The lights never came back on.
We didn't need them.
His hands were on my bare back . Hot . Shaking . Not from weakness . From restraint .
" Principessa," he whispered into my neck . His breath burned . " Tell me to stop ."
I didn't.
I couldn't.
My shirt was on the floor . His fingers traced the scars on my ribs . Not the new ones . The old ones. From before him . From a life where I didn't know what it felt like to be claimed.
" You are hurt," I said . My hands were on his chest. Careful. Right above the fresh stitches. The bandage was stark white against all that gold skin. " Alessio, you will tear–"
" I don't care." His teeth grazed my collarbone. Sharp . Claiming. " Let me bleed for something I want . For once ."
His mouth moved lower . Kissed the hollow of my throat. The space between my breasts . Slow . Reverent. Like I was holy. Like I was war .
I arched into him . My fingers fisted in his black hair . " You're insane."
" About you." His hands slid down my sides. Found my waistband of my jeans . Paused . Asked for permission without words .
I answered by lifting my hips .
He didn't rip them . He didn't rush .
He undid the button. One . By . One . Dragged the ziper down . Inch by inch . His knuckles brushed my skin and I nearly came undone .
" You make me live," he growled against my stomach. Kissed right below my navel ." So let me ."
My jeans hit the floor .
His breath hitched.
I was in nothing but black lace and blood and his name on my lips .
" Adriana," he breathed. Like a prayer. Like a curse . " You'll be the death of me ."
" Good." I pushed him back into the sheets . Careful. So careful. Swung my leg over his hips. Straddled him . Skin on skin now . His chest. My thighs. " Then die knowing you are mine."
His hands came up . Palmed My thighs.Thumbs dug in . Not hurting. Holding. Like he was afraid I'd disappear.
" You are," he said. " Since the day you told me to go to hell in that warehouse. Since the day you shot for me. Since–"
I shut him up with my mouth.
Kissed him like I was drowning . Like he was air .
He tasted like copper and whiskey and something darker. Something that was just him.
His tongue slid against mine . Slow . Deep . Then harder . Hungry .
One hand left my thigh. Slid up my back . Found the clasp of my bra . Undid it with one flick . Like he'd been dreaming about it .
He probably had .
The lace fell away .
His eyes went black . Bottomless . " Moglie ."
His mouth was on me before I could breathe.
Hot . Wet . His teeth grazed my nipple and I cried out. Arched . My nails scored down his back . Not enough to hurt . Enough to mark .
" Alessiso–"
" Say it again." He moved to the other one . Sucked . Harder this one . " Say my name when you fall apart for me ."
I couldn't. Words were gone. The only thing left was him . His mouth and his hands and the way he looked at me like he wanted to do sin tonight.
His hands slid down . Cupped my ass. Lifted me . Ground me against him .
He was hard.Even bleeding. I could feel him in my legs.
For me .
"Fuck," he groaned into my skin. " You feel that? That's yours. All of it . All of me ."
I rolled my hips . Test . Tease .
He cursed in Italian. Filthy. Beautiful.
" You are going to kill me , principessa."
" Then live," I whispered. Lips kissing his jaw . Eating his throat. Leaving him moaning . Caressed his scar above the heart . " Live for me."
His hand slid between us . Found the last piece of lace . Hooked a finger under it .
Ripped .
The lace gave .
One sound. Soft . Final .
His breath punched out of him like I'd shot him .
" Adriana." The word was broken. Prayer and curse at once .
His eyes dropped. Stayed there . Black . Endless. Like he was seeing the answer to every question he'd ever asked .
I should have been cold . I wasn't. His gaze was hotter than fire .
" Alessio," I whispered.
His name did something to him . His jaw ticked. His hands fisted in the black sheets. Not touching me . Holding himself back .
" Don't," he said. Voice rough. " Don't say like that unless you mean it."
" I mean it." I slid up his body . Careful of the bandages . Careful of the 17 stitches holding him together. My knees on either side of his hips . Skin to skin . Chest to chest.
He groaned. Head falling back against the pillows . " Principessa, you're killing me ."
" Good." I leaned down. My hair fell around us , a curtain. Just him . Just me . " Then die happy."
His hands finally came up . Shaking .
He cupped my face like I was made of glass . Like I was the first good thing he'd ever been allowed to keep .
His thumb brushed my bottom lip . Swollen. Bloody from earlier. From Moretti . From him .
" I should let you sleep," he whispered.
" You should kiss me ."
He did .
Slow . Deep . Like we had years instead of seconds . Like the world outside that bulletproof glass didn't exist.
His mouth moved like he was starving and I was only meal he'd ever we wanted. Tongue sliding against mine . Teeth grazing . Stealing my breath and giving it back .
His hands left my face . Skimmed down . Neck . Collarbone. Lower .
He stopped right above my heart. Palm flat . Feeling it hammer for him .
" This," he said against my lips ." This beats for me now . Si?"
" Si," I breathed. The Italian felt right on my tongue. His tongue. " Always."
He smiled against my mouth. Wolfish. Soft . Ruined.
Then he moved.
Rolled us . Slow . Agonizing. Put me under him . His weight on his elbows , careful not to put pressure on his side . Caging me in . Surrounding me .
His mouth went to my throat. Kissed . Sucked. Right where my pulse was going wild . He didn't bite hard . He didn't need to . The promise was enough.
" Mine," he growled into my skin . " Say it."
" Yours." My fingers tangled in his hair. Pulled . " Alessio, I'm yours."
" Mia per sempre." Mine forever.
His lips trailed lower . Collarbone. The space between my breasts. He pressed a kiss right over my heart. Open-mouthed . Wet . A brand .
" I don't deserve you," he whispered.
" Too bad." I arched into him . " You have got me anyways."
He laughed. Quite. Real . The sound hit me harder than any bullet even could.
Then he pulled the sheets up . Black silk . Covered us both . Tucked me into his side,his arm banded around my waist. His noise in my hair .
" Sleep , principessa." His voice was wrecked. Soft ." I'll keep watch."
" Not a chance ." I pressed my lips to the scar above my heart ." You first."
His arm tightened. " Stubborn women."
" Your women."
Sunrise bled through the bulletproof glass . Gold . Red . Quite.
No sirens . No gunfire. No blood.
Just his breathing evening out . Just his heart under my ear . Still beating. For me .
Just us .
His lips moved against my hair, the words a vow and a threat all at once :
" Noone touches what's mine . Ever again."