“Look.” I turned her hand around and traced the lines of her palm with my thumb. “We don’t have a choice. We will go to that party. There’s no if about it, not even for me. You and me…it could be worse. He could have kept you himself or given you to my brother. You don’t want that.”

I knew she understood by the way her face changed a little, becoming more hesitant, but her expression told me she trusted me, at least more so than any member of my family. It was a start.

“I’m not saying you have to be grateful for any of it, but neither of us have a choice. We just need to go, to get through it. Just do as I say, don’t make waves. We’ll eat dinner; I’ll be beside you the whole time. Keep under the radar, and don’t give him any reason to have to prove anything. He will not miss another opportunity, Lucia.”

“So do as you say. We’re back to that again.”

She rolled her eyes, but it was all an act underneath which, she was afraid. “Look at me.”

She did, reluctantly.

“I can only keep you safe from him if you do as I say.”

“I’ll try.”

“Are you finished?”

Lucia nodded. She’d eaten half her plate, which was good enough.

“Then let’s go.” I tossed some bills onto the table and stood. “I want to give you a closer look at those things you found in my bedroom.”

10

Lucia

He didn’t try to hide his amusement at my expression when he said that. And if he did it to get my mind off the discussion of the party, it worked because the entire way back, all I could think about was that.

Once inside the house, Salvatore kept his hand at my back and told Rainey and Marco to go to bed. We then went into the living room to grab a bottle of vodka before he led me upstairs to his bedroom.

“Are you still curious?” he asked once we were inside and he’d closed the bedroom door. Uncapping the vodka, he took a swallow then handed me the bottle. Watching him, I did the same, then coughed and handed it back. He chuckled and drank once more before setting the bottle on the nightstand. He dimmed the lights and stripped the bed of its comforter before turning back to me. “Are you?”

“Salvatore—”

He wrapped one arm around my waist and put his forefinger to my lips. “I want you, Lucia. My cock is aching to be inside your warm little pussy.” He kissed me, and I yielded, my body already reacting to his touch, wanting him. Remembering how he made me feel. How he made me come.