Chapter 90

Fear twisted my bowels. “Veda…” I said quietly. “Don’t ever fucking talk like that. You hear me?”

The life drained from her as quickly as it had appeared. I saw it happen with my own eyes, like a balloon deflating. Dropping her eyes, she shuffled around me and into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. I heard the lock click.

My fists clenched at my sides and took four steps away from the door, barely stopping myself from spinning around and punching a hole through it. As she got ready for bed, I stared out the window, not seeing the dance of lights across the lake that normally brought me such a sense of peace. Fed up with her, myself, and this entire fucking situation, I turned on my heel and walked out.

But I stopped just outside the bedroom. No. This was bullshit. I’d tried giving her space, and it hadn’t done any fucking good. If anything, it only gave her a reason to withdraw even more.

No. I was done giving her her space.

Marching back into the room, I went into the closet and started pulling her clothes off the hangers and out of the drawers, piling them up on the bed. When I had everything, I grabbed an armful and took them down to my room—what would now be OUR room—and threw them into my closet. I wanted to sleep in my own bed. And I wanted Veda there with me.

She was standing beside the bed, staring down at her things, when I came back to get another armful. Ignoring her as she liked to do to me, I gathered up more of her clothes and took them to my room. I heard her footsteps following me.

“What are you doing with my stuff?” she asked from behind me.

I didn’t respond. Just turned into our room and threw them on the floor of the closet with the rest. She didn’t want to talk to me? Fine. She didn’t have to. But I wasn’t going to allow her to run away from me anymore. Not even to a spare bedroom down the hall. And I wasn’t going to continue sneaking in there at night like a goddamned teenager. This was her home now. And this was her room. With me. Where she belonged. There were no other options. Not now. Not after everything.

“Luca! Why are you bringing my clothes in here? I want to stay in the guest room.”

Brushing past her, I went back and got her shoes from the closet, throwing them on the bed. I left everything there that I’d bought for “Nicole.” That was the woman I’d needed her to be. Not the woman I wanted.

In the bathroom, I grabbed the trashcan, took out the bag and set it on the floor, then started filling it with her toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, shampoo, and conditioner. Opening a drawer, I found her hairbrush, some hair ties, and her birth control pills and threw them in the trash can. Checking under the sink, I found what was left of a box of tampons Lisa must’ve picked up for her and threw them in too. Then I walked back into the bedroom, tucked a few pairs of her shoes under my arm, picked up the other pair in my free hand, and took it all back to our room.

Veda watched me in silence as I moved her out of the spare bedroom, but didn’t follow me this time. Once her things were all in my room, I went back to collect her. She’d gotten into bed and pulled the comforter up over her head.

Without a word, I yanked it down and lifted her into my arms. Surprisingly, although she was stiff as a board in my arms, she didn’t try to struggle. I have to admit, I was disappointed. A fight would’ve done us both good.

When we got to our room, I kicked the door shut behind me. Then I just stood there in the middle of the floor, my chest heaving with the whirlwind of emotions banging against my ribcage, Veda held tight in my arms. I should’ve put her down, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. When I felt like I could breathe, I looked down at her.

She was completely still. Waiting for what I would do next. Her arms crossed over her chest and tears rolling silently down her cheeks as she stared at nothing.

The anger I’d been carrying around dissipated on a softly spoken curse. Carefully, I set her on her feet and took her timeless, beautiful, sad face between my hands. “Don’t cry, amore. Please don’t cry.” It was on my tongue to tell her I was sorry, but I knew the words would mean nothing. Not now. Not after all the things I’d done. I pressed a soft kiss to her temple, then her cheek, then the corner of her mouth. “Veda.” Her name was a plea. A wish. A prayer. “Vita…my life. Please come back to me.”

I took her bottom lip between my teeth, nipping the soft flesh before pulling it into my mouth to soothe the hurt. I continued to kiss her, soft nipping bites in between soft brushes of my lips until she was forced to respond.

Her hands wrapped around my wrists, and she gave them a tug. But it was a weak effort, and I wouldn’t let her go. Finally, with a shuddering breath, she gave in to me, tightening her grip as she parted her lips and let me in. I took full advantage, plunging my tongue into her sweet mouth and kissing her until her lips were red and swollen and she stopped trying to pull away.

Sliding my hands through the soft strands of her hair, I held her mouth to mine, taking what I needed. My blood was on fire, raging through my body, my cock so swollen I seriously wondered if I’d last long enough to get inside of her. I wanted to taste her. Everywhere.

“Touch me,” I ordered roughly against her lips. Not giving her the chance to deny me, I took one of her hands and pressed it against my swollen sex. “Do you feel what you do to me?” My hand over hers, I forced her to grip me tighter. “You drive me fucking insane, amore.”

She made a small, helpless noise, but didn’t try to pull away.

Flattening her palm, I rolled my hips, rubbing my length against her palm as I continued to kiss her, our very fucking souls mingling with every breath. But it felt so good I had to stop before I came in my pants, taking her hand away with a groan of disappointment that matched hers. Leaving her luscious mouth, I dropped kisses across her jaw to her ear. “I need you, Veda.” I let her hear the raw hunger inside of me. With my other hand still in her hair, I forced her head back, exposing her throat. She closed her eyes and laced her fingers through mine, her other hand fisting in my shirt.

I sucked the tender skin of her neck until the blood rose to the surface and stayed. I wanted to mark her everywhere. With my tongue, my teeth, my come. Until there was no doubt in her mind who she belonged to.

She whispered my name, and I was completely fucking lost.