Chapter 36
Imogen
Iwake with an unfamiliar weight upon my finger. I had planned on staying up but my mind would’ve travelled down a dangerous territory that would’ve had me questioning everything. It was only best I slept.
As I rapidly blink my eyes to adjust to the soft dim lighting I look down at my finger.
My ring finger.
My left ring finger.
My eyes must surely be deceiving me because why is there an emerald cut diamond on my finger?
I’m dreaming. I have to be.
I rub at my eyes and then slap at my cheeks to wake me up.
But it’s still there.
“Do you like it?” I’ve been so engrossed by the dazzling ring which captures light even in this setting that I didn’t notice him leaning against the doorframe. A first.
“Why is there a ring on my finger?” I ask in an unnaturally high pitched voice.
“I thought that would be obvious,” he says and I only stare blankly at him. “You’re marrying me.”
“I’m marrying you,” I echo.
“Si. Do you not want to marry me?”
I stammer. “I—I. Isn’t this a bit soon?”
“You chose me. I choose you. Why wait?”
I blow out an exasperated breath. “I don’t know, shadow,” his lips tip up at the nickname, “maybe because we haven’t been together long enough? Or because you’ve sworn your loyalty to Constantine and have not done the same for me.”
“Ah,” he murmurs as if he’s experiencing an epiphany.
“Ah what?”
“This is why you are doubting me. Us,” he clarifies.
Pushing off the doorframe he strides towards me.
The bed dips as he sits next to me. “I am loyal to Constantine, this is true.” I cast my eyes downward but he has none of it.
With his knuckle he tips my chin up. His eyes hold me hostage.
The beautiful deep blue depths that are shining with emotion.
“But I am loyal to you, Imogen. I have been the moment I caught you. It just took some time for my brain to catch up.”
My heart pitter patters. “But the famiglia—”
“Comes second to you,” he finishes with a declaration that renders me speechless.
The damn organ beats viciously against my chest as flutters swarm in my stomach. “Rico,” I say his name in absolute awe, wonderment and adoration.
His thumb then brushes my bottom lip reverently.
Like I’m something to be worshipped. To be cherished.
And I feel it. With his touch. With how he looks at me.
“I’m not particularly good at explaining how I feel.
I understand the gravity of expressing oneself in a relationship.
I ask for patience in that regard. I always thought I felt nothing but until I met you, until I captured you and claimed you as my own I know that to not be true.
I think, like my mother, I have always felt too much, which led me to believe I felt nothing at all.
” He pauses as he thinks of what to say next.
“I’m aware how contradictory it sounds.”
“I’m listening.” I kiss his thumb and give him an encouraging smile.
“Growing up I could never explain exactly what I was feeling. The best way I can describe it is I had the physical sensations but I could never correlate it to a specific emotion. And because I could never identify what I was feeling I convinced myself I felt nothing at all. In some ways I think it made it easier.”
“Made what easier?”
“In existing in day to day life. I still had my struggles but pretending it didn’t exist. . .”
I supply softly, “Was the only way you could deal with it.”
He nods his head. “But you,” he looks at me and I feel my insides liquify, “you make being me easier. I can simply exist with you, Imogen. Being with you brings me a peace I never thought I would have. I not only can’t imagine my life without you by my side, I also can’t imagine you not being a part of my routine.
I need you, gazzella. I need you just as much as I want you. ”
I pull him to me and kiss him hard. He wraps me up in his arms and deepens the kiss. I’m completely pliant for him.
When I reach my hands at the bottom of his crew neck to take off he halts me. I ask between kisses, “Any reason you’re stopping me?”
I feel his lips quirk against my mouth. “Because I have a priest coming to marry us in less than an hour.”
I rear my head back. “Less than an hour?”
His lips kiss along my jawline and then the tip of my nose. “Si.”
“Why the urgency? And how did you even get a priest to officiate a wedding not in a church?”
He gives me a look that’s self explanatory. “The Donati Famiglia owns the east coast. I called a priest and he was more than willing to help.”
“I’m sure he was,” I reply dryly. He probably thought his feet would be cemented to sink at the bottom of the river. “You still haven’t answered my first question.”
His eyes cast to the side. “You’ll only be upset.”
I narrow my eyes. “You have no way of possibly knowing that.”
“Then promise not to get upset.”
“I can’t do that.” He drops his head with a weary sigh. “Why are you worried?”
“Because you won’t believe I want to marry you for how I feel.”
I lift his head and say to him, “Allow me to be the judge of that. Now tell me why the urgency for us to be married.”
“I am under the impression based on evidence provided by Pietro tonight that Sebastian has worked an agreement with Kirill, the Pahkan of the Bratva, to help them in their efforts to win the war between our families.”
Silence.
A deafening silence that rattles my bones and turns my veins to ice.
“They’re working with the Russians?” My voice is filled with dread.
“Based on the intel it would be difficult to deny the claim.”
This isn’t disastrous. This is catastrophic. Kirill will stop at nothing until every ounce of blood from the Donati Famiglia is spread across the streets of New York in which they love so much.
Hell, the bastard will even bathe in it.
“So the marriage. . .”
“Will keep you protected,” he explains. “Pietro and I will not be enough to keep you from harm. I need my Famiglia to protect you. Once you are one of us they will have no choice but to protect you with their life.”
Acid forms in my throat. An unsettling feeling flits about in my stomach.
“I should’ve known this was coming,” I mumble.
“How could you have known? I’ve had you here—”
“Because I was the one who suggested our family should align with the Russians in the first place,” I admit guiltily.
His brows crease. “What do you mean?”
I try to create distance between us but he doesn’t allow it. He only holds me in his arms tighter. “My pa always wanted to reclaim his power here in the states. The reign of the mob had started with the Irish, it was only fair it was given back to him.”
“This was over a century ago. The war of the Irish Mob and the Costra Nostra. The Battle of New York.”
“Yes,” I say evenly. “And when word had spread that Don Savio Fiore was offering his daughter’s hand in marriage to the infamous Constantine Donati, whispers began amongst all the families.”
“Even Tao had his reservations for a business arrangement with us because of Savio,” he tells me.
“And he was right to. Savio was a sleazy cunning mobster. Anyone with a right mind knew of that. And his son,” I mutter with disdain, “his son was just as nauseating as him. Somehow he was more pompous than Savio. But he was charming, more manipulative. And he could offer you poison and make you believe it was the antidote.”
“You’re speaking of the alliance between your brother and Luca.”
“My brother was naive to believe a word out of Luca’s mouth.
And my pa should’ve known better. But Luca had promised a seat beside them on the throne.
It was too tempting of an offer for my brother and Pa to resist. I offered my advice in hopes they would listen.
There was a war happening and they were aligning themselves to a losing side.
But the Russians. . .they would slaughter you all and not care to reap the benefits.
We would be indebted to them of course, but the real reward for them, especially Kirill, would be having your heads as a trophy.
And everyone knew once they entered business with the Triads you were an enemy to Kirill.
He never believed Tao’s sister to be dead.
He wanted his bride. So my pa and Sebastian going to the Russians doesn’t surprise me.
They’ve only come for their help too late. ”
I expect him to release me. To view me as the enemy I’m sure his Don and Donna have me painted as. That I am, if nothing, but Seamus’ daughter.
Except it doesn’t happen. Instead his eyes materialize to one of pride. “You’re brilliant,” he marvels.
Confusion twists my features. “I’m telling you I was the one who gave my pa the idea of the perfect way to destroy you and your Famiglia and you’re praising me?”
“I’m always impressed by intelligence, gazzella. It makes you even more beautiful to me.”
“Are you sure you’re in your right mind?” I half joke.
“Technically it would still be a death by your hands. I accept it.”
“Now I’m beginning to believe you’ve fallen to insanity. Do you hear yourself?”
He smiles a soft yet dazzling smile. It reaches his ocean eyes and lights his entire face. Mesmerizing. “If anything I’m a man who’s fallen in love. If that makes me insane, so be it.”
“Rico.” His name is a hushed sound, as if my heart has spoken for me. I caress his face preciously in my hands. “I love you, too.”
As our lips reunite the kiss isn’t rushed nor starving. It’s slow. Passionate. Tender and raw. Our tongues move together in soft strokes, never dominating the other. Our hands lazily explore each other.
One by one each article of his clothing hits the floor. The bedsheet slips from my body and I’m blanketed by his burning flesh.
Spreading my legs he positions himself between my thighs. He guides himself at my entrance and at a measured pace eases himself in so I feel every inch of him. By the time he’s seated to the hilt I’m panting and consumed by the flames of desire.
He inches out just as slow. And I watch the expression on his face as he watches himself fuck me. He’s never looked more vulnerable.
Then he hooks my leg over his shoulder, fully exposing me. When he thrusts back inside I feel him deeper than I ever have before. He hits that certain spot within me and my eyes roll to the back of my head as pleasure zings through me.
Every thrust feels as if he’s trying to cement a point. Every kiss feels as if he’s trying to convey all the love he has for me but can’t explain. And every touch feels like one of worship.
It’s too much and yet not enough.
Knowing my body already his hand slips between us and begins to play with my clit.
And that’s when I break.
My back bows and I cry out his name in pure ecstasy.
He continues fucking me through the orgasm.
He continues to play with my now overly sensitive clit.
And it’s that little dose of pain from the sensitive bundle of nerves as his strokes become harder and quicker to have me feeling the crest of an orgasm again.
“Rico,” I whimper.
“You’re squeezing the fuck out of my cock.” His voice is strained.
“Please,” I whine. My nails scrape down his back. He hisses and deepens his thrust. Fuck, that feels magnificent.
“What does this pretty pussy need? Tell me.”
“I need. . .” My voice falls and morphs into a moan when his thrusts pick up to a brutal pace.
“Do you need it to hurt? Do you need to feel my cock stretching you until you feel as if I’m tearing you in two?” My walls flutter around him in response. “Fuck,” he draws out as my walls flutter around him. “You want me to abuse your pussy. You want to feel the ache for days.”
“Yes. Please,” I beg of him.
“Well then, time to fuck you properly.” I let out a carnal scream as he pistons in and out of me.
My nails sink into his shoulder blade as I hold on for dear life.
I’ve never felt so full, so stretched and raw.
An ache blossoms at the brutality of his fucking but I’ve never been wetter.
A heat unfurls in my abdomen as the tingling sensation runs down my spine.
Everything begins to tighten which only makes him feel even more massive.
And just when I’m about to come he encases my throat in his hand and squeezes to the point I can’t breathe.
Everything within me tightens to the point of pain. As if I’m going to snap. The pressure is undeniable. I feel like I’m going to explode. Break apart atom by atom and become one with the universe.
“I’ve never felt such perfection. So tight. So fucking wet. You’re strangling my cock, gazzella. My beautiful girl who likes to be utterly ruined.” I open my mouth in a silent scream. “Come for me,” he says as he simultaneously thrusts back inside and releases the hold on my throat.
My body breaks.
I come hard, my whole body experiencing the sweet sensation of release. It’s not soon before long he reaches his climax. He ruts inside me with shallow strokes as he finishes himself off, riding the crest of his orgasm.
He falls on top of me completely spent and boneless. The heavy weight of him is welcome against my slick skin. My legs drop to my side and my hands barely hold onto his back. I feel just as deliciously exhausted as he does.
Lifting his head he gazes down at me with warm eyes. I smile back at him. “I think you’ve ruined me to the point I’m unable to walk.”
He chuckles. “Then I’ll carry you. If you allow me.”
I think of the time I didn’t want him carrying me at all. It’s been so long since then. That girl feels like a stranger to me now. And I don’t want to become reacquainted with her.
“Always.” I smile at him.