Page 120 of Impenitent Claim

“Wrong. I know a great deal about you, Isabella Francesca Maria Rinaldi. But…what I don’t know, I’ll spend the rest of my life learning.”

Wow.“Okay,” I breathed.

“You are the singular, most precious thing to me. Do you understand that?”

I swallowed past my heart thundering in my throat. “I think so.”

“Good, because I swear to you, Izzy, if you touch another man, I’ll kill him.”

I believed it. Still, we needed to have more finite details than that. “What if I’m about to fall, and a stranger grabs me, saving me from peril?”

“No stranger, only me.”

“You won’t be there every time,” I countered.

“You fall, it’s me who catches you. End of story.”

I rolled my eyes.Okay, let’s try this again.“If I’m in the ambulance and the EMT is a guy. My life is on the line and—”

“That’s not a scenario I accept.” The violence in his voice was laced with a far stronger emotion.

Hearing the panicked undertone, I took pity on him and cupped his cheek. “What if I’m in labor, and my OB isn’t there, so an on-call male doctor comes in to save my life and our child’s?”

Ilya mirrored me, cradling a palm on either side of my face and touching our foreheads together. It took everything I had not to wince, even though his touch was very gentle. “You don’t know how impossible you make it. I won’t accept a future where you are in danger, Isabella.”

“Nor I you, but here we are.” I brushed our noses together. The sheer fabric scratched between us. “We can’t preventevery situation of pain and suffering, but we can share them—together.”

“Together,” he breathed.

I hummed. “I promise you, no going near other men. But you have to restrain your bursts of violence when medical professionals or other forms along that line crop up. I can’t have you maiming or killing every man who looks at me. Deal?”

The harsh huff of air blew over me. “I’ll keep an open mind.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead—and I had to bite my tongue so as not to squeak—before he rose. “Wait right there.”

I sat up, pulling the veil more securely over my face.Mamma Mia.Even those small touches made my tender flesh throb. But…it was almost over. Ilya would leave soon and wouldn’t see what a mess I was.

“How long are you going to wear that?” he asked, returning with both a damp and dry cloth.

I reached for them, but he shook his head. Shirt tucked back into his pants, belt and zipper properly in place, he appeared as though he hadn’t just ravished a Vestal Virgin.

As he crouched before me, I formed my answer carefully. “Not until the god of death departs for the campaign.”

Ilya nodded. “You know what’s happening tonight, then?”

The warmth and security of the game faded in light of reality. I gave him a small nod. “I do. The Scorso Famiglia doesn’t deserve it.”

“Agreed,” Ilya clipped out. “But in the chaos of the fighting, I’ll have the perfect opportunity to take out the remaining players of your mafia.”

I smiled at his American use of the term but didn’t correct him.

“Be ready to leave.” He lifted my hands to his lips. “I’m stealing you away at dawn, sweet priestess. You’ll wander these frozen halls no more. I came to tell you the good news in person, haveyou make ready to escape. But instead, you tempt me. I can’t resist you or your beautiful mind, Izzy.”

A mixture of wonder and amazement filled me. Questions stuck in my throat.

With a rough laugh, Ilya pulled me to my feet. “Pack your books, baubles, and other trinkets in those two suitcases in your closet. Your clothing, we can replace.”

I leapt into his arms and threw my arms around his neck. My spectre hugged me tight. We remained locked in the shared moment. Feelings stronger than passion swirled around us, but neither of us gave name to the swell of energy.

A rapid knock on my door broke the trance.

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