Page 66 of Ruin
“I was mad at you. I wanted to— Tommy!” I freeze when my gaze falls on his left hand. Onthatfinger gleams a platinum wedding band. “What the actual fuck, Tommy? You’re married?!”
I sit bolt upright in bed, dropping his hand like a hot coal and yank the blankets over my chest.
He chuckles, sitting on the edge of the bed. “I’m wearing it for you, sweet girl.”
I gape at him. “Tommy, that’s…that’s not how it works.”
He shrugs. “I want everyone to know I’m yours.”
“Um, Tommy, that ring says that you aremarriedto me.”
“Okay.” He tugs at the blanket until I let it go, a growl rumbling low in his chest.
I grab his face and make him look at me, shaking my head. “No. Not okay. If I’m with you, and you’re wearing a wedding band, it makes me look like a home wrecker.”
“I’ll get you a ring, too.”
My heart stutters. “Are you…proposing?”
“Gi, I’d marry you yesterday. I’m yours, and I don’t want women hitting on me. I hate that.” He drags me down beneath him, settling between my thighs.
“Some women go harder for a man with a wedding ring.”
“That sucks,” he mutters, scattering kisses across my stomach.
I reach down, tipping his chin up so he’s looking at me. “Tommy.”
His mocha brown eyes lift to mine. He really doesn’t get how weird this is.
“You have to take it off.”
He frowns. “No.”
“Babe, I love that you want to show us off. But men don’t wear wedding bands unless they are married, and women don’t wear rings until they are engaged.”
“Are you asking me to propose?”
My skin burns with embarrassment. “No, Tommy. Jesus. I’m saying people will assume things that aren’t true.”
He sits up, pulling me into his lap so that I’m straddling him. “I don’t care what other people think.”
“I do.” I blush again, embarrassed. “Everyone does, Tommy.”
I drop my face into my hands, and he smooths my hair. “Tell me.”
“My father has already threatened to disown me. If he thinks we’re engaged or, worse, married, I don’t know what he’d do. I’m already scared he’s going to ship me off when Antonio tells him what happened last night.”
Tommy grinds his teeth. “He’s not going to do a thing toyou or anyone else after I’m done with him.”
“No, Tommy!” My voice sounds hysterical. “I’m not going to let him stop us from being together, but you can’t!”
“He hurt you, Giovanna. He put his hands on you. That is un-fucking-acceptable.” His voice is sharp as a blade, and I shiver.
“I know, but…he’s my father.” I bite the inside of my cheek before lifting my chin, silently begging him to understand.
He studies me for a long beat. “I won’t go after him, but if he comes near you or disrespects you in any way, I’m going to hurt him, Gi. And if he puts his hands on you, I’m going to kill him. That is not negotiable.” He spins the ring on his finger and softens slightly. “I’ll take off the ring on one condition: you wear it on a chain. Until you put it back on me at the altar. Because Iamgoing to marry you, Giovanna. And give you lots of babies.”
Tears burn my eyes. I kiss him hard. “You’re all I need. I don’t need rings. I don’t need—”
