Chapter 34

FREYA

I let out the biggest yawn of my entire life as Luca and I walked up the stairs. I leaned heavily against him, letting him lead us to his room. He chuckled and swiftly lifted me into his arms. I sighed happily and nuzzled into his chest.

I felt his lips on my head.

“I feel like newlyweds as I carry you off to our honeymoon,” Luca said.

I laughed, “Yeah, it really feels like that.”

“Well, this is the beginning of our new life, so it might as well be our honeymoon.”

The only difference was that newlyweds knew that they were going to be together forever. ~Who knows if Luca will really always want me?~

The thought of Luca getting tired of me and not wanting me in his life anymore made me suddenly sick to my stomach.

~Who would’ve thought…~ Only a few days ago, I was plotting to get away from the man holding me, and now I was panicking over whether we would be together forever.

As we came to a set of wooden doors, Luca stopped and kicked them open. He walked us into a huge room that was just as nice as the hotel room we’d stayed in while we were in Naples.

I gasped. “This is your room?”

Luca nodded and set me down on my feet. “Our room.”

I turned to look at him. “You mean you want me sharing a room with you?” I asked, shocked but secretly relieved.

I didn’t even want to think about what it would be like to sleep without him now that I’d gotten a taste of what it was like to spend the night in his arms.

“Of course, ~il mio amore.~ You will be sharing a room with me. I’ll never have it any other way,” he said. “You’ll always sleep with me, unless I’m away on important business that I’m unable to bring you along for. So I hope you like this room, because it will be yours for the rest of your life.”

I swallowed hard. “Really?” I looked around, taking in the huge California king-size bed, the walk-in closet, the separate living space, and the en suite bathroom.

I figured I could live with this being my room for the rest of my life. It was three times bigger than my apartment back home.

“Yes,” Luca said. “No arguments.” His arms were suddenly around me again, pulling me in so that my back was flush against his chest. “Tonight we will get some rest, and then tomorrow I’ll give you a full tour of our land so you can get to know your new home. How does that sound?”

I smiled. “That sounds amazing.”

Luca smiled back. “Someone will bring your suitcase up tomorrow morning, but the closet is fully stocked with a brand new wardrobe for you, so I doubt you will need any of your old clothes ever again.”

My stomach dropped at the way he said ‘old clothes’—as if he was disgusted by the things that I’d been wearing before. Did he not like my old outfits? Did he think I looked bad?

I looked down at what I was wearing at that moment. ~What about now?~ I suddenly felt self-conscious.

Luca watched me cross my arms over my chest and make my way to the huge walk-in closet. Over half of the closet was taken up with women’s clothing, all in my size.

I ran my hand over some of the pieces and frowned. It was all so beautiful and expensive—nothing like the clothes that I was wearing now. I turned to look at Luca, who was leaning casually in the doorway, watching me. He frowned.

“You don’t look happy. What’s wrong? Do you not like the clothes?”

I suddenly felt extremely guilty. ~I am given a closet full of expensive and beautiful clothes, and instead of acting grateful, I become defensive and bitter?~

“No!” I said quickly. I walked over to Luca and wrapped my arms around him. “I love them. Thank you. They’re amazing.”

He leaned down and placed his lips softly on mine. When he lifted away from me he said, “I know something is wrong.”

I sighed and leaned my forehead against his chest. “Did you not like my old clothes?”

Luca immediately pushed me back gently so he could see me.

“That’s what’s got you so upset? You think I don’t like your clothes?” he asked.

I looked down at my jeans and worn-out sweater, then shrugged my shoulders.

“Isn’t that why you bought me all these new clothes?”

He shook his head and chuckled.

“~Bella mia~, I love you no matter what you’re wearing. You could wear a paper bag and I would still think you looked beautiful. I got you all of this because I want you to have the best in life. There was nothing wrong with your old clothes.” He put his hands on either side of my face and smiled down at me. “I’m going to spoil you for the rest of your life.” He bent down and kissed my forehead. “Better get used to it.”

I smiled at him and then placed my lips on his.

“Thank you,” I whispered. I turned to look back at all the new clothes and sighed as Luca hugged my waist and placed his chin on the top of my head.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had this many clothes in my life,” I said.

Luca chuckled in response.

“Well, I’m exhausted,” I said, letting out a huge yawn. I turned to look at Luca. “I think I’m going to get ready for bed. Did you get me pajamas?”

“Actually, no,” Luca said.

I raised an eyebrow at him. “All of these clothes and you forgot to get me pajamas?”

“Actually, when I asked someone to get you clothes, I specifically asked them not to get you pajamas,” Luca said.

“What?” I took a step back. “I don’t care how horny you are, I am not sleeping naked.”

Luca laughed loudly. “That is not what I meant,~ bella mia~.” He grabbed my waist and rubbed along my sides. “I didn’t get you any pajamas because I want you sleeping in my clothes for the rest of your life.”

He walked over to a dresser and took out a pair of his boxers and one of his shirts. It was so huge the bottom would probably reach my knees. I smiled at him. I couldn’t help but swoon a bit.

“Why do you like me in your clothes so much? I think I’ve spent more time in your clothes since I’ve met you than in mine.”

Luca smiled back at me. “And that’s exactly how I want it to be. I want you smelling like me.”

My brows knit together. “Why?”

“It’s a ~destino~ thing. It claims you as mine and only mine.”

“I thought that was why you branded me,” I said as I brought my hand up to touch the brand on my shoulder.

Luca bent down and placed a gentle kiss on the brand, causing delicious sparks to spread up and down my body. I gasped and brought my body closer to his.

I felt Luca smile against my skin, enjoying my reaction to his touch. He lifted himself away from me and kissed my forehead.

“Until we’ve fully completed the ~destino~ bond, Bruzzatore and I will be crazy possessive of you. I will do whatever it takes to make sure that everyone knows you’re mine.”

I gulped at the intensity of his voice. I knew I should be mad that he was referring to me as his—as if I was some sort of object for him to possess—but I knew that he meant no harm by it. It was normal for him. I smiled and lifted my lips up to his. His arms slowly circled my middle and then lifted me off the ground.

Wrapping my legs around his waist, he carried us out of the closet and over to his bed, never removing his lips from mine. Our kiss had now gone from sweet and loving to intense and wild. It was like neither of us could get enough of each other.

He laid me down on the bed and crawled on top of me; his hands traveled all over my body, including places only I had touched. After a while, I separated my lips from his, needing to catch my breath, but was surprised that I didn’t want him to stop.

I trusted him and wanted him to keep going.

Luca sat up quickly and yanked his shirt over his head before leaning back and pressing kisses all along my neck and down to my chest. His hands drifted lower, along my waist, gripping it tightly. I spread my legs a bit, and he immediately grabbed them to spread them wider.

He placed his body between them, groaning pleasurably as the lower halves of our bodies connected.

“Luca,” I moaned out, feeling intense sparks travel between us and knowing that it was our ~destino~ bond becoming more powerful.

It made me crave more, and I couldn’t help but press my chest up against his, wanting to feel his skin against mine, desperate to feel the sparks everywhere. I ran my hands down his back, feeling his powerful muscles strain and relax beneath my touch as he continued to kiss my brand and throat, leaving hickeys that I was sure would be there in the morning.

I grabbed the bottom of my T-shirt, wanting to take it off, but couldn’t because Luca was pressing me down. He must have noticed me squirming, because, without taking his lips from my skin, he grabbed the end of my shirt.

I expected him to pull it over my head, but instead, he leaned back and looked at me.

He was asking for my permission.

I nodded my head quickly, ready to beg him to take it off.

My shirt was ripped within seconds and thrown across the room. I gasped.

“Luca!” I yelled. “You ripped it!”

Luca just grinned in response. It was then that I noticed that steely expression. Bruzzatore was in control. But I wasn’t afraid. I felt better that he was here, looking down at me.

I felt safe.

His lips smashed down onto mine once again, and he wasted no time in grabbing onto my bra and ripping it in half as well before throwing it across the room to join my ruined shirt.

I raised an eyebrow at him. “Seriously?” Although, I guess it didn’t matter since he had just bought me an entirely new wardrobe.

He didn’t respond, too busy staring down at my breasts. I felt self-conscious but tried my best not to lift my arms and cover myself as his hungry eyes studied every inch of my exposed skin.

I propped myself up onto my elbows.

“Luca?” I whispered.

His eyes snapped to mine. He placed his palm on my cheek. “I am so lucky.” He touched his forehead to mine and then kissed me once again.

“Tell me if you need to stop, Freya,” he whispered against my lips.

I smiled and pressed my lips against his, then said, “I don’t want to stop.” I put my hands on either side of his face.

“I’m ready.”

His thumb ran over my bruised cheekbone that seemed to be getting more swollen every day. “Are you sure?” he asked.

I nodded my head. I’d never been more sure of anything in my life. I wanted to be with the man I loved in the most intimate way possible. I wanted to complete the bond.

“I’m sure.”

His face broke out into a huge, breathtaking smile. His hands were immediately on my pants, yanking them down my legs. He was moving faster than I’d ever seen him move.

Within seconds, I was naked beneath him. ~Okay, then. I guess this is happening.~

He began kissing his way down my stomach, and I gasped, feeling my back arch of its own accord when his lips touched the insides of my thighs.

I squirmed as he left open-mouthed kisses all around the area. It still wasn’t close enough to where I wanted him most. He chuckled softly and grabbed my hips to settle my movements.

“Patience, ~bella mia~. I’m going to make you feel so good.”

I couldn’t wait.

His lips were back on my thighs, drifting closer and closer to their final destination. I arched my hips hungrily and let my eyes flutter shut.

But then he stopped.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” I heard him say.

My eyes opened. Luca was leaning back, staring away from me, his jaw clenched in anger. He looked ~pissed~.

“Luca?” I asked. ~Did I do something wrong?~

He looked down at me and his eyes softened a bit. He ran a hand through his hair and let out a sigh. He leaned over me and reached for a tiny earpiece that was softly vibrating on the table. He put it in his ear, the tiny piece of tech practically invisible.

I never noticed that before. Had he always been wearing that since I met him?

Luca listened for a moment.

“Shit!” he yelled.

He gazed into my eyes and then at my body, looking like he was about to kill someone. “This is really perfect fucking timing.”

I sat up and grabbed the sheet beside me, covering myself. “Luca, what’s wrong?”

He stood next to the bed and grabbed his shirt off the floor. “Matteo just called me on the emergency line.”

My heart started pounding faster as I watched him pull on his shirt. “Emergency?”

Luca nodded his head. He sat down on the bed next to me and grabbed my face gently in his hands.

“~Bella mia~, I am so, so sorry, but I have to go.” He glanced down at my sheet-covered body once more and tightened his hands into fists.

“Fuck!” he yelled as he stood up. I watched him walk over to the door, where his shoes were.

“Please know that it’s killing me to leave you like this,” he said as he put on his boots and groaned in frustration.

“Why don’t you take a shower and get ready for bed, and I promise I’ll be back before you fall asleep.”

“So I didn’t do anything wrong?” I asked quietly once he had his shoes on.

His head snapped to me. “No, no, ~bella mia~, of course not!” He walked back over to where I was still sitting in the bed. “Fuck, you’re fucking perfect,” he said, placing his forehead on mine and then gently kissing my lips. “And we will be finishing this later.”

He licked his lips and kissed me one last time before walking over to the door.

“What happened then?” I asked right before he left.

He turned and looked at me. “The Rossis have broken into our territory.”