away, the bed dipping with his movement. I turn until I’m on my other side, facing him. He goes to reach for me again but stops himself.
“Sorry,” I mutter.
“For what?”
“Everything. My stupid period coming early. Not wanting to be touched.”
“First, you and Val were going at it pretty hard. You may have triggered your cycle during all of that. Second, if you’re not comfortable at any time, tell me. That’s most important in our relationship. I will always respect your boundaries.”
My heart feels… it’s a weird feeling. I ignore it, not wanting a name for any of the emotions swirling through me. Nervously, I reach for his hand and lace my fingers with his. It’s the most I can give in this moment. He gives my fingers a gentle squeeze.
“Thanks.”
“Get some sleep, baby. It’s been a long day.”
Chapter 36
Tesoro
Uri
“Do you think they understand she’ll never be like the others?” Val says as she pops another grape into her mouth while she sits naked in our bed with her back against the headboard.
I contemplate her words as I lie facing her from the foot of the bed. Reaching for her silky legs, I bring one to my thigh and begin to caress her skin. She has a bruise from the fight between her and that woman. I frown at it and purse my lips.
“What I want to understand is what you want with her. What happened to taking this job to right the bad you’ve done?” I reply, leaning to kiss the bruise.
When I lift my eyes to hers, Val’s seem distant. I wait for her to come back to me. As her focus returns, she moves to crawl to me and straddles my lap.
“I’m still doing good,” she quirks, then something in her eyes changes.
“Are you ready to get involved in all of this? It hasn’t been a full two months since…” I allow my words to trail off, knowing she never wants to speak of murdering her stepmother again.
“This Alliance you want to keep me away from. It will need hitters. You will need hitters. Not just the soldiers Nate thinks he is building.”
“His intentions have not been to build soldiers for the Alliance,” I reply.
“Marito,” she purrs. My cock twitches to hear her call me husband in Italian, my chest swells with pride, and then she pushes a pen in it. “You think so little of me and my resources. Nate may not know what he’s building. Sure, he thinks he’s preparing to take a step back. Sam has other plans. Plans that will not hold with the crew Nate is building.”
I snort and give her a smile. And here I thought I was keeping things from her. I cup her face and flip her onto her back.
Placing a kiss to her nose, I breathe, “You are not to worry about the Alliance or what Nate is or isn’t up to.”
“Um-hm.”
“Valentina,” I say in warning.
“What? I heard you. I will not worry about Nate or the Alliance.”
I groan. “Why do I have the feeling you will find a bloody loophole in that statement.”
“You know I love it when your accent comes out. It’s so sexy. I’m such a lucky girl. A British-Italian mash up, who could ask for more?”
“You’re avoiding the topic. Listen to me. I saw your face when you were watching her. I don’t need you trying to start some Bella Mafia. Get that thought out of your head now, love. I swear down, I mean it, Val,” I growl.
“Ooohh! Bella Mafia. I like how that sounds. Ellen doesn’t seem the type though,” she says, tapping a finger to her chin. “I’ll have to toughen her up.”
“Ellen has no idea who her husband truly is. You will stop whatever you are thinking this instant, capisci? Cosa mi sono preso?”
“What do you mean, what have you gotten yourself into?” she says in Italian. “I’ve been behaving. Don’t act like I haven’t been on my best behavior. I haven’t even cocked a gun in a week.”
“Really, Tesoro?”
She nods with all seriousness.
I burst into laughter. I love my wife. However, my gut tells me it won’t be long before she finds herself in some trouble. I question moving to New York and allowing her to take the training job with Briggs.
As I’m lost in thought, she sits up and leans into my ear. “Stop thinking of ways to tame me and fuck me before the baby wakes,” she whispers.
Val
I stare at my sleeping husband as I hold our daughter