“I’m young! They’re feeble and old, and you know Sal has a cane!” I jumped to my feet and pounded against his chest. “Don’t do this! Please, please!”
He closed his eyes and held me tightly as I continued to fight against him, not once yelling back, or returning any of the violence, just taking it while I cried.
“Val,” Sergio whispered once I’d calmed down. “Believe me when I say, this is not what I had planned for you. I was going to take you on a real honeymoon right after the wedding. It was a surprise. I had your uncles pack as much as they could, we all figured you needed to get used to being married and deserved some time away, but…”
“But,” I said with a sniffle. “We got attacked.”
“It’s not safe.” Sergio tilted my chin toward him, the pad of his thumb rolling across my lower lip. “They expect us to be in Mexico. So we’re going to Chicago to buy some time and see what the next move will be.”
I pushed away from him again and stumbled into one of the seats as the plane started to taxi.
Warm tears streamed down my cheeks. “I’m sorry I’m weak.” Admitting it sucked worse than thinking about it. And it only made me cry harder. I’d been married over an hour and I was already a failure.
“What?” Sergio charged over to me, his handsome features barely containing his rage. “What the hell do you mean you’re weak?”
“I’m absolutely terrified that I won’t ever be able to get that image out of my head. All of the images actually. Or that every time I hear a popping noise I’ll think I’m getting shot at. I’m a failure. Not a true mafia wife. I know… I know I’m young.” I took a deep breath. “And innocent, and from what you’ve said, Andi was… the exact opposite of me.” It hurt saying the words out loud; it hurt more than I realized, admitting my own inability to meet his expectations. “I just… I need to be braver. I’ll try harder.”
“Are you fucking kidding me right now?” Sergio roared, he fell to his knees in front of me and grabbed my hands. “Val, look at me.”
His blue eyes locked on mine. He was so beautiful. Just like the story. And that was another thing. My uncles didn’t know about the letters.
Meaning, they were forgotten.
I had two more.
And they were lost to me now.
My stomach sank even more.
“You aren’t a failure.” Sergio cupped my face. “It’s a bit presumptuous of you to assume what I do and don’t need in a wife. What if I like the idea of finally having someone to protect? Someone to save? Someone who’s vulnerable,” his voice cracked. “Sometimes Val, it’s nice to be needed. Sometimes, it’s nice to be someone’s hero. Just for once.”
I reached my arms around his neck. “I didn’t call you a hero.”
“You didn’t have to.”
“That’s presumptuous.”
“Well, I’m fairly confident in my damsel in distress saving abilities.”
“Cocky.”
“Eh, do we want to call it arrogance or just the ability to be a bad ass? I mean, call a spade a spade, Val.”
I burst out laughing.
He’d made me laugh.
The same guy who looks at people wrong and makes them burst into tears and confess all of their sins.
He’d made me laugh.
“Thanks.” I pulled back, our noses almost touched. “For being my hero.”
“All in a day’s work.” His eyes darted to my lips then back up to my eyes as if asking permission.
So I gave it.
By kissing him first.
With a groan he slammed his lips against mine, meeting me halfway. Strong hands dug into my hips pulling me almost completely off the seat as my legs dangled across his lap. Sergio fell back against the floor, tugging me the rest of the way with him. He stayed in a sitting position as he wrapped my ankles around his waist and continued his wicked assault on my lips.
His mouth was hot.
And it felt — dangerously tempting.
Like I was in danger of falling and never being able to get back to where I had the upper hand — then again, I never did have it, not where he was concerned.
His hands slid up my sides causing my body to rise above his, he guided me back down.
I squeezed my thighs around him, with each squeeze more and more sensation built, his movements were slow. And every time my body collapsed against his, I felt him pushing into me.
Too much dress was blocking our bodies from joining.
Well that, and the fact that he still had clothes on too.
But I wanted it.
Fear wasn’t attached to the way we kissed — only hot exploration on my part, and need on his.
“Please prepare for takeoff,” the captain said over the speaker.
“Damn it.” Sergio pulled away from me, eyes wild. “We should…” He pointed at the chairs.
I hadn’t even noticed how nice the inside of the plane was, I was too busy noticing how sexy he was, well that, and having a nervous breakdown.