People think things of you that aren’t true and are rather insulting.”
“People’s opinions of me don’t faze me. We were raised from a young age to know our lives weren’t entirely our own. We belong to the family. A hundred years ago, our family was nearly wiped out and those left had to be scattered, leave their country in order to survive. We never have all riders in one place openly. We make certain someone will be able to avenge all deaths should some enemy decide to try to wipe us all out again. We are taught that is our duty and we accept the responsibility.”
She turned her head to look at him over her shoulder. Her face was soft with love. There was admiration and respect in her eyes. His heart clenched hard in his chest and his stomach did a slow roll. His cock jerked hard, aching and dripping with need. Careful of her shoulder, he slipped out from under her, laying her out on the thick rug in front of the fireplace.
“Stay with me, Grace. Be mine. All in. Everything.” He skimmed his hand from her throat, between her breasts, down her belly to her fiery curls. “I don’t want to be alone anymore and you’re my only. My everything. Tell me yes.”
He bent his head and took her mouth roughly. He threw gentle to the wind. He didn’t feel gentle. He knew he’d won. He knew. Grace was too compassionate not to give herself to him. She was already in love. She would never abandon him, not when she knew he was alone. Not when she knew his mother and father had been cold and unfeeling. Or that he’d lost a younger much beloved brother. Grace would never have it in her to leave him.
He tasted triumph in her surrender. Heat rushed through his veins and roared in a fireball in his belly. He took everything she offered and demanded more. She gave him more, her tongue dueling with his, her flames mixing with his until the two were so explosive he feared they might start a fire right there in the sitting room.
He kissed his way over her chin and then reached for the buckle behind her neck, slowly unfastening it, his gaze drifting possessively over her face. “You’re so beautiful, gattina, you’re a fucking miracle.” He bent to nip her chin with his teeth, his tongue easing the sting when her eyes went wide. “You didn’t answer me.”
Her tongue moistened her lips, leaving them gleaming in the firelight while he pulled the straps from around her neck.
“I’m uncertain about what to think, Vittorio.”
She had her adorable frown on her face, so he kissed it right off just the way he was always tempted to. When he let her up for air, she looked bemused. Slightly dazed. Wholly his. She might not have said it yet, but her complete surrender was there on her face. He pulled her gently into a sitting position and reached around her to unbuckle the corset. Only two buckles held it in place and he didn’t have to look to free them, his fingers deft on the metal. Loosening the leather garment, he tugged until it was gone and then he eased her back down onto the rug.
“Say you’re going to stay with me, Grace. Give me your word.” He murmured the demand against her right breast and then he was devouring her while his hand worked her left breast. While his mouth was rough, using his teeth and tongue as well as suckling strongly, his fingers were gentle. When his fingers rolled, tugged and pinched her nipple or kneaded her breast, his mouth turned gentle. He changed the rhythm, so she couldn’t get used to the feel of either. Her feet went flat on the floor, knees up, hips bucking wildly.
“Vittorio.” His name only. A gasp.
“Say it, bella. Say you belong to me and you always will. Make it a sacred vow so I know you’ll never break it.”
He kissed the valley between her breasts, the heavy shadow on his jaw leaving a trail of red as he chafed the sensitive skin. He turned his head, nipping and then laving with his tongue, following the curves around to the undersides of her breasts to add to his marks of possession.
“I can’t think when you’re doing that.”
“Doing what?” He kissed his way to her intriguing little belly button, swirling his tongue there, and then claiming every inch of her belly