Page 38 of His Wife

“But can you, though?” She traces a fingertip along my chest. “Can you do whatever you want while you’re head of the Dark Sovereign?”

“I can do whatever I want,especiallynow that I’m leading the family business. Before, I was bound to my father’s rules and his laws. Now, I can make my own.” I lean back, tucking my arm beneath my head, staring up at the sky, different shades of blue weaving behind white clouds. “But my father’s rules work. His laws keep everything standing, so I have no desire to change anything…except one. The one thing my father and I never could agree on.”

She lays her head against my chest, her cheek warm against my skin. “And what’s that?”

“For the Dark Sovereign to be ruled solely by the Del Rossa family.” Determination floods my veins at the mere thought. “There are five seats at the core of this family business. Right now, it’s me, Nicoli, and Caelian who represent the Del Rossa name. My uncles Roberto and Riccardo take up the other seats.”

“So, Isaia is the only brother who doesn’t have a place in the family business right now?”

“My little brother is a part of the Dark Sovereign whether he has a seat or not.”

Leandra lifts her head off my chest, staring at me. “But he doesn’t have any say? No right to have his opinion heard?”

“Not at the moment, no. But he will have his place once I’m done getting rid of my uncles.”

“But until then, he’s basically an outsider looking in when it comes to his own family.”

I frown as I study her. “What is it about my little brother that always has you defending him?”

She pushes herself up, her perfect hourglass-shaped body naked and fucking beautiful. “I’m not defending him. I’m just trying to see things from his perspective.”

“Why?”

“I already told you why.” She grabs her robe and slips it on, and I prop myself on my elbows.

“Because he walked you down the aisle.”

“Because he showed me kindness.”

“You care for him.” The words burn the tip of my tongue.

“I do,” she admits, her gaze drifting before meeting mine. “I care for him like a brother, Alexius. Nothing more. You know that.”

I scoff. “I do. But it doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

A gentle smile appears on her face, the sun touching the lines of her delicate features. “Would you rather have me not care about your family at all?”

“I have three brothers, and you had to pick Isaia to form this friendship with.”

“What makes him different than Nicoli or Caelian?”

“You didn’t watch Nicoli or Caelian fuck,” I snarl. “Nicoli and Caelian didn’t watch me finger you on our goddamn porch.”

“You did that,” she shoots back. “You decided to play that game with Isaia that night. Not me.”

“I didn’t force you to watch him fuck Melanie, did I?”

She crosses her arms. “I don’t remember you complaining that night in the bathroom.”

“Oh, you mean the night I caught you with your hand between your legs?” I get up, not caring that I’m buck naked, and reach out to touch her cheek. “The night I realized we had more in common than I thought, witnessing the ecstasy in your eyes as I came on your beautiful face.”

“Good times,” she murmurs, and I stifle a laugh.

“Good times.”

My body welcomes her warmth as she reaches up, placing her arms around my neck. “Please tell me Isaia isn’t going to be an issue between us forever?”

I snake my arms around her waist, pulling her tighter against me. “As long as my brother has a dick and balls, I’ll probably feel the way I do now.”

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