Page 148 of Beneath the Shadows

Lorenzo tries to calm me down, but I’m too far gone to listen. “I don’t care what it takes. Draw up new papers. I want this sorted immediately.”

The words are barely out of my mouth when I hear movement behind me. I turn and see Alessia standing in the doorway. Although her face is calm, her eyes tell me she’s heard everything. She shakes her head, silently asking me to stop.

“I’ll call you back,” I mutter into the phone before hanging up. Turning to her, I ask, “What’s going on? Why don’t you want this fixed?”

Alessia walks over, her fingers brushing against my arm. “I don’t want your attorney to fix anything with the papers. I want to marry you. For real.”

Her words catch me off guard. “We’re already married.”

“Not a forced ceremony with a judge who’s been paid off,” she says, her voice soft but firm. “I want a real wedding. Just us, in front of our family, promising forever.”

Our love story didn’t begin yesterday—it’s been years in the making. I think back to the first time I saw her, how she lit up the room. Even at our young ages, I saw my forever with her. Then, I lost her to Vigo’s schemes. But somehow, through all the chaos, we found our way back to each other. A real wedding—something we choose, not forced by circumstances, is exactly what we deserve.

I pull her into my arms. “You really want to marry me?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll make arrangements for my mom and Cecilia to come back from Italy.”

“They don’t need to come back,” Alessia says, her fingers tracing my hand. “We can go to them.”

“You want to get married in Italy?” I ask, even though I already know the answer.

“It’s what I’ve always dreamt of,” she smiles, her eyes lighting up. “The waves crashing and the sun setting while we say our vows.”

I remember how she used to talk about this back when we were younger—how she pictured having a wedding by the sea in Italy. I see that same look of wonder in her eyes now.

“I need to be sure this is what you really want.”

“Antonio, I’m not marrying you because I have to. I’m marrying you because I want to.” She looks up at me, her eyes shining with so much love it nearly takes my breath away. “I’ll never stop choosing you. Not in this life. Not in any.”

Her words stir something primal in me. Before I can respond, I pull her in for a searing kiss, pouring every ounce of my love and desire into it.

Her fingers grip my shirt, and the heat between us intensifies as our bodies press together. I pull back just enough to look into her eyes, my thumb brushing over her lips, already swollen from our kiss.

Without a word, I take her hand and guide her toward the door. The warmth of her touch ignites a fire inside me. My heart races with every step, each one more urgent than the last. The air between us thickens with unspoken desire, the tension so palpable it tugs us closer with every breath.

Before we make it much farther, Alessia slips out of my grasp, teasing me with her hands trailing down my chest. My pulse quickens, and I pull her in for another kiss, rougher this time. My hands slide under her shirt, feeling the warmth of her skin.

As I push the fabric higher, my hands cup her bare breasts. My thumbs graze over her sensitive nipples before I lean down and take one into my mouth. The way her body responds as she arches into my touch drives me wild.

Her fingers work quickly, fumbling with the buttons of my shirt, pushing it off my shoulders. The second it’s gone, I pull her closer, kissing down her neck as I continue to palm her breasts. We move together, the urgency building as we strip off clothes in a trail leading to the bedroom.

We break apart for a second, barely making it another few steps before I press her back against the wall, my lips on hers again. Her hands move to my jeans, fingers brushing against me. I let out a low growl of approval as her hands tug at my belt. Her fingers quick and desperate.

By the time we stumble into the bedroom, we’ve left a trail of clothes behind us. At this moment, all that exists is her, me, and our intense desire, drawing us closer with every breath.

I lower her gently onto the bed, my touch reverent, worshipping her every curve. With her being pregnant, her body’s more responsive, more sensitive. The way she shivers when my lips brush her skin. The way her breath catches at even the slightest touch—it’s like her entire body is alive with sensation, attuned to my every move.

My hands slide over her thighs, and her legs part instinctively.

“Antonio, please,” she breathes. “I need more.”

“As you wish.” I spread her wide as my mouth explores her, teasing her soft folds. Her arousal coats my tongue as I slowly lick, savoring every moment.

Sliding a finger inside her, I move slowly at first, letting her adjust before picking up the pace. She lifts her hips, but I hold her in place, circling her clit with my tongue until her moans fill the room. I add a second finger and pick up the pace, bringing her closer and closer to her release.

“Come for me,tesoro,” I whisper, hooking my finger to stroke that sensitive spot inside her.

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