Chapter 8

LUCA

Bursting in, he saw her in bed, paralyzed, unable to move. A tarantula, but not an ordinary one, but a rare spider, extremely poisonous and not found in these parts, was slowly making its way up to her.

Dashing over, he scooped her up into his arms and carried her trembling body over to the door and set her on her feet.

“Get me one of your shoe boxes,” he ordered. When she just stared at him with a look of utter terror on her face, he snapped, “Now, Robin, go.”

When she returned with the box, Luca was closer to the bed and took the box from her. With precision timing, he managed to capture it. Putting the lid on, he rang down for one of the staff members who were on call.

ROBIN

Robin backed away. She wasn’t going to get anywhere near that thing…or Luca as long as he had it in his hands.

“Are there many of those things here?” Her hand shook when she pointed to the box in his hand.

“No, these particular ones are not found in these parts. They are very rare and poisonous. One bite, and you’d be dead within the hour.”

When the man showed up, Luca gave him the box and instructed him to dispose of it immediately.

He went and took her in his arms. “It’s gone now, you are safe.”

“What if there’s more? I don’t want to stay here,” she said, still trembling but feeling safe in his arms as she rested her head on his shoulders.

“Tomorrow, I will have the whole castle checked. Every room, every corner will be searched.” He took her hand. “Come with me.”

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll stay in my room tonight.”

They got there, and he shut the door behind them.

She looked around; this was the first time she had seen the inside of his bedroom. It was huge. The bed was the biggest one she could have ever imagined.

The carpet beneath her feet was so thick and soft, it was like walking on a cloud. It wasn’t what she expected his room to look like—it was bright and cheery.

“Go to bed, and don’t worry,” he said, directing her to the bed. When she hesitated, he asked her what was wrong.

“What if there’s another one in your bed? Will you check first?”

Pulling the comforter down, Luca checked under the blankets. He looked over and saw her down on the floor. “What are you doing?”

“I’m checking under the bed to make sure there’s nothing there.”

On all fours, she looked. Satisfied, she stood up and got into his bed. “Thank you for letting me sleep in here.”

“No problem, I understand your concern.”

When she saw him removing his clothes, she let out a high-pitched squeal. “Stop! What do you think you’re doing?”

She had thought when he invited her to sleep here, he would have gone somewhere else to sleep.

“I’m going to bed. Surely you don’t expect me to go elsewhere.” A smile lit up his face. “Do not worry, I have no plans to seduce you, not tonight anyway.”

Robin knew she should look away, but she couldn’t. Her eyes were glued to his body.

He did not have the body of a boy but that of a man. His muscles were so defined, stomach flat and a perfect V-line going down to his briefs.

She thought he was also going to remove them as well, but he didn’t, and she let out the breath she was holding in. A part of her was curious as to what he looked like without them.

He caught her ogling him, and he snickered. “Have you ever seen a man naked before?”

“You’re not naked, not totally.” She blushed when she said that. “I have seen my uncle and cousins in their underwear before, but they didn’t look anything like you.”

Climbing into bed, he turned on his side to look at her. “So tell me, did you like what you saw?”

Unintentionally she licked her lips before answering. “I-I think you are beautiful,” she said, stammering a little.

“Beautiful. I’ve never been called that before. How is it at your age, though as young as you are, you’ve never been with a man or kissed one?”

“I was never allowed to go anywhere. Besides, who would want me?”

“You are very beautiful, Robin. Any man would be lucky to have you.”

He reached up and touched her face.

“When I first saw you, I knew there was great beauty under all that dirt and old clothes. You have the power to bring down any man you desire; even the strongest of men would be putty in your hands.”

“Would that include you, Luca?”

“I am going to marry you, but I cannot give you my heart. Though I have said we would not be intimate, I can’t keep that promise anymore.

“Your kisses are dangerous, leave me wanting more, and I do not know how long I’ll be able to stop myself from making love to you.”

“I will be your wife. It’ll be my duty to give you my body.”

She never thought she could be this bold as to talk to him this way. She was giving him permission to do to her whatever he wished.

And honestly, she wanted him to make love to her, wanted to feel what it would be like to be made love to by a real man, by him.

“You are so young and do not know how much it will hurt to be taken for the first time. Are you willing to endure such pain?”

Her eyes fluttered open and closed. “Yes.”

LUCA

She reached over, taking his face in her hands, bringing her mouth to his. Her kiss was hot, pressing her body into him, letting him know she didn’t want to wait, wanted him now.

Placing his hands on her shoulders, he pushed her away more roughly than he intended. He wasn’t sure if he liked this more aggressive side of her, the way she was throwing herself at him.

She was behaving like all the other women he knew. She looked hurt. Her eyes sparkled from the dampness of the tears that suddenly appeared.

Sitting up, he moved to sit on the edge of the bed. His mood had changed from playful to moody.

“Have I done something to upset you?” she asked, placing a hand on his back.

“You’ve changed in the last few days. You are behaving like other women, throwing yourself at me like a cheap whore.”

ROBIN

Her temper rose, and sitting up, she lashed out at him. “You bastard, how dare you call me that. Am I not allowed to let you know what I want? Do you only get turned on when I am weak and submissive?

“You are such an arrogant bully. Well, fuck you, Luca. I will never again tell you what I want or need.”

Lying back down, she turned her back to him, suddenly afraid he would lose his temper because she’d sworn at him.

Strong hands took hold of her, flinging her onto her back as he climbed on top, staring down with rage in his eyes.

“You dare to talk to me in this manner after all I’ve done for you?”

“Am I to keep quiet when you call me foul names? I do appreciate you taking me away from my uncle and all you’ve done. Your words hurt me, Luca. I am not a whore.” She sniffed, turning her face away from his.

As she turned back, she could see his rage slowly drain away. “Robin, I am sorry. I was wrong to call you that name. You are nothing like the others. You are sweet, innocent.”

His mouth came down on hers. He laid his weight on her as he attacked her lips as though his life depended on it.

At the feel of his manhood, hard, pushing against her, she moaned, raising her hips, pushing up into him, driving him mad with desire.

LUCA

She was so soft and warm beneath him. He moved down her neck, pushing the top of her gown past her shoulder, moving his mouth over it and to the top of her breasts.

“Yes, Luca.” She moaned when he touched her breast and squeezed lightly.

Breathing heavily, he stopped. “Not till we are married.”

Rolling off and over onto his back, he tried to calm his raging desire to take her. It was getting harder to stop as time went by, and he was glad they were getting married in less than a month.

When she moved over and laid her head on his chest, her hand going around his stomach, he put his arm around her, listening to her even breathing as she slept peacefully in his arms.

ROBIN

When she woke up, he was gone, but there were some of her clothes on the bed for her to wear. So after changing, she went down, finding the others already eating. As usual, the men stood till she was seated.

“Lucas told us about the tarantula in your bed. Are you okay, dear?” Filippo asked with concern.

“Yes, thanks for asking,” she said as she took a sip of her juice.

“Yes, you must have been terrified,” Grazia said in her snarky tone.

Robin looked up at her. She saw the smirk on Grazia’s face.

“I don’t understand, Luca. How is it possible for one of those things to show up here?” Filippo asked, with a frown on his face.

“I have no idea, Filippo, but I have a dozen men going through the castle as we speak. They will stay until every room has been searched.

“The only way one of those things got here was if someone brought it into the house.”

“Oh, honestly, who would do that? It is possible that one of us brought it in after returning from one of our many trips; it could have gotten into our suitcase,” Grazia piped up, now bored with the conversation.

“I have started making a list of guests for the party. I even managed to hire a live band to play.” She looked at Robin. “I hope you know how to dance. You will be expected to dance with the guests.”

Robin saw all eyes were on her, and she swallowed nervously. “I never learned how to.”

Grazia rolled her eyes. “It looks like more lessons are necessary.”

“That won’t be a problem. I’ll arrange to have someone come here and give you a few lessons. Will that make you feel better?”

Robin smiled at him, grateful to him. “Yes, thank you, Luca.”

Standing up, Luca took her hand in his. “Come, take a walk with me.”

Stopping in the garden, he took her in his arms and kissed her cheek. “Again, I am sorry about the name I called you last night.”

“Oh, Luca, I was only trying to please you. I want to be the kind of wife you can be happy with in every way. I do not want you to feel as if you aren’t getting what you need at home and go outside the marriage to get satisfied.”

“Do you mean that?”

“Yes, I do.”

“I have to warn you, I do and will require a lot of sex. When the mood strikes me, I will take you no matter where we are. It could be at a restaurant, at someone’s dinner party, or even in an elevator.”

“We are not having sex yet, so are you telling me that you’ve been sexually active since I’ve been here?”

She saw the look he was giving her but was unsure of what it meant. “I have been here for a week now.”

“I have not. Does that make you feel any better?”

Nodding, she let him pull her in for a kiss.