Chapter 24

Camila

My eyelids fluttered as consciousness awakened my senses. Warmth. I opened my eyes to the source of that heat, the man lying at my side. My smile faded as I moved, uncomfortably aware of the tenderness of my legs and between my legs. Memories came back as I snuggled beneath the blankets wondering how late we’d slept.

Dante rolled in my direction. His tousled dark hair reminded me of the number of times I’d woven my fingers through his locks. I studied his high cheekbones and protruding brow, and the way his long lashes fanned below his eyes. This handsome, dangerous, and powerful man was my husband.

Before I could reach out, his dark eyes opened; their focus settled on me as his lips curled. “Good morning, Mrs. Luciano.”

“Good morning, my husband.” I pulled my left hand out from the warmth of the covers and looked at the stunning ruby ring. “Mia told me that this ring belonged to your grandma.”

Dante turned to his back and inspected the ring on his left hand. “And this one belonged to your grandfather.” He looked in my direction. “Tell me what kind of ring you want. When we get back to Kansas City, I’ll take you to the best jewelry store.”

“I want this ring. Unless…does Mia want it back?”

“Mia offered it to me for you. No strings attached.” His smile grew. “But seriously, you’re my wife. In case you haven’t heard, the Luciano men are loaded. Don’t you want an obscenely giant diamond?”

“I believe the Hope Diamond is locked away at the Smithsonian.”

Dante reached for my hands. “You’re thinking too small. The Hope Diamond is only forty-five and a half carats. The Cullinan Diamond is over 3,000 carats.”

A giggle escaped my lips. “I’ve never heard of the Cullinan Diamond. Where is it?”

“Tower of London.” He shook his head. “Not to worry. The famiglia has some of the best thieves in the business. Say the word. I’ll give the order, and the diamond will be yours.”

“The famiglia has the best thieves?”

“Yes,” he said, pulling me closer. “We now have you.”

The keycard I’d stolen from Contessa and pickpocketed from Dante.

I scooted closer, suddenly aware of my nakedness.

Watching my expression, Dante’s smile faded. “Are you sore?”

“A little.”

“So, morning sex…?”

“As I recall, you said in this bubble, you’re in charge.”

“I am, but I’m not a monster or at least not in this bubble. Pressing my cock into your tight pussy was a kind of heaven I want to keep enjoying. If that means letting you heal, I can do it.”

“When are we going to Kansas City?”

“Dario told me to return within twenty-four hours.” He lifted his wrist and looked at his watch. “That means we should clean up.” As he inhaled, his nostrils flared. “And go to your house. We need to talk to your father.”

I shook my head. “No. If I go back, they’ll want me to stay. What time is it?”

“Almost seven.” He kissed my nose. “Yesterday was a long day.”

“Can we have a few more minutes in our bubble?”

“How about we shower and then I call Dario?”

That reminded me. “Cat knows about us—the wedding. She talked to Em.”

“Oh fuck. I should probably call him sooner rather than later.” He reached for his phone. “Shit, I have missed calls.”

Tugging at the sheet, I wrapped it around my body and stood.

“What’s with the dark Roman goddess attire?” Dante asked, standing in his naked Greek-god beauty. My focus went to the part of his body I’d never before seen. Oh, I felt it, but now it was right there.

Dante laughed. “I told you you’d see all of me.”

I shook my head. “How did that fit inside me?”

“Perfectly.”

“And it gets bigger?” I moved my gaze to his. Amusement glistened in his dark orbs.

“It’s about to show you if you keep looking at it like that. What’s with the sheet?” he asked again.

“I’m not wearing any clothes.”

He came closer and tugged at the sheet. “I like you without clothes.” He pulled the sheet away, letting it drop to the floor. “I’m considering implementing a new rule in our apartment. As long as we don’t have company, the entire apartment will be a clothes-free zone.”

“It gets cold in Missouri.”

“That’s what I’m for.”

I looked up at his chiseled jaw now covered with more beard growth. “Were you serious about birth control last night?”

“That’s what you remember about last night?”

“I remember many things about last night, but that’s one.”

“Yes, I’m serious.”

“Just like that? Catalina and Dario have Ariadna, and Jano and Mia are pregnant.”

“Thus, the need for birth control,” he said. “Abstinence is off the table.”

I tilted my head to the side. “You don’t want children?”

Exhaling, Dante sat on the edge of the bed and pulled me to his lap. With his penis making its presence known, I peered down and up.

“Ignore it.”

“That’s kind of hard,” I said with a giggle.

“Yeah, you make it that way.” He teased my hair away from my face. “There will be a lot of these subjects, things we should have talked about before our wedding. We’re going to need to tackle them one at a time. My guess is that we’ll have enough friction from the outside, especially at first. You and I can handle whatever comes our way as long as we talk about it.”

“Children?” I again asked, unsure how I felt about the subject. Honestly, it was never a question of if in my upbringing, but when. When was after marriage.

I was married.

He replied, “Yes, probably.”

“Probably?” I questioned.

Dante inhaled, his chest inflating before he exhaled. “Listen, I’m not against children. You’re young. We have time to discuss it.” He furrowed his brow. “This is a shitty world. What happened here last night and to you months ago are reasons to wait. And then there’s your classes. Your father made it clear during our negotiations that you finishing school was a priority.”

I nodded. “I want to finish my degree.” I palmed his cheeks, relishing the roughness of his beard and briefly imagining that roughness at my core. I tried to focus on the topic at hand before my nipples beaded and gave away my desires. “As for the world, you’re right. It can be shitty, but we can’t make our decisions based on that.”

“When we get home, we’ll make you an appointment with Catalina’s doctor. Until then, I’ll do a better job of pulling out.”

“Someday?”

“Someday.”

“Probably or definitely?”

“Do you always get your way?” he asked with a grin.

“I don’t know. Will I?”

Dante nodded. After kissing my forehead, he stood, lowering my feet to the floor. “I’d like to join you in the shower, but I better touch base with Dario. You can go ahead without me.”

I started to walk toward the bathroom and stopped. “Dante, I know we’ll do what Dario wants you to do. But if we go to my house, promise me that you won’t leave me there.”

He slapped his fist against his chest. “You have my sworn promise.”

Swallowing, I nodded. “I trust you.”