Page 21 of Twins for the Mafia Heir

Achilles doesn’t seem surprised by that. “How old are you?”

I lie, just as I always do when asked my age, but this time it’s because I’m Raleigh. “Twenty-five.”

He raises an eyebrow. He doesn’t say if he believes me or not. Instead, his hand finds my chin, tilting my face up so I can’t look away. “Twenty-five, hm?” His thumb brushes along my jawline, steady and possessive. “I thought I had the world all figured out in my twenties.” His eyes flicker down, as if weighing his thoughts, before he releases my chin, though he doesn’t move back. “I assumed you’d… it would be… traditional for you to be a virgin.”

I suck in a tight breath. “It would… also be traditional to lose that virginity now that I’m married.”

“Is that right?” He watches me intently, his gaze dark and commanding, and every nerve in my body lights up under his attention.

“Traditional, maybe,” he says, voice cool and steady. “But not necessary. The paperwork is signed. That’s all that matters.”

He pushed me away on the plane, refusing to take advantage of what I was offering him. Achilles has honor. I certainly can’t say that about any of the other men in the dining room below us.

Would he push me away again, if I told him this might be my only chance to have sex with a guy who truly wants nothing from me? I’d prefer that to a man who wants too much.

“This is the rest of my life now,” I tell him, my voice a little weak. “I… I don’t really want to be a virgin forever.”

He nods very slowly, his eyes searching my face. “That would be unfair to you,” he says, like the words are being pulled out of him.

I blink, nausea suddenly churning in my stomach. I’m not trying to guilt him into anything. “If you don’t want to-” I say quickly, but he raises a hand, silencing me.

“What Iwant,” he says firmly, “is not to be responsible for completely destroying your life. But that ship has sailed, hasn’t it?” He pauses, his eyes softening. “The least I can do is give you what you’re asking for on your wedding night.”

A flush rises over my face as he speaks, his tone controlled and steady. He accepted my request so simply, like sex with me means nothing to him. Probably because it does. That’s how it should be, naturally.

But it’s still kind that he agrees.

And as he holds his hand out to me again, I take it.

Chapter 11

Achilles

More than being legally tied to a woman I don’t know or love, more than having to introduce this stranger to my daughter as a new mother-figure, this is what I’ve been dreading.

Taking a new woman into my bed. Touching her, and being touched by her, in any way that reminds me of Madeleine. I haven’t allowed this for three years. There was a part of me that had committed to it never happening again. I’ve craved carnal pleasure, of course, but whenever that craving became too powerful to ignore, I would satisfy myself rather than seek out a brothel.

Then Raleigh sat herself in my lap, and the warm softness of her body awakened a hunger in me that I didn’t expect- and haven’t stopped feeling since. I’m infuriated, insulted, bucking at Fantasia’s orders and disrespect for my grief.

But I’m also… curious to have more.

Raleigh’s hand is clammy in mine as I pull her into the room and close the door behind us. I don’t flip the switch on the wall- the silver moonlight coming in through my windows feels more fitting. I turn to face her, searching the planes of light and shadow on her face. She follows suit, her grey eyes glowing. Ican see the pulse jumping in her neck, see how shallowly she’s breathing.

Is she afraid, or excited?

I squeeze her hand, calling her attention to my face instead of beyond it. “I won’t hurt you, Raleigh,” I promise her.

She nods, but when I step closer, my free hand cupping her cheek, her breath catches hard. “How about this? Close your eyes now,” I order, my voice quiet. Raleigh’s lips part, like she’s going to protest, but I brush my thumb over her eyebrow, coaxing. “Close them, Raleigh. Just for now. Just focus on what you’re feeling.”

Her slender throat works with a swallow, but she does. Despite everything she grants me that trust, and she closes her eyes. It’s like a spotlight being turned off, and I feel the loss of it as much as I feel relieved not to be standing under its gaze. Perhaps it’s foolish of me to put up walls between us when we’re about to be naked in bed together, but if this is going to happen only once, I can’t let myself get too attached.

I release her hand and step over to the door leading between my room and Sidony’s. Mrs. Garrow assured me earlier that she would watch over Sidony during dinner and put her to bed on time, but I lock the door just in case.

Raleigh sucks in a break at the click, but doesn’t move or open her eyes. Returning to stand in front of her, I begin to undress myself. I don’t let myself think about the act, don’t let myself consider how she would look at me if she got to watch me do this. My entire body is already pulsing with anticipation.

“You don’t need to fully undress,” I tell her, remembering her understandable hesitance to take off her bra, even when she faced away from me. “Do you want to keep your shirt on?”

“F-For now,” Raleigh says, too quickly. She swallows. “Please.”

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