Page 16 of Savage Claim

There were too many reasons why marrying Lorenzo was a bad idea. Even if I never planned on leaving him, could I reallylegallytie myself to him? Though it felt like my heart was going to wrench out of my chest, I said, “I can’t.”

Staring into his disappointed face, I burst into tears.

CHAPTER 11

Isabella

Icouldn’t stop crying, and I couldn’t explain why. “I’m sorry,” I muttered over and over until Lorenzo stood up and pulled me to my feet. He wrapped an arm around my waist, keeping me close. His thumb brushed my cheek, collecting the tears there.

“You said yes before,” he said against my hair.

I sniffled, tears still welling up and falling down my face. “I said I would think about it. Then, we had our fight.”

“I’m not used to hearing the word no,dolcezza.” Hearing him call me that made the knot between my shoulder blades relax, even if it was only infinitesimally. “Especially after I went to so much effort.”

I tensed up all over again. “I’m sorry,” I said into his chest, absolutely miserable.

“You said that you love me.”

“I do.”

“But you don’t want to marry me,” he said and tipped my face up to his. “Talk to me, Isabella, because I thought I was getting this right this time.”

God,my face was going to hurt from all the crying. I could already feel my cheeks getting puffy. “Marrying you means signing on for all of it,” I admitted. “I almost diedagainbecause of you. I mean, my father was involved, but being at war with a Russian mobster?” I shook my head. “It’s too much. Any sane person would say no.”

A look crossed over his face, and then he made a noise like he agreed with me. “I can see where that could be a concern.” I thought he might turn me loose so that he could keep talking, but instead, he bent and pressed his lips to mine. “Do you want to stay here tonight? Or would you rather head home?”

Lorenzo actually wanted to stay here? And do what, continue our night? “You really want to stay here, with me?”

“A lot has happened over the last few months. It would be good to get away for a night. Besides, it’s my hotel,dolcezza,” he reminded me. “I have personally vetted everyone who works here. We’re safe here.” He dipped and pressed a kiss to my lips. Then, his lips brushed down my cheek and nipped at my ear. “Where do you want me to have you? Here? Or in our bed at home?”

I shivered but did my level-best not to simply melt into him. “Shouldn’t we talk some more?”

Lorenzo swept my hair out of the way and whispered his words into my shoulder, “Sure,” he said. “Let’s talk.” But, even as he said that his hands pulled me against him, and I had to bite back a whimper at the feel of his body against mine.

“This isn’t talking,” I said. “Just because I let you…” Heat rose in my cheeks, and Lorenzo grinned, a shark going for the kill.

“Because you let me do what,dolcezza?” he asked, taunting me.

I straightened my spine, putting some steel in my voice. “Just because I let you touch me earlier doesn’t mean that I’m going to now.”

God, I sounded like an idiot. Any other girl would be jumping for joy at the prospect of a romantic night in a luxury suite like this, to be proposed to by a man like Lorenzo, but my chest ached.

I closed my eyes, resting my forehead against his chest again. Lorenzo let me; he cupped the back of my neck and held me. “Tell me what’s got you thinking so hard.”

I hated myself. Swallowing, I asked, “Could you still love me? Even though I said no?”

The silence that followed had dread pooling in my belly.He’s going to say no, I thought. I would deserve that for turning him down. Why wouldn’t he hate me?

Lorenzo brought my chin up so that I was forced to look at him. “You’re mine,” he told me. “I’m never letting you go again.”

It sounded deranged, and if Lorenzo were any other man, I would have taken off running. But the band of anxiety that had been crushing my chest relaxed the littlest bit, and I was able to breathe again. “I do love you,” I said, unable to think of anything else to say.

Lorenzo’s eyes were liquid fire, burning through me. It was on the tip of my tongue to apologize again. But then he reached down and swept me into his arms, bridal style, and I yelped, wrapping my arms around his neck. Without a word, he walkedinto the suite. I expected to see the waiter, or someone, scurrying around to clean up the table on the balcony, but the penthouse seemed empty as he carried me through the main room and down a hallway to the master bedroom.

Where Lorenzo’s room at the estate was all moody and dark, everything here was light. The linens were white, and so was the gauzy curtains that hung over the French doors. I only got a glimpse of it all before Lorenzo lowered me onto the massive bed, and then all I could see was him.

Our mouths met, and for a long while, those long, drugging kisses were enough. As soon as our lips parted, however, all of the want and desire that I had been pushing down suddenly boiled over, and my body was set alight. I needed so much more than his lips on mine.

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