Tales of Darkness & Sin - Pepper Winters Page 0,43

name echoed through my thoughts.

Lily.

I had to get to her.

Because of my mindless obedience to the laws written by my forefathers, I’d manipulated and seduced her like sport. And now, she was going to die for it.

Killing Tom wasn’t enough.

I had to ensure she lived, even if it was only for one more day.

The Vitali house was oddly quiet as they prepared for the deflowering ceremony. Servants hustled with heads down, lighting candles and placing flowers in a path leading up to the bedroom.

Lily was the only one in her chamber, sitting on the edge of her bed with the curtains of the four-poster bed tied open on one side. Her eyes fixated out the window, across the street to the place I’d sat and watched her. She was lost to her thoughts, face pale, lips in a thin, pressed line.

Before the bed, a row of padded leather seats had been laid out like the seats of a luxury theater. Within minutes, they’d be filled by representatives from all major Sicilian families. All there to witness her supposed deflowering.

When I padded across the floor and leaned into the bed, Lily didn’t stir. My breath wafted over her neck a second before my hand wrapped around it.

“What a pretty fake virgin you are,” I whispered, squeezing her throat when she jumped and tried to turn to me. “What a lovely, filthy little liar.”

“Frankie,” she breathed. A shiver ripped up her spine. “What are you doing here? They see you, and we’re both dead.”

“Don’t you want to live a little before you die?” I breathed, running my nose down her ear and inhaling her fragrant floral perfume that made my dick hard. “What are the odds of either of us getting out of this alive?”

“Tommaso and the Council will be here any minute,” she argued, even as she tilted her head to give my lips better access to her neck.

“Then, we’d better close the curtains.” I pulled her farther onto the bed and into my arms.

She gasped at my touch. It occurred to me that, if we died tonight, it would be intwined with lies. It shouldn’t have mattered, but it did.

I slipped her silk robe off her shoulders and ran the pad of my thumb across her collarbone. “I lied to you.”

Fierce eyes met mine. So strong for a wilting lily. “Why doesn’t that surprise me?”

“A union between the Brunos and Vitalis would weaken the Amatos. They sent me to ruin your marriage.”

Anger flew across her face before resignation took its place. “They sent you to take my virginity. It was all a game.”

I lifted her hand and pressed it to my heart. It beat faster at her touch. “Does this feel like a game?”

“You’re such a talented liar, I have no doubt you could convince your heart to lie for you.” Her nails scraped my skin, digging into my chest as if she intended to tear it from my flesh. “You’re not a good person, Francesco Amato.”

“I’m evil, my poisonous Lily, and you like it.”

Her eyes flashed with warning, but I was right, and she knew it. “You need to leave. They’ll see you. Tommaso—”

“Fuck Tom. The only man inside you will be me.”

I sunk my teeth into her neck and sucked hard, bringing a bruise to the surface. A physical reminder of my possession. When I was done, I pulled back to study the wet purpling skin and adjusted her small form, so she laid spread out for me on the pristine white bedspread.

I rose to my knees over her and leaned to flick the curtains closed, ensconcing us in warm, sheltered darkness, sheer enough to hide all but the shape of our bodies.

She laid there on her back, slim legs spread, that flush I loved warming her skin to rose gold. Desire rimmed her eyes. She might not have said it verbally, but with every inch of her body, she told me she trusted me.

And I intended to take ruthless advantage of that.

I fell on her, hands in her hair, tugging and twisting. Her mouth fell open in a gasp for my plundering tongue. She tasted of communion wine and heat so incendiary it sent flames racing through my blood.

Heavy footsteps pounded the old wooden steps leading to the bedroom, followed by low grumbling voices speaking in antiquated Italian.

The Council had arrived.

Lily stiffened beneath me as she heard them too, but I didn’t let her protest.

Instead, I reached beneath the hem of her long lace dress and ran