Page 158 of Savage Empire

The possessive side of me fucking purrs at the information. This is the first time he’s called himselfmine. “Why does that turn me on?”

“Go say goodbye to your friends,” he says, voice dropping an octave. “It’s time to go. If we don’t leave now, I’ll take you upstairs and ruin the plans I have for you.”

“We’re going somewhere?” I ask, surprised.

“It’s our wedding night,” Apollo replies evenly. “If we were to simply go up to our bedroom, we may put the soundproofed walls up to a real test.”

Gulp.

“Go say goodbye,” he repeats. “You have two minutes until I’m carrying you out of here over my shoulder.”

Why do I want to take my time to see if he’s serious?

Shaking off the thought, I do as he suggests and find my friends to say goodbye. Starting with a quick goodbye to Jade and Ana, since I live with them and will see them again soon enough. And ending with the person who I still can’t believe was able to come.

“You’re heading out to get laid, aren’t you?” Sienna asks, playfully wiggling her eyebrows at me as I approach.

“Something like that.” I chuckle, pulling her into a short embrace. With so many prying eyes, though most are trusted, I can’t hug her for too long. We can’t let anyone think she’ssomeone important to me, lest they look too hard at her and make any connections.

“I’m going to miss you like crazy,” she admits, letting me go.

“Me too, S. We’re going to get you more freedom one way or another. We’ll figure it out, I promise.”

“Even if we can’t, this is enough,” she replies softly. “Anything is better than where I was. And I owe it all to you.”

“And I owe it all to them.”

We both know who I’m referring to. The Morettis. Apollo, Elio, and their father. They’re the reason that my best friend is happy, healthy, and safe—even if she has to be secluded from me for now.

With that, we part, and my husband collects me. I’m at the front of the house and being ushered into a car before I know it. When we hit the road, anticipation begins to bubble up in my stomach. I didn’t expect Apollo to take me anywhere or plan anything for after our ceremony.

We didn’t discuss a honeymoon of any kind. He has responsibilities at home, so I can’t imagine that we’ll be gone for long. Which is fine by me. I like the idea of getting away for the night, maybe for two, but I don’t want to leave Yordan alone for too long. I feel especially responsible for him now that he’s legally my son. I don’t care that he’s seventeen, I want to be there for him, for whatever he needs.

“We’re here.”

Shaken out of my thoughts by Apollo’s voice, I look out of my window, finding a huge building. A luxurious hotel from the look of it.That was fast.

My door is opened for me by some kind of valet employee. I step out of the car just in time to see him catch Apollo’s keys. No words are exchanged between them as my hand is taken by my groom, and I’m guided inside.

We make no stop at the front desk, walking directly into a silver elevator. I don’t have time to take in the lobby, but it’s very clearly opulent. Everything is shiny and squeaky clean. Like a museum of a hotel rather than a hotel itself.

This must be a Moretti owned place.

Before I can contemplate it further, the double doors close, and Apollo slams his lips to mine in a crushing kiss. He moves quickly, pinning me to the back of the hotel elevator as our tongues clash. My head spins at the intensity of his action, stomach bursting with flutters. His taste is addictive and his smell…fuck, I want to lick his scent straight from his neck.

His thigh forces my legs to spread as wide as they can, pressing against my sex through my dress. A moan rips out of my throat, vibrating against his lips as my nerves prickle with attention. I fumble with my hands, grabbing his tux jacket to keep myself upright. I wasn’t expecting him to defile me in an elevator, but right now, I’d let him do anything he wanted to.

Ding.

The doors glide open, and Apollo drags his mouth off of mine, breathing hard. “How much do you like this dress,micina?”

“I’m pretty fond of it,” I rasp, panting. “Why?”

“Because if I can’t get it off of you in the next thirty seconds, I’m going to cut it off.” His response makes me shiver, and I wonder how much I would mind if he ruined my gown.

Hands surrounding my waist, he holds me as he walks backwards, guiding me into a room. A penthouse, I assume, since the elevator took us straight up. That, or it must be an exclusive room with private elevator access.

“You better unzip me, then,” I tell him, spinning around and pulling my hair over my shoulder. “I feel similarly about your tux, but I don’t know that you should trust me to cut you out of it. My hands are a bit shaky right now.”