Page 10 of Stealing Her Heart
Gianna grins up at me with the sweetest, widest smile I have ever seen. In this moment, she is at peace. Safe with me, trusting me to take care of her. I want the moment to last as long as it can. I have to send her back to her father for a little bit longer, but I meant all the things I said to her.
Gianna will never be Santino Marconi’s bride. No, she will take my last name as soon as I get a ring on her pretty finger. She will have my children, be protected at my compound, and rule my kingdom at my side. I will give her everything, I will protect her with my own life, and she will never know the fear, the unease, the control she has known for so long.
“Where were you running to earlier, baby?”
Ducking her head sheepishly, she flushes. God, she is adorable. “To the pier. They never let me go anywhere alone. I just want to listen to the waves, smell the salty air, put my feet in the sand.”
“Then you will. I will take you there now. All I care about is making your dreams, big or small, come true, Gianna.”
Those sparkling eyes blink up at me. Looking for lies. “Why? Why me? We might have met for the first time at the party, but I have heard of you. All of Silver Shores has heard of you. My father or Marconi think they’re big bad bosses. Everyone knows you’re the real boss here, that all of Silver Shores is yours. Why would you bother with me, if you can have anything?”
“Oh, baby,” I hum, cradling her face in trembling hands. “Don’t you see? You, Gianna, you are everything. The first spark of life I have seen in so long. I crave that. I crave you. You have stayed strong, sweet, so damn good, despite all they have done to you. You are everything, Gianna. You will be my everything. My princess. My fucking queen.”
Gianna whimpers and pushes closer, fitting her sweet mouth to mine. I crush her to me, licking at her sweet mouth, tasting her want, her need. I need too, I want too, but first I have to show her I mean my words. All the other men in her life have taken from her. I want to be the man who gives to her.
We make out like teenagers who snuck out for a forbidden tryst. When we get to the waterfront, she is panting, flushed, her eyes wild with need. I think I will need to make her come at least once more before I send her home. At the shore, she hesitates for just a moment, as if I am going to take back my promise. I suspect others have done this before, and I make a note to hurt them for ever hurting such a sweet thing.
“It’s so beautiful here. It reminds me that living is worth it,” she hums as we walk along the shore, her cute little toes wiggling in the damp sand. Her eyes watch the waves crash in, the very embodiment of life. It never stops, it never gives up, just the way she continues to fight, to dream her dreams.
“Tell me another dream, princess,” I whisper as I bring our tangled hands to my lips, kissing each fingertip, the palm of her hand, her wrist.
“Do not laugh at me,” she pleads, sliding me a cute look. “I would love going on a hot air balloon. I bet Silver Shores is so pretty from up there.”
Turning her head as we crest some dunes, she sighs as she gazes out over Silver Shores. There is such wonder in her eyes. It is another reason I am drawn to her. Much of my life has been darkened by violence, greed, and vulgarity. Seeing such purity, such softness still exists has changed me.
“I bet it would be pretty,” I agree, watching her eyes sparkle. “Silver Shores is a lovely place, even with men like me running much of it.”
“You’re different than them,” she insists, turning to face me, her little hand coming to trace my brow, my cheek, my lips. Emotion hits me as fast, as heavy as the waves crashing at the sandy shore.
“I wish that were true. I know I am a bad man, baby. I just don’t care.”
“You do care,” she whispers gently, pressing closer as if she can share some of her goodness with me. Perhaps she can. It might be why I want her so badly. To absolve myself of my own darkness. “You’re the first person to ask about my dreams. About what I want. That proves it, Gabriel.”
“Ah, my sweet princess. I care about everything about you. It is new for me. I never cared about anything before. Not this way. It is you who is different, Gianna. Without even trying you have changed me.”
Gianna beams, pushing up on her toes to nuzzle my nose with hers. It is such an adorable act, so sweet, so innocent, I just have to laugh. Then I taste her tongue licking shyly at my lips and I groan. Once again, we’re lost in a kiss, the waves crashing at our feet as we kiss hungrily, fervently, greedily.
We stay on the beach until the sun sets on the horizon. I am sure her father or even her fiancé wonder where she is. Neither of us care. I hate that I have to send her back to her father, but I cannot take her with me just yet. I need to be cautious. I must be certain no one will get hurt.
If I must, I will go to war for her—and I pity any man who would ever try to keep her from me.
Chapter Six
Gianna
Lying in bed dreaming is me living my best life.
Smiling as I snuggle into my sheets, I inhale the sweet cherry cigar scent that reminds me of Gabriel. Last night we stayed out on the beach for hours, much longer than I even realized. I wanted to go home with him. To stay with him, if he would let me. I could not tell him that.
The truth is—I hate the idea of being apart now.
We talked about dreams being lost in the hard lifestyle we were born into. Gabriel told me about losing his father, a man who might have been a criminal but was the best man he knew. His desire to make him proud, to do right by his memory drove him to take the lead as capo of the Capelli’s.
There was a time that I dreamt of leaving this world. Living life the way the rest of society does. Working a job, getting a house in the suburbs, having kids and baking birthday cakes or meat loaf on Tuesday’s. Now I have one dream, a dream that he has convinced me can come true.
I want to be his. Whatever that means. His princess, his queen, his dirty little secret.
“I meant all the things I’ve said, princess,” he rasped last night as he dropped me off a few blocks from my father’s house. “I won’t ever make a promise I do not keep. Not to you. You will not be married to another man. You will not be your father’s caged bird soon. I will set you free, Gianna.”
