Page 70 of Ruthless Oath

I tilted her chin and slowly kissed her, trying to channel my thoughts of anger and frustration into something that would make her understand who I was.

“You should take a relaxing bath,” I said. “You’re going to be sore.”

“Will you join me?”

“I have to work.” I got off the bed and found my pants. “I have a long night ahead of me.”

“You’re going to work now?” She sat up. “After we…”

I pulled on my pants and scooped my shirt off the floor.

“Princess.” I walked back over to the bed and caressed her face. “My associates don’t care that we just fucked.”

My harsh words caused her beautiful lips to curve into a frown, but I couldn’t contain my frustration over the mess I had made with my business.

I needed space tonight. Forgetting it all and just getting lost in her would be so easy, but I had duties and obligations. My family counted on me, and I had already failed them so miserably.

“Marchello…” she began, and already I could feel my demeanor softening in a way I couldn’t afford.

“Not another word or the next time I get into bed with you, I’ll use you in such a way that no shower will ever make you feel clean again.” I pulled on my shirt. “I’ve had enough distractions tonight.”

Sixteen

Lissia

I shiftedin my seat on the chilly screened-in porch, trying not to wince, but pain was pain. No matter how pleasurable the sex had been, today I learned the meaning of consequences.

Telling Marchello I would leave him ten minutes after we were intimate probably wasn’t my best idea.

But would the physical discomfort I was currently feeling make me turn him down if he came in here and bent me over the table?No.

Ricardo draped a fleece throw around my shoulders as I ate my breakfast. “If you’re going to insist on sitting out here, at least stay warm. We don’t want you catching a cold.”

“I’m pretty sure you don’t catch a cold by being cold.” I finished my grapes. “But thank you for taking such good care of me this morning.”

It is nice thatsomeonewants to.

Marchello never made it back to bed last night, and as much as I swore to myself that his absence so soon after us being together didn’t hurt my feelings, I was lying. Would that make me turn him down?The answer is still no.

“According to my nonna,” Ricardo said, “a very wise woman, I might add, the cold does make you sick.”

“Well then, thank you for the blanket.” I raised my fancy flute filled with a sparkling mimosa to him. “And for this incredible breakfast.”

“My pleasure.” He sat across from me.

“Did you spend a lot of time with your nonna when you were growing up?”

“I went to Italy every summer to visit her. She taught me to cook.”

“My grandmother lived with us when I was growing up. She wasn’t much of a cook, but she loved to shop.” I giggled. “We would spend hours on Fifth Avenue.”

“I’m sure you learned a great deal.”

“I learned how to spend a lot of money in a short period of time.”

“A very useful skill.”

“When my parents got divorced, she moved to Florida. I visited her a few weeks ago. She’s running for president of her condo association.”

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