She nods her head, blushing as I shift against her and I realize I had promised to make her feel and had fallen through on my promise.

Time to fix that.

Her eyes watch me as I do a push up off her, watching her, the way she’s calmer now showing in her eyes. Like the storm was chased away by me.

“I can make you come here on my desk or I can take you home and have you coming in our bed. Your choice.”

The soft smile on her face as she shrugs her shoulders in a noncommittal way.

“I want both.”

I’m falling to my knees in front of her my, my lips kissing outside of her panties, tongue teasing over the mesh fabric so I can taste the tang of her body as she leaks through them.

She tastes like my newest addiction.

Hooking my thumbs into her panties I slide them off and into my pocket looking at her sweet pussy. She must have gotten waxed today because she’s puffy and slightly red but so smooth as my tongue slides over her.

Ilaria’s whimper as she tries to scoot closer has my cock stiff. My hand reaches down, adjusting myself as her hand slides into my hair, tossing her head back with her eyes closing.

We can’t have that.

“Eyes on me.”

Pushing herself up on her elbows she nods her head, following my directions as I pull her lips apart, feeling her squirm as I look at her, one thumb running through her folds as her breathing gets a little more broken.

She knocks over the glass of champagne as she moves, giving me more room to work with.

My handprint around her neck is clear, red and probably going to bruise later and I love that. Love knowing that she has to wear a part of me until they fade.

“Dante, please.”

She doesn’t know what she’s asking for and yet she is here begging me for it.

But she doesn’t trust me.

I lick her thigh, nipping at the flesh as she yells out from the sting. My teeth marks are clear and I think I’ve unlocked a new kink I never knew I was into seeing them.

“You have to trust me.”

And it’s there. The realization that she had to give all parts of herself to me. But her uncertainty is the most important to give up.

With a nod I see it on her face.

“Okay.”

It’s a small, cheap victory and yet I take it, leaning in as I swipe my tongue over her over stimulated clit. Her thighs try to trap me as she arches from the pressure of my mouth on her.

“Fuck, Dante. Oh fuck that’s-“

POP. POP. POP.

It starts off as three shots.

There’s screaming and I’m standing up, gun drawn as I yank Ilaria off the desk and move her to the small closet in my office as I see the frantic confusion glowing in her eyes.

“Get inside here and don’t come out for anyone. There’s a false wall on the left.” I’m commanding her, needing to check on the situation but also needing to know she is okay.

I turn to go out to the chaos as more gun fire sounds and Ilaria grabs me, both her hands on my face as she drags my lips against hers, frantic and quick.

But it’s there.

That spark is there and we both feel it.

“Don’t leave the closet, Ilaria.”

It’s one last warning before I throw open my door and head out into the chaos that has descended over our engagement party.

Holy hell.

There’s broken glass and most of the men have gotten the guests out and safe.

There’s no bodies or blood on the floor but that doesn’t matter. The men work fast so I’m not convinced that no one got hurt but as I watch my father approaching me with several men including my cousin behind him.

My father grabs my arm, looking at me first to make sure I’m okay before letting me go as his fury settles in.

“You wanted to work with the Cartel.” There is so much anger in his voice, “ So, you’re going to fucking deal with this mess, Dante.” His arms spread to show the mess.

My eyebrow raises and I look at Francesco who nods once in confirmation that my father is speaking the truth about who had the audacity to shoot up my engagement party.

“You go to that meeting and you bring me back that motherfuckers balls and if you don’t, not only will I let Francesco take over the family I’ll let him have your fucking bride too.”

My fathers fury shocks me.

He blames this on me.

All on me. And now I have to fix a problem that I don’t have time to deal with.

He threatens the family like I haven’t had a million conversations with Francesco about how he would take over after my father dies. Get me out of the game. I can handle all of these things but the thought of him trying to take my marriage away from me.

My mouth goes dry.

Ilaria would always follow her family, she has proven that over and over again. So if I messed up this Cartel deal and her father directed her at my cousin she would go, no matter what has happened between us.

It hits me like a gut punch.

“Is my father alright?”

And as if I couldn’t get angrier yet again Ilaria decides not to listen and comes wandering out to a place that is all shot up and I’m not sure has been cleared yet. Not seeming to care that she could be walking out into a gun fight.