“Well, it’s over now.” I shrug. “But I guess I’m still working on some of the issues he left me with. Trust being the biggest one.”

Enzo’s arms are around me in an instant. “You don’t have to worry about someone like him bothering you again,” he assures me. “Him or Silvano. They’ll have to go through me to get to you.”

Something stirs inside of me, hearing him say those words. There’s just something so… primal about him being protective like that.

I look up at him. “Do you really mean that?”

“I swear on mylife.”

Our gazes lock together, and it feels like the wind is knocked out of me.

“Quinn, I promise to be by your side for as long as you let me. You’re the one I want. You and our baby… If you’ll have me.”

“Enzo…” My voice is barely above a whisper.

“I should have told you this a long time ago.” He clasps my hands in his. “I’ve fallen in love with you, Quinn. No matter how much I try to run away from it, you’re the only one I want.”

“Enzo… I…” I’m a blubbering mess, barely able to form coherent sentences.

“I understand if you don’t feel the same way, with what I’ve already done to you—”

“Enzo.” I force him to look at me, and then my gaze softens. “I love you, too.”

His lips come crashing onto mine, soft but insistent.

His fingers knot in my hair, and his hot breath fans across my face when he pulls away.

“Quinn, you have no idea what you’ve just done for me. I love you so much.”

“What about…” I hesitate. “What will you tell your kids? I know that you’ve always been careful.”

“They know already,” he says without skipping a beat. “They know I’m in love with you.”

My breath hitches in my throat, but Enzo doesn’t let me answer with my words. Instead, he brings his lips to mine once again.

This time, his touch isn’t as soft as it was before. It’s passionate,frantic—like he is trying to claim me.

“I need you, Quinn,” he growls against my lips, and scoops me up bridal style like I weigh nothing at all.

His lips caress mine, and his tongue battles mine. There’s nothing innocent about our kisses anymore. They’re desperate,dirty.A precursor of what is in store for the rest of the night.

“Take your clothes off,” he demands, setting me down on the edge of his bed.

My fingers cannot move fast enough as I’m trying to yank the fabric off my body. For a moment, I’m self-conscious about the way my tiny bump protrudes at my belly.

But Enzo’s lustful gaze is enough to dispel it straight away.

I dip my hands into the waistband of my panties.

“Stop.” He towers over me. “I want you to keep those on.”

Fuck.I love it when he gets like this.

In a second, he’s transformed me from someone who’s capable of making her own decisions to someone who’s entirely at his mercy, waiting for his next command.

“Lean back. I want to see you touch yourself. Show me what you did when you missed me.”

He adjusts himself so he has a direct view of the show he’s making me put on.