“I think your mom only wanted to grill me herself, no saving whatsoever,” I said with a wink.
Aria gave me a secretive smile in turn, but Marcella rolled her eyes. “Not you too, Mom. I’m not a little kid anymore. I survived captivity with a horde of wild bikers. I’ll survive being married to one.”
“Hey,” I said indignantly, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her against me for a kiss. “I’m not that wild and if anyone’s in danger of not surviving this marriage, then it’s me.”
“I’ll check if Lora’s done with dinner,” Aria said and glided away in that elegant way that Marcella had undoubtedly inherited from her.
“She wants to give us some privacy,” Marcella said with a naughty smile, standing on her tiptoes and catching my lower lip between her teeth.
I stifled a grin. “Don’t give me any ideas, Snow White. I’m having a hard time not thinking of all the places in this palace where I could have my way with you.”
“I dare you to try them all,” she said, her eyes twinkling in challenge.
“Easy for you to say. Your Dad and brother won’t castrate you if they catch us getting it on.”
“They know we already had sex.”
“Trust me, knowing and seeing are two very different things. Your dad definitely pretends you’re still his innocent daughter, untouched by my sullied paws.”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t tell me you’re scared.”
I lifted her off the ground by her ass and pressed a kiss to the valley between her breasts. “Fuck, no. If anyone’s worth becoming an eunuch for, then it’s you. I’ll die a happy man, knowing my last moments were with you and your father won’t ever be able to unsee us doing the nasty.”
Marcella looked mildly mollified by my words. Steps rang out, definitely heavier than Aria’s soft footfall.
I could feel Marcella preparing to be set down. Did she really think I wasn’t going to make good on my words? I’d lived my life preparing for a showdown with her father—of course not in the way that would happen now but annoying him in small ways was better than nothing.
I captured her mouth for a searing kiss and after a moment of surprised stiffness, Marcella relaxed against me, her arms tightening around my neck. Kissing her never got boring. I’d lost count of the number of kisses we’d shared so far, but every kiss still felt like our first.
A man cleared his throat. Just from the low warning rumble, I couldn’t say if it was Luca or Amo, and with my back turned to the door I couldn’t see who it was. I tried to set Marcella down but her grip around my neck became stronger. I kissed her once more, then I gently pried her off. She gave me a coy smile then she headed back to the dining table, leaving me to the wolves. I turned to find Matteo and Amo in the doorway.
“You’re lucky it’s just us,” Amo muttered. But he too looked as if he’d love nothing more than to test the sharpness of his knife on me.
“I think he might become lucky later thanks to this act of bravery,” Matteo said with a wink.
I gave him a sly smile. When Marcella had mentioned that her uncle was relaxed and funny in the very beginning, I hadn’t believed it considering I’d only known his threatening, brutal side. But over the last six months, he was the Vitiello who’d been the easiest to get along with apart from Valerio.
“It’s difficult to resist Marcella,” I said simply, neither confirming nor denying his words. I certainly hoped that I’d get lucky later.
I went over to Marcella and touched her waist, loving how happy she looked that I dared to show my affection for her openly. After what had happened with her ex, no wonder. Of course, I was fucking glad that the idiot had been a pussy. That way Marcella was all mine.
Luca and Aria came in followed by Lora and a serving trolley. Luca’s eyes darted to my hand on Marcella’s waist, his expression tightening immediately.
If this already pissed him off, my next move would really set him off. I pulled back Marcella’s chair for her—even a wild biker could have manners—but before she sank down, I kissed her lips. It was a chaste thing, certainly nothing compared to the show Matteo and Amo had witnessed.
When I pulled back, Marcella’s eyes were alight with surprise and love, then she lowered herself into the chair. I risked a glance toward Luca. Aria was holding his hand, though I wasn’t sure if it was to restrain him or because she was amazed by our love. Luca’s expression was tight but he didn’t try to pummel me to death with his bear-like fists, which I also took as a good sign. Making progress on all fronts. Who would have ever thought I’d be accepted—or in Luca’s case, tolerated—in the Vitiello family?