desk between us. "See this?" I point to the gun.
Father keeps staring me down.
"I could kill you right now. I won't, because I believe you will change your mind and do, as you should. Let me have her. If you don't, I'm not above taking your life over hers."
"Is that so?" Father chuckles. "You'd kill me to have Marzia?"
I don't answer, but my silence speaks for itself.
"You never saw me as your family," Father says. "You cling on to the fact that you're adopted. No wonder you'd kill me to have her."
"That's a fucking lie!" I exclaim angrily. "You are my family. All of my brothers and you, Father. Always have been. But she's my destiny. And I'm not letting any-fucking-one stand in the way of what's meant to happen." I put the gun in the holster behind my back again, leaning forward to say, "Oh, by the fucking way? I've been doing my very fucking best to give you a reason not to kill her, and I fully intend on doing it every night from now on."
"Is that so?" Father smirks. "And how exactly are you trying to achieve that?"
"Let's just see… three months is a long fucking time," I smirk. "More than long enough for me to fuck a baby inside her. You won't hurt her when she's pregnant."
He pales.
I laugh at his crestfallen expression. "What? You didn't think I'd go there? I'll go anywhere as long as it means I get to keep her," I go on. "I told you, we're meant to be together. As for the kid... she'll give me heirs eventually, plenty of them. Might as well get started now."
"You're not who I thought you were," Father mutters.
"No? Am I your worst nightmare, Father?"
He stares at me wordlessly.
I just smile, walking to the door. Over my shoulder, I shoot him one last look. He looks old and vulnerable in here now, whereas I always found him so intimidating as a kid.
It seems everyone outgrows their father someday. I guess mine is today.
That night, when I call for Marzia, I don't even pretend to hide it from anyone.
I'm still convinced there's something Nicoletta and Gustavo aren't telling us. Something tells me she won't tell her father about my relationship with Marzia. She needs this to work as badly as my father does.
Marzia arrives in my bedroom minutes later, wearing nothing but a silk robe. Her feet are bare, and she's already blushing.
My cock throbs at the sight of her.
"You can't keep doing this," she whispers as she climbs in bed next to me.
"Actually, bambina, I can do whatever the fuck I want." I reach between her legs and smirk when I find she has no panties on. I part her folds, gently rubbing her pussy as she whimpers and begs me to go on. "Look at you, how fast you succumb to me."
"Please, Adrian... I want to be fucked."
"Not yet. Did you do as you were told?" I smooth my hand over her hair.
"Yeah," she mutters. "But why did you want me to drink so much water?"
"We're going to do a little test."
"What kind of test?"
"Just trust me." I usher her into the bathroom and hand her one of the ovulation tests I had a guard pick up in town. "Pee on it."
"What the hell, Adrian?"
"Do it," I say. "For me."
She hesitates but then does as she's told.
I turn my back to her while she pees on the stick.
We wait for the results together.
Slowly, the pink bar grows and I smirk to myself.
Not pregnant, but ovulating.
"What does it mean?" she asks, shivering. "What kind of test is it?"
"Don't worry about it." I back her out of the bathroom into my bed. "Did you miss me, bambina?"
"No," she mutters, flushing.
"Oh, back to being a brat? Don't you fucking dare, Marzia. I know you too well to believe this little act. I know deep down you're nothing but a little slut eager to please my dick. Now will you please get on your knees and open wide?"
She obeys without arguing again.
"Get in position, like you're praying."
"Adrian, I..."
"Do it."
She groans, getting on her knees by the bed and clasping her hands together.
"Now pray."
"Adrian, I don't want to—"
"Didn't your nonna teach you how to pray, Marzia?" I get out through gritted teeth.
"Yes, but—"
"Do it. Now."
She swallows a reply and closes her eyes.
I see her lips softly moving as she mutters her prayer. I watch her with my hand on my cock. I feel like a dirty fucking priest. My