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  He nods with an acceptance that tears at my heartstrings. He’s giving up without a fight. I did the right thing.

  I fully expect him to leave but instead he pulls me close and drops a kiss on top of my head and says roughly, “It’s ok, I understand. We’ll find another way.”

  For a moment, I cling to him, wishing like hell things were different. We may have only just met, but I feel as if I have known him forever. If time allowed it, we could fall in love at leisure and allow fate to direct our future. This is all contrived, rushed and the product of panic and I know I have done the right thing—for him, anyway.

  The silence is oppressive because it has created a wedge between us and then he surprises me again by pulling back and kissing me so gently it makes my soul shiver. He traces my lips with his thumb and his dark eyes glitter with intent as he says gruffly. “Stay with me tonight.”

  I nod because I want that more than anything. Being without him is like living without a heart—impossible.

  I almost can’t ask but say fearfully, “What happens next?”

  “We stall for time while I try and figure a way to take you back with me.”

  “Will they allow that?”

  “I’d like to see them fucking try and force my hand. No, darlin’, if marriage with me is not on the table, it doesn’t happen—period.”

  Feeling relieved, I raise a smile. “You’re a little sure of yourself, aren’t you?”

  He nods and his eyes flash. “We both know I am. Make no mistake, if I wanted to, I could have you married to me within the hour. Nothing you could say could change that because we both know the world we live in. As the head of this family, my word is law and I’m almost tempted to force your hand.”

  “You’re a little arrogant, aren’t you? What if I genuinely don’t want to marry you, have you even considered that?”

  “No.”

  He smiles and I sink against him with relief and whisper, “Ask me again six months from now when we jog in the forest surrounding the Rubicon. Then you can ask me again when you cook me breakfast and serve it to me in bed with nothing but a promise in your sexy dark eyes. That’s the sort of proposal I want from you, not a rushed knee jerk attempt to keep what you think you own. I want the world Maverick and I kind of think only you can deliver it.”

  Once again, we kiss—a seal on an agreement that both of us want to honor. The trouble is, it may be out of our hands.

  We reluctantly head back and I feel the interest of the family watching us approach. I can tell they are expecting some kind of resolution, but I take my seat beside Elena and smile. “It’s a little chilly out there.”

  She smiles slightly and looks at Maverick with a thoughtful expression and he just raises his glass to her and knocks back the brandy in one. If I see a little disappointment in her eyes, it is quickly replaced by a loud yawn. “Well, the perils of getting old I’m afraid. I need to retire to bed and leave you all to gossip about me when I’ve gone.”

  She winks as Romeo offers her his arm and we bid her goodnight as she is helped sweetly from the room.

  It feels a little awkward as Maverick nods toward me. “Ready?”

  Lucian laughs darkly. “So, you’ve made your decision.”

  I feel my breath hold of its own accord as the room turns silent and Maverick shrugs. “Sophia is my woman, Lucian and we will not be bullied into something that neither of us want. You will just have to think of another reason to make me stay, or is the point of this that you want me to never return? Either way I’m done with your threats and for the record, the Moretti deal is blown. There will be no alliance and no marriage. If it comes to it, you will start a war with more than Tobias Moretti. You see, you forget that I have contacts with every mafia family in the country and if it came to it, I would use them to stop you getting your hands on something that belongs to me.”

  Lucian jumps up and I stifle a scream as he advances menacingly toward Maverick, backed up by his brother Dante. I can feel his rage in the air, it’s a tangible force that promises the deadliest revenge. It’s all too much as Lucian snarls, “So you would turn your back on your own blood to save another family, treachery at its most stupid. I never had you down as a fool, brother, you know how this will end.”

  Maverick stands his ground and immediately I see my future before me. A deadly war with casualties on every side. Family against family all in the name of love and I will not be responsible for that. Standing quickly, I say loudly. “Enough.”

  The men stop and look at me and I say in a cold voice. “There will be no war, not because of me. I will not be the catalyst that forces destruction. I don’t want to marry any of you. I want to be free of this fucked up life and live among normal people. If it comes to it, I would rather take my own life than be witness to any more bloodshed, so you can all go to fucking hell.”

  Without even looking in their direction, I storm from the room intent on getting out of here as quickly as possible. I’m not sure if that’s an option but I need to try at least and there is only one man who can help me, god help him.

  Somehow, I make my way back to my room and slam the door. I drag a chair across and prop it under the handle and try to take a few deep breaths. With shaking fingers, I do what I should have done in the first place and type out a text that I never wanted to send.

  As I press ‘send’ I try not to imagine the problems that text will bring the one person who is ignorant to his life being bargained in this way. My brother has the right to an opinion, so I send for the cavalry and wait for the battle to commence.

  29

  Maverick

  I am so angry. At myself, my brothers and Sophia. More than any of that, I am upset that Sophia walked out. As soon as she left, I pushed past my brothers and headed for my room. She needs to cool down, but I will not give up on her without a fight.

  As I take the time to cool down myself, I realize how stupid my statement was. Of course, I wouldn’t go against my family. It was a bluff that was called and now I’m back where I started. I’m in unknown territory because more than anything, I want to wrap Sophia in my arms and get the hell out of here back to the Reapers and a life I know I need to survive. If anything, this has reinforced the fact this isn’t what I want, but she is.

  I must try and think of a resolution to our problem for close on two hours before it becomes impossible to continue. I need to see her so badly it’s a physical ache and so I head across the hallway and knock tentatively on her door. There is no answer so I try the handle and find it won’t budge and realize she has barricaded herself in—clever girl.

  However, this house does not allow its guests such luxury, so I walk into the next room and try the door that leads into the walk-in closet in her room. I don’t feel bad about invading her privacy because I know she will be scared and confused and will need reassurance that everything will be alright.

  The room is in darkness as I head inside and I listen for any signs of life. A soft whimper causes the blood to rush to my head as I feel my way to the bed. As I slip under the covers she stirs and says with fear in her voice, “Maverick?”

  “Hush, darlin’, it’s me. You have nothing to fear.”

  She sighs and settles into my arms and says sleepily, “You’re a little overdressed, aren’t you?”

  I need no further invitation and shrug out of my clothes and pull her warm, soft body against mine. A low moan escapes her lips as she whispers, “I need you so much.”

  I capture her words on my lips and taste my future. We share a sweet loving kiss that promises love, not lust. She shivers against me and I run my hands across her body and pull her in tight, groaning, “I need you, baby.”

  She pulls me close and whispers with an urgency that mirrors my own. “Fuck me, Maverick, make it count.”

  I need no further invitation and with a feral growl, crush her lips to mine in a bruising penetrating kiss and growl, “You’re mine, Sophia, you always will be.”

  She reaches
down and strokes my cock with a pressure that drives me crazy and I slip my fingers between her swollen pussy and stroke her clit, causing her to gasp and moan with pleasure. I can feel her arousal coating my fingers and lift it to my lips and lick them clean, causing the beast inside me to roar. She wraps her legs around my waist and moans, “Fuck me so hard I can feel you forever.”

  I don’t even stop to think and thrust inside like the beast I am, pounding and searing her delicate flesh with my heat. She moans as I build a rhythm she matches with ease and she clings onto me hard, digging her nails into my back as if fearing to fall. The darkness mixed with the heat from her body sends me over the edge and as my balls slap against her ass it sends me to the edge of oblivion. Then I pull back and she groans in disappointment and I push her down and growl, “Not yet.”

  I kiss and bite my way down her body until I reach the place I’ve just entered so hard and fast. This time I taste it for myself and love the way her sweet juices sit on my tongue, tasting like the purest nectar. As I bite and suck, she bucks against me and moans with pleasure. Her hands dig into my hair and pull it hard and I love the fight in her as I eat her alive.

  I can feel that she is ready, so I flip her over and pin her down and growl, “I want every last delicious part of you.”

  She whimpers as I pull her hips up to face me and spread her thighs, smearing her own juices on her ass. Then I hold my cock at the opening that invites me so crudely and gently ease the tip in, plunging my fingers into her pussy and hooking them against her g spot. As I stroke, I thrust and as I reach the promised land, she pushes back against me and screams my name as I cum hard inside her ass. She convulses against me as the waves of her orgasm rip all the fight out of her and she collapses against me, impaled on me like a virgin sacrifice.

  I hold her against me and kiss her sweet neck, whispering over and again that I love her. I’m not afraid to show her the emotion in me because she needs to know that I do love her more than anything and to allow me to make this sacrifice in the name of it. Sophia has to marry me for the world to keep on spinning. If she doesn’t, I may as well quit it, anyway. What price is it to pay to hold on to something so right against a life that is so wrong? We can make it work; we have to.

  The night is ours and we don’t waste a moment. I make love to Sophia every hour of it until she is sore and bruised and marked inside and out. I’m like a wild animal claiming its territory and she is a willing participant. It’s as if this is our last chance to make it count and sleep is the furthest thing from my mind.

  By the time the dawn arrives we are exhausted and reluctantly I leave her to grab a few hours’ sleep and head back to my room, hoping that her mind is now aligned with mine. Today will be our wedding day because I’m in no doubt now, Sophia Moretti will become a Romano to save her family and the only one that will be is me.

  30

  Sophia

  When I wake, I feel the evidence of last night on every part of me that counts. I am bruised, sore and aching but wouldn’t change a thing. It feels as if I’m a marked woman and I love every delicious bit of it.

  I manage to drag myself to the shower and love the way the hot jets soothe the burn and wash my pain away.

  Everything has changed because my mind was made up the moment Maverick entered my bed.

  A gentle knock at the door reminds me I wedged it closed and I grab a towel and shout, “Just a minute.”

  Hoping to God it’s Maverick, I am slightly stunned to see who has come calling.

  “Elena!”

  She laughs as she sees me dripping, shielded by nothing than a towel and says softly, “May I come in, my dear?”

  “Of course, please.”

  I hold open the door and she glides into the room and sits on the bed like a queen visiting a subject.

  “I trust you slept well, my dear.”

  I blush and the knowing sparkle in her eyes makes me wonder if we were a little loud and my face burns as I remember the sex marathon that went on here last night.

  She looks at me with a considered expression and says gently. “I’m sorry, Sophia.”

  “For what?”

  “For dragging you here and putting you through hell.”

  I just stare at her in surprise and she smiles ruefully. “I think you should get dressed and pack your bag. We are going on a little trip.”

  My heart twists as I wonder what the woman before me has up her sleeve and I say fearfully, “With Mav…um Lorenzo?”

  “Not this time. It’s probably best if we keep this between ourselves.”

  She sits and stares as if waiting patiently for me to do as she says and I notice she is dressed as if to go outside. Feeling concerned, I race to the bathroom and chuck the few possessions I brought with me into my bag and quickly change into the clothes I came here in, tying my hair in a messy ponytail rather than keep her waiting longer than I need to.

  Wondering what this is, I try to find out as we walk through the quiet hallway toward the front door. I’m almost afraid to ask and whisper, “Where is everyone?”

  “They had a meeting to attend and will be gone for two hours. Plenty of time to put this situation right.”

  I feel increasingly nervous as I follow her and there’s something so final about it, my heart twists in my chest. I have to know and say fearfully, “Does Mav… um Lorenzo know?”

  “No.”

  Now I’m really worried and almost back out but there is something about the way Elena looks at me that tells me she is doing me a huge favor here, so I follow her silently to a large black car that is waiting outside.

  One of the guards holds it open and as we settle into our seats, steps into the passenger seat beside the driver. Then we set off with another car in front and one behind and I realize this has always been my life and probably always will be. As we pass through the streets, I picture life with the Reapers and how free I felt. Everybody looked after themselves and yet if you needed extra help, there were many willing hands. That is living as far as I’m concerned, not this charmless existence in a strange and deadly world.

  Elena sits silently beside me and it’s only as we stop outside a hotel in town, that she places her hand on mine and says sweetly, “Please forgive me, Sophia. One thing you should know before you leave.”

  “I’m leaving, what you’re not coming inside?”

  “No, my angel, my journey carries on but yours ends here. I just want to say one thing. When Lorenzo called and told us your story, we were surprised.”

  “What about?”

  “That you thought you were to be married off to one of my grandsons in return for your business.”

  My mouth drops to the floor and I whisper, “It was a lie?”

  She nods. “Carlos Toledo was obviously playing with your mind because we are not animals, Sophia, we conduct our business in a much more civilized way.”

  “But…”

  I can’t think straight as Elena laughs. “Lucian was the one who thought we could use this to our advantage. He wanted to provoke Lorenzo to declare him the rightful successor and renounce any claim he has to the throne of pain, as they call it. We all knew Lorenzo would do anything to walk away and Lucian thought this was a good way of tying up the loose ends. To see where his heart really lay and finalize things once and for all.”

  I almost can’t form the words and say, “Does Maverick, I mean, Lorenzo know?”

  “Of course not. I think he surprised himself by his reaction to it all and I knew he would do anything to keep you by his side. That is why I am intervening and setting you free. When Lorenzo turned on us all last night, it was obvious he was never going to be the head of the family we need. His heart just isn’t in it and so we abandoned our plan and have decided to let him follow his heart. You must also do the same because it’s obvious you are not cut out for this either. Lucian will head up the family and Lorenzo will return to where he is happiest.”

  “But can’t I go with him?”


  “That’s why I’m sorry, my dear. Lorenzo has always been a man who prefers to live alone. He has many women as I’m sure you must accept and has never really shown any interest in keeping one. The life he now lives suits him because from what I understand, there are no strings attached and he needs this time to discover the man outside the mafia. Set him free, Sophia, because he is in unchartered territory. This will have destroyed him and you need to allow him to heal. If you are truly meant to be together, then you will find a way, but you need to discover who Sophia Moretti is first. So, your future is not ours to arrange. I am delivering you back to your own family and you must discuss it with them.”

  “My family!”

  My heart lurches as the door opens and I see a familiar face looking at me with respect. “Miss. Moretti.”

  “Matteo.”

  He nods and offers me his hand. “I’ve come to take you home, ma’am.”

  I accept his outstretched hand as if in a trance and don’t even register that I’ve left the car until it speeds off before I can even say goodbye.

  As the guards crowd around me in front and behind, I am swallowed up into the familiar and ushered inside.

  31

  Maverick

  I can tell she’s gone the moment I step foot inside the house. It’s as if the life has left the building and now I know why I just endured a wild goose chase across town for my grandma.

  My brothers had business to attend to and nonna asked me to collect a letter from her attorney because she had nobody else she could trust. As I step foot inside the house, she is waiting with a hard glint in her eye.

  “Lorenzo, follow me.”

  I do as she says because we learned early on that the real power behind the throne lay at the hands of this woman and my heart sinks with every step taken.

  She leads me to her office, a pretty room overlooking the garden, and points to the seat in front of her desk.

  “Sit, we have much to discuss.”