Page 70 of Christmas Vows with the Devil

“You’re fucking crazy,” he says as he moves my hips and bites down on my lower lip. I smile, despite everything.

I start rolling my hips, making him moan my name. Using the seat as leverage, I slide up and down, fast, hard. I’m working all the negative emotions out of me and tears stream down my face. Dante notices and starts kissing them away.

The windows have fogged up, secluding us in our own private world. The SUV squeaks from our movements, but I don’t care. I push my body harder, faster, and Dante’s gasping for air.

“You’re fucking crazy, but I love you,” he breathes, biting down on my nipple. I scream in pleasure, feeling my release building up. My hips are burning, my knees locking from the weird position I’m in, but I don’t care. I grind and swirl my hips up and down his length, watching his eyes roll into the back of his head.

“Fuck.” He breathes out one last groan as he finishes, and I’m not far behind. I fall forward onto his chest, panting, sweat dripping off of me. We’re both gasping for air like we just ran a marathon.

“This is your plan?” he asks, kissing my jaw tenderly. “To use sex to control me?”

I laugh, arching up to kiss him again.A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do, right?I must remember to thank Aunt Carla for her very inappropriate advice. Maybe it wasn’t the best thing to mention to a teenager, but as an adult—I can confirm it works wonders.

We both jump as a single, hard knock against the glass pulls us out of our afterglow. Our eyes meet guiltily as Dante cracks the window open enough to reveal Rocco’s uncomfortable gaze peering at us.

He clears his throat, quickly moving away from the car. “Sorry Boss…to uh, interrupt but…we got a message a few minutes ago.”

We stare at him through the tiny crack, our indecency forgotten. His cheeks are flaming red and he’s staring at the floor, hands awkwardly resting on his hips.

“It’s from your father.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

Dante

The message was slid under the penthouse door like an unwelcome invitation. It’s just a single sheet of thick, white paper with my father’s unmistakable handwriting on it scrawled in dark ink.

He’s not one for dramatics; there’s no sentiment, no preamble. Just an ultimatum.

Work with me or lose everything. Starting with her.

I read the words, jaw clenched so hard my teeth ache. I can feel my pulse spike, the words burning into my mind. This isn’t some random ploy; it’s a declaration.

It’s my father’s way of clawing back into my life, pulling me in under the guise of giving me a choice. But it’s not a choice—it’s a trap. He’s always played games like this, twisting my sense of loyalty and family to his advantage.

Now, with Matteo and Gia in the balance, he’s stabbing the blade deeper.

I drop the paper on my dining room table and glance around at the faces surrounding me. I’ve already questioned my men who were stationed at key entry and exit points—no one saw anything. The fact that he got this message into my heavily protected building without being noticed reminds me that he’s capable of anything.

Uncle Tony reads the note again, his face twisted with disdain. “This isn’t just a choice, Dante. He’s backing you into a corner, forcing your hand.”

I look around at the people who’ve become such a big part of my life over the past week. The family Gia has risked herself to draw me into. Their faces show the same determination I feel, and for a moment, I’m torn by how much this connection has come to mean to me.

Aunt Carla shakes her head, crossing her arms. “That man is nothing but a snake. Always has been. Always will be.”

“But Carla, maybe you can get through to him,” Aunt Lucia suddenly speaks up. “I mean, you were lovers once…”

Their voices mix, ideas and fiery opinions flying around the room, but my mind is elsewhere. A part of me—deep down—wants to shut it all out and charge forward, guns blazing.

The old part of me, the one trained and conditioned by my father’s ruthlessness, is ready to answer his challenge without second-guessing. But that’s exactly what he wants. My father knows me well enough to exploit my anger.

But he doesn’t know how much has changed.

When I glance back, I find Gia’s gaze, her green eyes filled with worry. She has a way of looking at me, a way that makes me want to be someone else. I never thought I’d care about proving myself to anyone.

I know what she’s thinking. After everything that’s happened between us, she thinks I’ll accept the deal, commit the ultimate sacrifice to save her and Matteo. But she doesn’t want me to. Shewants to get our son back, leave this life behind, and grow old together surrounded by a white picket fence.

And Lord knows, there’s nothing I want more than that.

---