by Cora Reilly
“Is a fuck you or thank you warranted in response, because I’m honestly not sure,” I said. Leave it to Nino to insult me without batting an eye.
Nino gave me the ghost of a smile that equaled a full-blown laughing fit in his case. “Just remember how much this wedding cost us when you consider returning to your old ways.”
“Okay, this is definitely a case of a heartfelt fuck you.”
Kiara moved in front of Nino, giving him a meaningful look before she hugged me. “I’m so happy for you. I knew you’d find the right girl for you.”
The congratulation ordeal dragged on forever after that, but eventually Gemma and I were in the back of the limousine that would take us to our mansion for the festivities. I pushed the button that raised the barrier between the back and the front with the driver.
Gemma gave me an indignant look. “Savio…”
I reached for her waist and hoisted her on my lap. With a gasp, her hands clamped down on my shoulders.
“This dress is so you. Innocent choir girl and sex on legs at once. Fuck, Gem, you’re killing me. I won’t be able to think about anything but tonight.”
“Who says anything will happen tonight?”
I raised my eyebrows then smiled lazily as I cupped her face and pulled her closer. “It’s tradition for the bride and the groom to consummate the marriage, Gem. You of all people should know. Wasn’t your family one of the last supporters of the bloody sheets tradition in the Camorra?”
“There won’t be any bloody sheets tonight,” she said angrily, but the delicate blush traveling up her throat took away from the venom in her voice. I ran my thumb across the pink trail.
I pressed my face into the crook of her neck, kissing her soft skin right where her collar ended as my fingertips discovered the soft bumps of her spine. Goose bumps rose on her skin, making me smile. “Oh, you’re absolutely right, Kitty.” Slowly, I trailed kisses up to her chin. “There won’t be any blood because I’m going to make you so fucking wet that your pussy is ready for my cock.”
Gemma released a sharp breath, and I used her startled state to claim her mouth once more. After a moment of hesitation, she kissed me back. Her fingers grabbed my neck as she pressed herself against me. Grabbing her butt and back, I flipped us over so she was splayed out on the leather bank of the car and me on top of her. The way her body moved under me, the low moans deep in her throat, the urgent twitching of her fingers in my hair, they all spoke a clear language. Gemma was as desperate for my touch as I was for hers.
The car came to a stop and Gemma ripped out of our kiss, her eyes wide, her breathing ragged. She blinked at me, almost dazed. Her lips red and fucking pouty. The sound of our driver getting out of the car made her tense. Her eyes darted to the back door. “Savio, get off me.”
I nipped at her lower lip. “I’m really not in favor of that plan. How about an early wedding night? A quickie in a limousine is the perfect start to our marriage, don’t you think?”
Gemma’s eyes narrowed. “You really think that I want my first time to happen on a backseat?”
“There are worse places,” I joked. “A limousine is a comfy place.”
“I bet you’ve tested that theory with other girls.”
“What does it matter? You are my wife now, Gem. None of the other girls can say that.”
She shoved at my chest when steps sounded outside our door. “Get off!”
I pressed a quick kiss to her tight lips then bent over her ear. “Tell me, are you already wet for me?” I rasped. “I bet you are.”
“Savio,” she gritted out.
I sat up and pulled Gemma up with me just when the door opened. It wasn’t the driver though. Diego stood in the door and his expression darkened upon seeing the state Gemma was in. Some of her hair had fallen out of her updo and framed her face in messy curls, her lips were swollen and her face flushed.
I slipped out of the car, then helped Gemma to her feet. She avoided Diego’s eyes like he did hers. He had no trouble glaring at me though. He brought his mouth close to my ear. “Couldn’t you have waited until tonight, you asshole?”
I chuckled. “Don’t get your panties in a bunch, Diego. Gemma is still perfectly entitled to that snow-white dress. I can wait until tonight.”
Gemma was definitely pissed at me after that. Probably because she hated how hot and wet I could get her with a few kisses.
When I led her into the garden where everything for the feast had been set up, thanks to Kiara’s organization skills, Gemma’s expression morphed into one of awe. It was an outdoor wedding. The chances of rain in Vegas were close to zero at this time, so tents would have been a waste. Dozens of round tables filled the center of the garden, which offered more than enough room. Behind them, a dancefloor had been set up which was covered by garlands which would illuminate the place once night fell. I didn’t much care about the flower decorations, but Gemma seemed happy with it and that was all that mattered.
This was the biggest wedding that the Camorra had seen in decades, since our parents had married, and every Underboss and Captain was in attendance as well as Luca as the leading man of the Famiglia. Remo had been wary of having the festivities on our premises, but it would have suggested weakness if we’d been too cautious about inviting our men into our home.
Gemma shook her head, obviously overwhelmed.
Soon the guests took their places and food was served. Gemma was oddly quiet when we moved to the dancefloor for our first dance. With hundreds of eyes on us, she presented her most beautiful smile, but I saw the lingering sadness. It would have been her father’s turn to dance with her after this.
She swallowed, her eyes darting to the black sky. “Do you think Dad and Nonna are watching?”
A tricky question. I wasn’t a believer. I kissed her temple and tightened my hold on her, leaning down to her ear. “Your dad would be happy to see you like this. And your nonna would be proud of you for making it to your wedding night before succumbing to my charm.”
Gemma choked out a laugh, slapping my chest lightly. “You are so full of yourself.”
I kissed her lips, glad that she was smiling again.
Diego danced with his sister after that and I danced with their mom. One dance followed the other after that, an endless string of women coming and going. I’d made sure that none of my past lovers were invited, which wasn’t a problem considering I’d steered clear of Italian women. Diego wasn’t that lucky. His dance with Toni was a prime show of awkwardness.
“Dance with me,” a high voice said.
I lowered my drink. I’d only just managed to escape the dance floor and now found myself staring at a girl with black hair and blue eyes. “Is that an order?” I asked.
From across the room, I found Remo to see his reaction to my predicament, but he wasn’t looking my way. He was watching Luca with narrowed eyes. Luca, on the other hand, looked at me as if he was currently imagining how to slice me into the tiniest pieces possible.
His daughter batted her lashes at me. A death trap in the making, that girl. “It would be rude of you to say no.”
“Is that so?” I asked, setting down my drink.
“Definitely,” she said.
“Remind me of your name again.” I knew her name, everyone did, but she was a bit too confident.
Indignation flashed on her face, a flicker of childish poutiness. “Marcella Vitiello.”
“Ahh, yes, now I remember.”
She flushed, obviously confused by my bored voice. In New York, everyone probably fawned over her like she was a princess.
“Are you going to dance with me or not?”
“That’s a polite or not.”
“You’re scared of my dad,” she muttered. “I thought in Las Vegas, at least, people would be braver.”
“I’m not scared of your dad, Marcella. If you’re so brave, go to my brother Remo and dance with him. I have a wife I need to keep entertained.” I gave her a nod, then walked away. I wouldn’t
be the pawn of a pre-pubescent spoiled princess from New York.
I went in search of Gemma, who I hadn’t seen in a while. I found her at our second pool, staring at the illuminated cascades. Her arms were wrapped around her middle. She wasn’t crying, which was a huge relief. I snaked my arms around her from behind, making her jump.
“Why are you hiding out here?”
“I’m not hiding. I just needed to get away from all the attention for a moment.”
I kissed her throat. “See, it wasn’t so bad having your first kiss before today without all these fuckers watching.”
“I doubt Nonna would agree with that,” she said, a mix of guilt and sadness reflecting on her beautiful face.
“You really think she would have been mad at you for having a few kisses before we got married? You’re my wife now, so what does it matter?”
“I don’t know what she would have thought because I can’t ask her, because she’s not here. Neither is Dad.” Her voice wavered and she quickly turned her head away, but I caught the treacherous glistening of her eyes.
“Fuck, Gem,” I said in a low voice. Turning her around, I gripped her face and pressed our foreheads together. “You know they both would have wanted you to be happy. That’s all they wanted.”
She searched my eyes. “Will you make me happy?”
Several answers manifested themselves on the tip of my tongue, none of them appropriate in a situation like this. But the truth was, I wasn’t fucking sure. This marriage was the result of my dick running the fucking show. I wanted Gemma in my bed, and for that to happen, I needed to seal the deal. Of course, that wasn’t all there was to it. But I’d never had to take care of someone. I’d always only done what I wanted, fucked who I wanted. Now that was over. Gemma was my wife.
Fuck, that truth hit me like a sledgehammer.
Gemma huffed. “You’re already regretting this, aren’t you?” She tried to pull away, but I tightened my hold on her.
“I’m not,” I said firmly. It was the truth. I’d marry Gemma again, and not just so I could bury myself in her undoubtedly pretty pussy, but also because I wanted her for myself in every other regard as well. The idea that Mick could have gotten her still sent me into a jealous rage.
But now forever stretched before us in all its terrifying magnitude. Could I make her happy outside of the bedroom? Looking into Gemma’s vulnerable eyes, I wanted nothing more, but I just didn’t know.
I kissed Gemma because that was something I could do. My tongue stroked hers, the promise of more. She leaned into me, allowed me to avoid an answer, a little sin of omission. A rustling made me pull back, my body tensing and hand going to the gun under my jacket.
Toni and Diego stepped out from behind a bush, looking ruffled. One of Toni’s spaghetti straps hung off her shoulder, her lipstick was gone, and her hairdo was ruined. Diego didn’t make a better sight with his wrongly buttoned shirt, open zipper and tousled hair.
I grimaced.
Savio didn’t share my embarrassment. “Sex with the ex?”
I stifled a laugh at my brother’s caught expression. Toni looked completely mortified, so I decided to save her before Savio said something that would make it worse. I went over to her and grabbed her hand, then led her away to another secluded spot of the ridiculously vast premises.
“Sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean for you to see that.”
I gave her a look. “Toni, there are only two reasons why I don’t want to see it: I’d rather pretend my brother doesn’t have a sex life, and I don’t want you to get hurt. You know how it ends.”
She shrugged. “It’s just sex. I’m not holding my breath for a relationship with him.”
I gave her a doubtful look.
“It’s true,” she said. “But the sex is too good to say no.”
My nose scrunched up. “Toni, please.”
She laughed and touched my cheeks. “You’re turning red again. I wonder how long that’ll last now that you’re married to Savio.”
I glanced at my elegant gold watch, my seventeenth birthday gift from Savio. It was almost midnight, which was the designated time to retire for the groom and bride. A hint of nerves filled my belly thinking about spending the night with Savio. I’d been in his bed before, but I hadn’t been myself back then, so it seemed almost like a dream, not something that had really happened.
Toni linked our hands. “Are you nervous?”
“I’m not going to sleep with Savio tonight.”
Surprise flashed across Toni’s face. Wasn’t she the one who’d told me to make him work for it after how much of an asshole he had been? It seemed sex with my brother had shifted her priorities momentarily.
“Really? After years of pining for him, you won’t allow yourself a joyride on his bull?”
I rolled my eyes. “It’s more about not allowing him any joyrides before I’ve made him suffer.”
“You think he’ll accept that?”
“What can he do?”
Toni made a face and motioned around us. “He is a Falcone. He owns the West. He can do whatever he wants and get away with it.”
Toni sometimes had a tendency for dramatics. “Savio is not like that.”
“Oh, Gemma, even you can’t be this lovestruck. Did you hear what he and his brothers did to the Russian that attacked you? You know what kind of man he is. What kind of men he and his brothers are. Don’t tell me you think he’d have qualms about non-consensual rough play.”
“What’s gotten into you?” I asked. Toni usually wasn’t like this.
She flushed and looked away. “Nothing.”
“Toni,” I said firmly. “Tell me what the fudge is wrong with you.”
Not even that brought a smile to her lips.
“It’s about the Arena. Apparently, Dad’s been slacking with bookkeeping, so we didn’t send enough money to the Camorra. Fabiano had a talk with him about it yesterday.”
“Oh, no. I’m sorry. Is that why he’s not here?”
“It’s not that bad. But he got a black eye and a broken cheekbone, and is nursing his hurt pride at home. It was his fault. He knows you never mess with the Camorra’s money.”
“It’s difficult to think that both Savio and Diego do horrible things.”
“You’re part of the scariest family now, Gem. I can’t imagine living in a house with all of them.”
“I’ll be fine,” I said uncertainly.
Toni wrapped her arms around me. “So is Savio a good kisser? With all the practice he’s had, he should be amazing.”
I bit my lip. “He’s very good. I don’t know how he does it, but I can feel his kiss everywhere.” My cheeks heated.
Toni grinned. “That’s how it’s meant to be. Have you practiced like I advised you?”
I groaned. “No.” Toni had suggested I practice making a man happy on a banana, but that was too embarrassing to consider.
“Are you still on the ‘I’m never going to do it’ train?”
“Yes.”
“I doubt Savio will be happy about that.”
“Are you on my side or his?”
Toni rolled her eyes. “Yours, always yours, which is why I want you to have an amazing sex life.”
Diego tried to straighten his hair, which was futile. Toni must have tugged at it so hard it was forever frozen in its disarrayed state.
“Let’s take a walk,” Diego said.
“That’s the lamest pick up line you’ve ever used, and I’ve heard them all.”
Diego didn’t crack a smile.
So that was how it was going to be? I followed him, trying to stifle my amusement. Did he really think he could intimidate me? Because I had no doubt that that was his plan.
One look at Diego’s face and I knew he had prepared a speech. Maybe he’d forgotten that I had grown up with Nino and Remo. Scaring me wasn’t exactly easy, especially looking like he did. “Maybe you should pull up your zipper and button your shirt properly, so I can take you seriousl
y.”
With a grimace, he tried to fix his clothes.
When he stopped our stroll, it was so far from the party that the sounds of celebration were only a distant echo and the spot lay in shadows.
Diego shoved his hands into his pockets. “You’re my best friend,” he began.
That wasn’t what I’d expected.
“I’ve always tried to protect Gemma.”
“You don’t need to protect her from me. I won’t hurt her. She’ll be safer than she’s ever been before. The name Falcone will protect her and so will I with every twisted Falcone cell in my fucking body.”
“I’m not worried about anyone else being a danger to her. What I’m worried about is how you treat her.”
“Fuck, I’ve turned into a monk these last two months. If that doesn’t show that I’m serious about Gemma, I don’t know what will.”
Diego huffed out a laugh. “I didn’t think you’d ever go without sex. And I really didn’t think you’d wait for her. I thought you’d find a way to talk her into sleeping with you before the wedding.”
“Thank fuck the wait will be over tonight.”
Diego’s lips curled. “Yeah… I’d rather not think about it.”
“Maybe you have some last-minute tips. Remo wasn’t very helpful.”
“I doubt you need any advice,” Diego muttered, looking increasingly uncomfortable which spurred me on.
“There’s one thing I’ve never done, but you have. If I remember correctly, you popped Toni’s cherry.”
“Shut up,” he said. “I’m not going to talk to you about that. And I don’t want to know a fucking thing about your night with my sister. Just keep it to yourself.” He began walking away, and I followed. I had absolutely no intention of sharing information about my sex life with Gemma with anyone.
When we returned to the party, it had just struck midnight.
“Bed her, bed her!” called the first member of Gemma’s family. Trust the Traditionalists to have a fixed time when to fuck your wife. For once, I was glad for their traditions. I didn’t even have to force my brothers to start the chorus.
I inclined my head toward the man, and soon more people shouted the words, including my brothers. Only Adamo stood with his arms crossed and rolled his eyes. I spotted Gemma next to Toni at our table. Her face was turning increasingly red.
