“I want to, and I owe you common decency,” I muttered, glaring up at him.

“I suppose it’s my special talent to make you Scuderi women hate me.”

“I don’t hate you, Matteo,” I said firmly. “And neither does Gianna.”

He raised his head so I could see his expression and nodded toward the door. “If we go slow, I should be able to support most of my weight.”

It took us several minutes to reach the bedroom when Matteo tensed suddenly.

“Someone entered the penthouse,” he murmured, every muscle in his body taut. I hadn’t heard a thing.

“Luca said Romero would come over.”

“I assume that means nobody’s on guard at the moment.”

I blinked up at him, suddenly worried. The Russians had managed to get into the mansion, so who said they couldn’t get into our penthouse? His hand slid down my back and after a moment of shock, I realized what he was doing. He pulled the gun out of the waistband of my pants and aimed it toward the door, straightening from my shoulder.

“Get behind me.”

“You can’t stand on your own.”

“Get the fuck behind me, Aria,” Matteo snarled, and I recoiled but then narrowed my eyes.

“No.”

Maybe he would have shoved me behind him, but in that moment Romero called out. “Aria? Where are you?”

His voice rang with concern.

“Here!” I shouted, and it took only a few seconds for Romero to burst into the room, gun in hand. When his eyes settled on Matteo and me, surprise crossed his face, and he put his gun back in his holster.

“Matteo thought it was a good idea to pass out in the shower,” I said.

“I didn’t pass out. I stumbled and fell,” he muttered.

Romero came toward us and slid his arm under Matteo’s armpit. I released a small breath when the heavy weight lifted off my shoulder and stepped back.

“I’m taking it from here. Why don’t you go change?” Romero said.

I glanced down. My shirt was see-through from water and giving a view of my white lace bra, but there was also blood on the fabric.

Before I left the room, Matteo’s voice rang out. “Aria?” I turned to him. Romero had hoisted him down on the bed. “Thank you.”

I smiled. “You are welcome.”

Feeling drained, I made my way upstairs into the master bedroom. I took a long hot shower before I slipped into my softest wool nightgown, and lay down in bed.

I was woken by a warm hand on my cheek. Luca’s face hovered over me as his thumb stroked my skin. I blinked. “What time is it?”

“Late,” he murmured.

“Oh,” I said. “I must have fallen asleep. How’s Matteo?”

“Better,” Luca said in a strange voice. I searched his eyes. He was watching me with a look that filled my belly with butterflies. “He told me what happened.”

“I had to help him,” I said indignantly. “I don’t care if you’re mad that I almost saw all of him.”

Luca let out the softest laugh and I frowned, confused by his mood. His hand slid down my side and he bunched up my nightgown and settled between my legs, his warm body covering mine. When his tip brushed my center, I released a surprised breath. He didn’t enter me, only kissed me.

I kissed him back, softening under his heat and strength. Soon Luca’s tongue in my mouth and his body on top of me had me slick with arousal, and he finally eased his tip into me. His eyes held mine as he slid the rest of the way in, and I moaned at the utter fullness.

“I don’t deserve you, Aria.”

He claimed my mouth again before I could protest and soon his expert movements had me writhing and panting, forgetting any word of objection.

LUCA

Four months later

Matteo was chasing Gianna toward the ocean, her high-pitched screaming ringing out. Aria wrapped her arms around my waist, giving me her “I-told-you-so” look. I didn’t think Gianna would return to my brother, but she had. They seemed happy enough. I still didn’t trust the redhead, not one bit, but I was glad for Matteo’s good mood.

“Let’s just hope she doesn’t change her mind.”

Aria shook her head. “You see, once you Vitiello men have wormed your way into our hearts, there’s no escaping.”

Her blue eyes sparkled with amusement.

“I never had the intention of worming my way into your heart,” I admitted because love had never been part of the bargain.

“I know,” she said with a shrug, then her smile turned playful, and my cock tightened. “You only wanted me for my mad sexual skills.”

I choked on a laugh. Aria gripped my hand and pulled me into the mansion.

Later that day, Matteo and I set up a barbecue on the patio. I turned the lamb chops while Matteo picked up a bottle from our wine cellar and Aria prepared a hopefully edible salad.

Gianna stepped up to the barbecue, and I raised my eyebrows. She looked like she had something to say, and usually that wasn’t something good.

“I know you don’t like me,” she said, actually looking nervous. Gianna, nervous? “But I think we should try to get along better, for Aria and Matteo.”

She met my gaze and held it. I still wasn’t a Gianna fan, would probably never be, but she had a point. Aria and Matteo wanted us to get along. “I didn’t like you because I hated how you treated Matteo.”

She frowned as if this was a fucking surprise. “Okay.”

“But I’m starting to change my mind,” I said. It wasn’t quite the truth, but not a lie either.

“You are?”

I turned a lamb chop, and shrugged. “I’m starting to think that maybe Matteo was right and you two aren’t the worst match.” They were both hotheaded and conflict-loving. They deserved each other.

“Thanks? You are really bad with compliments.”

“I’m not in the habit of handing them out. And don’t tell my brother I said he was right. He’s cocky enough.”

Matteo came our way, arms loaded with wine bottles. For an instant his expression tightened when he spotted Gianna beside me. He knew me well enough to figure I couldn’t stand her most of the time, but he needn’t have worried. That woman was safe because she was his no matter how infuriating she was.

“He is,” Gianna said with affection. I forced my expression into something less cold, and Gianna gave me a grateful smile.

Matteo set the wine bottles down on the table before joining us and wrapping his arm around Gianna’s waist. “What are you two gossiping about?”

“You.”

“Is that so?” Matteo lifted one eyebrow.

Aria came back from the kitchen, carrying a bowl. She sent me a questioning look as she snuggled up to me. “What’s going on?”

“Your husband and my wife are discussing my many wonderful traits,” Matteo said.

Gianna eye-fucked Matteo. “You are way too cocky.”

“Admit it, you love my cockiness.”

“Done.”

“Your declarations of love still make my knees go weak,” he joked.

“Your cockiness isn’t the only thing I love about you.”