of relief.
Father watches me with a thunderous expression. "What the fuck were you thinking?" he hisses. "The Lombardis are an important ally, you can't treat them that way. You're testing my patience, Adrian."
"He was treating Marzia like a piece of meat," I hiss. "All of these people are. They need to know she's off the fucking market."
"Maybe Marzia doesn't agree," Father muses. "And this might be the perfect opportunity to find her a husband and get her off our hands once and for all."
I grab Marzia's hand roughly and pull her against me while my eyes shoot daggers at Father. "How many times do I have to fucking say it? She's mine. No one else can have her. And if someone tries, I'm not responsible for my actions."
Father glares at me before groaning and running his fingers through his hair. "Fine, have it your way. But you can't keep her a captive forever. The girl deserves a life of her own." He walks off, leaving Marzia alone with me.
I realize my hand is still in hers and I pull it back, glaring at her as if all this is somehow her fault.
"You're very possessive today," she says with the hint of a smile.
"I just don't like those men looking at you like you're a piece of fucking meat."
"Oh, but you're allowed to do it?" Her eyes sparkle with amusement. She's not trying to rile me up, she's just messing with me.
It's actually kind of cute, and if I didn't have a raging hard on from seeing her in that sin of a dress, I might go along with it. But not now, not with everyone's eyes on us. "Dinner's starting. We better get to the table."
A large banquet room has been prepared for today's occasion. Marzia and I sit together, me at the head of the table with her to my right.
Father takes the other end of the table, with our guests sitting on either side.
I still see them watching her, devouring her with their hungry eyes, but I do my best not to pay the lecherous pricks any mind. She's mine and I've made that plenty clear.
We begin the dinner with course after course being brought out of the kitchens and artfully displayed on the dining table. But I'm too distracted by the sight of Marzia's tits nearly on full display to enjoy my food.
Somewhere around the third course, I toss a napkin at her, growling, "Cover up your tits. I don't want you exposed like this."
"Excuse me?" Her eyes shoot up.
I groan, covering them up myself. She looks ridiculous with that napkin on her dress but at least…all those perverts aren't staring at her exposed skin anymore.
"You going to treat Nicoletta like this too?" Marzia asks. "I don't think she'll like how jealous and possessive you're acting."
"It's not up to her, or you," I hiss. "This is my decision. And you're my property."
She continues eating without fighting back.
I smirk at the sight of a small smile playing on her lips.
We keep eating. The night stretches on and on, with some last minute wedding preparations peppered through it. There will be even more guests at the reception, today is just a preview. And I'm already dreading going through all this bullshit again, but with Nicoletta at my side instead of the woman I really want by me.
Once the clock strikes one a.m. I see Marzia yawning and pull her to the side. "I'm walking you to your room," I tell her firmly.
"I can go by myself."
"No." I pull on her forearm, forcing her to get up.
The entire party is looking at us as I force her out of her seat, up the stairs and down the hallway.
The moment we're alone, I stop holding back like I have been all fucking night long. I pull Marzia against me, her soft, feminine body helpless against my brawn. I put my lips on hers and kiss her in a way that says it all ‒ she's my property ‒ and she doesn't get to fucking argue.
She melts against my body.
I know she needs this too, as much as she tries to pretend she doesn't.
"Thank you for saving me from that man," she whispers against my lips. "I feel so safe with you."
I grumble something in response and let her into her bedroom. "Go to sleep."
"Will you come see me tonight?" Her words are filled with hope.
Her hopeful tone makes me feel like a goddamn villain. "I can't," I mutter.
"Why?"
"I have too much