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Last year, I can’t lie, I would have fucked her. That probably would have made this whole experience less painful. But now, the thought disgusts me.
Why the fuck am I doing this?
As I turn to head back towards the VIP area, the air starts to fizzle around me and my heart starts hammering. My Rosa. She’s here.
I can’t move, my eyes are locked on her. Her jet-black hair cascades down her slim frame all the way down to her waist. She is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on. That figure-hugging black dress rests just above her knees. She has that class about her, unlike my f...
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She tips her head up, and her dark eyes bore into mine. I’ve dreamt every night for months that she was happy and carefree without me. But that pain, that darkness, is still there resting behind them.
“Hello, Rosa.” My throat feels as if it’s on fire, and I’m choking the words out. She gives me a tight-lipped smile. “Luca, good to see you.” I can’t help but notice the slight shake in her voice. And it guts me.
They give me that look. They’ve told me I’m an idiot for doing this. Their husbands clearly have no filter because both women are now strongly on team Rosa.
“Introduce me to my new friends,” she hisses with venom in her tone. Turning, I whisper back in her ear, “Get your fucking hands off me.”
“You don’t drink? What are you, pregnant? Or just boring?” Clenching my fists, I open my mouth to tell her to stop, but Rosa beats me to it. “Maybe I just don’t need a drink to have a personality anymore. Unlike some, clearly,” she spits back.
I can’t hide the smile that forms on my face. Damn, I’m proud of her.
Maria picks up a flute of champagne and holds her hand out to Rosa. The table goes silent. “Oh, come on, let your hair down. You know you want to. You never know, one day you might get to marry a man like Luca. These kinds of men don’t want boring women like you.” With a twisted grin,...
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Fuck this. Snatching the glass out of Maria’s hand, her eyes go wide. “Enough!” I snap. I hear Sienna gasp behind me. Slamming it on the table, the stem shatters and the bubbly contents spill over the edge. I ...
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“Please ignore everything that vile woman said. I think she could tell straight away how Luca feels about you. The way he looks at you, Rosa, it breaks my heart. Go talk to him. I’ll wait here and cover you.” She gives me a bright smile before wrapping me up in a hug. I already like Maddie.
“I miss you, tesoro.”
Sadness fills his eyes as he stares at me.
“I miss you too, Luca,” I say softly.
“I knew this tattoo would look gorgeous wrapped around your neck.” His lips tickle over my ear. I furrow my brows and pull his palm back enough to look. I gasp when I spot the dark rose spanning across the entire front of his hand. “W-why did you get that?” His thumb traces my lower lip. “To remind me of my endgame.” “And what’s that?” My heart is in my throat. Deep down, I know his answer. “You. Rosa. You are my endgame. You always will be.” His eyes sparkle as they gaze into mine.
“Do you know, every night I lay in bed, replaying our time together? It’s like I can still feel you there with me.” His finger traces across my collarbone, sending ripples of desire through me.
“No, Rosa. I haven’t, nor will I ever, go near her. I’m yours.”
“I remember every night we spent that you let me explore every inch of you. Giving yourself over to me. Trusting me to be the man to bring you back to life.”
“The way your back arches and your lips part at the slightest touch.” His words feather against my neck and I clench my legs together. “Most of all, I think about the way you’d jump into my arms when I came home. You’d have the brightest smile before you kissed the life out of me. I miss the way you opened up to me, and only me.”
“I will take everything you told me to the grave. You can trust me with your life. I will always be honored that you were brave enough to tell me. And I will always be there for you, no matter what.”
“One last kiss?” he whispers. “I thought our last one was our last?” I bite the inside of my mouth. “We will have as many last kisses as it takes to finally be back where we belong, tesoro.”
“I want more.” The words fall from my lips. “I want it all,” he counters, nipping my lip. I crash my lips over his and he groans into my mouth. Hoisting myself up, I wrap my legs around his waist and he grabs hold of my ass with one hand, his other tattooed hand snaking to grab my neck again.
“Fuck, Rosa,” he growls, his hard on pushing against my panties. “We can’t do this, not here.” He sighs, resting his forehead against mine. I cup his stubbly jaw, bringing his eyes to me. This hurts him, too. “Why don’t we just run?” He sucks in a breath.
“Trust me, Rosa, I’ve spent the last three months debating every option to get out of this. Trying to find a way back to you, where I can whisk you away and we live our lives on the beach....
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“If you ever need me, you know where I am. I mean it.” I scoff. “I don’t think so. You have a new life to be planning. You don’t need me pestering you. I’m a big girl now. I can cope on my own.”
“Hey. It’s okay, Luca. I promise you. We can still be friends?” I give him a sweet smile. We both know that would never be an option. It would tear us apart. We can’t resist each other.
“And I’ll always be grateful for everything you’ve done for me, Luca. You changed my life, you brought me back to life. And for what it’s worth, I’m proud of you. The way you protect your family. They don’t know how lucky they are to have you in their corner. You deserve to find happiness, too.” He nods and nuzzles his face into my palm.
“The one person who brings me happiness is the only pers...
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“I’ll see you around, big shot,” I whisper and push open the door.
“I can’t do this.” I thought I could, I thought I could face him, the booze, everything. But it’s too much. I’m scared I’m slipping right back to where he found me. I don’t want that. Not anymore. I’ve been given a taste of a happier life, and I want to hold onto it. She pulls back, holding my shoulders, her bright blonde hair shining in the lights. “You can do this, Rosa. I promise you.”
My eyes go wide as I spot the dark red smudge of lipstick on the corner of his mouth. Keller must see the same thing as he turns his head to wink with a knowing grin before turning to Luca and wipes his mouth with his thumb. Luckily, Maria is too busy glaring at me to notice. Luca smirks at me and rubs his thumb along his lips and Keller covers his mouth, holding back a laugh.
There’s no way in hell I’m attending that wedding.
Luca has replaced every kiss, every touch, every thrust, with a new memory. Now that’s all that replays in my head rather than that traumatic night.
A man clearing his throat behind me catches my attention. I spin around. “Sorry, am I in your wa–” All the oxygen is sucked from my lungs as I come face to face with him. His amber eyes eat me up, his lips turned up into a sleazy smirk. That scar that runs along his left cheek. The face that haunts me. Dante. My abuser. My rapist. My nightmare.
You are invited to the wedding of Dante and Rosa. My heart hammers against my ribs, and I fight the urge to throw the contents of my stomach up all over Maria’s new white fur rug underneath my feet.
“You have a weakness for that girl. I saw it at our engagement party. And do you know what weaknesses get you?” I
“Killed. Luca. So I suggest you go and blow off some steam. Get her the fuck out of your system. She’s gone forever. She will never be yours. Because you, Luca, are mine. I won’t let that little slut take everything I’ve worked so hard for,”
“And do you know what calling her a slut will get you?” I growl. She squints her eyes at me, and I lean down so my lips brush against her ear. “Killed. Maria. With my bare hands. You are in my fucking home. You are marrying me. You will do and behave as I say from now on. If one more word comes out of your mouth about Rosa, I will end you. Do you understand?”
I’m done listening to her. For weeks now, I’ve let her walk around my home like it’s hers. Thinking she has one over on me because she is a Capri. Well, enough is enough.
I want her to be happy, but with me. Only ever me. I can’t let her go, not now, not ever.
And if anything is a kick in the ass, a wedding invitation will do it.
She’s all I want right now. I crave her.
“You will always be mine, tesoro. Always.
“Okay, better question. Do you still want me? Because I want you. I’ve never stopped,” I rasp, brushing my nose against her jaw. She shivers against my touch, tipping her head back. I trail my index finger along her arms, a tiny little moan escaping her lips. “Yes. God, yes Luca.”
“Touch me, Luca. Please. Make me feel whole again. I want to feel alive. Only you can do that.”
“I’ll always make you feel good, Rosa. I was created for your pleasure. But I need something from you.” “Anything.” “I need you to go back to therapy. And I need to be able to contact you.” “Okay.” I watch as her neck constricts as she swallows. “I’ll send you another phone. I can’t not talk to you. It’s killing me. I need you.” She nods. “We have to keep this a secret, though.”
“God, you are perfect, Rosa,” I rasp. Her hips start to grind to my rhythm.
she shouts. My eyes go wide, and I slam my palm over her mouth. “Shh, Rosa. It’s not a secret if you announce to the house who you really belong to.” Her eyes twinkle. There’s my girl.