Chapter 16
LEO
By the time we get home, I’m fucking exhausted.
I make a beeline for the whiskey and pour more than usual into the tumbler.
When I take a much-needed sip and the liquid burns down my throat, I hear Haven’s soft footfall behind me.
There’s no fear quivering in her voice as she says, “Thank you for today.”
With the drink in hand, I turn around to look at her. Her light brown eyes are calm, and even though her features are tense with nervousness, there’s no terror.
Taking another sip of my drink, I walk to a couch and sit down. When Haven doesn’t move, I gesture at the other couch, and once she’s sitting across from me, I say, “I’m sorry I left you alone for so long. I had a lot to deal with.”
“Can we talk about what I’m allowed to do, and where we’ll go from here?”
“Of course.” I cross my legs, resting my ankle on my knee while I lean back against the couch.
“We’re married, Haven. You’re not my prisoner.
I’m going to take you on dates and spend time with you, but when I don’t have plans for us, you’re free to come and go as you please.
You’ll always have four guards with you when you leave the house. ”
“Four guards?”
“It’s for your protection. I have a lot of enemies.”
“Oh.” She glances through the window at the ocean.
My eyes drift over the tight leggings that fit her like a second skin, and even though she’s wearing an oversized shirt, I don’t like it one bit.
“No tight clothes when you leave home.”
“Huh?” Her attention snaps back to me.
“You’re not allowed to wear leggings outside of the mansion. I won’t have any other man oggling what’s mine.”
I’m surprised when a pink flush creeps up her neck, ending in her cheeks. “In that case, I’ll never wear leggings again. I don’t need you oggling me.”
I let out a chuckle. “It doesn’t matter to me what you wear, principessa . You wearing a trashbag will be hot to me.”
Her breathing speeds up a little, drawing my attention to her breasts as they rise and fall.
I can’t fucking wait to see her naked.
The thought has me hardening, and I rest my arm over my lap while I take a deep sip of the whiskey.
As I continue to stare at Haven, she grows more and more uncomfortable, and eventually the blush remains on her skin.
“How innocent are you?” I ask.
Her eyebrows draw together. “What do you mean?”
“How many men have you slept with?”
“Jesus,” she whispers before looking at the windows again to avoid my gaze. “One.”
The idiot she dated for four years.
“Was he vanilla?”
She sucks in a deep breath, then nods. Suddenly, her eyes widen as they snap back to me. “Don’t even try weird-ass-kinky shit with me.”
I let out a bark of laughter while I shake my head. “I’m not into BDSM, but I’m pretty sure you’ve never been fucked hard.”
“Stop, Leo,” she snaps, turning her gaze away from me again while the blush on her face deepens.
“You’re even uncomfortable talking about sex,” I mention.
“Because you’re a stranger to me.”
“Ask me anything,” I say before I drink the last of the whiskey.
When I lean forward and place the tumbler on the coffee table, Haven asks, “What calms you down when you’re upset?”
“When I get angry, I need time to process shit.” I relax back against the couch again and tilt my head as I look at her beautiful face.
“Me too,” she whispers. “You’ve given me the impression you have a quick temper.” Her tongue darts out to wet her lips. “Have you ever hit a woman?”
“No.” My expression grows serious. “I’ll never hit you, Haven.
It’s my privilege to protect you. I meant it when I promised your mother that I wouldn’t hurt you.
” I gesture at her left hand. “When Edoardo called me yesterday morning, I cut my trip short to come back to you. I hate that you hurt yourself. Don’t ever put yourself in danger again. ”
Haven’s gaze searches mine for the truth in my words. When she seems to believe me, tension visibly drains from her body, and she relaxes.
She scoots back on the couch and crosses her legs beneath her. “What makes you angry?”
The fact that she keeps circling the topic of anger makes me think she’s trying to find out how she can keep me calm.
“When people disobey me,” I reply. “I get the feeling that seeing you talk to another man will make me lose my shit, so let's avoid that.”
Her lips curve up in an incredulous smile, making the dimple appear on her left cheek. “You’re being ridiculous. At some point, I’ll have to interact with other men. What about when I’m out with the guards?”
“You only talk to Edoardo and ignore the others, unless shit goes down and Edoardo gets killed.”
Her eyes widen again. “Is that a possibility?”
“Everything in life is a possibility, Haven.” Wanting to be closer to her, I climb to my feet and, as I walk around the coffee table, I add, “The only men you’re allowed to be alone with are Edoardo and Massimo. If I find you with any other man, I’ll kill him.”
I sit down beside her, and just like two weeks ago, she shifts away from me and closer to the armrest.
Her gaze flits over me before she looks down at her bandaged hand. “How many people have you killed?”
“A lot.” She tenses up again. “It’s survival of the fittest in my world. Everyone wants to be at the top of the food chain.”
She shakes her head before she looks at me. “This life you live is insane. I come from a small town where there’s hardly any crime.”
“I’ll protect you from my world as much as possible,” I promise. Lifting my arm, I rest it on the back of the couch, so I’m able to brush my fingers through her soft hair.
Haven glances at my hand before her eyes lock with mine. “You promised you wouldn’t force yourself on me.”
“I did,” I murmur, my voice dropping to a seductive tone. “But I never said anything about not trying to seduce you.”
Laughter bursts from her, and when her face flames up with a blush, I drink in the absolutely breathtaking sight of her.
“If you try to seduce me, I’m going to laugh at you.”
Keeping my voice low and seductive, I ask, “Why?”
“I laugh when I get nervous.”
“Hmm…” I tilt my head and move my hand to the side of her neck, brushing my fingertips over her pulse that’s racing fucking fast. “Do I make you nervous, principessa ?”
Her features grow tense, and her lips part. “Yes.”
I move closer until the side of my thigh touches her knee, and I stare deep into her eyes while slowly leaning into her.
Haven’s breaths speed up, and when I brush my nose along the curve of her jaw, her right hand presses against my chest. When she doesn’t push me away, I press a soft kiss beneath her ear.
Her energy spikes fucking high, and she starts to tremble. I pull back slightly to look into her eyes again, and not seeing terror, the corner of my mouth lifts.
“Did I just discover a sensitive spot?”
Her chest heaves, and her tongue darts out to wet her lips before she lies to me. “No.”
“Lying makes me angry,” I say before I lift my other hand to the side of her neck. “Be honest with me, Haven. If I learn where all your sensitive spots are on your sexy as fuck body, it will make your pleasure a hell of a lot more intense when you beg me to fuck you.”
“Holy shit,” she gasps. “You have no filter, do you?”
“When you face death as often as I do, there’s no place for filters.”
Her eyebrows draw together, and I think she’s forgotten about her hand resting on my chest.
“What happens if you die?”
“The guards will take you and our mothers to an island where you’ll be safe.”
Haven shakes her head, worry creeping into her eyes. “Aren’t you scared of dying?”
“I don’t fear the inevitable. It’s a waste of time.
” I place my hand over hers, pressing her palm harder against my chest. “Besides, I’ve faced off with death before and keep surviving.
I think the fucker likes me.” I give her a reassuring look.
“I’m not easy to kill. You don’t have to worry about me. ”
“I shouldn’t worry about you,” she mutters, pulling her hand from beneath mine.
I stare at her for a moment, then ask, “You’re not terrified of me anymore. What changed?”
“I learned the hard way there’s something I fear more than you.” She lowers her head, and it makes her hair fall over the side of her face like a curtain. “Loneliness.”
“I’m sorry,” I apologize again before I ask, “Do you get cabin fever if you stay at home too long?”
She nods. “It feels like the walls close in on me.”
“Okay.” I brush her hair away from her face and pin the strands at the back of her neck with my hand, feeling how cold she is. “I’ll keep that in mind.” My thumb brushes over her skin. “Are you always cold?”
She nods, then lifts her eyes to mine. “I’ve always gotten cold easily.”
“I tend to run hot, so I can be your heater.”
Her lips curve up on the left, making her dimple appear again.
Unable to resist, I grip hold of her jaw with my other hand and keep her in place while I press a kiss to her dimple.
Haven’s hand shoots up, and she grabs hold of my forearm, a gasp bursting from her.
Her sweet scent fills the air I breathe, and being so close to her has my self-control slipping dangerously fast.
Our eyes meet for a moment, and whatever she sees on my face, has her breaths coming even faster.
I press another kiss to her cheek, and she tightens her grip on my forearm. Again, she doesn’t push me away, and I let my fingers brush down from her jaw to her collarbone.
I take a deep breath of her sweet scent and groan, “You’re driving me fucking wild.”
My words break the spell I was able to weave around Haven, and she pulls away from me. She darts to her feet and walks toward the kitchen.
Getting up, I go after my wife because now that I’ve been able to touch her, I want to keep touching her.
It’s just become my life’s mission to break down every single wall she has up.
I don’t care what it takes. I will become the most important person in her life.
I will claim every inch of her sexy body.
I will own her fucking heart and soul.
If it’s the last thing I do.