Page 26 of Deadly Vows

“Glad you could make itfiglio1!”

Luca’s father turns to me, grinning as he takes my hand, kissing my knuckles.

“And what an honor to be in the presence of the woman he adores,” he says softly. My instinct is to pull my hand away and get as far away from this man as possible. But I don’t. I smile, gripping his hand in mine.

“Thank you, suocero2.”

Luca’s father is a vibrant man. And as he speaks to his son, I can see Luca’s adoration for the man. He smiles in a way that isn’t sadistic with a motive. He’s smiling because he is happy for pure reasons. Hurt aches in my chest as I think of how Luca would never look at me in that way. He doesn’t trust me, nor does he know me. His desire outweighs everything at the moment. And that is what’s keeping me alive.

“Come, figlio. There are people I want you to meet,” Luca’s father says.

As Luca’s father drags us around the room, I notice the looks of people who know who I am. Unease shifts through me at the situation I’m in. The people Luca’s father introduces him to smile, obviously wanting to be accepted by Luca’s leadership in the future. These are people who Luca’s father approves of adding to their reign, but is allowing his son the final decision, seeing as he will be taking over soon.

After an hour of introductions, I excuse myself to find the bathroom. I don’t miss Luca’s warning glance, silently enforcing that I don’t let what happened at that restaurant happen again. But with most people here knowing who I am, I doubt anything like that will happen. As I walk to the bathroom, I notice the women. They look happy and carefree, especially the ones with men in their arms who, on the outside, adore them.

It makes me think of my cousin Ari. Of all the family members Luca interrogated, Ari and her husband never crossed our paths. I pray it’s because Luca knows my love for her and won’t touch her. I haven’t heard from her since our wedding due to Luca isolating me. But now that Luca has given his stance on our family, I don’t know what has become of her. If she were here, we would probably people-watch and pretend our lives were different from what they were. She always knew how to make me feel better. And even though we drifted apart in the final years leading up to my wedding, I miss her.

“Mrs. Pasquino?” A woman I’ve never met before approaches me with a smug grin on her lips. She looks me up and down, bringing her drink to her lips. The dress she wears hugs her figure flatteringly, pushing her breasts over the low-cut neckline.

“You are Mrs. Pasquino, right? The woman who married him,” she asks.

I slowly nod. “And you are?” I ask.

She scoffs, placing her drink on a passing server tray to cross her arms over her chest. “Of course, he wouldn’t tell you about me. I’m sure he hasn’t told you about any of the women he visited for pleasure. You should know it won’t be long before he returns to his old ways. Men need…outlets. And judging from the way he spoke of you before your marriage, I don’t think it will be long before he returns to my bed,” she says.

I scoff in irritation, attempting to move past the woman, but she moves with me, blocking my way.

“Move,” I growl. But she doesn’t. She does the opposite, stepping much closer to me.

“He’s going to ruin you. You can’t handle the man he is destined to be. All of this will be his someday, and you are nothing but a forced burden he can’t wait to get rid of. Nor can the Pasquino family,” she snaps.

A giggle escapes my lips.

“You’re right. I can’t handle the man he will be someday. But if you don’t move, you won’t be able to handle the man he is right now. Because he will kill you if you keep pissing me off,” I say.

I step around her stunned expression, my confidence building as I do. Luca has a history with women, but I won’t let them bully me. Especially not when Luca’s possessive desire grows more dangerous by the day. She snatches my arm as I try to walk around her.

“Hey—”

Luca is by my side in a blur, wringing my arm from the woman’s grip. She cries out as he twists her arm behind her back, pushing her roughly into the column. I don’t bother advocating for her or calling to my husband. I step aside like everyone else to watch it unfold. This is not the place to defy my husband, and it most definitely is not the time since everyone already dislikes me for being a Trovoli.

“If I ever catch you speaking to my wife again, I will kill you.” The woman gasps, whimpering as Luca pushes more force into her to prove his threat. He doesn’t waste any time releasing the woman, and she crumples to the floor.

“If you are not gone in five minutes, I will make good on that promise right now,” he growls.

He doesn’t wait for her to respond as he grabs my hand, leading me through the crowd that pretends nothing happened. It’s scary how much power Luca holds. We exit the ballroom, and Luca pulls me into the dimly lit hallway, the sound of music and conversation decreasing the further we get. Once he feels we are far enough, he pushes me into the wall, his legs coming between mine as his lips descend on me.

He pulls my dress up, lifting my thigh so that it rests on his hip.

“Luca, wait,” I try, and he places kisses along my throat. But he isn’t listening. He’s a man possessed. The sound of him messing with the buckle on his pants is swift as he frees himself, entering me roughly. I cry out from the fullness of his penetration, a gasp escaping me.

“That woman was my past, Elise. They are all my past. You’re my future,” he murmurs as he fucks me. His thrusts are animalistic as he claims me in the hall. Each thrust forces a breath past my lips, the thickness of his shaft stretching me as he reaches the deepest parts of my insides. My legs tremble aswarm pleasure washes over me, my body recognizing this for what it is.

“Only you.” He emphasizes his words with another thrust, his hand gripping my throat as he leaves a warm trail with his tongue over my jaw. My body shudders in pleasure, my clit throbbing with each thrust. Luca knows my body. He’s trained it so I’ll always be receptive whenever he wants me, just as I am now. He pulls out of me, flipping me so that I am flush against the wall as he enters from behind. He snakes his arm over my throat, holding me close as he plunges into me to find his own release. His lips hover over my ear.

“You’re all I want and all I will ever need. None of them matter. None of what they say about who I was in the past matters. You’re my future.”

I groan as my inner walls spasm in pleasure, an orgasm washing over me, spreading to the tips of my toes. My eyes flutter, rolling back as Luca’s thrusts grow urgent. Luca fills me, shuddering against me as he finds his pleasure. The warmth of his cum feels amazing and he doesn’t pull out of me, holding himself inside of me as he speaks.

---