Page 110 of The Devil's Den

“Yes, my lady.” He hands me the bouquet with a bow and a giggle jumps out of me.

“So…” I take his hand and hold it tight. “Where are we going exactly?”

“Oh, you’ll see.” He tugs me out the door just as I turn back to wave at the three women who are all giddy with excitement.

As we exit, I see his brothers, waiting by a black SUV. Are they all taking us? I definitely can’t drive yet. Chiara has been teaching me though, but I’m still a little nervous.

“Have fun, you two.” Enzo throws a set of keys at Matteo who easily catches it.

“Wait, what?” I jerk my head back at Matteo whose only response is a tiny, crooked smirk, refusing to make eye contact. He opens the passenger side door. “Are you driving?” I ask while he helps me to my seat.

“Yes, baby, I am.” My stomach rolls. I’ll never get sick of hearing him call me that. He puts on my seat belt with a laugh. “Are you scared?”

“Ahhh…” I pull my lips back in a grimace. “Kinda?”

“Don’t be,” Enzo shouts. “He’s a natural. Just watch for the turns. May wanna hold on.”

“Shut up.” Dante swats him on the chest, but that only gets Enzo chuckling.

Matteo makes it around the car and hops in, pulling on his own seat belt.

“When did you get your license?” I ask him, placing the bouquet on my lap.

He puts the car in drive and we’re pulling away. “Today.” He grins. “I wanted to surprise you. Are you surprised?”

I lean back into the leather, unable to take the smile off my face even if I tried. “Just a little.”

“Good, because I’m not done yet.”

* * *

MATTEO

We arrive at a park my brothers had said would be the perfect spot for what I had planned. It isn’t grand, but it’s ours, something we wanted long ago.

There was a time I stopped believing in hope and a better tomorrow, that days like this would never be possible. But here we are. We made it out. And every day, I swear to make her life better than the day before. Because I’m hers and she’s mine, and it’s my job to make her happy.

She gasps, her eyes taking in the beauty of nature. “Is this a meadow?” she asks with awe basking in her voice.

“It is.” I lift our joint hands to my mouth, kissing the top of hers.

“Wow,” she breathes, her gaze wandering to the bright-colored flowers we walk through. Purple, yellow, orange—it’s like every color of the world is right here beneath our feet. Ours to touch. To feel.

I take her to the spot I had already arranged. My eyes catch sight of the picnic blanket and large basket my brothers had given me, along with a CD player that looks almost like the one she had in the basement. Everyone was in on it. I wanted to do something special for her and I hope I succeeded.

“Matteo…” She stills, blinking back tears as she glances at me, a hand against her chest when she finally sees the stuff on the grass. “This is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me.”

“It’s not enough.” I face her, pulling her body to mine. “You deserve it all, baby. And I’m going to make sure I give it to you.”

Her warm exhales skim across my lips as our mutual gaze deepens, the air thickening with the power of our love.

My cock grows hard the more she stares, the more she rises on her feet, leaning into my mouth, her lips hovering against mine, panting heavily. With another rush of a breath, she kisses me desperately.

My heavy growl slices through the air as I grab the back of her head, her soft strands slicing in between my fingers. I kiss her roughly, groaning when her nails dig into my back.

My tongue invades her mouth, snaking around hers, those little whimpers only making me want her more.

With a quick move, I lift her into the air, my arms under her ass, hers holding on to me around my neck as I take us to the blanket. I lay her body down, mine over hers, our mouths still ravaging.

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