Page 57 of Kiss of Ruin (Brutal Empire)

It takes a while before either of us is coherent enough to get dressed and go and talk to everyone. After the scene we made in the front room, we need to explain. Which is what I tell him when I stop him from getting in the shower with me.

“If you get into this shower, we will never leave this room.”

“I don’t know why that isn’t the plan?”

“It can be.” I kiss his lips. “Later, after we explain everything.”

He groans but steps back allowing me shut the door. We are both showered and dressed in record time. I want to go back to bed with Nico as much as he does.

He takes my hand and leads me out of the bedroom and straight to his father’s study.

“Dad, can you ask everyone to come here please?”

He looks down to our joined hands and nods. We take a seat on the couch and wait for everyone. Once everyone is seated, Nico stands up. “Scarlett and I are getting married.”

The room erupts. We end up spending the next hour talking to our families, telling the whole story of what happened that morning on the beach.

Eventually, Camila promises to make us a celebratory dinner that I know we can’t decline. Even with our desire to be alone together after so long apart, I won’t deny our families this celebration.

After dinner with our families, we head back to our room wanting to be alone and naked beneath him.

After making me come multiple times, I lay in Nico’s arms, my left hand lying across his chest. The ring sparkles in the moonlight seeping through the window. His fingers gently brush up and down my back.

Suddenly his hand stops moving. “Why did you decide to step back for me to run the family?”

This is the question I waited for him to ask when were on the beach. I’m surprised he waited all day to know the answer. I lean up and rest my chin on my hand. I want to see his reaction to what I have to say.

“You being safe and alive is more important to me than being in charge. For me, being the head of the family has always been about acceptance. People recognizing that I’m more than an arm decoration.” I lean forward and kiss his lips. “I’m all those things to you. With you, there’s nothing that I have to prove.”

He cups my cheek. “You will never have to prove anything to me. No more putting yourself in danger unless we both agree it’s the only way. Understand?”

I want to argue that I don’t take orders, but this is one agreement I’m willing to make. “Understood. I’m not willing to lose you again.”

He grips me tighter. “Well, that depends on if you agree to my next request.”

I stiffen in his arms. “What is that?”

“I want us to be married next weekend.”

My eyes grow wide. “Next weekend? There’s no way we can—”

He stops my argument with his lips. His tongue slips into my mouth and anything I was about to say disappears from my mind. He pulls back, a smirk lifting the corner of his lips. “That’s better. We’ll be married next weekend.”

I open my mouth and close it again, unsure what to say to that.

“That’s about the same reaction my mother had when I told her this earlier. Once she got over being shocked, she went into planning mode.”

“Can we really get everything done by next weekend? We’re hundreds of miles from New York.”

“Which is why we’ll get married here. I will not let the DeLuca’s ruin what will be the happiest day of my life.”

“Here?”

“Yes, here.” He rolls me onto my back. “I look forward to making you Mrs. Acosta next Saturday.”

I melt into his kiss. There’s nothing more I can do. Especially lie to myself, becoming Mrs. Acosta next weekend sounds like everything I’ve been waiting for.

And I’ll do it with Nico by my side.

---