Page 78 of Twisted Obsession

‘I’m so sorry,’ she offered.

‘Do you want to be married to me, Giovanna?’ I stilled, as I waited for her answer, knowing it was a pivotal moment in the rest of my life.

‘Yes.’ She answered without thinking, and my heart leapt.

‘Then why are you sorry?’

‘All those years ago, I should have had more faith in you.’ With her other hand she reached up to stroke the side of my face.

‘Maybe?’ I replied. ‘But… as much as I hate your brother, after working for him for a few years I can appreciate that he was right. He would have appeared weak and that, without a doubt, would have meant instability for our families.’

‘I suppose so,’ she conceded, her face appeared crestfallen, and her hand dropped away from my face.

‘But that was then, and this is now.’ I lifted one of her hands back up and held it to my face, relishing her touch.

Slowly, with her eyes on mine, I lowered my mouth to hers and gently kissed her lips a few times. Taking my time with each small connection to let her know how I once felt about her and still did.

‘What can we do?’ she questioned, as I lifted my mouth away from hers to look into her eyes.

‘The good news is our marriage was real and the Pope couldn’t have annulled it.’ I smiled at her as I spoke.

‘No? Why?’

‘You and I were married in a protestant church.’ I couldn’t help giving her a quick wink with the news I’d just imparted.

‘We were?’ Her voice sounded full of hope, and once again my heart soared.

‘Yep,’ I acknowledged. ‘Only the archbishop of the Church of England could have annulled it, as a protestant marriage isn’t under the Pope’s jurisdiction.’ I wasn’t sure if what I’d said was correct, but it sounded logical to me. It wasn’t that I wanted to trick her, I just wanted it to be true.

‘So, we’re still married?’

‘Almost.’ I released my hand from hers and placed a thumb and forefinger on her chin to secure her gaze.

‘Almost?’ she enquired, with her eyes opening wider.

‘Whether catholic or protestant, a marriage between a man and a woman is only considered legal after it’s been consummated.’

‘Oh.’ She spoke softly and I licked my lips, tasting her breath there.

‘Now, wife of mine. Take that other man’s ring off your finger.’ I couldn’t control the vehemence in my voice as I spoke.

‘It’s not his fault,’ she whispered as she started to do as she was instructed.

‘I don’t want to know, just get rid of him and his claim on you. You were made for me, and me only—now, tell me!’ I demanded.

‘I’m yours, and no one else’s.’ I felt her move, as she pulled the ring off her finger and heard as the gold hit the floor beside the bed.

Finally, I felt the shift of change.

Bending down towards her, I put my arm around her. Feeling her feverish skin against my forearm I pulled her up tight against my body. Her breathing instantly changed. Gone were the deep breaths she’d been taking previously. They’d been replaced with her inhaling short, shallow intakes of air that let me know she was as affected by me as she’d been years before. Spurred on, I threaded my fingers into the soft, silky hair at the back of her neck, and with my eyes focussed on hers, I wrapped the long hair around my hand with slow, calculated precision. Then I pulled sharply to tip her head back. A small gasp left her open mouth, and it travelled straight down to my groin.

‘Giovanna, do you want to be married to me?’

‘I do.’ Her eyelids fluttered as she spoke.

‘Do you give yourself to me body and soul.’

‘I do.’

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