Page 188 of Sins of the Orchid

My phone beeped, and I reached for it, careful not to wake her up. She needed rest, and I was selfish taking her body even after she begged for reprieve. Sex monster. It would seem she turned me into one too.

I read the message and my heart sank. I hoped I was wrong. I prayed I was wrong. More for Amore than myself. She didn’t deserve that kind of betrayal, not after everything else. I hadn’t connected the dots until last night when she admitted her suspicions about her stepfather.

It was time I ended it all.

* * *

Five days of bliss. This week competed for the top place with our week in Italy. Happiness and obsession were a five-letter word. Started with A and ended with E… Amore. Just like her name. Her love was my light.

We spent five days in my Rockport home. And just like in Italy, we got into a simple routine. She’d wake up to coffee already made. With her on my lap, both of us checked our work emails and handled business. Unlike other women, Amore didn’t obsess over the wedding. She told her grandma and dad we got married; the former demanded the wedding of the century. The latter grunted about walking her down the aisle. And Amore promised both, letting her grandmother plan the wedding but run everything by her.

Bennetti wasn’t happy when I told him Amore’s new last name. Not that I gave a fuck. He couldn’t take her from me anymore. Though he insisted on a formal church wedding.

Fine.

Once I eliminated the fucking threat of the man that should have stood by her, rather than turned on her.

Amore focused on running Regalè Fashion and her Orchid business. Sometimes she’d lay out paper all over the floor to draw, take pictures and text back and forth with Maria. I’d asked her not to share that we got married. Regina and Savio would keep it to themselves too.

Amore usually fixed lunch, then we’d go into town for ice cream, or walk down to the beach. Then we’d end the day preparing dinner together or just call in delivery, curl up on the couch and watch Marvel movies. We have yet to make it through a whole movie without gettingsidetracked.

If it was up to me, I’d stay here forever, but first there were things that needed handling.

CHAPTER74

Amore

It had only been twenty-four hours since Santi and I got back, and I already missed the cabin. It turned out my firsts with Santi continued. Our first argument. He wanted me sitting at home, waiting for him to eliminate the threat. I had to work. I couldn’t miss the first board meeting as the head of Regalè Fashion house. After hours of back and forth, we finally met in the middle. It must have been a first for Santi because he acted like I had attempted to murder him.

“Santi, you knew who I was when you married me,” I said, agitated and annoyed. “Just as I knew who you were!”

“I’m not saying you cannot work,” he growled. “Just to wait.”

“It is a board meeting,” I gritted out. “They can’t hold it without me, and the date has been set for months. I’m not asking you to put your role in the Cosa Nostra on hold. Don’t ask me to put my role as head of Regalè Fashion on hold.”

He stalked towards me, his palms cupping my face. “I’ll fuck you straight through the board meeting and you’ll forget all about it.”

His hand cupped the back of my head, his mouth brushing against my lips so lightly, but it was all it took. My body shivered, eager for a rougher touch, harder kiss. His fingers fisted in my hair as he scraped his teeth against my bottom lip and my hands instinctively locked around his neck.

“I want to feel your pretty pussy around my cock, wife,” he purred, his voice smooth, like the most delicious sin. “Slide my cock inside it, so you can feel me every time you move. Every goddamn time.”

A shiver ran down my spine and a whimper left my lips in response to his filthy words.

“Will you let me?” His voice was guttural, his breath hot against my ear.

I panted, the throbbing between my thighs unbearable. “Y-yes.”

His free hand fisted on my Chanel skirt, pulling it up as I rubbed myself against him. I lowered my eyes, watching his tattooed hand against my white Chanel business skirt. Through my lust hazed brain, I realized he was seducing me in order to distract me.

Clenching my teeth and my thighs, I brought my palms to his chest and gently pushed against him.

“No,” I breathed out. God, it didn’t sound convincing to my own ears, never mind his. To prove to him that I meant it, I pushed harder.

“Santi, stop.”

He stopped, an exasperated look on his face. “What happened to my obedient, submissive wife?” he mused.

“You never had an obedient wife,” I pointed out. I decided not to comment on the submissive. My desire to please only came out in the bedroom, and only for him. Inhaling deeply, I ignored the temptation to spread my legs wide and forget about the world. “Santi, I have to go to this meeting,” I told him in a firm tone. “Theoretically, they could vote me out. Grandma worked really hard for this company. I can’t destroy it my first week.”