LOGINARIA"We need to go to the hospital," Dante says the next morning, his hand still possessively splayed across my stomach."We need to get you checked out properly. Make sure everything's okay.""I'm fine," I protest, but even as I say it, a wave of nausea hits me. I barely make it to the bathroom before I'm retching into the toilet.Dante's there immediately, holding my hair back, while his other hand rubs soothing circles on my back."Hospital," he says firmly when I'm done. "Today."I'm too exhausted to argue.DANTEWe fly to Miami instead of back to New York,the hospital there has one of the best maternal-fetal medicine departments in the country, and I want Aria seen by the best.Money opens doors quickly. Within two hours of landing, we're in a private examination room with Dr. Sarah, a renowned obstetrician who came highly recommended."Let's see what we're working with," Dr. Sarah says warmly, squeezing a gel onto Aria's exposed belly. "How far along do you think you are?""May
DANTEWhen I finally stop twitching, she pulls my length off her mouth slowly with a wet pop, licks her lips, and smiles up at me like the devil.“I was thirsty for you, and I decided to have a taste,” she whispers, voice husky.I move immediately and grab her hips, flip her onto her stomach in one smooth motion. She gasps and lifts her ass automatically like she knows what’s coming. I yank her up onto her knees, put her face down, her ass high, and spread her thighs wide.“Look at this pretty pussy,” I growl, rubbing my still-hard cock through her soaked folds. She’s dripping again, swollen and ready. “You are already wet just from sucking me off. You love swallowing my cum, don’t you?”“Yes,” she moans into the pillow. “I love it. Now fuck me, Dante. Please.”I don’t wait for her to plead twice. I push into her pussy deeply, and hardly, in one long thrust until my hips slap her ass. She cries out in a little voice as her pussy walls clamp tight around my cock. Her pussy heat is insa
DANTEI suck her clit between my lips in hard, pulsing suction, like a child sucking greedily and hungrily on his mother's breast. I flick the tip of my tongue fast over it, and she grabs my hair, as her hips buck against my face. I slide two fingers inside her pussy and curl them up to hit that same spot that makes her thighs tremble."Dante...oh God...right there...fuck..."I pump my fingers inside her pussy faster and suck it harder so that her wetness coats my chin and drips down my neck. She's loud, and her filthy moans fill the whole room. "Don't stop...please...gonna come...""Come on, my tongue baby," I order, with a rough voice. "Soak my face, baby. Let me drink you."Her voice breaks as her back arches off the wall, and her thighs clamp my head. Immediately, a gush of wetness floods my mouth. I lick every drop that comes from her, slowly and greedily, until she's whimpering and oversensitive.I stand, wipe my mouth with the back of my hand, and kiss her hard, letting her tas
ARIAThe private jet touches down on a small island in the Turks and Caicos just as the sun begins its descent toward the horizon."There will be no phones, laptops, or contact with the outside world for four days," Dante says as we descend the stairs onto the tarmac. "Viktor has strict instructions not to contact us unless someone is literally dying.""Four whole days of just us?" I look at the pristine white sand beach, the crystal-clear water, and the villa perched on the cliff overlooking it all. "What will we possibly do with all that time?"His hand slides down my back possessively. "I have some ideas."The villa is stunning, it is designed with glass and white stone and open spaces that blur the line between indoors and out. It has a floor-to-ceiling windows that showcase the ocean view. The bedroom features a massive bed draped in white linen. There's an infinity pool on the terrace that seems to spill directly into the sea.It's paradise.And we have it completely to ourselve
ARIAEmma drags me through a service door, her arm locked around my waist with a surprising strength."You ruined everything," she hisses in my ear, her breath hot. "Everything, Aria. My life, my future, my family. All because you couldn't just share the money like a normal person. It is not like you had a use for it."I try to speak, but her hand is still clamped over my mouth. My clutch purse, with the panic button is lying somewhere on the ballroom floor. But the bracelet Dante gave me digs into my wrist as I struggle.The bracelet.I press the clasp once. Twice. Three times.Emma doesn't notice, she is too focused on dragging me down a narrow hallway toward what looks like a loading dock."Torres was supposed to handle this cleanly," she mutters. "Quick, professional, done. But no, your paranoid husband had to turn the gala into a military secure site. So now we do it the messy way."She finally removes her hand from my mouth as we reach the loading dock. I notice a van waiting wit
DANTEI pull Aria close, one hand at her waist, the other holding hers. To anyone watching, we look like a couple enjoying a romantic dance.In reality, I'm using the movement to scan the room, take notice of every exit, every potential threat, and every person who might be Torres in disguise."This is insane," Aria murmurs against my shoulder. "We're dancing while an assassin watches.""We're showing him you're not afraid. That's important." I spin her gently, using the turn to check the balcony. "And we're buying Viktor time to locate him.""What if he's not here? What if the texts are just to distract us while he plans something else?""Then we know what to do after." My earpiece crackles."Boss, we have movement by the service corridor, towards the east side. There is a male figure, who is approximately Torres's height and build, moving toward the kitchen.""Intercept him, but don't engage until we confirm his identity," I order. I turned to Aria: "Stay on the dance floor. Don't l
DANTELiam straightens my bow tie for the third time. “You need to stop fidgeting. You look perfect.”“I look like I’m about to pass out.”“Also that.” He steps back, examining me. “Dante, you’ve faced down hostile takeovers, assassination attempts, and board coups. Why is marrying a woman who clea
ARIA“Good. You need to talk to him anyway. And Aria?” Paige hugs me tight. “Life’s too short to run from the people you love. Even when they’re scary and complicated, they sometimes make terrible decisions. Trust me on this.”Katya is waiting outside...she’s been there the whole time, I realize, s
ARIA“It means you’re becoming just like them! Marcus used me for advancement. Vivienne used me for satisfaction. Michael used me for money. And you...” My voice breaks. “You’re using me as an excuse to ind
ARIAThe hotel suite is enormous—an entire floor of The Plaza that Dante booked for the wedding preparations. Paige is in one room, and Lily is in another, and I’m alone in the master bedroom, staring at my wedding dress hanging in the closet.Tomorrow, I marry Dante Ashford.For real. In front of







