VALENTINA POVI don’t know why I found that so hot, but I did. I swallowed hard and tried not to let him see how I felt. “How will you keep all your bella figas straight in your contact list?”“There is just una bella figa, Valentina.”He let that statement sit between us for a long second, and I have to admit that I was relieved. At least in the short term, HE WAS MINE, TOO.He stepped back, releasing me and heading for the door. “Now, go and spend my money. Buy something sexy I can tear off of you later.”“Dio santo! More gelato?”I ignored Dimitri as I accepted my pistachio gelato. “Grazie. He’s paying,” I hitched a thumb in Dimitri’s direction, a small bit of revenge for mocking me.Dimitri handed some of our bags to one of the guards and dug out his wallet. “I have never seen one so tiny eat so much. Where does it go?”“To my boobs and ass, obviously.”I held up my gelato and snapped a selfie, then posted it to my social media. Gia and Rebecca had been commenting on my photos al
VALENTINA POV TODAY HAS BEEN PERFECT. Before shopping, Dimitri had taken me to see the Coliseum, Papal Basilica, and Trevi Fountain. But more than the tourist locations, he’d shown me his favorite spots—the charming side streets and gardens, the fruit stands and cafés. It was better than any tour I could have asked for.“You come here a lot, don’t you?” I asked as we strolled.“As much as I can. It’s easier here than in Siderno. Here we can blend in.”“But you still have to be careful.”“Yes. My father’s reach is vast and our enemies are everywhere. There is no truly safe place for me.” “I’m sorry, Dimitri.”“Things are changing, slowly. Perhaps the next generation of our brotherhood won’t judge a man for his preferences.”I doubted it, but didn’t say it. Progress in the mafia never matched progress in the real world. From what I had seen, the mafia was still stuck in the nineteenth century.Dimitri pointed to a four-story cream stone building with black shutters on every window. A
VALENTINA POV ONE THING I learned since staying here was that Italians like to eat dinner late. It was almost nine o’clock when Dimitri and I left the apartment. He still wouldn’t tell me where we were going, but he did insist on picking out my outfit.He chose the red lace La Perla bodysuit and a red wrap-around dress we had purchased today. “You should always wear red,” he said with a smirk.“Why?”“Because of your coloring, bella. And I have a feeling my father will like it.”Dimitri held my arm down the stairs. While I loved the black heels he paired with the outfit—Louboutins with a scalloped edge along the sides and a sky-high heel—they did not allow for going up and down stairs easily. Still, I adored them. They made my legs look long and I reached Dimitri’s height with them on.Three guards followed us, including Alex. It must have been strange for him to follow his boyfriend as Dimitri escorted a woman out to dinner. I wondered if they would find a way to be together tonigh
VINCENZO POV I CARRIED her up the stairs to the apartment. Though the heels made her legs look long and sexy, they would not allow her to hurry up the steps. And I needed to hurry. My dick had been hard since the second she walked onto that patio, her body wrapped in red. Cazzo, she should always wear red.My men went to the apartments on the floor below while I continued to the top. After opening the door, I put her on her heels and grabbed the ends of the ties holding her dress together, pulling on them to unwrap her. This was the best gift I’d ever received.“Wait,” she said, stilling my hands. “Go sit on the sofa.”Impatient but willing to indulge her, I dropped onto the sofa, spreading my legs wide to ease the ache in my balls.Valentina smirked at me as she slowly untied the dress she wore. My hands tightened into fists on the back of the sofa. “I’m not sure teasing me is a wise idea.”She turned away from me as the dress dipped off her shoulders. I could see the straps of the
VALENTINA POV I COULDN’T MOVE. I sprawled on top of Vincenzo, my muscles quivering like jelly. That had been the best, most intense sex of my life. It was like he knew what I wanted better than I did. You like it rough and mean, just like I do.Yes, I suppose I did.It was more than that, though. It was Vincenzo. He turned me inside out, made me do and say things I never would otherwise. Then he rewarded me in return. There were no losers, because I made him crazy, too.His hand swept down my back, removing the ruined bodysuit. I smirked against his chest. “You weren’t kidding when you said to buy four of those.”“I ordered you to buy five, but Dimitri said the store only had three in stock. So the others are being shipped to the castello.”I blinked up at him. “You had Dimitri order more lingerie for me?”“Of course. Do you think this embarrasses me?” He huffed, his lips quirking. “My son knows we are fucking, Valentina.”“Maybe it embarrasses me, you stronzo.”He pressed a quick ki
VALENTINA POV TRUE TO HIS WORD, he nudged me awake, the strong smell of coffee filling the room. “Bellissima, you cannot sleep all day.”God, that sexy, accented voice. He could make a killing as an audiobook narrator. “How are you already awake?” I struggled to open my lids. “I have been up for three hours while you laze about in bed, neglecting your duties.”“And what duties would those be?”He squeezed one of my butt cheeks. “Presenting me with that ass to fuck.”I shot up in bed, uncaring that I was completely naked. He was on the mattress next to me, smirking. “No, Vincenzo. You promised. Remember? Te lo prometto.”“And what did you promise me in return?”I didn’t want to say it. I pressed my lips together, hoping he forgot.“Do I need to spank you to make you say it again? Allora.” He motioned with his hands for me to get up.“No, no, no.” I did not want him near my ass. “Fine. I said I was yours.” Reaching out, he stroked my jaw with his knuckles. “And as such, you will trus
VINCENZO POV AFTER FEEDING Valentina BREAKFAST, I took her for another soak in the jacuzzi. Then I fucked her slow and sweet one last time before we left the apartment. I could not get enough of this woman.In fact, I considered keeping her in Roma for another day. But these wishes were foolish. Too much demanded my attention in Siderno and it was dangerous for me to be away for so long.My life was not my own. It never had been. From the time I was born, my destiny was set—just as Dimitri’s had been. And his sons as well, and so on. It was the way our brotherhood worked. And I wouldn’t change it. Our traditions were how the ’Ndrangheta had grown and maintained a stronghold throughout the world. We were more fearsome and powerful than the Cosa Nostra or the Camorra, and my ’ndrina was near the top of the pyramid.And despite the high probability that I would one day be murdered or arrested, I still loved my life. When we walked inside the castello, Marco was waiting in the entryway.
VALENTINA POV MY BEDROOM LOOKED the same but I felt completely different. Instead of the usual dread I experienced while inside these walls, I was relaxed. There were little touches of me everywhere, from the lipstick on the side table to the bra I’d flung onto a chair. It was familiar, and I realized I didn’t hate being here any longer.Was that because of Vincenzo and Rome? Had I let his charm twist my mind into accepting this? Or was I as dark inside as he believed?Was he also experiencing this insane connection between us, the burning need for each other that felt too big, too important to be only lust?I’d spent my life searching for something more, a way to find myself outside of my father’s orbit, as my mother had wanted. And I never felt more like myself than when I was with Vincenzo. It was like he was peeling away the unimportant layers and helping me learn who I was underneath. Not to mention I was discovering my gorgeous devil in a three-piece suit could be tender and s