If Marcella accepted the backlash her relationship with Maddox had already caused and would still cause in the months and years to come then she too must love him. I would have risked everything for Luca, would have followed him to the end of the world, and beyond.
I, more than Luca, followed my gut instinct. It had gotten me in trouble in the past, but over the years I’d learned to use it in a more careful manner. The happiness on Marcella’s face in the private moments she and Maddox shared had given me one of my infamous gut feelings too. Marcella had chosen Maddox and though they’d found each other in the most impossible moment, they seemed perfect for each other. They were different, came from vastly different backgrounds, but if anything could conquer seemingly insurmountable differences then it was love.
On my wedding day, I would have laughed about this statement. Though I only felt like crying on the most important and, for many brides, the happiest day of their lives. I hadn’t been happy that day and only in retrospect could I find joy thinking of that day, knowing love had followed our yes to each other.
Marcella and Maddox would one day hopefully affirm their love with a yes. She wouldn’t feel trepidation or fear on her wedding day, and that made me even happier.
One wasn’t better than the other. Marcella wasn’t me. She’d grown up knowing her worth.
Her choice wasn’t mine to judge, but I’d do my best to make sure she’d never come to regret her choice.
I squeezed Luca’s hand. “Luca, you must talk to Maddox, maybe even invite him over for a drink so you two can really smooth things out between you. He won’t ever belong if you as Capo and head of our family won’t allow him to belong.”
Luca stared up at the night sky and sighed. “You and Marcella will be the death of me.”
I was glad when the party was finally over. Schmoozing all these rich, narcissistic people really wasn’t my thing. Marcella? She was a master at it. As the man at her side, I’d probably have to get better at it as well. Or maybe I’d always be the closet lover.
I smiled wryly.
“Why are you smiling?” Marcella asked in a drowsy voice. Her head rested on my shoulder so I wasn’t sure how she could have seen. Then I caught my reflection in the black high gloss privacy glass between the back of the limousine and the driver.
“Just wondering if I’ll ever be as skilled at socializing as you are. Now that we’re official, I guess I’ll have to attend more parties.”
Marcella lifted her head. She looked tired but still indescribably gorgeous. I burned to touch her. The few chaste and not-so-chaste kisses we’d shared since I’d eaten her pussy hadn’t sated my hunger for her. I wanted more.
I stroked her thigh through the silk of her dress.
“A kiss doesn’t make us official. My father will have to release an official statement with the state of our bond. That usually happens shortly before or after an engagement.”
I almost choked on my spit. Engagement? I knew marriage was a big deal in the mafia world, but for some reason, stupidly, I’d never considered it to come up so soon. Did our kiss mean we’d have to get engaged right away?
“Regretting the kiss?” Marcella asked teasingly, but her eyes were boring into mine.
“Hell no.” I grabbed her neck and pulled her in for another kiss. “I’ll never regret kissing you, not that very first time and not any time that followed and all the times that will still come. I’m just a bit out of my element, Snow White. My life’s taking a drastic turn. Suddenly, I’m a mafia supporter who considers marriage and needs to become best buddies with his former archenemy. That’s a lot to take in.”
“It is,” Marcella said. “And we can take it one step at a time. We both have a lot to figure out. I don’t see us getting engaged or married any time soon either.”
Ouch. Hearing her dismiss the possibility like this, made me wonder if maybe Marcella didn’t really want me at her side infinitely. My hold on her neck tightened, my eyes burning into hers. “You are mine, Marcella. I want to be the man by your side. One day I’ll call you mine officially.”
Marcella pressed a kiss against my lips and I pulled her half on top of me, needing to feel every inch of her. My fingers tangled in her long hair, tilting her head so I could deepen our kiss. Our soft pants soon filled the narrow space. My palm slid over her back, enjoying the way her skin pimpled under my touch. I dipped lower, kissing her throat.
The car slowed and Marcella gripped my shoulders, pushing me away. “We can’t do this here. We’re home.”
I groaned when the car came to a stop a moment later and the engine was turned off.
I rubbed my thumb over her swollen lips. “How about you ride on my bike with me tonight?”
Marcella bit her lip. “That would be amazing. I could really use the distraction, but—”
“But your old man needs to give his okay?”
I didn’t bother hiding my annoyance. Not so much with Marcella as with the situation. “Fuck, I want to be with you whenever I want and not have to ask your daddy for permission as if you’re fifteen.”
“You’re right,” Marcella said firmly. “I’ll ride with you. I’m grown up and Dad will have to accept it.”
I grinned and kissed her passionately. We pulled apart when the door opened. Marcella got out and I followed, giving the grim looking bodyguard a sharp smile.
Luca and Aria were already inside the house.
“Maddox and I will do a quick ride on his bike around the city,” Marcella informed the bodyguard.
“That’s not our order.”
“It’s now,” I said. “Marcella told you.”
I led her toward my bike but the bodyguard followed me and actually grabbed my shoulder. I reacted without thinking and smashed my fist into his face. He sagged to his knees.
“Enough,” Marcella hissed when another bodyguard pulled his gun. “Call my father if you must but I’m going on a ride now.”
I handed her a helmet.
Of course, Luca stepped out and headed for us. I stifled the impulse to punch him too.
“What’s going on here?” he asked, sending me a death glare.
“Maddox is taking me for a ride,” Marcella said with a shrug.
Luca shook his head. Marcella stepped up to him and after a moment he gave a curt nod. “Your bodyguards will trail you in a car to make sure you’re safe.”
I got out of the uncomfortable suit jacket and put on my leather jacket even if it looked strange with the slacks and dress shirt I mounted my bike and Marcella bunched up her dress and climbed up behind me. Luca’s gaze could have frozen hell.
“Ready for a ride?” I asked.
Marcella smiled in a way that sent blood straight down to my cock. “Ready.”
I started the engine and pulled away before Luca could change his mind, and of course, the black limousine trailed us.
“How about we escape our guards?” I shouted.
Marcella laughed. “Let’s do it.”
I hit the gas and weaved through traffic so the car couldn’t follow us. After ten minutes, I was sure we’d lost them.
I focused on what had been bugging me from the very start: The hem of the dress kept fluttering up.