Page 220 of Untamed

The sound of the fire crackling fills the silence in the room while we lay on the floor in front of the fireplace, still tangled while our bodies settle after such an intense climax. My head is resting on Ares’ chest, listening to the way he breathes, soaking up the beat of his heart while his fingers idly comb through my hair.

I close my eyes, savouring this moment of peace and intimacy with him. The warmth from the fire seeps into my bones, contrasting with the cool touch of his fingertips on my skin. We are both still catching our breaths, our heartbeats slowly returning to a normal rhythm in sync with each other.

As I trace lazy patterns on his chest with my finger, I feel a sense of contentment wash over me. The world outside may be chaoticand unpredictable, but right now, in this moment, everything feels right. Ares plants a soft kiss on the top of my head, his lips lingering for a moment before he speaks.

“Are you okay?” he whispers, his voice barely above a breath. I nod against his chest before I lift my head to meet his gaze, seeing the raw emotion reflected in his eyes.

“I think,” I hum, holding his gaze while my fingers move up to brush through his stubble. “you might have ruined me for anyone else.”

His mouth twitches, somewhere between a smirk and something more vulnerable. He brushes a hand through my hair and pulls me closer possessively.

“Good,” he says finally. “Because you’re mine, bambina. And I’ll break the hands of anyone who forgets that.” His gaze never leaves mine. No exaggeration. Just a quiet promise soaked in something that chills and burns at the same time.

I lift my hand and brush my fingers along his cheek, slow and careful, like I’m taming something wild. His skin is warm under my touch, but tense.

“Ares…” I whisper, letting his name carry everything I can’t quite find the words to say yet.

He doesn’t look away. Doesn’t breathe. So, I lean in and press a kiss to the corner of his mouth. Gentle, unrushed, like I’m not afraid of what he’s capable of, because I know he’d never turn it on me.

“You don’t have to scare the world to keep me.” I murmur quietly. “You already have me...all of me.” My voice is soft, barely a breath and that’s when it happens.

I feel his chest rise on a shaky inhale, like the fight inside him falters just long enough to let something else in. Something softer...somethingreal.

And then he leans into my touch, just a fraction, and I hold him there.

“What happens now?” I ask, pulling back just enough to meet his eyes. “After what you did tonight, I’m assuming Luciano isn’t just going to swallow your defiance. You disobeyed him in front of everyone, chewed up his order and spat it back in his face by choosing me. So…” I hesitate, but not for long. “What’s it going to cost you, Ares?”

His gaze doesn’t shift. Doesn’t waver.

But something in his expression hardens. A flicker. The faintest pull at the corner of his mouth. Like he’s bracing himself against something he’s not ready for me to see.

“More than I’ve paid before.” He says it quietly. Not to soften the truth, but because he’s not sugarcoating it either. His voice is steady, but I feel the weight beneath it.

“Luciano expected me to fall in line. Smile. Shake hands. Play the good soldier while he planned out a life I never agreed to.”

His hand finds mine and laces our fingers together. Warm. Firm. Protective.

“And instead… I reminded him very publicly that I’m not his puppet. That I never have been.”

I nod, my thumb brushes against his knuckles.

“And what does that mean for you? Forus?” His eyes darken just enough to answer me before his words do.

“It means the game changes.” A pause. His thumb rubs absently over mine.

“I’ll have to be sharper. Colder. They’ll test me now, poke at the edges to see how far I’ll go for you.”

My throat goes tight, but I keep my voice calm. “And how far will you go?”

He looks at me...impenitent. “As far as I have to.”

He doesn’t sayI’ll protect you.He doesn’t need to. I already know he will.

The way he holds my hand. The way he keeps me close. The way he’s still between me and the rest of the world, even now,thatsays it all.

But then he adds, quieter this time. “Just… be smart, bambina.”

I blink and he lifts my hand and presses a kiss to my knuckles. “You’re also in the line of fire now. Our list of enemies just got longer. And that means the target on your back just got bigger. So, you need to be careful. If someone says something strange, if anything feels off, you tell me. Don’t brush it off. Don’t try to be brave.”

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