“Gianna,” Aria said sharply, her eyes darting between her sister and me. “Will you help me get dressed?” Aria turned and walked toward the bath, her movements stiff as if she was sore. I was torn between admiration for her show and frustration over the fact that there was even a reason for her to pretend.
After she’d sent me another scathing look, Gianna followed after her sister and closed the door.
Nina shook her head, turning to Ludevica Scuderi. “Gianna doesn’t know how to behave herself. I doubt her future husband will tolerate that kind of behavior.”
Considering how little Rocco cared about the wellbeing of his daughters, he’d probably give her to a sadistic bastard who’d beat Gianna into shape, but that wasn’t my concern.
Nina held the folded sheets in her palms, the blood stains on display.
Ludevica was pointedly not looking at them or me.
“I don’t have all day,” I said. “Why don’t you head downstairs and prepare everything for the show?”
The women left and I closed the door, glad to have them gone. They hadn’t been suspicious, that much was clear, and why would they be? I was Luca fucking Vitiello. Sparing my bride definitely didn’t fit my reputation.
I headed for the bathroom. I needed a good shave and a fucking cold shower. I pushed the door open when I was met with resistance and Gianna’s angry face came into view in the gap.
“You can’t come in,” she hissed, narrowing her eyes at me. She was a kitten trying to scare the tiger.
“I’m her husband, now step back,” I said. I could have pushed the door open without trouble, but shoving a girl out of my way wasn’t my favorite option.
“I don’t care that you’re her husband,” she muttered.
Okay, I had given all of my meager patience to Aria last night. I pushed harder and Gianna stumbled backwards, her eyes flashing indignantly. The spitfire stepped in my way, trying to stop me, but my eyes were drawn to movement in the shower where Aria whirled around, turning her back to us. Sweet Jesus. That woman’s back was already enough to give me another boner.
“Leave.” Gianna’s hiss brought my attention back to her.
“I need to get ready, and there’s nothing here that I haven’t already seen.” A big fat lie, one I’d have to tell over and over again today when the sheets were presented.
I glared at Gianna. “Now leave, or you’ll see your first cock, girl, because I’m going to undress now.”
I reached for my boxers, but it was an empty threat, unfortunately. Scuderi would lose his shit if I showed my dick to his daughter—the one that wasn’t married to me, at least. He probably didn’t care what I did to Aria, considering he would have let me marry her when she was only fifteen. Not that I gave a fuck about Scuderi but it would have been dishonorable.
“You arrogant asshole, I—” Gianna began, and I was close to forget about doing the honorable thing when Aria told her sister to leave and finally the redhead moved toward the door. “You’re a sadistic pig,” she muttered before she closed the door. No one had ever insulted me like that and lived to see another day, but she was safe, because she was a girl and Aria’s sister.
Stifling my anger, I moved toward the washstand, but my eyes remained on Aria. She tensed when the door shut and we were alone. She was still afraid of me, even though I’d bled and lied for her. I couldn’t even blame her for her distrust. With a man like me, she had every reason to expect the worst. I took my brush and started spreading shaving cream on my face when she finally turned the shower off. Then she turned, and I halted in my movements. My eyes drank her in. She was perfection. Her skin glowed and looked like silk, even her pussy. She’d been waxed for her wedding night, only a small triangle of blond remaining, but nothing hid the delicious crease between her thighs, a place I could have sunk my cock into last night. Aria let me admire her, standing completely still, but a blush traveled over her throat and face.
I set my brush down and took one of the towels from the rack before I moved toward her. Aria’s eyes held insecurity as she opened the shower stall and took the towel with a small thanks. I couldn’t stop looking at her and, so close-up, her nakedness called even louder to the worst in me, the monster in me beckoning to be unleashed.
Aria wrapped herself in the towel and stepped out of the shower. She peered up at me. She was petite, vulnerable, breathtakingly beautiful and unconditionally mine.
“I bet you’re already regretting your decision,” she said, her eyes searching mine, looking for something all women hoped for: tenderness, affection, love. She wouldn’t find any of those things in my eyes…or my heart.