was the target of that attack on the roof? What if they’d come because of me?

“And that’s where Gabe and Sophie met?”

I let out a shaky laugh, shook my head, and focused back on our conversation.

Running through what-ifs in my head wouldn’t help one bit. I needed to tell him and Hawk, but first, I needed to tell Iset, so she could prepare herself because Vince would not be happy.

“Jemma?”

I smiled at him. “It wasn’t quite that straightforward. I thought you and Gabe were friends. Did he never tell you the story?”

Vince shook his head.

“Well, Sophie was taken to another part of the country by Gabe’s uncle, and that’s where Gabe saw her, kidnapped her from his uncle’s home, took her prisoner, and fell in love with her—at least that’s the abbreviated version.” I smiled.

Thinking about Sophie and Gabe’s crazy journey always made me smile. Their love story was so unlikely. Same as Fee’s and Alex’s. If they’d made it with the start they had, surely Vince and I could make it work, as well, right?

Vince raised his hand, cupped my face, and gently stroked my cheek. “So, Gabe and his brothers then rescued you, Fee, and Cara with Hawk’s help?”

I nodded. “Apparently, my father cashed in every favor and mobilized everyone he knew to find us the moment he realized we were missing; it was like the whole criminal underworld was looking for us.” I grinned.

“Your father loves you. Of course, he would move Heaven and Earth to get you back.” Vince suddenly narrowed his eyes.

“What?”

He shook his head, but I could practically see the wheels in his brain turning. Was he thinking about Dad? I leaned into his touch and closed my eyes.

Dad would probably not be delighted to hear about what had happened on that roof. But there was no doubt in my mind he would be okay with me marrying Vince instead of Matt.

“Your Dad will be here soon,” Vince said.

I nodded.

“Maybe we should go wash up.”

I nodded again.

Vince lifted me into his arms and stood up. His face tightened.

“Let me down, for God’s sake, you’re hurt,” I screeched, and he sat me down immediately—telling me without telling me how much he was truly hurting.

He pointed to the door, presumably leading to the en-suite bathroom. “Then how about you spray me down while I make sure I keep my wound out of the way? ”

I glanced at him, and he waggled his eyebrows suggestively. “And then, you’ll let me take care of that wound?”

He nodded.

I marched over, determined to make this shower as quick and as utilitarian as possible. I pulled the pullover over my head on the way, then got rid of the shirt. “Do you need help getting naked?” I asked without turning back, then pulled down my pants and panties in one go.

His hiss told me everything I needed to know.

If he was good enough to appreciate my naked ass, he was good enough to undress himself.

I opened the door to the bathroom, stepped inside, turned on the water in the shower, and then rummaged through the cabinets in search of a first-aid kit.

Vince entered behind me, stepped behind me, and pressed his cock against my ass.

“We’re not doing this now, so don’t even try,” I said over my shoulder. “Into the shower with you, right now.”

“I really chose the bossiest woman on Earth as my wife,” he murmured, then pulled my earlobe between his lips and nibbled.

A shiver ran down my spine. I straightened, reached behind me, and grabbed his neck. “You’ll get your turn to be the boss again. Now let me take care of you,” I whispered.

He splayed his hand over my belly and exhaled right into my ear.

The sensation shot another arrow of arousal through my body. I closed my eyes for a brief moment, enjoying his closeness and the feeling of his naked skin against mine. I pushed my ass back against him.

He groaned and mirrored my movement, jerked against me, and pressed himself against my ass.

That sobered me up.

I pulled my hand from his neck, turned my head and narrowed my eyes. “Move, or I’ll make you.”

He took a step back, raised his good hand into the air, and then moved into the shower, and I followed.

I grabbed the shower head, made sure the water wasn’t too hot, and aimed it at his body. I carefully avoided the gash on his arm, also carefully avoiding getting swept away by his amazing body. He was truly beautiful, so raw and real, all hard muscles under olive skin, covered under black ink.

I traced the edge of the tattoo on his chest, a harrowing design that made his skin and chest appear fractured, and which hid—to my utter surprise—some scars.

How did he get those? And what did that tattoo mean, and what about the half-lion, half-dragon that made up a big portion of his full sleeve?

I wanted nothing more than to be in his arms and ask him all about it.

He winced when I accidentally directed the spray on his wound.

“Sorry.” My heart ached as I focused back on the task and cleaned him off as gently and thoroughly as I could.

I stopped the flow, took one of the white, fluffy towels, and slung it around his hips .

“Your turn,” he said, pushed me back into the shower, and stayed right there, watching me. I should’ve known he’d been too compliant. “So you want to watch?”

He leaned back against the wall as if he didn’t have a gash oozing blood on his arm, and nodded. “Quid pro quo.”

I cocked my head. “You’re a pervert.”

He raised both brows. “You don’t even know half of it,” he said, then nodded to the showerhead. “Either I’ll watch, or I’ll show you what perverted things I can do with that showerhead.”

I sighed, then shook my head but complied. And even though I kept my shower as short and businesslike as I could, I couldn’t escape his intoxicating gaze, and with the feeling of being watched came a mix of embarrassment and arousal.

His eyes darkened even more, and the heat in them made my heart beat faster. I turned around and turned off the water. I could feel his gaze on me like a physical touch.

“I can’t wait to take you from behind.”

I almost choked when I felt his hand caressing my ass. “I can’t wait to take you right here,” he murmured and let his finger slide down between my butt cheeks.

I shivered, desire coursing through me.

“Curious about anal sex?” he said, then pulled his hand off of my body.

I took a deep breath. Of course, I was. I’d devoured enough of Cara’s romance novels to be curious about all kinds of things regarding sex.

“Answer me. I wanna know your thoughts. ”

I turned back to him, and he looked positively regal, the way he impatiently demanded an answer.

I put my hands on my hips. “I can tell you one thing,” I said, stepping out of the shower and grabbing a towel. “I’ve thought about you being the bossiest man I’ve ever met. A lot.”

He smiled, his eyes never leaving mine. “And you like that about me, don’t you, Little One?”

My heart skipped a beat. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

He stepped closer, invading my personal space, and I could feel the heat radiating off his body. “It means that I’m dominant and not only outside of the bedroom.”

Heat spread through my entire body, my core clenched, and I softened involuntarily.

“That’s what I thought,” he whispered.

I started sweating, and I was pretty sure my cheeks and my ears were beet red. Cara had her fair share of BDSM novels in her little library, and I was an equal-opportunity reader.

Admittedly, I had been turned on reading those scenes, reading those books. I had just never thought about exploring that side of sex in real life. I narrowed my eyes and held his gaze. And wasn’t being submissive everything I tried not to be? Everything I decided to leave behind? Wasn’t it the direct opposite of being in control? “I don’t like it outside of the bedroom, though.”

He cupped my cheek. “And inside?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know if I do.”

He smiled. “We’ve got a lot of time to explore what you like and what you don’t like.” He leaned down and gave me a peck. “And I’m always game to explore more,” he said and gave me a mischievous smile, and I suddenly remembered the situation I’d witnessed when he shook his ass for his friend.

Right there, out in the open, in the middle of the day, in the middle of a bustling New York City street. “Just how much ‘exploring’ did you do before we met?” I asked.

He smiled. “Enough to know we’ll have a lifetime of fun exploring together. You’re mine now, Wife.”

And yet he hadn’t once told me he loved me. “And what if I’m not enough?”

He shook his head, the smile never leaving his face. “You are. You’re more than enough. But I have no problem convincing you every fucking day.” He pulled the towel from my body, let it fall on the floor, then did the same with his own while holding my gaze.

I stared at him, truly speechless, but I didn’t look away.

“You’re beautiful,” he said, his voice low and rough.

“You too,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. I had never felt so open, so vulnerable, and at the same time, powerful as I did at that moment.

Vince’s eyes never left mine as he reached out and slowly caressed my cheek, his touch feather-light but filled with meaning. “And you’re so much more than just beautiful,” he said, his tone soft and earnest. “You’re strong, determined, and brave. You’re perfect for me.”

Suddenly, breathing became harder. He would tell me he loved me. Right here, right now.

And then, someone knocked on the door to the suite.