“That was your first murder, right?” I whispered.

Luca’s eyes, which had been lost in another time, focused on me. “Yeah. The first of many.”

“When did you kill again?”

“That same night.” He smiled humorlessly. “After that first man, I told Matteo to hide in my closet. He protested but I was bigger and locked him in. By then I’d lost quite a bit of blood but I was high on adrenaline and could still hear shooting downstairs, so I headed for the noise with my gun. My father was in a shooting match with two attackers. I came down the stairs but nobody paid me any attention, and then I shot one of them from behind. My father took the other down with a shot in the shoulder.”

“Why didn’t he kill him?”

“He wanted to question him to find out if there were other traitors in the Familia left.”

“So what did he do with the guy while he took you to the hospital?”

Luca gave me a wry look. I gasped. “Don’t tell me he didn’t take you.”

“He called the Doc of the Familia, told me to put pressure on the wound and went ahead and started torturing the guy for information.”

I couldn’t believe a father would let his child suffer through pain and risk its life, so he could gather information.

“You could have died. Some things need to be treated in a hospital. How could he do that?”

“The Familia comes first. We never take injured to a hospital. They ask too many questions and the police get involved and it’s an admittance of weakness. And my father had to make sure the traitor spoke before he got a chance to kill himself.”

“So you agree with what he did? You would have watched someone you love bleed to death so you could protect the Familia and your power.”

“My father doesn’t love me. Matteo and I are his guarantee for power and a way to keep on the family name. Love has nothing to do with it.”

“I hate this life. I hate the mafia. Sometimes I wished there was a way to escape.”

Luca’s face became still. “From me?”

“No,” I said, surprising myself. “From this world. Have you never wanted to live a normal life?”

“No. This is who I am, who I was born to be, Aria. It’s the only life I know, the only life I want. For me to confirm to a normal life would be like an eagle in a small cage in a zoo.” He paused. “Your marriage to me shackles you to the mafia. Blood and death will be your life as long as I live.”

“Then so be it. I’ll go where you go no matter how dark the path.”

For a moment, Luca held his breath, then he gripped the back of my head and kissed me fiercely.

***

I’d thought Luca would want to sleep with me again soon after our first time, but he didn’t push me. Even though I tried to hide it, he could tell that I was sore for a few days after. He pleasured me with his tongue a few times, never even entering me with his finger, and I made him come with my mouth in turn.

I wasn’t sure if he was waiting for an okay from me but when he came home one night a week after he’d taken my virginity, looking exhausted and angry, I wanted to make him feel better. After he’d showered, he stumbled toward the bed in only his boxers, his eyes filled with darkness.

“Bad day?” I whispered as he flung himself on the bed beside me. He lay on his back and stared up at the ceiling with empty eyes.

“Luca?”

“I lost three of my men today.”

“What happened?”

“The Bratva attacked one of our warehouses.” His lips thinned, chest heaving. “We’ll make them pay. Our retribution will make them bleed.”

“What can I do?” I said softly, my hand stroking his chest.

“I need you.”

“Okay.” I slid my nightgown over my head and pushed down my panties. I knelt beside Luca. He got rid of his boxers and his erection sprang free. Gripping my hips, he made me straddle his stomach. Nerves twisted my stomach. I’d hoped that for my second time Luca would still be on top. The thought of lowering myself on his length after how much it had hurt last time terrified me, but if Luca needed me, then I could do it. I cried out in surprise when Luca gripped my butt and hoisted me toward his face, so I was hovering over his mouth. He pressed me down and I screamed out in pleasure, my hands coming up to press against the headboard. This was more intense than anything Luca had ever done to me.

His tongue slipped into me deeply and he massaged my butt with firm fingertips. I peered down into Luca’s eyes as he closed his mouth over my clit. I rocked my hips, pressing myself against his mouth. He growled. The vibration sent pleasure through me and I started rotating my hips, riding Luca’s face. I closed my eyes, let my head fall back as Luca fucked me with his tongue again, humming all the while. And then I shattered, rocking against Luca’s mouth and screaming his name. Somewhere deep inside a part of me wanted to be embarrassed but I was too aroused.

When my orgasm subsided, I tried to pull away from Luca’s lips but he held me fast, his eyes burning into me as he licked me with slow strokes. It was too much, but he was relentless. With soft caresses and nudges from his tongue he slowly built my pleasure up again. My pants came quicker and I didn’t try to escape anymore, instead I let Luca move my hips back and forth as he licked me. I was seconds away from my second orgasm. Without warning he pulled back and in one fluid motion he flicked me on my back and knelt between my legs, his erection pressed against my entrance.

I tensed up but Luca didn’t enter. He bowed his head so he could suck my nipple into his mouth and rubbed the tip of his erection back and forth over my clit. I mewed helplessly at the sensation. I’d been so close to coming before and could feel myself getting there again. Then he dipped only the tip into my opening. I gasped at the brief pain but he retreated quickly and slid his slick tip over my clit again. He did this over and over again until I was panting and so wet I could hear it, then he released my nipple with a pop and brought his face up to mine. His tip slipped into my opening but this time he didn’t retreat.

Slowly he slid into me all the way, never taking his eyes off me. I bit my lip to stifle a sound. It wasn’t as painful as last time but still uncomfortable. I felt too stretched, too full. Luca cupped the back of my head and began moving. My breath hitched despite the slow pace but Luca didn’t falter. He slid in and out at an excruciatingly slow and gentle rhythm until my breath stopped catching in my throat. He sped up but I clawed his arms and he slowed again. He lowered his mouth to my ear, his voice low and husky as he spoke. “I loved the taste of you, principessa. I loved how you rode my fucking mouth. I loved my tongue in you. I love your pussy and your tits, and I love that you’re all mine.” Luca kept up his steady thrusting as he whispered into my ear. And I forgot about the dull pain, and moaned. Nothing was sexier than Luca talking dirty to me in his deep baritone.