Page 108 of Ruthless Oath

“Believe me, I thought about it.”

“What changed your mind?”

“I’m not going to give all my secrets away.” He winked.

I fed him another piece of the brownie.“What do you think?”

“They are moist.” He smirked. “Kind of like something else.”

“Is that all you think about?” I giggled and bit into my own piece. The brownie practically melted in my mouth.

Marchello lowered his gaze to my lips as I chewed. “It’s your fault because you’re so delicious.”

“Am I?” I took another bite, licking the crumbs from my bottom lip.

“Sweeter than anything I’ve ever tasted.” He moved the plate from my lap and set it on the desk before caressing my cheek with the backs of his fingers. “You seem to have captivated me, princess.”

“Lucky you.” I brushed my thumb along his jaw. “I’m very particular about who I give my time to.”

“I don’t think you had much of a choice in this case.” He swiped his lips along mine, stopping for a soft kiss. “I’ve taken all of your time.”

“More like you’ve stolen all of my time, but I don’t mind.” I shimmied closer to him and draped my arms over his shoulders. “You’re growing on me.”

“I’m growing on you?” He laughed harder than I’d ever seen him laugh before. The sound came from deep inside his chest and lit up his whole face. He was beautiful.

“What’s so funny?” I couldn’t help but laugh with him.

“Nothing, your highness.” He kissed me long and slow. “Nothing at all.”

The closeness of that moment spoke volumes. For the first time since meeting, it seemed we were meant for one another. We were finally on the same page.

Too bad I’m about to blow it all to hell.

But that was what I did. Every time something worked in my life, I decided it wasn’t enough. I always needed more. Things could always be better. I always wanted what someone else had. I had to have the best. I needed to be the best. And then, once I grew bored, I moved on to the next big thing.

The spoiled mafia princess who always got her way. Her father gave her everything and then some. That was what they said about me.

Stop it! Not this time.

No, this time I was trying to put Marchello and his family before me. I wanted to stop what was brewing between our families before it was too late.

I got up from the bed and smoothed out the comforter that I wouldn’t be falling asleep in, wrapped in Marchello’s arms after we made love. Would he miss me as much as I would ache for him?

Would I even be able to sleep without him?

I took a deep breath. The sooner I got this over with, the sooner we could be together.

I shuffled down the hallway, trying my best not to cause the stairs to squeak as I placed my foot on each one. I didn’t want to have to face Ricardo. I had already made him enough of an accomplice. He didn’t deserve Marchello’s wrath.

When I turned the handle on the door, I paused for a moment. A strange sensation of guilt came over me because Marchello must have trusted me to have not locked me in while he was away.

He would soon learn to regret that mistake. I could envision the furious look in his eyes when he realized I had left him. He wouldn’t understand my choice. Not right away. But in time, he would accept what I had done. He would see that I was forging a path for the two of us to be together.Wouldn’t he?

I couldn’t think about that now. I had to leave while I could. As soon as I got to my father, I would plead my case.

What a long way I had come since the night Marchello kidnapped me. That night, he was the enemy I could use to help me get out of that vile arranged marriage. But now…

I walked away from the safe house, rage simmering within me. How had my father even asked that of me? What kind of parent married off their daughter against her will, especially to a man like Danny?

---