Page 65 of Brutal Mercy

“You mean we’re not going straight up to bed?” she teases with a wry grin.

“Don’t tempt me, woman. I have a surprise for you.”

“A surprise? What is it?” That gets her attention.

“I think you’re misunderstanding the meaning of a surprise.” Could she be any cuter? Every time I give her something, she comes alive. And I know she’s had it rough these last few years. It’s my way of showing her that she matters.

She huffs and rolls her eyes. “Fine. I won’t ask. But you’re going to leave me wondering what it is until you show me.”

I usher her into the study, where Francesca is already waiting for us. “Francesca, thank you for coming on such short notice.”

“You call, I come.” Francesca Esposito rises with a flamboyant shrug. She’s in her sixties and is a premiere Italian designer. My sister swears by her, and that’s as good as gold in my book. “And you’ve brought me a treat. Gorgeous. She will look fabulous in my designs.”

“Luna, this is Francesca. She is a premiere Italian designer in the fashion world today. And she’s here to outfit you with everything you need from formalwear to daywear.”

Luna glances up, her eyes wide, and she whispers, “Are you serious?”

“Yep. And I’ll help you stand while she takes your measurements.”

“I brought a few things with me since your sister relayed her size. But I went with neutral tones until I could get a good look at her. And I’m thinking she deserves bold colors, jewel tones. And you, my darling girl, are going to look fabulous by the time I’m finished with you.” Francesca claps in excitement.

The next two hours are spent with Francesca taking Luna’s measurements and adjusting a few of the pieces she brought with her. It is worth every penny I will spend to watch the wonder on Luna’s face. She is like a kid in a candy store. She winds up having the time of her life laughing with Francesca.

Once she finishes and leaves, Luna is curled on the couch in the study with a massive grin. “That was awesome.”

“You want to see the rest of the house? Or would you rather have dinner?”

“Dinner. It’s not that I don’t want to see the rest of the house, but I’m ready for what comes after dinner.”

Lust punches through me. And I remind myself that before I can spend the next few hours fucking her, we both need sustenance. I help her stand and escort her into the kitchen. Once I have her seated at the table, I withdraw the prepared chicken parmesan and pop it in the oven per the heating instructions.

There’s a chilled bottle of chardonnay that will pair perfectly with dinner.

It takes about twenty minutes to get everything on the table. But once I do, we’ve got a full spread with the chicken, salad, and rolls. And I love the way Luna eats. She’s not one of those women who takes a bite of salad and proclaims she’s full. She eats and enjoys food.

“Once my ankle is healed, I need to get back to working out, or I’m going to pack on the pounds eating this way.”

“It’s okay if you do. It’ll just give me more to hold on to. But I’ll show you where the gym is here and in the other house. That way if you want to spend time getting a workout in, you may.”

“Well, eventually, I’ll be back running the store.”

“Is that what you want?”

She tilts her head and then sighs, somewhat dejected. “Whether I do or not is a moot point. I’ll continue running it because it was my parents’ dream. And by keeping the store going, it’s like they’re still here. It’s what they wanted us to do in their will.”

And because my wife has a soft, loyal heart. She gives of herself, even if it’s not the best thing for her. And I ache to help her achieve what she wants. Even if all that is are days spent with leisurely pursuits. “You know, I reviewed the store’s accounting. My guys grabbed the books and everything valuable in the office and brought it with your stuff. Just in case Diego were to return for further mayhem. You could hire someone else to run it, and that would free up your time to pursue your dreams.”

“I can’t afford to pay someone’s salary like that.” She dismisses the idea with a wave.

“You can’t, but I can.” Does she not realize I will give her the fucking world?

Emotions flash across her face as she sets her silverware down. “Hades, you’ve already done so much for me—”

“And you’re my wife. I don’t think you understand just how much money I have. Babe, I have billions in the bank and in assets. And I want to share it with you. I want to help you and take care of you. I know you don’t need it. I reviewed the store’s books. What you’ve done with it, the way you increased your profit margins, is remarkable. Truly.”

“You’re so good to me,” she gushes, and there are tears in her eyes.

God, she looks at me, and I feel like a superhero. But she doesn’t see how fucking amazing she is. And I’m going to help her see it. Nurture her as she steps fully into her power. Because my wife will be unstoppable. And it thrills me. “What did you want to go to college for? Before your parents died. What were your plans?”

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