10. Aria

Spending the day with Bianca is a bit like being on a roller coaster ride. Especially the way she drives her little sports car. Fast and thrilling, but a little scary as well.

The first part of the day is all about pampering. Nails, hair, and a massage. Next, we shop at the boutique couture stores where Bianca purchases something from each and every one we enter. Since I already have a closet full of new clothes, I only splurge on a handbag.

Now we're sitting at a café having coffee and more pastries.

"I want to hear all about your great escape to come to Luca," she says, her dark eyes attentive on me like she really is interested in my story.

"Luca and I were exchanging secret notes through a bookstore."

Bianca's eyes light with delight as she leans forward, resting her chin on her palm, listening intently.

"Then one day, I got a note asking me to run away. He made all the flight arrangements, but it was up to me to get to the airport. My brother is very protective, so it wasn"t easy."

Bianca nods. "I have slipped my bodyguards a time or two." She glances over to the corner of the room where two dark suited men sit. They make me think of Italian FBI men, but I know they are in fact made men.

"I was able to sneak out of the house and order a car that got me to the airport. Luca's man, Bruno, was there, and he escorted me over."

Bianca let out a long sigh. "That"s so romantic."

"How did you and your husband meet?"

She straightens and waves a hand. "It is not so romantic. What Gino and I have doesn"t involve love. Not that we're not happy. We both get what we want."

I frown. "You didn"t want to marry for love?"

Her eyes narrow, making her look shrewd. "I can get love elsewhere. But the luxuries in life that I enjoy, for that I need Gino."

This is not a surprise to me. I"m well aware that many of the marriages in the Mafia have nothing to do with love. Often, they are business or political moves.

I"ve always known that I didn"t want that. Especially after I saw how much Niko loved Elena, I was sure that he would support me in marrying for love. I wish I understood why he is so against Luca.

"You knew about me before I arrived," I say, wondering how good of friends she is with Luca.

Her eyes sparkle. "As wives, we learn a great deal from pillow talk. Gino spent a lot of time talking about the American woman Luca was pining over."

Pining? My smile at hearing this is probably a little goofy, but I don"t care. Thinking of Luca pining over me fills me with joy.

"So, of course, all were curious about you. And then I heard you arrived, and so I came over first thing. And now here we are, becoming fast friends."

Bianca is a woman who clearly enjoys the finer things in life and has a few shallow traits, but she is friendly and right now, my only friend in Italy.

She checks her watch and then quickly grabs her purse. "We must get going." She pays the bill, and her stiletto heels click on the tiles as we walk out of the café. As we walk to her car, a group of young men starts whistling and talking to us. I suppose it"s the Italian equivalent of catcalls.

Bianca smiles coyly. "It is nice when men appreciate a beautiful woman, don"t you think?"

I have to admit, it doesn"t feel quite as creepy from these men as it does from the men I experience in New York. As we reach her car, I open the door to get in, noticing a man across the street whose phone appears to be pointed in our direction. I turn to look behind me to see what he might be trying to take a picture of, but it"s just a building.

As I get in the car, I ask, "Is it normal for them to take pictures?"

"Once they know who you are, no one would dare to do it. Luca is one of the most feared men in the country."

I have a flash of memory of the man on his knees begging Luca for his life.

She puts the car in gear, and we zoom off like we're on the interstate, not a narrow, crowded city road. My fingers clutch my seat, and I send a silent prayer up that we don"t end up crumpled in a heap.

The guards allow us to enter Luca's property, and Bianca parks at the front door. She leans over, giving me a kiss on each cheek. "We"ll see each other soon."

"Thank you, Bianca. I had a lot of fun today."

She beams at me, and I suspect she wants me to tell Luca about her good deeds.

I exit the car and enter the house, stopping short when I see Luca standing at the base of the stairs as if he"s waiting for me. I study him, trying to decipher what he might be thinking. Is he upset that I went out?

His body looks relaxed, but his brows narrow as he stares at me. "Did you have a good time with Bianca?"

I nod, moving toward him, but not in any hurry as I"m still trying to figure out his feelings. "She"s very nice."

He gives a single nod. "I"m glad you think so. She will be a good friend to you. She will help you fit into our world here."

His gaze is still intense, which unsettles me. His head tilts to the side. "Did you have your hair done?"

Nervously, I run my fingers through the ends of my hair. "Not really. Just a little styling."

He steps in front of me, and his fingers run up the back of my neck, threading through my hair. Then he tugs me in, and his lips cover mine in a fierce, bruising kiss that heats my blood to infernal levels.

When he pulls away, I say, "Well, hello to you too."

His lips twitch up slightly. "You should see Bianca again tomorrow and tell her to take you out to buy a suitable wedding dress."

It takes a moment for my brain to register his words. When it does, my jaw drops. "What?"

"A wedding dress. I have already disrespected Niko by stealing you away and taking you to my bed. I would much prefer not to have him as an enemy, if I can help it. So, we must marry. I"m making arrangements for us to have a wedding at the church that my parents married in."

I"m in shock. I'm elated, wondering why I was so worried about his intentions toward me earlier in the day. At the same time, something feels off. I realize that he is not asking me. He is telling me.

His knuckles brush along my cheek, and the sizzle it sends through my skin distracts me. "Unless you changed your mind about me, Mio Angelo."

My head moves from side to side indicating that no, I haven"t changed my mind.

His expression is soft, even caring. "Are you still sore from yesterday?"

I give a half shrug. "It"s not bad."

"I have thought about nothing except having you in my bed again." He sweeps me up to his arms and starts walking upstairs. That niggle of uncertainty remains, but it"s competing with the feelings of love and how romantic this all is. What woman doesn"t want to be swept off her feet by a man who knows what he wants and wants to claim it?

In his room, he sets me by the bed and kisses me as his hands roam my body, removing my clothes as he goes. There's something about his kiss, his touch, that empties my mind of everything but him and how he makes me feel. Cherished. Desired. Sexy.

When I'm naked, he steps back, his gaze raking over my body. His eyes fill with a wild fire as he tugs at his tie. "Get on the bed."

I sit and scoot back until I can fully lie down. I watch him, admiring his strong body as his clothes fall away. He pushes his pants down, and his dick springs free, already thick and hard.

"You like what you see?" His voice is low, husky.

"Yes."

He climbs over me. Straddling my body, he guides his dick to my mouth. "And what do you taste?"

I'm self-conscious because I'm not well-versed in the acts of sex, but I go with instinct and snake my tongue out. It's not like I haven't used my mouth on him before. It's just that this position is different, a little scary as I feel caged in.

"Don't worry, Mio Angelo. I won't hurt you." He presses himself inside my mouth. Instinctively, my hands go to his thighs, needing to make sure he doesn't choke me. Beyond that, I try to make him happy as he slowly moves in and out of my mouth.

A moment later, he slips out and moves down my body enough to rub his dick over my breasts. "I have much to teach you about the pleasures of the flesh." His tip flicks over my nipple, sending an electric shock to my pussy. "Do you want to learn?"

I nod.

"Good." He moves off me. "Get on your knees. Put your hands on the headboard."

I do as he asks, still feeling uncertain and at the same time, wanting to make him happy. I look over my shoulder, wondering what he's going to do.

He moves in behind me, his hands on my hips as he strings kisses along my shoulder. "Relax." His hands move around me, cupping my breasts, pinching my nipples as he continues to suck and kiss my neck.

I let out a breath, and with it, the tension from uncertainty. It's replaced by a new tension growing in my center. I let out a moan as he kneads my nipples.

"That's right," he whispers. One hand slides down my belly and to my folds. "So wet for me."

His finger rubs my clit, and my hips rock.

"I'm going to fuck you this way, Aria. From behind."

"Okay." I grip the headboard, not sure what to expect, and yet, I am burning up. I need him inside me.

He rubs his dick through my folds. The soft, velvety feel of him sends more sparks through me. Instinctively, I arch back, wanting him to stop teasing me.

"Luca." His name escapes on a gasp.

"Yes? What do you need?" He does it again, and the frustration is unbearable.

"You…"

"Me what?"

"Inside me. Please." My hips are shaking. It's shocking how quickly my need has built.

"Tell me to fuck you."

I imagine if I wasn't in a state of utterly aroused desperation, I'd roll my eyes at this request. Men can be so weird when it comes to needing to feel macho. But at this point, I'll do anything.

"Fuck me." I barely have the word out when he drives in so hard it pushes me forward.

"Say it again." His voice is demanding.

"Fuck me."

He growls as he withdraws and plunges in again. The friction of him inside me is maddeningly spectacular.

"Say my name." He withdraws and stills.

My pussy is pulsing with need. I whimper as it's nearly painful. "Fuck me, Luca."

"Yes!" He drives in again, and this time, he rocks in and out of me, fast, faster until I'm gasping and my pussy is on fire.

"Oh, my God…" I grip the headboard, worried that I'm about to shatter.

"Do you feel me fucking you, Aria?" His breath is harsh on my neck.

I try to say yes, but a moan escapes instead.

"You gave this to me, did you not? I'm the only man who's been in your sweet pussy."

"Yes… oh, God, Luca."

"Fuck… I'm so fucking close. Come, Aria. Come on my cock."

His words take me the rest of the way. My orgasm slams into me, crashing through like a tsunami. My entire body shakes, shudders.

"Yes… fuck, yes…" He chants the words as he thrusts in, grinds against me, and warmth fills me. By the time he finishes, I'm not sure how I'm still able to be on my knees gripping the headboard. My body feels completely boneless.

He pulls away, collapsing on the bed beside me. I'm wobbly as I maneuver myself to lie down next to him. I snuggle up to him, letting myself completely relax. As I rest with my head on his shoulder, the doubts I had about his feelings for me are nearly nonexistent. After all, he wants to marry me.

Marriage. God. The idea of it is crazy, right? It"s too soon, too fast. I feel like I"m on a freight train, barreling down the tracks, nearly out of control. It"s terrifying, and at the same time, exciting. I feel so alive. So in control of my own life. Oh, sure, I"ll be bound by the rules of Mafia life, but I made this choice. I feel freer than I have in a long time. Free and blissfully happy.

"When we started exchanging those notes, I had no idea that I'd end up here," I say as I rest my hand over his chest, feeling his heartbeat.

He puts one arm behind his head, looking like he doesn"t have a care in the world. "You doubted me?"

"Not at all." I nestle up closer to him, inhaling his scent. "It"s turned out perfect. How did you manage the notes from Italy?"

"You do what you have to do to get what you want." His tone is dismissive as if he doesn"t want to talk about it.

I tilt my head up to look at him, to see what the expression on his face might tell me. "It was very romantic."

His eyes cast down toward me. "Like I said, you do what you have to do."

I frown, laying my head back down on his shoulder. "Well, I suppose it"s up in the air whether Niko will come to the wedding, but Lucy, and Elena, and maybe even Kate will come for sure." Well, maybe not Elena if Niko doesn't allow her. But I know they're happy for me.

He pulls away from me abruptly, and I thump down on the bed as he stands and goes to put on his clothes. "They won"t be coming."

I sit up, pulling the sheet up to cover myself. "Why not?"

"For one, there won"t be enough time."

"Maybe we could push it back. What"s the hurry?"

He steps into his slacks. "Niko is the hurry."

"I'll talk to him. Since we're getting married, he"ll see that what we have is real."

He slips his shirt on, buttoning just the bottom buttons before tucking it into his waistband. "I doubt it."

"He's stubborn, but?—"

"Are you that na?ve?" He stands at the end of the bed with his hands on his hips, staring at me with an expression that suggests he thinks I'm stupid. It"s not a nice feeling.

"Is it possible that you really do not understand what"s going on here? I asked for Niko"s permission, and he outright refused. My notes luring you here, your being here, that"s an act of war. We are not living inside some sort of fairytale, Aria. Your brother and I are two very powerful men who don"t take kindly to someone else infringing on what"s theirs. As far as your brother is concerned, I"m a dead man. And if he sets foot anywhere near me or you, he"s a dead man. You do understand this, don"t you?"

My body trembles as fear—no, terror—fills me. For a moment, I can't breathe. It"s not that I don"t understand the Mafia world, because I do. Mostly.

It"s just that I think the rules are different for families. That Niko cared about me enough to want my happiness. That Luca would feel the same.

I begin to believe that Luca is right to think I"m na?ve or stupid because I"m realizing that Luca"s attention, his desire to marry me, has nothing to do with love and everything to do with power.

I can"t do much to help him here in Italy, where he is already the most powerful Don in the country. But I can help him gain a foothold in New York.

My heart cracks, and I feel like the biggest idiot in the world. I'm a pawn for Luca's ambition.

My voice quavers as I ask, "Do you even care about me?"

He lets out what sounds like an explicative, but it"s in Italian so I'm not sure. "I wouldn"t have gone through all the trouble to get you here if I didn"t care about you. Now that you are here, you"ve made your choice, and I"ve staked my claim." He tilts his head to the side and looks as if he"s thinking for a moment. Then he moves toward me, crawling on the bed like a prowling cat until I fall back and he"s over me, caging me in. He tugs the sheet down, his hand blatantly running down my body, cupping my breast and squeezing it. I gasp, responding even though I don"t want to.

"Have I not treated you well, Mio Angelo?"

I give a small nod because it"s true.

"I"m prepared to give you the world. To have you by my side and grant your every wish." He's saying the words every woman wants to hear, but I can tell by the tone of his voice that there are conditions.

"I"m well within my right to make you stay, but just this once, and only this once, I"m going to give you the choice again. It"s either me or Niko." His fingers pinch my nipple, making it hard for me to think. It"s probably what he wants.

"Why do I have to choose?"

"You know why." He dips his head, his lips wrapping around my nipple, sucking gently, coaxing me into submission. I should fight it, but it feels so good. My hand automatically threads into his hair and pulls him to me, keeping him on my breast.

"You can have a future as the younger sister of a powerful Mafia Don who will hide you away in a gilded cage. Or you can be with me, reign as the queen you are by my side." His lips trail down my body, pushing the sheet further away as he insinuates himself between my thighs.

I know this is wrong. I should stop this, but I arch, offering myself to him. His mouth covers my pussy, and everything but the most delicious sensations he sends through me evaporates. Despite having a mind-blowing orgasm already, within minutes, another one hits me, sending me scattering to the wind.

My breath hasn"t yet returned to normal as he backs off the bed and stands, grabbing his tie and wrapping it around his neck. "Think about your choice carefully, Mio Angelo. Should you choose your brother, I will have you on a plane home and you will never see me again. And if you choose me, as I hope you will because I do care about you, it"s possible you"ll never set foot in New York again."

His piercing, dark eyes watch me for a moment. "I have to go to Rome for a day or two. You have until then to decide." He grabs his coat and exits the room.

I lie in bed stunned at the turn of events. If he cared for me, wouldn"t he want me to be happy and to be able to see my family?

Then again, he's probably right and Niko will be out for Luca"s life. Or Niko will declare me dead to him for running away. That"s how stupid this Mafia world can sometimes be.

I let out a frustrated growl and punch the bed. Luca"s seduction manipulated me, and I"d allowed it. But that is only because I love him. Despite everything, including my better judgment, by his side is where I want to be.

He"s right that by returning to Niko, I will continue to be sheltered, not allowed to live a full life. No doubt, there will be limitations on me with Luca, as well, but he doesn't see me as something to hide away. He wants to elevate me, make me a part of his life. As much as I love Niko, for my life to move forward, the choice is clear. The choice is Luca.