Bound by Honor (Born in Blood Mafia Chronicles, #1)

by Cora Reilly

He bent down to bridge the ten inches he towered over me. There was no sign of hesitation, fear or doubt on his face. My lips trembled against his mouth as his eyes bored into me. Their message was clear: You are mine.

I knew only two things about Luca Vitiello: he would become the head of the New York mob once his father retired or died, and he got his nickname “The Vise” for crushing a man’s throat with his bare hands.

love this man already

Romero glanced up, then quickly looked back down to his drink. Matteo threw his head back and laughed. “Fuck, Luca, did you tell your men you’d cut their dicks off if they looked at that girl? You aren’t even married to her.” “She’s mine,” Luca said quietly, sending a chill down my back with his voice, not to mention his eyes.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Father asked. “I want to have a word with the men you chose to protect what’s mine.” Gianna huffed beside me, but I pinched her. Nobody could know we were listening in on this conversation. Father would throw a fit if we revealed the position of his secret door. “They are good soldiers, both of them. Raffaele is Aria’s cousin, and Umberto has worked for me for almost two decades.” “I’d like to decide for myself if I trust them,” Luca said.

“Don’t deny it. I know want when I see it. And you want Aria,” Luca growled. Raffaele didn’t deny it. “If I find out you are looking at her like that again. If I find out you are in a room alone with her. If I find out you touch as much as her hand, I will kill you.” Raffaele flushed red. “You aren’t a member of the Outfit. Nobody would tell you anything even if I raped her. I could break her in for you.” God, Raffaele, shut your mouth. Couldn’t he see murder in Luca’s eyes? “Maybe I’ll even film it for you.” Before I could even blink, Luca had thrown Raffaele to the ground,

dying on the inside

I took a step in his direction to protect her, and Father lifted his arm again. I braced myself for the slap, but Luca caught my father’s wrist with his left hand. His right hand was still grasping the knife he’d used to cut off Raffaele’s finger.

the way he protects her

Cosima giggled. “It’s also called the tradition of the bloody sheets for that reason.” My face was frozen. “That’s a barbaric tradition!” Gianna hissed. “Mother, you can’t allow it.” “It’s not up to me,” Mother said. “That’s right. We won’t abandon our traditions.” Nina turned to me. “And from what I know you’ve been well-protected from male attention, so there’s nothing for you to fear. The sheets will prove your honor.”

🤢🤮

When Luca tugged me toward him, I stumbled against his chest as dizziness caught up with me. Luckily, nobody noticed because Luca’s arms around me held me firm. His eyes pierced mine as he lowered his lips and brushed them against mine. The band played faster and faster, urging us to finally enter the dance floor; the tables had been set up in circles around it. Luca kept his arm around my waist as he led me toward the center. To everyone around us it looked like a loving embrace, but it was the only thing keeping me upright.

awww he cares

“When my father told me I was to marry you, he said you were the most beautiful woman the Chicago Outfit had to offer, even more beautiful than the women in New York.” To offer? As if I was a piece of meat. I dug my teeth into my tongue. “I didn’t believe him.” He stalked up to me and grabbed my waist. I swallowed the gasp and forced myself to be still as I stared at his chest. Why did he have to be so tall? He leaned down until his mouth was less than an inch from my throat. “But he told the truth. You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, and tonight you are mine.” His hot lips touched my skin.

regretting your decision,” I said quietly. I didn’t need to explain; he knew what I meant. Without a word, he returned to the wash table, picked up the brush and resumed what he’d been doing before. I was on my way into the bedroom, when his voice startled me. “No.” I glanced back and met his eyes. “When I claim your body, I want you writhing beneath me in pleasure and not fear.”

he so gentle with her

“Someone could lift the skirt and inspect my thighs.” It was meant as a joke, but Luca’s lips pulled into a snarl. “Someone tries to touch you, they lose their hand.”

to be rough with you because of what you saw today? I won’t be. I told you I want you to writhe beneath me in pleasure, and while that probably won’t happen the first time I take you, I’ll make you come as often as you want with my tongue and my fingers until you can come when I’m inside you. I don’t mind going slow, but what do you want to wait for?”

There was a bulge in his pants. All because of my butt? “That’s what you’re wearing for self-defense lessons?” I looked down at myself. “I don’t have anything else. This is what I wear when I go jogging.” The shorts were tight and ended high up on my thighs, but I didn’t like too much fabric when I ran. “You realize I’ll have to kick every guy’s ass who looks at you the wrong way, right? And looking like that, my men will have a hard time not looking at you the wrong way.” I shrugged. “It’s not my job to make them control themselves.

“Someone once told me not to run from monsters because they give chase.” The ghost of a smile crossed his face. “Next time, you run. Or if you can’t, you ram your knee into my balls.” He wasn’t joking. “If I’d done that today, you would have lost control. The only reason you didn’t was because I treated you like my husband, not a monster.” He traced my lips with his thumb, then brushed my cheek. “You are far too beautiful and innocent to be married to someone like me, but I’m too much of a selfish bastard to ever let you go. You are mine. Forever.”

“I did, and I won’t. But I didn’t talk to Grace. Why should I? I don’t owe her an explanation, just like I don’t owe a fucking explanation to the other sluts I fucked.” His body might have been made from stone, he was so tense. I wanted to believe him. He grabbed my chin between his thumb and index finger and tilted my face around until I was looking at him. “You are the only one I want. I’ll keep my promise, Aria.” “So you won’t see her again.” “Oh, I will see her again to tell her what I think about her little stunt.” “Don’t.” He frowned.

“How about a deal?” he said in a husky voice. Nerves fluttered in my stomach. “A deal?” “Don’t look so nervous.” Luca smiled sardonically. “I’m not

going to ask you to sleep with me so you can see your sister. I’m not that big of an asshole.” “No?” I teased, and he slammed his lips against me in a kiss that sent lightning sensations all the way down to my toes. “No,” he said against my lips. “But I’d like to explore your body.” I raised my eyebrows. “What do you mean?” “Tonight, I’ll try to be home early from the meeting at the club, and I want us to soak in the Jacuzzi for a bit, and then I want you to lie back and let me touch you and kiss you wherever I want.” He licked my ear. “You’ll love it.”

“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.

“Why?” he growled. He paused his fingers and I wanted to scream in frustration. “I lied because I hate that I love you, because I hate that you can hurt me without ever laying a finger on me, because I hate myself for loving you even though you won’t ever love me back.” Luca released my wrists, eyes dark and questioning.

Luca’s eyes shot open, fierce and blazing with emotion. “But I don’t care because loving you is the only pure thing in my life.”

“But you are my first choice, Aria. I’ll burn down the world if I have to. I’ll kill and maim and blackmail. I’ll do anything for you. Maybe love is a risk, but it’s a risk I’m willing to take and as you said, it’s not a choice. I never thought I would, never thought I could love someone like that, but I fell in love with you. I fought it. It’s the first battle I didn’t mind losing.”

I opened my legs wide. My nightgown rode up, baring my thin white panties to Luca. His eyes traveled up and I knew he could see how much I wanted and needed this. Luca groaned against my ankle, then trailed his fingers up my leg, only dusting the skin until he brushed my center with his fingertips. My panties stuck to my slick heat. “You make slow and gentle really hard on me. If you weren’t hurt, I’d bury myself in you and make you scream my name.” “If I wasn’t hurt, I’d want you to do it.”

As he made love to me, I touched my hand to the tattoo over his heart, felt his heart beating against my palm. I smiled. “Mine.” “Always,” Luca said.