Page 38 of Crimson Vows

“Of course I do. I’m alive because I know how to keep my secrets,” I growl, annoyed by Dante’s persistence.

“Not all secrets are dangerous,” Nico chimes. “Sometimes a secret is simply something we are too embarrassed to admit to someone else.”

I shift closer to Gia before looking at Nico. “I don’t see the point of embarrassment.”

He laughs before asking, “Excuse me?”

“Embarrassment is a useless emotion,” I repeat firmly. “If you want something, go for it with no shame.”

“You really live that way?” Gia asks.

“Of course I do. Do you know how many times I have almost died? Jesus, all of us have almost died? We live a life where danger is as common as breathing. Embarrassment seems trivial compared to that,” I explain.

Dante chuckles. “Fuck, Marco, I knew you were tough, but you have a serious set of brass balls, don’t you?”

Gia’s fingers toy with the stem of her glass, her dark eyes meeting mine in a silent challenge. “I have a secret,” she announces softly, and my stomach sinks like a stone in a river.

Dante’s eyebrows shoot up. Nico’s gaze flickers, dark and unreadable. My body tenses, and my pulse quickens at the raw honesty in her voice.

“Well, don’t leave us in suspense,” Dante pleads as he sits upright in front of her.

“Okay,” she breathes out, and I’m about to cut her off, desperate not to allow her to reveal the secret I shared with her when she says, “Well, I suppose it’s more of my ultimate fantasy than a secret.”

“What kind of fantasy are we talking about here?” Dante prods, unable to contain his curiosity or excitement. “The kinky kind?”

Nico leans forward and smacks Dante on the back of the head. “Don’t be an ass.”

Gia takes a deep breath, steeling herself before she speaks. “No, he’s not wrong,” she says, and I’m suddenly intrigued. “It probably seems stupid to you guys, but I’ve always fantasized about being with multiple men at once.”

The confession sits in the room of men, the air crackling with tension. Dante’s grin widens mischievously, and Nico’s eyes darken with a glint of something primal.

“Like a gang bang?” Dante clarifies, his tone a mix of surprise and curiosity.

“Yes, dipshit. Exactly like a gang bang.” I’m surprised when Gia’s admission causes an arousal to stir deep within me.

I lean back, letting the idea swirl around in my head. The thought of her, surrounded by pleasure, by our hands, our mouths—it ignites something fierce within me.

“You’ve never told anyone this?” I watch her, the dim light casting shadows across her face.

“I know people already fucking whisper behind my back, call me a slut, and think I don’t know, but I hear things,” Gia says, and instead of hurt in her gaze, I only see defiance.

“Those people are just small-minded assholes who are pissed because they’ve never had a good fuck,” Nico says.

“Hell yeah,” Dante shouts, raising his drink. A little of the wine sloshes out and runs down the glass. “Anyone who has ever talked shit about you is just jealous they can’t be such a badass.”

“Alright, you guys are too much.” Gia laughs, shaking her head. “It’s not that revolutionary of an idea. I just think it would be hot as hell to be the center of all that raw energy.”

I watch as Gia’s eyes flit between the rest of us, gauging our reactions. Dante’s grin widens, his eyes gleaming with amusement and desire. Nico’s eyes remain dark and intense, the glint of a primitive temptation hidden behind his stoic facade.

I lick my lips, excitement coursing through me at the idea that, at this moment, these men are fantasizing about the exact thing I am. All three of us want nothing more than to make Gia’s fantasy a reality. I stand, feeling the weight of the moment settle on my shoulders. It’s as if I am a possessed man.

“Upstairs,” I command, voice steady even though something primal within me threatens to shake my composure. “Now.”

“Excuse me?” Gia gasps, her mouth falling open.

I grip her chin, forcing her head to tilt up toward me so our eyes lock. “Go upstairs, lie on the bed, and wait for us,” I say. My mind’s a riot of images—all her, all heat.

Gia seems surprised, her eyes widening in confusion. “What? I thought you didn’t like the thought of me with other men?” she questions, her voice barely audible.

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