Page 36 of Corrupting Lily

I assert dominance by stepping into the group, my back to Basilio and Francesca, as my arms encircle her.

Her eyes widen before closing as my lips claim hers. By the time we are done, she clings to me, her cheeks a delicious shade of red, and her lipstick smudged. Perfect. Leaving no doubt in anyone's mind that she is mine. I smile at her and then turn to face Francesca and Basilio, who are standing there awkwardly. Some people around us are gaping; this display of affection is unusual for me. I never kissed women in public.Or privately, actually. We fucked. The end.

Until now, it hadn’t seemed like a big deal. But maybe that’s exactly why I hadn’t often done it. I was saving it for my Queen.

“Basilio, Francesca, glad you could make it.” I wrap my arm around Lily, pulling her close to my side while she wipes at her lips, trying to do damage control.

“Dominico. Of course. We wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Basilio says, recovering quickly as his eyes dart from me to Lily.

Clearly, my display at Pulse needed a reminder, as this was not the first time he had seen me kiss her. Why was he still holding out hope? Was he that in love? Was his breakup with that gold digger meant to open the path for him and Lily? I hope not for his sake, as I would hate to kill him. Especially not before the opening of three new Gentlemen's Clubs next week.

“Shall we go in?” I say loud enough for everyone to hear, gesturing toward the entrance of the large dining hall.

Basilio and Francesca leave, Francesca's face still showing shock. Others follow, but I remain where I am, turning to face Lily.

“What was that about?” Lily asks, her eyes wide as they flick from me to the people heading away from us.

“Just dashing Basilio’s hopes. Rather now than later,” I say, tucking a piece of escaped hair behind her ear.

“You look fucking delicious.” She blushes and smiles, glancing away briefly before meeting my gaze again.

“You look really…nice.” She doesn’t wince as she says it, so she must mean it.

“Only nice?” I prompt, running my finger across her lips.

“Very nice?” she answers with a question, laughing when I smile.

“You can tell me later how very nice I look when my clothes are off, along with yours.” Her eyes widen, and her hands nervously smoothher dress, her squirm revealing how my words affect her.

“But for now, let's go mingle. Remember what I said to you: you belong here. Don’t let anyone make you feel otherwise."

With those words, I entwine my hand with hers.

As we enter the dining hall, not a shred of doubt resides in her elegant frame, shoulders back and head held high.

Like a true Queen.

Chapter 23

Lily

“So, I hear you were one of the last people to see my husband alive.” The statement from the beautiful woman sitting next to me catches me off guard, and I splutter on the sip of champagne I have just taken. Without looking at me, Dominico hands me a napkin while gently stroking my back.

“Amelia,” Dominico warns, his gaze still averted as he continues his conversation with Massimo Bianchi, the head of one of the Three Families.

Amelia Anna Esposito, the wife of the late Lorenzo Luigi Esposito, must be close to fifty years old. Yet, thanks to plastic surgery and fillers, she looks my age. It was a strange match, but then again, Dominico was thirty-nine years old, ten years older than I.

She swats her hand in his direction and smiles, sipping her wine before leaning close to me.

“You know he was like twenty years older than me and fucking other men? So when his body was found in the lake, I was the happiestI have been in years. No more pretending.”

Amelia beams and winks at me before forking some salad and taking a bite.

“How long were you married to him?” I ask, popping an olive into my mouth. There is so much food and drink, excessive and extravagant. Only the best. Yet, I am so nervous my appetite is almost gone. Being in this room with all these clearly powerful people is intimidating. The only thing stopping me from escaping this situation is the reassuring caress Dominico gives me every now and then, reminding me that I am by his side and imbuing me with some of his strength and power.

“My father gave me to him when I was eighteen, so quite a while.” I can’t stop my jaw from dropping at her words.

“He gave you to him? Like, an object?” She laughs at the shock in my voice, her eyebrows dipping as if I am the one saying something bizarre.

---