Page 51 of Luca
“Glad I can serve as your amusement,” I remarked dryly.
She was still smiling when she resumed walking, this time without holding my hand. Instead, her palm rubbed her belly absentmindedly. I wanted to touch her stomach, feel my daughter move against my palm so badly that my hands shook.
I shook my head. I had to stay cool, trap her into my plan, and then she’d be mine. We’d be a family.
“Actually, maybe–” I trailed off, feigning as if I was thinking about it when I knew exactly what I wanted. I left the sentence unfinished, waiting.
“Actually what?” she asked curiously.
I covered my mouth, hiding my smug grin. This had to be played right if she was to agree to it.
“I was thinking maybe you and I can help each other.” Her steps faltered again and she turned around, her blue eyes locked with mine.
Fuck, I’d volunteer to drown while staring at her blues. They were deep like the oceans under the bright sun. She shared her eye color with her cousin, Áine, but I felt nothing when I looked her cousin in the eyes.
With Margaret, I felt it all.
It was what caught me off guard that first time we met. And the second. The third time we crossed paths, I was done for. Hers. Although I didn’t realize how long it’d take me to get her to this spot.
“Luca?” Margaret’s voice pulled me back.
I pushed my hand through my hair. No wonder I was fucking obsessed with the woman. “Yeah.”
“You were saying?” Her lips curved into a soft smile. “About us helping each other?” she urged.
Jesus.
She had to remind me of my plan. I had to get my shit together.
“You know that your family won’t give up until you’re married, right?” I started. She didn’t need to answer. I could tell by the look on her face that she knew it. “They’ve been searching for you. Luckily, they’ve been searching in all the wrong places. But what if-” Fuck, if she said no, I didn’t know what to do next. I really didn’t want to force her to marry me. “What if we fool everyone?”
Curiosity sparked in her eyes.
“What do you mean? How?”
“What if you and I get married?” I suggested.
Her eyes widened in disbelief, seconds passed. Then she barked out an incredulous laugh.
“Why would I marryyou? It’s not like we’re even friends! If you recall, I even shot you at one point!”
“It’d be a fake marriage but nobody would know. It’d stop Nonno from harassing me with women. And it’d stop your family from lining up prospects for you.”
A soft snicker left her lips. “Unless you missed this little part, Luca. My prospects usually wind up dead. I may not like you, but I don’t want to be responsible for your untimely demise.” That statement made me flinch. “I don’t think your Nonno would be too happy about that, and I’d hate for him to lose you.”
At least there wasn’t venom in her tone. Her feelings on that score appeared to be changing. Thank fuck. As for the mortality of her past fiancés, well, I had a direct hand in that so it was unlikely that I’d be slitting my own throat any time soon. However, that would probably be the wrong thing to admit right now.
“Not if we get married before we leave Sicily,” I suggested. “Nobody would know but you, me, and Nonno that we’re getting married. By the time anyone else found out, it would be too late.”
She stared at me as if I was crazy. Okay, now that I’ve said the words maybe it didn’t sound so brilliant, but fuck, I needed her wed to me. Before some other fucker tried to take her away from me. It was a miracle some asshole hadn’t tried to playknight in shining armoralready.
Not that he’d live long enough to play the part.
Margaret Callahan was every man’s fucking fantasy come to life. Her gorgeous hair was long enough to wrap it around my fist. Twice. Trust me, I’d done it. This woman had a sharp tongue and a quick, biting wit, but in the bedroom she was all soft and yielding. And her expression as I fucked her… it burned through my skin and straight to my dick.
She was so damn sweet and eager. The only regret I had was that I couldn’t see her entire face as I fucked her that night in Vegas. To see her surrender to me completely, knowing it was me. That was my goddamn dream.
“You’d go that far for your grandfather?” she questioned softly, her tone turning serious. I nodded. “What if you end up dead too?” To her, it was a valid concern even if I knew it wasn’t. “Your grandfather, although a sweet old man, wouldn’t forgive his grandson’s death. And I don’t need more trouble at my doorstep.”
