19. A Man to Fear
CHAPTER 19
A MAN TO FEAR
J ia
Creeping around my own living room in a towel as I attempt to dress before Yéye or my infuriating new roommate wake, I grab a top and comfy yoga pants from the dresser. Marco’s new apartment is supposed to be ready for us to move into the day after tomorrow which leaves me little time to work on the boutique. I’m fully aware I’m being ridiculous about refusing to move into a luxury penthouse, but I hate the idea of being supported by my fiancé. I spent enough of my life kowtowing to a man I despised simply because I was forced to live under his roof. I promised myself long ago I’d never find myself in that situation again, which is why I’m trying so hard to succeed on my own.
I step on a creaky floorboard and Marco stirs from his makeshift bed on the floor. After I refused to let him sleep on the pullout with me, he broke down and bought an air mattress. But at over six feet, the huge male swallows up the flimsy twin. His feet hang over the edge, and the mattress dips beneath his massive weight. He must be terribly uncomfortable.
A grin parts my lips.
The arrogant bastard deserves it.
With one last peek to confirm he’s still asleep, I slide on my thong, drop the towel and tug my bra around my waist, keeping my back to Marco just in case. I wouldn’t put anything past the conniving mob boss. Once my bra is on, I slip on the top.
“Mmm, nice ass, wifey.” Marco’s rough voice sends my head spinning over my shoulder.
He lifts his gaze from my bare cheeks long enough to grin up at me, eyes sparkling with amusement.
“You’re an ass,” I grit out as I tug the yoga pants over my thong so quickly, I lose my balance. With one foot stuck in the stretchy material, I keel over, the embarrassing moment moving in desperately slow motion.
My eyelids squeeze closed and I wait for the crack of my knees on the old floorboards, only it never comes. Instead, strong arms lace around my waist and my cheek hits a warm, bare chest.
“I got you, spitfire.” Those mismatched orbs blaze down at me, and for an instant, I’m acutely aware of every point of contact: my cheek against his scruffy chest hair, his firm arms around my waist, my lower half pressed against… I jerk out of his hold as a particularly hard part of his lower anatomy jabs at my belly.
“Thanks,” I murmur as I hold onto the couch’s arm rest with one hand and finish pulling my pants up with the other. “But it wasn’t necessary.”
“So you would’ve rather I let you fall?”
“Yes… no.” I cross my arms over my chest and stiffen my jaw. “I would just prefer you not touch me at all. ”
“That’s going to make our wedding night rather challenging.”
My heart catapults at my ribcage.
“But there’s nothing I like more than a challenge.” He shoots me a wink before plopping down on my couch.
With his shirt off, the exasperating male is all tanned skin and rippling abs stretched across the new sofa he forced me to buy. My traitorous gaze traces the dips and valleys of his torso before focusing on the Chinese dragon imprinted across his flesh. The riot of colors is mesmerizing, the artwork truly beautiful. It has nothing to do with the half-naked male beneath the design.
“You know,” he whispers, the jagged edge to his tone drawing my attention away from his chest, “maybe we should give it a go before the big day. It could take some of the pressure off and release some tension…”
“Absolutely not,” I snap and whirl around toward the kitchenette so I can put some much-needed space between myself and my future husband. I cringe at the word even in my head.
Reaching for a mug from the top cabinet, I stretch up, but a big hand beats me to it. Marco looms over me, holding my I wear heels bigger than your d*ck mug and grinning like an idiot. “Oh, yeah?”
“Shut up. Ari gave it to me as a joke.” A huge joke since I could count the number of dicks I’d seen on one hand.
“I bet my cock is bigger.”
Heat races across my cheeks as vivid memories of the sharp outline of his erection the first time he spent the night parade across my vision.
He chuckles. “And I dare say, you may agree.”
“I never said that. I’ve never seen—” I smush my lips closed.
“Oh, I’m pretty sure you got a nice peek the other night. ”
I raise my hand and squeeze my eyes closed. “Just stop!” God, please just make this stop.
Marco pours the hot coffee I had the surprising presence of mind to automatically prepare last night, and I eye the enticing beverage like a starving woman. He holds the mug just out of reach, smirking like a fool.
“Give me my coffee.”
“I’ll give it to you for a kiss.”
I snort on a laugh, the request so ridiculous I can’t even hide the surprise. “What are you, fifteen?”
Marco drops the cup on the counter and whirls on me. The move is so fast I don’t have a second to react. His hand curls around my neck, and he spins me so that I’m trapped against the counter. With his nose less than a centimeter from my own, his frosty breath dances across my lips.
My breath hitches, my chest rising and falling beneath his dark gaze as his fingers tighten around my throat. “Let’s get something straight, spitfire. I like to joke, I enjoy the teasing, but ultimately, you are mine . I will have you in every way possible. If you want to wait for our wedding night, fine, but don’t think for a minute because I treat you kindly and play around that I’m not a man to fear. I don’t want to be that man with you, but I will be if you do not obey me. Are we clear?”
I grit my teeth, but my head bobs up and down regardless as I curse myself for not always keeping the gun I forced Marco to get me nearby. I have zero qualms about using it on my future husband. In fact, I plan to keep it under my pillow for the length of our marriage. However short-lived it may be.
“Crystal clear,” I rasp. Then I reach for the mug where it now rests behind my back and toss the scalding coffee at my fiancé.
He leaps back, releasing me, and lets out a curse as the hot liquid dribbles down his bare chest. Those eyes turn murderous .
“ Bǎobèi , is everything all right?” My grandfather shuffles around the wall that separates the bedroom from the rest of the studio.
“Just fine, Yéye . As it turns out, my fiancé is a bit clumsy in the morning and spilled some coffee on himself.” I reach for a paper towel on the counter and dab it across Marco’s chest. The erratic pounding of his heart vibrates through the thin sheet, and I dab only a few more times before making a hasty retreat toward my grandfather.
“Mr. Rossi, are you in need of any assistance?” Yéye watches Marco from across the small space.
“No, I’m just fine,” he grits out before he storms by and disappears into the bathroom. The sharp crack of the door slamming sends my heart jumping up my throat.
“ Bǎobèi… ” My grandfather slants me a look.
“What?” I return one of pure innocence.
“Please remember how important this alliance is. I truly believe Marco Rossi is the best man for you, otherwise, I would not have entered into this agreement. It was not a decision I took lightly.”
I dip my head, familiar with this tone. It brooks no argument. “Yes, Yéye, I understand.” And I do understand, but it doesn’t mean I agree.
He cocks his head to the side, and a relaxed smile curls his mustache. “How are the wedding preparations coming along?”
My shoulders slowly lift. The truth is that I have no idea. Marco and his assistant have been coordinating everything. My only task is to find a dress, which I’ve completely put off despite Ari’s continuous pleading. I don’t want some fancy princess ballgown for this sham of a wedding.
Yéye’s hand closes around my shoulder. “May I accompany you to purchase your wedding dress? I understand you have yet to purchase it. And to be honest, it is a day I have long dreamed of, bǎobèi. ”
My eyes sting at the sincerity in his gaze and despite every instinct urging me to say no, my head dips, nonetheless. “Tomorrow, okay? Ari is coming in a minute to help me with the shop.”
“Very well.” He shuffles toward the kitchenette and picks up the mug from the floor.
Embarrassment pushes my feet forward and jerks my mouth open. “I can do that, Yéye, please don’t bother.”
“But why should you clean up the mess if it wasn’t of your doing?” His knowing gaze sears into me. I’ve never been able to lie to my grandfather, and clearly after all these years, I’m no better at it.
“It may have possibly been a little bit my fault.” I drop down to the floor with a handful of paper towels and clean up the puddle of dark brown liquid.
Grandpa’s soft chuckle forces my gaze to lift. “Marrying a man does not mean putting aside who you are, child . And a real man would never expect that of you. You are strong—a bit too headstrong for your own good—but you are wise beyond your years, and anyone who doesn’t see how incredible you are, is surely blind.” He offers his hand, and I take it with my free one before he pulls me up off the floor. “Marriage is the delicate balance of two people who may not always see eye to eye but walk hand in hand.”
The problems between Marco and I are far more complicated than simply not being able to see eye to eye, but I keep that thought to myself. Instead, I nod like the obedient granddaughter while secretly plotting my fiancé’s demise.
Perhaps I’m looking at this all wrong. Maybe Lei shouldn’t be the object of my vengeance, but rather a tool for my freedom.
The bathroom door creaks open, and heavy footfalls beat across the old floorboards. Marco appears around the wall with nothing but a towel wrapped around his narrow hips. Drops of water dribble down his shoulders, but I force my gaze to remain at eyelevel. There's something in his agitated state that has my hackles raised.
“What’s going on?” I blurt when he rushes to his duffle bag in the corner and rifles through its paltry contents.
“Jimmy’s got Lei.”