He straightened and strode away, banging the door with more force than necessary.
“Let me guess, he warned you off my deviant ways?”
My eyes lingered on his arrogant smile, and sweet talker or not, I could have danced from joy over becoming his wife.
I quickly turned my back to him, clearing my throat. “People might wonder what we’re doing here all alone. I should probably return to my family.” My voice was embarrassingly breathless, a nervous flutter my vocal cords only produced when Savio was around. I didn’t want him to know how happy his victory made me, but my body made hiding my emotions near impossible. His ego certainly didn’t need another boost.
“Now you’re mine, Kitty.” Heat radiated off his body, covered my back in a delicious cocoon as his shadow fell over me. The scent of manly sweat mingled with blood and Savio’s very own enticing aroma. His hot breath dusted my bare shoulder blade as he leaned down. “Every inch of that beautiful skin.” He pressed a light kiss to my shoulder, catching me off guard. Instead of telling him off, my body flushed with heat and the familiar butterflies that only Savio could create fluttered in my belly. Maybe this kiss was the reason why Mom usually insisted that I wore sleeved dresses.
Savio gripped my hips and turned me around to him. “Won’t you congratulate me? After all, I won you.”
You had me all along.
I stared stubbornly at his naked chest, at the display of muscle there, at the blood and sweat making him look like a warrior straight out of my darkest fantasies.
Savio nudged my chin up. My cheeks were burning because, damn him, I could have jumped him right then. Our eyes met and he let out a harsh breath. He bent down, his expression so full of possessiveness that I shivered again. Savio shook his head. “If you keep looking at me like that, waiting until marriage isn’t going to happen, Gem.”
I licked my dry lips, and his eyes became even darker. He cupped the side of my head. “I know you want your first kiss to happen in church,” he rasped, his lips brushing my cheek then the corner of my mouth before he moved down to my throat and pressed a firm kiss to my skin. My body leaned into the touch, unable to resist. His words registered, but their importance was momentarily lost on me, feeling him so close, his lips against my skin. It wasn’t me who pulled away.
Savio straightened, shaking his head as if he was trying to get rid of a spell. “Kitty, you make sweet sixteen very difficult to resist.”
I should have said something, anything, but I was tongue-tied.
Gemma was frozen, lips parted. Diego always complained that she never stopped talking until she got her will, but with me, her stubborn streak rarely came out. Her head was still slightly tilted, her smooth neck exposed like her shoulder. Both spots beckoned to be kissed. I had already done both, however, when I should really stay away.
Like my brothers I wasn’t a rule player. What did I care about laws or traditions? Yet, Gemma’s frozen state showed how overwhelmed she was, how young and inexperienced. When I’d been sixteen, I had been a far cry from innocent. I’d slept with women far older, and they definitely hadn’t taken advantage of me.
Scruples hit me rarely. They weren’t really ingrained in my family’s DNA, but making a move on Gemma, knowing that she might let me go further because she was too overwhelmed, would have felt wrong.
Now that I knew she’d be mine, was mine, I felt entitled to protect her.
“Come on. I should return you to your father. Don’t want to start on the wrong foot with my future father-in-law.”
A smile bloomed on her face. “When’s our engagement going to be?”
Touching her back, I led her toward the bar. “We’ll see.” I had no intention of celebrating a big engagement party any time soon. Now that I had secured Gemma, there really was no rush. I didn’t want word to get out that I was taken. It would lead to more unpleasant discussions with the girls I fucked, and I really didn’t need that.
Gemma’s smile dropped and she didn’t say anything. Diego stood off to the side with his father and Nonna, a pissed as fuck expression on his face. I led her that way and smiled.
Nonna didn’t crack a smile. She was eyeing me like Lucifer personified. I had to stifle laughter. She’d liked me all right until now. I’d get her back on my side with my charm soon enough.
Diego and Daniele would be harder nuts to crack, no doubt. They were getting their bad cop act on.
“Remo said you and him would come over tomorrow to discuss the details of our family’s union ,” Daniele said.
“That’s right.” Remo didn’t like to invite people into the mansion, even loyal followers, even future family.
Gemma glanced between her father and me.
Daniele gave a terse nod. “We expect you for dinner at six.” He motioned Gemma over. “Come on, we need to go.”
“I’m staying. I need to talk to Savio,” Diego said. Gemma sent him a warning look, but he ignored her. She didn’t have to worry. Diego couldn’t intimidate me.
Gemma followed her nonna and father out of the Arena, frowning.
“I need to shower and change,” I said, turned and headed toward the changing room. Diego fell into step beside me. “Dad mentioned you don’t want to announce the engagement to Gemma this year. What’s that about?”
“Why the hurry? She’s mine. We will marry. I think it’s unnecessary to get engaged to a sixteen-year-old. I’d prefer to wait until she’s a bit older.”
“What’s a bit older to you?” Diego muttered.
I had no intention of telling him that the engagement would have to wait until Gemma was of age at least, and the marriage even longer. Tonight was for partying, not arguing.
I pushed into the locker room, Diego hot on my heels.
Mick was still inside, talking to his brother and father. Diego let out a low curse. I only nodded a greeting. Mick probably still needed time to cool off, which I got. If I’d lost a girl like Gemma, I’d have been pissed too.
I was about to pull my shorts down when Mr. Cantucci came over to me, extending a hand. “Congrats on your victory. You and your brothers are admirable fighters. This is what the Camorra is about. You make me proud to be part of it.”
Mick lowered his head with a dejected expression. His brother touched his shoulder and sent me a hard look. I preferred it to Mr. Cantucci’s flattery, but I smiled grimly. “Thank you. The Camorra would be nothing without the men risking their lives every day like Mick and Diego.”
Those two had taken out a few Bratva hole-ups with me. Mick never fought in the forefront, but he didn’t shy back from danger either.
He raised his eyes, meeting mine. He was far from mollified but didn’t look ready to kill me anymore. After he and his family were gone, I finally stepped in the shower.
Diego perched on a bench, glaring at the floor.
“How about we celebrate my victory in a club tonight?”
His head shot up. “All right.” A hint of wariness swung in his voice. I brushed it off. He’d had his panties in a bunch for months now. Maybe now that Gemma was mine, he’d finally pull his head out of his ass again.
Once we hit the dancefloor in one of the Camorra clubs, Diego did loosen up. Drinks in hands, we checked out tonight’s offering. Soon a few girls we’d known from school came over. One of them, Dakota’s younger sister, Noemi. Diego groaned. “I hope her sister didn’t send her.”
“I doubt it. She’s got her eyes set on me, not you.”
Noemi stopped right in front of me with a coy smile. Her family had affiliations with the Camorra but even though she was part Italian, they weren’t members, not for lack of interest, but Remo hadn’t deemed them trustworthy. “Hey Savio,” she shouted, pressing into my side, not even glancing at Diego. He was being groped at by another girl.
“Do I get a wish?”
“A wish?” I took a sip from my mojito, scanning her from head to toe. Not bad.
“It’s my eighteenth birthday. And I’d like to see your bull.” She let out a giggle, her palms sliding down my chest.
Diego sent me a scowl. I doubted he could hear what she said. The music was too loud.
“My bull?” I asked with a grin.
She nodded.
Her flirting annoyed me for some reason. I had a feeling her and Dakota’s interest for Camorra men was orchestrated by their family. “I only take him out for a ride.”
She giggled again then pushed up on her tiptoes to reach my ear. “I’m going to ride him like a cowgirl.”
Her attempt to sound seductive turned out almost comical, but I was wiped out from two fights in a row, so chasing another girl would have been too strenuous. Her offer sounded like the perfect way to end this evening.
“My car,” I said with a nod toward the exit of the club. She flashed me a smile then exchanged a proud look with her companion, who was trying to chew Diego’s ear off from the look of it.
“I’m taking my bull for a ride,” I shouted to him.
Instead of the usual conspiratorial grin, his expression hardened. I didn’t linger on his bitchiness and led Noemi outside toward my new Bugatti. It wasn’t the most spacious car for a fuck. Shoving the passenger seat all the way back, I sank down and Noemi settled on my lap. Her eyes took in the luxurious interior of my car. I hadn’t brought her here for a study of automobile design, though.