Page 80 of Christmas Vows with the Devil

We all rush toward Giancarlo, elbowing our way in to catch a glimpse of the screen. It’s Matteo’s face illuminated by a dim, flickering light. He’s sitting alone, looking small and terrified in the darkness. His eyes are red from crying, his voice shaky as he calls for Gia.

Giancarlo’s expression hardens as he looks up. “This is a warning,” he says, his voice laced with quiet rage. “John knows we’re coming for him, and he’s using Matteo to try to scare us off.”

I can barely hold back the fury, the urge to tear down every wall between me and my son. I glance helplessly around the room, spotting Gia and pulling her into my arms.

She’s not crying, but her face is pale, her mouth in a grim line. She leans into my embrace, letting me hold her just a little too tight.

“He has no idea about the Russos,” she says, her voice low but determined as she steps up beside me. “He thinks it’s only us coming for him. That’s the only advantage we have.”

Russo lays out the details, explaining his plan more clearly. As he speaks, I feel Gia’s hand slip into mine, her touch grounding me, reminding me of the stakes.

I’m not just fighting for myself—I’m fighting for them—for the life I want with Gia and Matteo.

Once the Russos leave to prepare, Giancarlo glances around the room, his gaze landing on each of us in turn. “We have one shot at this. One shot to take him down and make sure Matteo is safe.”

I meet his eyes, and despite the ghosts of the past, there’s a sense of unity in the room, a shared determination that runs deeper than any rivalry, deeper than any loyalty to blood alone.

We’re all here for one reason—to put an end to John Manzo’s reign of terror once and for all.

Chapter Thirty-One

Gia

The evening passes by in silence. We eat a quiet, morose meal in Dante’s dining room—soggy delivery pizza and cold chicken wings. The food is unappetizing, as is the mood.

Aunt Carla tries to cajole us into a card game but even her spirits are no match for the grim reality of what we’re about to do. Eventually, she gives up and falls asleep on the sofa, snoring softly. Everyone else retires to their bedrooms early as well, eager to get some much-needed rest before the big showdown tonight.

Dante and I walk to his bedroom in a daze. I’m exhausted and emotionally spent, and I know he is too. I plop down on the bed and watch him strip away the expensive armor that makes him a man to be feared. He slips off his suit jacket and unbuttons each button of his shirt slowly.

He lets his pants slip to the floor. His boxers follow. And then he’s naked. I study him, biting my lip. He’s built like a Greek god—the aunts were right about that. I admire his tattoos, how they dip and curve over every delicious part of him.

“Shower?” he asks, his eyes glowing in the dimness of the room. I nod, pulling off my clothes, and follow him.

Suddenly, he stops me, pushing me against the smooth wood trim of the bathroom door. We’re facing each other, silently framed by the doorway. A shiver runs through me as his lips trail across my forehead, planting soft kisses down my nose and across my cheeks.

“I love you, Gia.”

“I know,” I say, slipping my arms around his neck. “I’m madly in love with you, Dante.”

“Always have been.”

“Always will be,” I laugh softly, planting a kiss on his chest.

He scoops me up and places me on the bathroom counter as he starts the shower. I watch him without a drop of shame or embarrassment, studying his strong body. My nipples perk up as if they heard a secret call.

Dante turns to face me and grins, seeing the lusty look on my face. “I thought you were tired?”

“I thought I was too,” I say flippantly, hopping down from the counter and sauntering toward him. He winds his arms around my waist, pulling me close to him. That patented Dante scent hits me, strong and homey.

Steam fills the small bathroom and he pulls into the shower stall. It’s the very same one where I almost lost a tooth all those years ago. I giggle at the memory and he smirks, thinking the same thing.

“Think we can manage this without an emergency dental appointment this time?”

“I think we’ve matured enough,” I tell him, pulling him into a deep kiss. He slides his hands up my body, kneading my back, moving down to my ass.

Tonight, I don’t want to take my time. I want him and I want him now. I move to get on my knees and he stops me, pulling me back to him.

“Not tonight, darling,” he purrs in my ear. “If I die tomorrow, I want the last thing I do to be this.”

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