Page 7 of Lorenzo's Claim

Lorenzo gripped the back of my neck tightly, pulling me into him as he towered over me. He pressed his lips against my own, catching me off guard. This bastard tried to put on a show for whoever was watching, and I wasn’t having it.

I had never kissed anyone before, and I didn’t plan on this man being the one that made me weak in the knees. His fingers tangled in my hair, and by that point I was done. I nipped his lower lip with my teeth, tasting blood instantly. He pulled back just enough to silently let me know what a massive mistake I’dmade, but I didn’t care. It was worth it just to get this asshole off of me.

“It seems I’ve got myself a livewire.” He chuckled, his tongue clearing the blood from his lip. “I think we’re going to have some fun, wife.”

“Fuck off with that wife shit. I’d rather not be reminded.”

“Alright, Ana,” he said with a lopsided smile.

“I allow very few people to call me Ana, only people who are dear and close to me. You, Ricci, will never be close enough.”

“You can’t get much closer than a husband,” he whispered against my ear.

“Husband on paper, that’s all. Don’t expect anything other than that.” I turned to the guests who were still clapping and smiling as I readied myself to walk towards wherever I was needed next.

Lorenzo took my hand in his, almost crushing it in his vice grip. “Not so fast, princess.”

“Unless you want to bleed to death in your sleep, I suggest you stop with the nicknames,” I threatened through a fake smile.

“I look forward to the challenge.”

He took the first step. I had no choice but to follow, my parents beaming with pride, which sickened me to my core. How could they sit there clapping and smiling when they did this?

“From here on out, you’re mine,” Lorenzo added.

“I’m nobody’s, especially not yours.”

And I never would be.

3

I was recalculatingthe plan in my head as I led the little live wire back up the aisle. Her hand was drowned by my own as it fit perfectly within my calloused palms. The warmth of her skin against mine wasn’t something I was used to.

I couldn’t say I completely hated it, but then again, I didn’t like it either. It was an unusual feeling, and one I didn’t plan on working out. She was a pawn in my game, that was all. Nothing more, nothing less.

“I’m nobody’s, especially not yours.” Anastacia scoffed with disgust as we stepped outside, away from family and guests.

“Oh, really?” I smirked as we rounded the corner out of sight. I pressed her delicate body up against the stone wall. She didn’t falter or seem to fear me. Her eyes never left mine. I couldn’t quite work out if she was challenging me or staring into my soul. “Every inch of you is mine, wife. You belong to me, and there is nothing you can do to change that.” Her lips parted slightly as the gentle breeze blew her hair, the scent of her floral perfume filling the air around us.

“There is plenty I can do to change that. And most include you being six feet under,” she threatened, her anger rearing itsugly head. “Now, can we get whatever shit you’ve planned over with so I can get this dress off?” She sneered, a smile threatening the corners of my lips as she continued. “And no, you aren’t taking my dress off. If you ever try it, you’ll lose all ten fingers along with something else.”

Shit, this was going to be harder than I thought. She didn’t seem like the type that was easy to break and dispose of.

“Anastacia, I think you seem to forget who you’re speaking to.” There was no hint of humour in my voice, and she knew she was crossing the invisible line, but she didn’t seem to care. She was already getting on my last damn nerve. “Do you know what I do to people who speak to me the way you have over the last hour?”

“No, and quite frankly, I don’t give a shit what you do to people with an attitude like mine, and do you know why?” She smirked.

“Enlighten me,” I said, her eyes twinkling with happiness at getting to explain herself.

“Because you should see what I do to people with an attitude likeyours.” She leaned into me, her tits now pressed against my chest. She craned her neck to look up at me, her once icy blue eyes darkened with mischief. “I was trained by Aleksander Fedorov. He taught me every single thing he knew. Things that would make your insides churn and your toes curl.” Her mouth hardened as she finished her sentence.

I had heard of Aleksander Fedorov. There wasn’t a person in our world that hadn’t. He was as psychotic as they came. A brutal bastard who trained his son to be a carbon copy of himself, and by the sounds of it, he chose Ana over Miles to focus on. A choice some may have frowned upon, but seeing her here now… He made the right choice. She wasn’t some delicate Mafia princess who wanted her husband's credit card for fancy shit. No, she was something else entirely. The plan would neverchange on my part, no matter how turned on I was by her attitude. It would be harder to execute, but I could do it. I had no doubt in myself.

“I may have married you, Ricci, but believe me, don’t think for one minute I’ll be sharing a room with you, sharing a bed, or even breathing the same air as you,” she snapped, trying her best to remove herself from my hold that only got tighter every time she wriggled.

“You sound so sure of yourself, wife.” I chuckled, narrowing my eyes as she rolled hers. “But you should know, I don’t like playing games as much as you seem to enjoy them,” I whispered in her ear, my lips brushing her earlobe.

“I don’t see myself enjoying anything when I’m in your presence.” She grimaced, her words spilling from her mouth like venom.

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