Page 31 of This Thing of Ours

She shook her head. “I don’t want to go back.”

“Be sure, cara mia, because once you’re mine, I’m never letting you go.”

She cupped his face with her hands and gave him her eyes. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”

He kissed her again, but unlike the last one, it was a soft meeting of their lips, yet it was no less potent. Their hands still cupped each other’s faces, and Gabby had never felt more connected to another human being. His tongue traced her bottom lip and then the top but didn’t seek more. It was a tease of a kiss, but it was the best kind of tease possible.

His fingers, longer than hers, reached to the back of her neck, adding pressure and bringing her up on her toes. And still their kiss was featherlight, almost more a mingling of breaths, as if he were savoring the moment.

“I won’t touch you until I talk to Nico,” he panted against her lips. “But, God, I want to.”

She licked her lips, her tongue dusting his in the process and he growled, the fingers at her neck digging deeper.

“You’re killing me, streghetta.”

He was killing her, too. She reached up higher on her toes, leaning farther into him. “No one has to know.” Jeez, when did she become so desperate? Oh, that’s right, the second Marco laid hands on her. She’d waited twenty-two years for him, and she wasn’t sure how much patience was left in her.

He moved his head back, and his eyes penetrated hers. “I would know. We do this right, or we don’t do it at all. I threaten, torture, maim, and kill. My honor is the only good piece of me I have left.” He took a large step back, breaking their connection.

She dropped down on her heels and leaned back against the wall for support, hugging her arms around herself to keep from touching him. She wouldn’t beg. She wasn’tthatdesperate. Besides, she could tell from his body language and walled-off expression, he wouldn’t change his mind. But she still had to make sure he wasn’t having second thoughts about them. “But you will talk to him… soon, right?”

He gave her a curt nod and then she had his back as he turned and made his way to the door. He opened it, but paused, looking over his shoulder at her before stepping through and shutting it firmly behind him.

Although he was gone, Gabby’s heart felt light, for if a single look could make a million promises, that one made them all.

Sitting in herusual top row seat of the lecture hall, Gabby typed in her last answer and hit the send button. Quite frankly, she was looking forward to the month-long break. She hoped having more free time would make it easier for her and Marco to connect.

She’d only heard from him once in the four days since she’d last seen him, and that had been on Monday night, two days prior. It had been late, past eleven when he had called. It hadn’t been a long conversation, only enough to let her know he was busy working on a lead with Johnny, and that he hadn’t had a chance to talk with Nico yet.

While she understood what he was doing took priority, and why he was doing it was more personal than not, she still tried to impart how important it was for them to get together. She didn’t want their relationship to start on the wrong foot only seeing each other days—or worse, weeks—apart at a time. He’d given her rushed assurances that once the Russian situation was taken care of things would settle down.

Deep down Gabby knew she was acting like a spoiled child, making unrealistic demands on a man who had many responsibilities, not the least of which was protecting her brother. But after waiting so long for her chance with Marco, was it so unreasonable to be greedy where his time was concerned?

Bending over in her seat to slip her laptop into her bag, she felt a body fill the seat beside hers. She raised her head, craning her neck, and saw a guy covered in a dark sweatshirt, the hood pulled down low, shadowing his face.

She quickly sat up and was about to stand when the guy swiped down his hood.

Surprise stilled her actions. “Derek?” she whispered yelled.

He held up a hand, forestalling any protest. “Please, I’m not here to hurt you. Just let me speak. No one knows I’m here.”

“That won’t last long. Did you forget I have a bodyguard?” Gabby glanced around the room to see if they’d drawn any attention. A few pairs of eyes were aimed their way, but unlike her, no one seemed surprised or concerned that Derek was sitting beside her.

Derek shook his head. “I didn’t forget. It’s why I had someone let me in the side door, to avoid him. I wanted to explain my part in what happened to you.”

Gabby didn’t care for explanations. He may have saved her from Peter, but she sure as hell wasn’t thanking him for his efforts. “I don’t care what you have to say.”

She made another move to get up, but he grabbed her arm and leaned in close to whisper, “Please, just hear me out then I promise you can go, and I’ll never bother you again.”

She tried to tug her arm, but he had a tight grip on the sleeve of her sweater. It slid down her shoulder, but Derek didn’t relent.

“Let me go,” she said through clenched teeth. She glanced around the room again, but no one was watching and other than wrenching her sweater off and causing a big scene, she was stuck.

“Three minutes. That’s all I’m asking for. Please.”

Not liking it, but knowing she didn’t want to risk people getting hurt if he were armed, she gave in. “Fine. You’ve got three minutes. Then you’ll unhand me or, roomful of people or not, I’m screaming bloody murder.”

He quickly nodded then not wasting any time, starting speaking. “My father is a very cruel man. Growing up…” He paused and shook his head. “That doesn’t matter. What I’m trying to say is, even without my help, they would’ve taken you.”

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