Chapter 36
It had taken a lot of self-control for Marcella not to go to the Greatdrakes's villa before the afternoon. She had slept deeply the night before out of sheer exhaustion and tried her best to have a usual day. Unfortunately, nothing felt normal or right anymore.
Marcella knew it wasn't normal to have an unbearable itch under her skin to get to Cosimo. It had grown worse as the day had worn on. She had been in love before, but this was an ache that spread from her heart to her fingertips and toes.
Utterly ridiculous, Marcella had told herself over and over. She had answered emails, paid bills, and caught up on all the busy work that she had been neglecting since Cosimo had strolled into her life and turned her well-organized world on its head.
She stared at her wall of research, a thought itching at her brain every time she thought of Da Vinci and his ties to the Sfroza family.
It was like the answer was there, but just out of reach.
She needed to talk to Bridget and Cosimo about it.
Her intuition was scratching at her, and she couldn't make out what it was trying to tell her.
She pulled tarot cards, and it was the same frustrating few that she had drawn the day she had met Cosimo: the Magician, the Devil, the High Priestess, the Lovers, and the Ten of Cups.
It was almost 4 p.m. when Marcella stood in front of the villa, checking her makeup in her hand mirror and ensuring her red sundress didn't have any marks on it. Her hands were sweaty, and she hated that she was acting like a love-sick teen.
At 4 p.m. on the hour, the front door opened, and Cosimo was there.
He spotted her on the other side of the gate and smiled.
Her heart skipped a beat. He was in jeans and a button-up shirt with his sleeves rolled up.
He looked mouth-wateringly good, and the itchy hum under her skin turned into molten lust in the blink of an eye.
"I don't know if I am happy or disappointed that I don't have to hunt you down," he greeted her, opening the gate. He leaned down to kiss both of her cheeks, making her eyes flutter closed. "You look beautiful as usual. Red really suits you."
"It's my power color," she replied, her hands running over his exposed forearms. "Don't judge me for this, but I missed you today."
Cosimo brushed his lips down her neck. "I've been crawling out of my skin wanting to come and get you."
"Thank you for giving me time to sort myself out," she said, tilting her head to give him better access. "I wanted to have the book closed on my past with Carlo and Forli, so I can be in a better place to move on with you."
Cosimo looked at her, understanding and kindness in his eyes.
"I'm glad to hear it, because I wasn't going to let you go without a fight.
I don't know if you want to know, but I called the hospitals in Forli.
Carlo and Renata have been put in a mental ward.
Whatever the dead did to them, it broke their minds.
They will never threaten or hurt anyone again. "
Marcella closed her eyes for a moment and whispered a prayer. "I can't say I'm surprised. The dead were so angry. To have all their spells torn at once would have broken any strega or magician. I will sleep better at night knowing they can't hurt anyone else again."
"I'm sure all of Forli has a brighter future now, just like you do," Cosimo replied, brushing his lips against her forehead. "If you need more time to figure out what you want, I can do my best to give it to you."
"I don't need any more time to know that I want you…want this." Marcella rose on tiptoes to kiss him when someone whistled from somewhere in the garden. They both groaned in annoyance, and the owner of the whistle appeared. The woman was curvy with wine-red hair and lips painted to match.
"Marcella, this is Quinn, Taranis's mate," Cosimo introduced.
"It's so nice to meet you!" Quinn said, yanking Marcella into a hug. "I never thought I would see the day that Cosimo actually blushed, but Daddy G looks positively crimson right now."
Marcella laughed, unable to hold it in. "It's nice to meet you too. Daddy G, huh?"
Cosimo's ears and neck went even redder. "Quinn has no filter, as you will soon discover."
He went to take Marcella's hand, but Quinn got in the way and looped her arm with hers.
"I'm also a cock blocker. Off you go, Cosimo. Taranis is looking for you, and I want to hog your witch," Quinn said brightly.
Cosimo's eye twitched. "You scare her, and there will be hell to pay."
Quinn stuck her tongue at him. He gave her a warning look and headed off through the garden. Trying not to giggle, Marcella took advantage of the moment to check out his perfect ass. She really needed to get him alone and soon.
"He's been like a bear with a sore head all damn day. I'm glad you're finally here because I thought he was going to pine himself into an early grave," Quinn declared, shaking her head. "I swear men are more ridiculous than women when they are in love."
Marcella raised her brow. She was getting tired of people telling her that, but not the man himself. She still asked, "You think he is?"
"Are you kidding me? Cosimo has always been so full of love that it oozes out of him. It's about time he found someone to focus it on that's not his family," Quinn said as they began walking down one of the garden paths. "He needs something for himself, and I'm glad he found you."
"Is this going to be a 'what are your intentions regarding my Cosimo' talk?" Marcella asked. With a family this big, she doubted it would be the last time she'd be subjected to one.
"Dear gods, no. I wanted to speak with you privately before everyone else demands your attention.
Cosimo is a big boy and can handle himself without my interference," Quinn replied.
She patted Marcella's hand. "I'm doing a check-in on you, not him.
Dragons are a lot. They are possessive and short-tempered, but luckily, they make up for their nonsense by fucking like complete beasts in bed.
Their attention can be intense for a human, trust me on that. "
Marcella's cheeks went hot. "Please don't take this the wrong way, but I don't talk about my sex life or my love life with strangers."
"Then isn't it great that we won't be strangers for long?
" Quinn replied with a sly grin. Marcella could only shake her head and laugh.
"You can't blame a girl for trying. Cosimo hasn't been interested in anyone since I've known him, and the whole family is all curious about you.
He was so damn adamant he was going to be single forever. "
"We both were adamant in that regard. I certainly never thought I'd find myself in this position again."
"But you have feelings?" Quinn asked.
Somehow, Marcella knew that Quinn wasn't going to give up until she got some secrets out of her. She gave in and admitted, "Yes, I have feelings. Strong ones. But that's also between Cosimo and me."
"Fair. Come on, I want to introduce you to Taranis," Quinn said, pulling her down another pathway. They came to the garden that Marcella had stood in the first night she had dinner with the family.
A table had been set up, and music was playing through the open kitchen windows. Maria sat talking with a giant of a man with a black and silver braid and pointed ears.
"Hurray! The hot witch is here at last!" Maria called with a big wave. "Maybe my brother will stop being so grumpy now."
"We can only hope," Taranis said, rising to his feet and moving to greet them.
Marcella's breath caught as the aura of his power reached her. He moved with effortless grace despite his size, his dark red eyes warming as they looked her over.
"You are lovelier than I imagined. I now see why Cosimo is so besotted," Taranis greeted with a slight incline of his head. "It's wonderful to see him so smitten."
"Isn't she a knockout? Cosimo is doomed," Quinn said, letting Marcella go so she could bounce over to her mate and throw her arms around his waist.
"Cosimo is very smart," Taranis replied, smiling at Marcella. "How is your magic feeling? The kids told me that it's new for you not to be shielding it."
They fell into an easy conversation and were soon joined by the rest of the Greatdrakes. They carried out flatware and food and showered cheek kisses on Marcella.
Cosimo appeared at her side and handed her a glass of wine. "Overwhelmed yet?"
"Not yet, but this is going to help," she replied and touched her glass to his.
"They are only getting started. Taranis is trying to make sure Maria doesn't turn into a dragon unexpectedly.
She's very excited by the prospect," Cosimo commented, looking in his sister's direction.
Maria was talking animatedly with Reeve while he turned paper napkins into small dancing creatures for her.
"She is thrilled that she has so many people to talk to about magic. "
"How are you feeling about it all?" Marcella asked.
Cosimo's smile said it all. "Good. She always struggled to find people who got along with her and weren't intimidated by her. How are you after your day off?"
"I looked over my research again, and there's still something niggling at me about Da Vinci that I can't put my finger on," she replied with a frown.
"So you didn't have a day off at all? Why am I not surprised?" he said with a laugh.
The garden lit up with tiny lights as the sun went down, and Valentine went about lighting tall torches. The mood was easy and happy, and Marcella's shoulders finally lost the tension that had been in them all day.
After dinner, she found herself swaying slightly to the music, the wine buzzing through her veins. Cosimo took her empty glass from her and drew her into his arms.
"What are you up to?" she asked with a soft laugh.
"You want to dance, so we are dancing," Cosimo replied, and they began to sway together. They were soon joined on their dance floor by Valentine, Yelena, Apollo, and Lachlan.
"You know, your whole family is completely charming," Marcella commented, staring up at Cosimo. "Nosey but charming."
"I warned them to be on their best behavior, so this is tame. You wait until you come to a party with the fae at Kian's castle. They don't need an excuse to throw one either," he replied, his hand on her waist, drawing her closer.
"You had best invite me to the next one so I can see if for myself," Marcella commented, her hands going up around his neck.
"If I get my way, you will be at all of them from now on.
" Cosimo's eyes glowed in the soft light, and she couldn't look away.
"Come home with me to Ireland. We need to find your grimoires, and I want you to stay with me.
If you want your own room, you will have it.
If you want a study, you will have it. Just tell me what you want, and I'll make it happen.
It's not just about the grimoires. I just want you with me. "
Marcella swallowed the lump in her throat. "Why?"
"Don't you know?" Cosimo moved so his lips brushed the top of her ear.
"I'm absolutely crazy about you. We can go as slow or as fast as you'd like with this.
That hasn't changed. I don't expect anything of you, or for you to feel the same way yet.
I still want you to come and stay with us, with no other strings attached.
My dragon wants you close, and so do I."
Marcella drew up her courage and admitted, "I want to be close to you too. It hurt to stay away all day today even though I knew I needed the space. This isn't normal, is it? This level of want?"
"It is for dragons. It's like something flips in our head, and it doesn't matter how long we have known someone," Cosimo replied. He pressed a kiss to her temple. "It's why I keep insisting that we move at your pace and not mine. We are intense creatures. You are human, and I have to respect that."
Marcella smiled against his shoulder. This man seemed to be completely clueless about how much she wanted him.
"What are our chances of sneaking out of here?" she asked.
"I can make them very good. Why?"
"Well, I'm going to need to go and pack if I'm going for a trip to Ireland. I'll need help to carry my bags," Marcella said innocently.
"As your host, I feel I must assist you." Cosimo laughed under his breath, sending a shiver through her.
Marcella scraped her teeth over the side of his neck in retaliation. "You're a true gentleman."
Cosimo's hand dropped to her ass, sending another hot thrill through her. "I wouldn't go that far."