Chapter Twenty-Six

“I knew she’d avoid the bloody sheets tradition.”

“Of course, she gave it away before marriage.”

“Slut.”

My blood pumped wildly in my veins. I’d expected rumors and even badmouthing, but hearing it first hand was a different matter. Most of my life I’d worked hard to appear perfect in everyone’s eyes.

Now the scale had tipped in people’s eyes. My failures weighed more heavily than my successes. I was no longer untouchable.

I braced myself and took a deep breath. Their thoughts didn’t matter. What they judged me for wasn’t something I should be ashamed for. And I wouldn’t let anyone ruin my wedding, definitely not someone like Cressida. That girl proved to be the thorn in my foot. The moment I stepped out their faces twisted with shock, but also a hint of curiosity, probably soaking up my reaction like a sponge. Cressida was with her friend from last time again, but this time a third girl was with them.

I gave them my coldest smile. “You should be grateful that my father abolished the Bloody Sheets tradition. It means you can choose to keep your dignity by keeping the most private moments between a husband and wife actually private. Of course, it’s up to you to diminish the night’s importance and with it the bond itself by sharing bloody details for curious eyes.”

The girls’ mouths were open. Without another word, I left the room with a swoosh of my dress. Outside, I took another deep breath. My hands were actually shaking. I knew my words would change nothing. People would keep speculating about my sexual activities and badmouth me for it. But my words had given me strength. This was only the first of many battles I’d have to fight against prejudices and malice because of the man I loved, but I’d always fight them gladly.

Maddox was waiting for me with a glass of champagne for me and a bottle of beer for himself.

I took the champagne and emptied half the glass, even if it was a shame to waste champagne on anger drinking.

“What’s up?” Maddox asked quietly.

Most people used the after-dinner satisfaction for business discussions or to chat.

My eyes caught on Cressida once more. She stood by her parents. They, too, belonged to those who judged me as openly as their survival instinct allowed. I hadn’t told Dad about her, she wasn’t worth it, and I doubted Amo had done it either.

“Some girls called me a slut for avoiding the bloody sheets tradition.”

Maddox’s lips curled. “That tradition is vile, and girls should be glad it’s gone. Why would anyone want to bleed during sex? Don’t tell me you regret not being a virgin, because I would have died of blue balls if you’d insisted on keeping your cherry until your wedding night.”

I nudged his shoulder. “You would have survived. And no, I don’t regret it. Not at all. If I was a virgin and intended to deliver bloody sheets, I couldn’t have sex with you on our wedding party.”

His brows rose slowly and a playful smile pulled at his lips, making his dimple-scar pop up. Maddox grabbed my hand. “I hope you were serious because I’m going to fuck you now.”

His hold on my hand was almost painful as he dragged me into the male restroom. He shoved an armchair that had been in the corner against the door, jamming the handle. Toilet sex was becoming a tradition. Lucky that this was the best hotel in town and each toilet a separate, luxurious room of its own.

“Since you licked the cream off my cock, I have been dying. Fuck, Snow White. I’m so horny, if you don’t want me to sport an erection during our dance you let me fuck you now.”

His mouth collided with mine almost desperately. My own body was desperate for his touch. “Fuck me, we don’t have much time.”

Maddox turned me around so I held on to the sink, then he began to lift the layers of my skirt. “Fuck, where’s your pretty pussy. This dress is killing me.”

I laughed but it turned into a moan when he clapped my ass hard. I cocked an eyebrow, then parted my lips for a low moan when Maddox slid two fingers over my slit. I was sopping wet, so Maddox didn’t meet any resistance when he pushed two fingers into me. “Bend lower.”

I braced myself on my elbows. Maddox’s palm slapped against my ass cheek as his fingers thrust into me at blinding speed. Then he pulled out without warning, making me mewl in protest. God, what a sound. He smirked and lowered the fly of his tux. His tip was already glistening but he didn’t give me much time to admire him. He gripped my hips and thrust into me, and then he fucked me. It was fast and hard, and we both came within a few minutes. And this felt like giving the finger to Cressida and girls like her. I enjoyed myself with the guy I loved before my wedding night, so what?

When we walked out of the bathroom twenty minutes later, we held hands and were much more relaxed. “Good thing that my dad abolished the bloody sheets tradition. This would have ruined it.” I felt almost lightheaded with happiness.

Maddox shook his head. “You will cream, not bleed, many times on our wedding night. This was only the beginning.”

Maddox’s dirty mouth was the biggest turn-on I could have ever imagined, but I’d spend the rest of eternity stopping him from saying the horrible “C” word.

When we came into the hall, our guests were already crowding around the dance floor for our first dance of the night.

“Ready for a dance?” Maddox asked, holding out his hand. I took it and allowed him to lead me into the center of the dance floor.

His eyes scanned the crowd around us that watched our first dance as a married couple. They waited with bated breath for every misstep. But every misstep they saw was our choice. Maddox and I stared into each other’s eyes. Their judgment didn’t mean anything because I wouldn’t allow it to. I didn’t need their blessing. The only people who could have hurt me with their words were the people who wouldn’t do it because I was as important to them as they were to me. Many gazes lingered on my crown tattoo, some were almost offended, and it was a reaction that pleased me more than it should.

“Ready?” I asked with a grin.

“Ready when you are.”

I gave the band a sign. Our waltz stopped abruptly and without warning the band began playing “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” by Panic! At the Disco. The song would only land a punch for those who actually knew the song and the lyrics since the band was only acoustic. But the scandal would certainly happen afterward once word spread.

I grabbed Maddox’s tux jacket and ripped it. The fabric gave away at the predetermined tear line, leaving Maddox in only a black vest and shirt. He shoved up his sleeves, revealing his tattooed forearms. He reached for the hem of my wedding dress and pulled sharply. The lower part of the skirt tore away like the tailor had promised, leaving me in a skirt that ended above my knees.

An engine roared and Amo drove through the parting crowd on Maddox’s Harley. Dad had to convince the hotel director personally before we were given the okay to drive a motorcycle through the ballroom. He got off the bike as Maddox led me toward it with a hand on my lower back. For Maddox to allow anyone to ride his bike was a major thing. Maybe that was why Amo had started to like him.

Amo and Maddox clapped hands.

“Take good care of her or your uncle’s death will look like a piece of cake in comparison to what I’ll do to you,” Amo said with a smile that was mildly threatening.

“Amo,” I growled, trying to keep my expression happy.

“No, he’s right. If I fail, I deserve everything he and your dad have planned for me. But I won’t fail.”

Amo nodded and stepped back. In the past, he would have winked at me now or said something offensive and funny, but this new version of my brother wasn’t the easygoing teen anymore. He was on the best way to become exactly who he needed to be to follow in Dad’s footsteps.

Maddox mounted his bike then held out a helmet for me. I put it on before I straddled the bike sideways and wrapped my arms around Maddox’s middle. With a roar of the engine, we left the gawking crowd behind. I waved at Mom and Dad, who had his arm wrapped around her. Gianna gave me a thumbs up. That she was all for the scene we’d just caused was a given.

Mom waved with a beaming smile. I had talked to Dad and her about our plans. Even if I didn’t care about what people thought, my parents’ opinion mattered a lot to me. Luckily, neither Mom nor Dad had a problem with our show. Dad had accepted that whatever he’d planned for me, had fallen apart the moment I’d been kidnapped. Now he just wanted to see me happy.

I wrapped my arms even tighter around Maddox’s middle and rested my chin on his shoulder. The sun was setting over the horizon. I smiled to myself. We would be traveling along the coast up to Canada in the next two weeks for our honeymoon and spend the nights in cozy bed & breakfasts along the way. That part of our unconventional wedding plans had actually been what had worried Dad the most. But I was safe with Maddox. I didn’t need and want more bodyguards. This was our time as husband and wife. Once we were back in New York, we’d both find our way back into the strict limits of a life in the mob, especially if you were at the top. Growl was taking care of Santana while we were away. I was incredibly glad that he and Maddox had built a tentative friendship. I wanted Maddox to find people he liked to spend time with.

Maddox and I had a lot to prove still. People didn’t trust me to do a good job as the first woman in the Famiglia, especially as the new coordinator of the Enforcers, and they trusted Maddox even less as one of my Enforcers. He wasn’t part of the Famiglia and he was a White. But as long as we had my family’s support, I could deal. We’d eventually convince the rest by doing a good job.

After about two hours on the bike, Maddox pulled over near a cliff where we’d rented a small Airbnb in a former light tower. Our bedroom was at the top where the lighthouse keeper used to watch over the ocean and passing ships.

We had 360-degree windows that allowed a beautiful view over the ocean and the countryside. By now it was completely dark outside, except for the full moon and the stars. Maddox carried our small bag up the steep staircase and I shook my heels off before I followed him.

“I’ve never traveled this lightly. In the past, a bag that size only held my makeup.”

Maddox gave me a disbelieving look. He touched my waist as I looked around in fascination. But he soon captured my attention with a searing kiss. His lips discovered every inch of my body, lingering on my breasts and between my legs, coaxing moan after moan from my lips.

“Let’s make love outside,” he said.

Maddox led me onto the narrow balcony that surrounded the entire bedroom. The wind was fresh, raising goose bumps all over my body. I shivered against Maddox.

“Back inside?” he murmured, trailing warm lips over my pulse point.

“No,” I whispered, then sighed when he reached a particularly sensitive point above my collarbone. “You’ll keep me warm.”

“I’ll do more than that,” he growled into my ear.

I turned.

Our lips met for a gentle kiss that quickly turned heated. This time I took the incentive and got down on my knees before Maddox.

“I still remember you saying, Vitiellos don’t kneel.”

I smiled coyly. “I make an exemption to suck my husband’s cock.” My tongue darted out, flicking his piercing playfully. Maddox looked ready to explode as he watched me pleasure him.

“Fuck,” he rumbled. Soon he pulled me back up to him and made me turn around, making love to me while he wrapped his arms around me from behind, overlooking the ocean.