All Chapters of Marked By Him: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

ARYA’S POVI stood in front of the full-length mirror in my room, barely recognizing the woman staring back at me.The emerald green dress hugged my curves in all the right places before flowing out slightly at the hips, and the back dipped low enough to my waist. I'd paired it with simple gold jewelry and heels that added three inches to my height. I looked... beautiful. I took one last deep breath, checked my lipstick one final time, and headed downstairs.The moment I appeared at the top of the staircase, tje conversations stopped. Giovanni stood in the foyer with Matteo and two other guards, all of them dressed in dark suits. Their heads turned in unison, and I watched as every single one of them went completely still.Giovanni's reaction was the most visible. His eyes widened slightly, traveling from my heels up the length of my body before finally meeting my gaze. "You look..." He cleared his throat, seeming to struggle for words. "You look beautiful."My cheeks heated and I

ARYA’S POVI was lost in the sensation of his lips on my neck, the way his hands held me and his heart racing against my chest, matching the frantic rhythm of my own.When he pulled away, I reached for him instinctively, my body protesting the sudden loss of contact, but he stepped back, putting distance between us. I blinked away the haze, staring at him in confusion. “Giovanni-“"This was a mistake," he said, his voice flat.I blinked again, sure I'd misheard. "What?""This." He gestured vaguely between us, still not meeting my eyes. "This was a mistake. I shouldn't have kissed you."My stomach dropped and my mouth opened but words had failed me."But you… we just-" I stammered, trying to make sense of what was happening."It won't happen again," he interrupted, his tone cold now. "I lost control and I apologize for it."He turned and walked away, leaving me standing there in the shadows like some discarded thing.A mistake. That's what I was. The anger started as a spark in my c

GIOVANNI’S POVI woke up hard and frustrated, staring at the ceiling while my body reminded me exactly what had happened last night outside that courtyard.Arya's lips on mine and the small sounds she had made when I had kissed her neck. The way she had pulled me closer like she couldn't get enough.My hand moved down automatically, palming myself through my boxers, but I stopped. This was pathetic. I was Giovanni De Santis, for fuck's sake. I didn't lose control over a woman or wake up hard from memories of a kiss.Except apparently I did."Cazzo," I muttered, throwing off the covers and stalking to my private gym.If I couldn't think my way out of this, maybe I could exhaust my body into submission.I worked out harder than I had in months and finishing with an intense run on the treadmill that left me drenched in sweat and gasping for air.It didn't help.If anything, it made it worse. Every movement reminded me of how her body had felt pressed against mine, and how perfectly she'

ARYA’S POVI was a disaster of excitement as I rushed around my room, grabbing my things. My phone dropped on the bed first then my sunglasses knocked off the dresser. The small clutch I had chosen to bring was sent flying when my elbow caught it while reaching for my lipgloss."Merda," I muttered, using one of the few Italian curse words I had picked up as I scrambled to collect everything.By the time I made it downstairs, I was fairly certain I looked like I'd been through a tornado. My hair was hastily pulled back, my sundress was probably wrinkled, and I'd changed my shoes three times before settling on simple sandals.Matteo was waiting by the car, his expression as stoic as ever. When I dropped my lipgloss for the third time while trying to put it in my bag, he bent down and retrieved it."Thank you," I said sheepishly, finally managing to zip my bag closed."Take things easy, Mrs. De Santis," he said in that cool tone he always used. "You have time.""I haven't seen them in mo

ARYA’S POV"Marco, are you sure this is the right place?” Christabel asked, trying to look over me to the window and I chuckled, helping her onto my lap. "It is! I promise, this time it's the right one," Marco said, tapping furiously on his phone. “At least, that’s what the GPS is saying.” Matteo's looked at us through the rearview mirror, and I didn’t miss the look of irritation on his face. His jaw was tight as he checked his watch again. The other guard beside him looked equally unimpressed."How do you even survive?" Christabel demanded, though she was grinning now. "Plus you claimed you knew the streets very well.”"I haven’t been here in ages.” Marco admitted sheepishly. "But I do know it’s definitely this way. Probably.""Probably?" Matteo's voice had taken on a dangerous edge. "We've been driving for thirty minutes now!"Marco apologized, promising this was the last turn. He led us around another corner, and suddenly his whole face lit up. "There! See? I told you!"And there