In the months of our marriage he’d tried to keep me out of the business, but I wasn’t stupid.

“I know,” I whispered.

You wouldn’t even have to lay a hand on me to do it.

“You don’t know, that’s the fucking problem. I’ve burnt and beaten and cut. I’ve strangled and drowned people. I have done every horrendous thing you only have nightmares about, Aria. Gianna’s destination is less than a minute away if I try.”

By God, I knew. I had seen glimpses of what he was capable of when he’d dealt with others. I had seen the blood, had seen the darkness and excited glimmer in his eyes. I knew exactly what kind of man he was. But God help me, I loved him despite it all. Loved him more than anything else in this world. I forced my body to relax in his grip even though it was the hardest thing I’d ever done. Luca felt it too, and his brows drew together.

“Then do what you must do, Luca,” I whispered, and I could say it without hesitation because I knew no matter how angry he was, no matter how dark the times were, he would never hurt me. I trusted him completely.

He smiled joylessly and leaned closer, his thumb pressing against my wrist once. “This betrays your true feelings, Aria. I know you are scared.”

My body fears you, but not my heart. “I am,” I admitted. “But not of the pain and not of you.” That was a lie—the prospect of pain scared me very much—and we both knew it but I continued, “The thing that scares me most is that you won’t trust me again, that I ruined the best thing in my life, that I hurt the person I love the most.”

Luca’s expression could have brought down worlds with its intensity. He released me like he had been burnt and whirled around, then he stalked into the bathroom. I knew I shouldn’t have but I followed. He was clutching the washbasin, glowering at his reflection. His gray eyes shone with fury. When he spotted me in the mirror, he jerked his hands up and ripped the washbasin off the wall. “Damn you, Aria. Damn your fucking love. Damn it all.” He released the washbasin and it fell to the ground, broken. I took a step in his direction because with him I simply couldn’t stay away.

“You are turning me into a fucking fool,” he snarled.

And then he was upon me, tall and imposing. He gripped my hips and lifted me off the ground, then hoisted me up against the tiled wall. His body pressed up against me and his mouth crashed down on mine. I tasted blood, not sure if it was mine or his, and not caring. His tongue claimed my mouth without mercy, and I returned the kiss. His fingers clamped down on my thighs painfully as he held me up. He shoved my skirt up then ripped away my panties. I heard him undo his belt and unzip his pants, and then he thrust into me in one hard stroke. My gasp was swallowed by his mouth. He didn’t wait for my body to adapt like usual; instead he started pounding into me hard and fast, his hands gripping my ass, his mouth unrelenting. And I surrendered to him completely. I clung to his neck, ecstasy mingling with pain as Luca took me harder than ever before.

He panted, eyes angry, as he got closer to the edge. He stopped kissing me and only stared into my eyes with the most intense look I’d ever seen. He still loved me. I hadn’t lost him.

And then he tensed, his cock expanding in me, and he growled, his head falling forward. I buried my face in the crook of his neck and allowed myself to cry as I clung to him and listened to his harsh breathing and erratic heartbeat. His musky scent filled my nose. Luca exhaled sharply, muscles softening under my hands before he lifted me gently and pulled out slowly. I couldn’t help but wince. I was sore. Luca set me down and our eyes met. Slowly his gaze traveled down to his cock, which was smeared with a bit of pink. I couldn’t describe the look on his face then. Regret. Sorrow. Anger. He sank to his knees and pressed his face against my stomach.

“Damn it, Aria,” he rasped. “I swore I’d never hurt you.”

“It’s nothing,” I said.

He shook his head, and for a while we stayed like that: his face resting against me, my hands in his hair. “I am your husband and your Capo,” he said eventually, before he pressed a kiss to the soft flesh of my stomach and his gray eyes met mine. “Don’t ever betray me again.”

It was half order, half plea. There was only so much his love for me could endure; I understood that now. He was a predator, a monster. He was mine. “I won’t,” I promised, and I hoped I could keep that promise.

chapter 7

LUCA

I chanced a last look at Aria. Her back was turned to me. She was naked from head to toe, every inch of that perfect porcelain skin that only I got to touch on display. Her shoulder blades and butt cheeks were red from where they’d rubbed against the tiles when I’d fucked her.

Angry fucking. That was something I’d never wanted to do with Aria, but something had snapped in me, and I hated myself for it. Hated that I’d hurt her even if she said it was nothing. She was mine to protect. She was mine, fucking mine until the fucking end. She hadn’t run, and she wouldn’t. I knew that now.

Turning away, I opened the bedroom door and headed downstairs as I pulled my cell out of my pocket to call a few contacts at the airport. I couldn’t waste any time. Word about Gianna’s flight would spread like wildfire, and I would have to make sure it didn’t turn into something I couldn’t control. My uncles and my aunts’ husbands all had their eyes set on my position. They thought they could be better as Capo. Gottardo had told me to my face. The only reason no one had made a move yet was that they quarreled among each other, but I couldn’t count on that to last forever. Perhaps they’d come to an agreement at some point. I needed to make sure that my men were too loyal to me to give them any kind of support. Appearing weak wouldn’t do.

Matteo was glaring daggers at me when he spotted me. “Don’t tell me you couldn’t get anything out of her.”

I sent him a scowl in return. He was my brother but he was starting to piss me off. He needed to stop the disrespect when others were around. “The only thing I know is that Gianna took a plane from JFK. Aria won’t tell me anything, but our informants will let me know where Gianna is going soon enough.”

“Great,” he muttered, his eyes sliding back up to the bedroom door before he turned to me. I didn’t like that look one fucking bit. “And then what? Aria knows Gianna’s plan. They told each other everything. The only way to find Gianna is through your wife.”

Romero and Sandro were watching us, and I got into Matteo’s face. “She won’t tell me anything.”

The fucker actually tried to walk past me up the stairs. “Then let me have a word with her.”

I shoved him backwards, snarling. “You will stay away from her, Matteo.” Brother or not, if he got anywhere near Aria, if he hurt as much as a hair on her body, I’d end him.

“You let her steal your money, your passports. You let her attack our men.” He pointed at Sandro, who was still staring. “You let her make a fool out of you and betray you. You should want to punish her. You are Capo.”

I brought us chest to chest so Matteo had to tilt his head back. “Aria is my wife. It’s none of your business how I deal with her. I told you that Gianna meant trouble but you didn’t want to listen. You should have never asked for her hand, but you had to think with your cock,” I growled.