I’m enjoying a day out with my mom, Aunt Elena, and Violet.
I’ve missed this so much. I don’t hate being at home, but damn, a girl needs her shopping time.
Especially this girl.
I’m grinning from ear to ear as I step out of the fitting room with Violet’s help.
Just one more week, and the damn cast comes off. I can’t freaking wait.
Mom and Aunt Elena stop talking, and their jaws drop as they stare at me.
“You look gorgeous, Mariya,” My mother-in-law breathes.
Mom’s face crumbles. “Nooo, Mami,” I coo as I hold open my arms. “Come here.”
Mom rushes into my arms, hugging me tightly to her as she’s overcome with emotion from seeing me in my wedding dress.
The dress is everything I wanted it to be. Feminine yet badass. Classy yet sexy. For Dad’s sake, I didn’t let the V neckline dip too low.
Mom pulls back and holds me at arm’s length as she looks at me. “You look absolutely breathtaking, sweetheart.”
“I do, don’t I,” I beam, my hands caressing the lace. “Help me to the mirror.”
Mom wraps her arm around my lower back, and careful not to step on the dress, she helps me onto the small podium in the bridal boutique.
My eyes drift over the stunning dress, my heart full of happiness.
Mom and Aunt Elena take photos while Violet pours us each a glass of champagne.
“Luca is going to love the dress,” Aunt Elena mentions.
“Right,” I chuckle.
She comes to stand next to the podium and says, “I’m so glad the two of you decided to make the marriage work.”
“You’ve raised an amazing man, Aunt Elena. I’m lucky to have him.”
She presses a hand to her heart and gives me an affectionate smile. “When are you going to call me mamma?”
My eyes dart to Mom, unsure if I would offend her, but she waves a hand at us. “Elena is right. You can’t call your in-laws uncle and aunt all your life.”
I give Mom a grateful smile, then grin at my mother-in-law. “I guess that answers your question.”
“Champagne time,” Violet calls out.
“Not with the dress on,” Mom says before Violet can hand me a flute. Mom helps me back to the dressing room and out of my wedding dress.
“I’m so glad we’re getting to do this,” she murmurs as she hangs the dress up.
“Me too.” I quickly put on the silk blouse and skirt I chose to wear for the day’s outing.
When Mom and I step out of the dressing room, we take our flutes filled with bubbly.
Violet holds up her glass, then says, “To Mariya and Luca not killing each other, and to getting drunk and finding true love at the bottom of their glasses.”
“Jesus, Violet,” Mom chuckles. “Remind me not to let you speak at the wedding.”
We all laugh as we enjoy our drinks before leaving for the cake tasting.
Lying face to face in Luca’s arms, I let out a happy sigh.
“What’s the sigh for?” he asks while brushing his fingers up and down my back.
“Just thinking about today. I had fun with our moms and Violet.”
“I’m glad you spent some time with them.” He presses a kiss to my forehead. “Thank you for including my mom. She called to tell me how much she loved it.”
“It was my pleasure. I love spending time with her.” I grin at him. “She asked me to call her mamma.”
A wide smile spreads over his handsome face. “And?”
“I’m going to call her mamma, of course.”
I’m rewarded with another brush of his lips against my nose.
“Violet said something today that got me wondering about something.” I start trailing patterns on his bare chest and circling his right peck. “You said you weren’t drunk the night of my birthday.”
A frown starts to form on his forehead. “Yeah?”
“Tell me what happened.”
“You got out of your mind drunk,” he chuckles, looking relieved.
“Everyone knows that part,” I roll my eyes at him. “I want to know the rest.”
Luca moves onto his back, his arm tightening around my shoulder. I wait for him to get comfortable before resting my cheek on his chest.
He inhales deeply, then lets the breath out slowly before saying, “While we were at the club, you got brave because of the alcohol and asked me why we weren’t friends. I said it was because of the line you drew between us –”
I lift my head and frown at him. “I didn’t draw a line between us. It was you.”
He lets out a chuckle. “We both made the wrong assumptions about each other.”
I lie back down, muttering, “Assumptions are the mother of all fuck ups.”
“Couldn’t agree more.” He resumes brushing his fingers over my back. “Anyway, one thing led to another, and you kissed me.”
My eyebrow darts up. “Good for me.”
Laughing at my remark, he continues. “We took a walk. I was hoping to clear your mind enough so we could talk about us, but then you spotted a chapel, dragged my ass there, and ordered Elvis to marry us.”
“Elvis?”
“Yep. It was very romantic.”
“I’m sure.”
“Anyway,” Luca says. He takes hold of my chin, nudging my face up so I’ll look at him. “We had a mobster wedding, which you found hilarious, said our vows, kissed, and on the way back to the hotel, you passed out.”
“A mobster wedding,” I deadpan. “Seriously?”
“Hey, I wanted the Dracula theme, but you insisted we get the mob one for the shits and giggles of it.”
I let out a burst of laughter. “Damn, I wish I could remember it.” Then my facial expression grows serious. “What were your vows?” My eyes widen. “Shit, what did I say to you?”
Luca has a broad smile on his face as he says, “You told me you can’t cook to save your life but that you’re amazing in bed.”
“Really,” I mutter. “Those were my vows?”
“It was cute.” His eyes warm on my face. “You also told me you loved me.”
My lips part with shock. “You knew all along.”
“Yeah, but I didn’t say anything because I wanted to hear the words from you when you were ready.”
I pull a disgruntled face. “That’s cheating. You knew about my feelings while I had no idea about yours.”
“I got lucky,” he jokes, then he gives me a look that’s filled with all the love he feels for me. “You’re the only woman for me, Mariya. I’ve waited patiently while building my empire. The only thing missing from my life is you. Everything I have…” He presses a kiss to my mouth. “Everything I am…” Another kiss. “Is yours, Mariya.”
An emotional smile tugs at my lips. “Were those your vows?”
He nods, then tilts his head. “Will you marry me again, amore mio?”
My chin starts to tremble as I nod. “Yes, Luca. I’ll marry you again.”
He pushes me onto my back, moves over me, and bracing a forearm beside my head, his mouth nips at mine. “Christ, how’s it possible to love someone as much as I love you?”
“I don’t know,” I whisper, lifting my hands and cupping his jaw. “Sometimes, it feels like I might explode from all the love in my heart.”
“I know another way to make you explode,” he grumbles playfully as his hand slips between my legs.
“Hmm, I like the sound of that.”
His fingers begin to massage the sensitive bundle of nerves between my legs that only responds to his touch.
The way he touches me makes me feel intoxicated. My mind empties of all thoughts, my attention one hundred percent on my husband and what he does to me.
When the needy whimper slips over my lips, Luca’s eyes darken until they’re black.
My hands brush down the expanse of his back, enjoying the feel of his muscles rippling with every move.
Our eyes lock, and the possessiveness in Luca’s makes me feel protected and loved. He makes me feel like a queen.
His queen.
“Luca,” I whisper, the warmth of having his attention solely focused on me spreading through my entire being. “I need you inside me. Now.”
He grins, knowing precisely what he does to me. He moves over me and settles between my legs, then thrusts against my needy core.
“Without clothes,” I mutter.
“So impatient,” he breathes, but then he gives me what I want as he pulls my panties down my legs and removes his sweatpants. He crawls back over me, and our eyes lock together before he enters me with a long, hard thrust.
“Yes,” I moan, sparks of ecstasy already rippling through me.
God, I love connecting with Luca on such an intimate level.
He grinds his pelvis against mine, and staying buried inside me, the thrusts are short and hard. The orgasm hits hard, the power of it rendering me speechless. My nails dig into his skin, my lips part on a silent scream, my body unable to move.
“Christ,” he rasps. “I love the way you come for me, baby.”
Luca’s chest presses against mine, squashing my breasts, his lips brushing over mine as he starts to hit that spot inside me only he can find.
Another wave of pleasure crashes over me, my vision going spotty from how intense it is. I manage to whimper, and Luca inhales the sound.
He keeps fucking me until I’m a boneless mess beneath him, and when his orgasm hits, my body jerks from how hard he takes me.
Jesus. So freaking hot.
I watch as ecstasy washes over his features, his jaw clenched, and his eyes burning with the inferno of love he feels for me.
“Christ.” His arms tighten around me, keeping me locked to his body as he rides his orgasm.
Once he comes down from the high, he slowly fills me one last time. “Mia regina.”
I shake my head, then murmur, “My king.”
