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~ Luca ~

Aria’s eyes darkened as they tracked over my body—I could see the heat there, the challenge. She stood in just her black lace lingerie, breasts spilling over the cups, the tiny scrap of lace between her thighs already damp.

Cristo. I was trying to maintain control, trying to remember why this was wrong, but she made it impossible.

"Put on a robe," I said, my voice rougher than I intended.

"No."

"Aria…"

"We're not doing this, remember?" She moved to her dresser, deliberately slow, giving me the full view — arching her back slightly so her ass lifted. "Whatever happened between us was a mistake. Unprofessional. So why would you care if I go on dates?"

Every word was a knife between my ribs. Because you're mine, I wanted to roar. Because I've protected your father for years and now the only thing I want to protect is you. Because the thought of any other man touching you makes me want to commit murder.

"Because…" I stopped, jaw clenched so tight I thought my teeth might crack.

"Because why?" She turned to face me. "Because you want me? Because the thought of another man touching me makes you insane?" She moved closer. "Because you know damn well this thing between us isn't finished?"

Yes. Yes to all of it. But I can't say that. Can't admit that I've destroyed my own code of honor for you. That every rule I've lived by is crumbling because of what I feel for you.

"You're being reckless."

"I'm just a woman who has a strong desire for you, Luca."

I'd built my entire existence on loyalty, on control, on being the one steady hand in a world of chaos. And this woman—this impossible, brilliant, infuriating woman—was unraveling me thread by thread.

"You're trying to provoke me."

"Is it working?"

Too well. I closed the distance in two strides, backing her hard against the dresser so the edge bit into her ass. My hands slammed down on the wood on either side of her hips, caging her completely.

"You want to play games? Fine." My voice was low, lethal. "But don't be surprised when I fuck the defiance right out of you."

"I'm not playing anything. You're the one who keeps saying this can't happen, that it's wrong, that it was a mistake." She tilted her chin up defiantly. "So I'm moving on. Like you wanted."

Like I wanted. The lie tasted bitter. What I wanted was to throw her on that bed and make her forget every other man existed. What I wanted was to tell Vittorio to go to hell with his arranged dates. What I wanted was to claim her publicly, consequences be damned.

But I was consigliere. I'd sworn an oath. And Vittorio trusted me with his most precious possession — his daughter's safety. Breaking that trust, pursuing her, would destroy everything I'd built. Would make me no better than the ambitious bastards who put their own desires above loyalty.

My hands gripped her hips, fingers digging in hard enough to bruise. "You think I want this? You think I want to watch you dress like that for other men? Smile at them the way you smiled at those managers today—leaning forward so they could see straight down your dress, crossing your legs so the hem rode up your thighs?"

"Then do something about it."

"I can't."

"You mean you won't."

"It's the same thing."

"No, it's not." She grabbed my tie, yanked me down until our mouths were a breath apart. "One is about can't. One is about won't. And we both know which one this really is."

She was right. Fuck it, she was right.

My control snapped like a frayed wire.

I crushed my mouth to hers—violent, claiming, all teeth and fury. She bit back, tasting blood, nails raking down my neck. I growled into her mouth, spun her around so she faced the mirror, and shoved her forward until her palms slapped the wood.

"Look," I ordered, voice dark velvet against her ear. "Watch what happens when you push me."

I tore her bra down, freeing her breasts. One hand cupped the heavy weight, pinching her nipple hard enough to make her gasp; the other yanked her panties aside and plunged two thick fingers straight into her soaked cunt.

She moaned, hips bucking back onto my hand. "Luca…"

"So fucking wet," I rasped, pumping roughly. "You get this dripping just thinking about making me jealous? About parading yourself in front of some other man while I have to stand there and watch?"

"Yes…" She pushed back harder, chasing my fingers. "Because you won't claim me. Because you keep pretending…"

I ripped the lace completely off, the sound of tearing fabric loud in the quiet room. Then my belt snapped open, zipper down, and I pressed the blunt, hot head of my cock against her entrance.

Last chance to stop. Last chance to maintain honor, loyalty, the code I've lived by.

But even as I thought it, I knew I was lost. Had been lost since she was eighteen and looked at me with those eyes full of want and innocence.

I didn't ease in.

One brutal thrust and I was buried to the hilt, stretching her wide, filling her so completely she cried out. I didn't pause—pulled back and slammed home again, setting a punishing rhythm that rocked the dresser, made bottles rattle.

"Oh God, Aria," I snarled, fisting her hair and yanking her head up so she had to meet her own wrecked reflection—lips swollen, eyes glassy, breasts bouncing with every thrust. "I am who you belong to. Not some shipping heir. Not any of them. Me."

She pushed back to meet me, taking me deeper. "Then prove it. Fuck me like you mean it. Like you own me."

My hand slid around to her throat — not choking, just holding, tilting her head back so I could growl directly in her ear. "You want ownership? Fine." My other hand found her clit, rubbing fast, merciless circles. "No more games. No more dates. No more letting other men think they have a chance. This cunt is mine. These tits are mine. Every moan, every shiver—mine."

She was shaking, thighs trembling, inner walls fluttering around my pistoning cock. "Then mark me. Make sure I can't forget."

I bit down on the curve of her neck—hard enough to leave teeth marks, hard enough to bruise—and she came instantly, violently, screaming my name as her cunt clamped down like a vice. I fucked her through it, prolonging the spasms until she was sobbing, oversensitive, begging.

I didn't stop.

Pulled out, spun her to face me, lifted her onto the dresser so her ass perched on the edge. Spread her thighs wide, hooked her legs over my forearms, and drove back inside at a deeper angle that made her see stars.

"Again," I demanded, pounding into her. "Come again. Let every fucking person in this house hear who you belong to."

She was helpless—clinging to my shoulders, nails drawing blood, head thrown back against the mirror. The second orgasm hit like a freight train, ripping a raw scream from her throat. Her cunt pulsed around me, milking me relentlessly.

I followed, slamming home one final time and coming hard—thick, hot spurts flooding deep inside her, so much she felt it start to leak out around my cock even as I stayed buried.

We stayed locked together, chests heaving, sweat-slicked. My forehead dropped to hers, breathing ragged.

Reality crashed back in. What had I just done? I'd marked her. Claimed her. Made it impossible to pretend this was just sex.

"I can't do this," I said quietly, voice wrecked. "I can't watch you date other men."

"Then don't."

"It's not that simple…"

"It is exactly that simple." She cupped my face, forced me to meet her eyes. "Either you want me or you don't. Either this means something or it doesn't."

It means everything. You mean everything. And that's the problem.

"You know it means something."

"Then prove it." She kissed me softly this time. "Tomorrow night, you're going to have to watch me on that date. You're going to have to see him touch my hand, pull out my chair, try to make me laugh. And you're going to have to decide if you can really stand by and let that happen."

My jaw clenched. "Your father…"

"Is dying. And he's not the boss of my personal life." She leaned up, kissed me again. "I'll go on this date. And the next one. And the one after that. Until you decide what you really want."

"I know what I want."

"Then take it."

She slid off the dresser, legs shaky, my cum already trickling down her inner thigh. Grabbed a robe and headed for the bathroom. At the door, she paused.

"By the way? Tomorrow night I'm wearing red. The kind of red that makes men stupid." She smiled. "Sleep well, Luca."

I stood there, cock still out, covered in her.

What have I done?

I'd broken my code. Violated my oath. Put my desires above loyalty for the first time in my life.

And tomorrow night, I'd have to watch some entitled stronzo try to court her while I stood in the shadows like the good soldier I was supposed to be.

Unless I did something about it.

Damn! There would be hell to pay.