“We should say something to everyone who came.”
She doesn’t even look at me as she starts to move away before I can reach out for her. Interrupting me and pulling away from me all at once.
Ilaria wants to drive me crazy and she’s succeeding.
She stops at a small area that is set up for a band to play live music and looks at me with that sweet look. All smiles and adoration in her eyes. Something about it, knowing how fake it is makes me sick as I come up beside her, letting Ilaria wrap an arm through mine and give me a squeeze as she stares up with glassy eyes.
She’s drunk.
I realize it as I’m grabbing the microphone, smelling how prominent the champagne scent of hers is lingering.
And I like that she’s drunk even less knowing that some how my cousin is involved in something that happened with her tonight.
“Thank you to everyone who has come out tonight.” I start the speech, watching our guests turn to face us, “As we start our lives together the support of our family and friends is so important to the both of us. Ilaria and I are grateful for each and every one of you. We look forward to celebrating again with you in just a couple weeks as we exchange our vows.”
There is polite applause and I’m surprised that as I look down at Ilaria she tugs me down into a kiss.
It’s meant to be short, sweet but I can’t give her that right now. All I can give her is the need to control and desperation. The way I need to claim her in front of everyone.
Maybe Ilaria is playing a game with me but she still opens her mouth, turning her lips to welcome my tongue and kiss me back. Making that soft little whine she does when she likes something, which causes me to break away to look at her, fire in my eyes.
“My office.”
She nods, weaving her hand into mine as we start to make our way through the crowd.
Someone stops me and I’m furious as she bumps into my back, ready to tell whoever it is that they can get lost. My scowl is prominent as I look at my father and instead of being her usual composed self Ilaria lets out the cutest giggle I’ve ever heard.
My head whips around as she looks at me, all smiles now as her giggles take over and I can’t help but smile back at her, foolishly letting it take over my entire face as I watch the joy that she had written so clearly across her features.
This, right here, is how I want her to always be.
Happy.
Her happiness matters to me more than anything else and I realize with remorse that some of my stress I’m holding is from the fact I had taken some happiness from her this morning and the idea that Fransesco got to share in any of it had made me jealous.
“Leave them alone.” My mother gives us each a smile and I think she loves Ilaria more than me already.
But she turns my father away from us before he can give us whatever warning that he wanted to give me, letting us continue on our path to my office.
As the door slams, Ilaria looks at me, her back to my desk and her eyes wide as she hears the click of the lock as it moves into place. She sets down the glass of champagne she had been drinking behind her. There’s something about the way her eyes are on me, taking in the suit she had sent over.
Crisp white shirt, navy blue suit, no tie, and brown loafers.
But as she reaches out, undoing another button, pressing her fingers over my collarbone, her thumb dragging over my throat, all my anger vanishes, letting my hips pin her to the desk as she looks at me and I see that there is trouble lurking in her eyes.
“Fransesco choked me today.”
And there is my anger again.
“What?”
Red.
Everything is red as I swipe everything off my desk, turning away before I can ring Ilaria’s pretty little neck that my cousin had his filthy fucking hands around.
But I don’t turn quick enough to miss the fingerprint bruises and I’m bending her so she’s laying on my desk, my hand on her jaw as I turn and see the clear sign that she had been handled by him.
“Ilaria.”
Her name comes out between clenched teeth because I’m afraid that I’m going to hurt her, my anger is so strong as I try to get control but I can’t.
He left bruises on my fiancée. Marked my girl. She was not to be shared. I had told him.
But Ilaria looks at me, her hand going to mine on her jaw, pushing at it until she’s wrapping my fingers over the bruises. Her eyes are locked on me as she licks her lips, not afraid of my anger or how I could hurt her.
“Go ahead, Demon. Squeeze.”
The challenge makes my brain fog as I react, squeezing around her neck. And instead of reacting by trying to pull me off, by fighting and flailing, Ilaria moans.
Her legs open as I move between them, shocked at the way she pushes up, letting me squeeze that pretty throat of hers harder.
Oh God.
I run my hand over her leg, tugging at her dress so it bunches at her waist, my hand loosening as she takes in a struggling breath.
Her heart’s beating so loudly as I look down at her mesh white thing. There’s a delicate daisy print that I run my thumb over feeling her shiver underneath me.
Good.
