“We can’t share a bed,” Aria stammers out, drawing my attention back to her.
“Why not?” I walk over to the bed, pull the covers aside, and sit down, resting my back against the headboard.
“Because this isn’t real. That is why you said no sex.” She looks panicked, and I fucking hate it.
“I’m not going to do anything, Aria. We’re just sleeping. That’s it,” I tell her.
“Right. I didn’t mean to suggest that you would. I mean, why would you even want to? …I get it… I just… I don’t know. This is all so new to me.”
“It’s new to me too,” I remind her. “But we’re friends. Think of it as a sleepover.”
“A sleepover. Okay, I can do that,” Aria says as she climbs onto the bed. She then positions herself as far on the opposite side as she can get before rolling over to face me.
I switch off the light on the nightstand and slide down. Not that I can see shit. We’re now covered in darkness.
“Santo?”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you. I really appreciate what you’re doing for me. I don’t know what I would have done if I didn’t meet you,” Aria says.
“I’m glad I can help. What your father was doing was fucked up,” I tell her.
“I know. But he’s the only parent I have,” she whispers.
“I know a thing or two about fucked-up fathers, Aria. They don’t change. He will always choose himself over you. I’m sorry, and I fucking hate that for you. But you can’t trust him,” I tell her.
“I don’t trust him. I never really have,” she says, then asks, “What happened to your parents?”
“My father killed my mother when we were young. And then he died a year and a half ago.”
“How?”
“His forehead ran into a bullet after he killed my fiancée.” My words are so low I’m not sure if Aria hears them. I’ve never spoken about this to anyone but my brothers. It’s hard to do it now.
“That’s… I don’t know what to say. I mean, I’m sorry you went through that. I’m sorry that you’re still going through it,” Aria tells me.
“Thank you.” I don’t know what to say either.
“You know, if you ever want to talk, I’m a great listener. I won’t judge you or anything. I’ll just listen.”
“Goodnight, Aria.” I roll over and face the other way.
I know I’m not likely to get much sleep tonight. I’m way too fucking sober, for one. Then there’s the fact there’s a woman in my bed. I haven’t had a woman in my bed for a long-ass fucking time. And right now, my dick likes Aria way too fucking much.
Chapter Sixteen
It’s hot. Why is it so hot?
The moment I open my eyes, the events of yesterday hit me. I got married. To a complete stranger. I’m in a fake marriage with a mafia prince. I’m in his bed. And it’s his big, heavy, tattooed arm that’s draped over me right now.
Shit. How the hell did we end up like this? He’s spooning me. My body stills. I don’t know what to do. He’s warm, so damn warm. I feel like I’m burning up. I need to get out of this bed.
Santo tightens his grip around my waist, as if he can read my thoughts. And then I feel it. His dick pressing into my thigh. He’s hard. Like really hard. And big. Why is he so hard? And why is being this close to him doing things to me?
Okay, I know why. It’s because he’s fucking hot. I’m not blind. I might not enjoy sex. That doesn’t mean I don’t get turned on. And right now, I’m so turned on I can feel myself weeping.
I attempt to wiggle out from underneath his arm. Santo stirs and pulls me back against his chest. His hand roams down my stomach until his fingers find my pussy.