Page 74 of Luciano (Belles & Mobsters 1)

Luciano Vitale in a tux was a breathtaking sight. I have seen plenty of men clean up in a tux but this man… he made the tux look good. IfGQmagazine could snap his photo and plaster it on their pages, these tuxedos would sell out in the shortest millisecond of the century. My breath stuck in my lungs and the most stupid thought stuck in my mind.

Dying while staring at his beautiful face wouldn’t be such a terrible thing. What a dumb thought, but still it remained.

“Not dude. Your soon-to-be-husband.”

The anger on his face quickly extinguished as his eyes roamed my body. Despite the fact this wedding was thrown together at the last minute, I had to admit the dress was exquisite. And the make-up done to my face was minimal and only accented my unusual eyes and soft lips.

The wedding dress was made out of a swathe of white satin. It fit perfectly against my body, accenting every curve. The Swarovski crystals sewn into the bodice glimmered under the lights, accenting my breast and pale neckline. The long train flared behind me for two feet. I wasn’t thin and have never been overly athletic but the way this dress fit made me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world.

“Your hair looks like flames against the satin of that dress.” The tone of his voice surprised me. Instead of mock, disdain, or anger… it almost sounded awed or reverent.

“It’s bad luck to see the bride before the ceremony.” I didn’t know what else to say. The way he looked at me made every single inch of me tremble with anticipation. I was tempted to ask him to tear the dress off me and ravish me right here and now.

“Let’s go get married.”

We were doomed from the moment we said ‘I do’. Yes, I’d held onto hope and I fell head over heels for him. But he certainly didn’t fall for me. Otherwise, he would have trusted me. He would have known that I would have never betrayed him. I couldn’t give someone my body, heart, and soul and then go betray them the next minute.

“Remember our talk, Gracy,” Nonno’s voice stopped the trip down the memory lane. “You are strong.”

After dinner was done, Matteo demanded Luciano give him a bath. While it was a nice break, I felt a bit slighted. I sat on the floor watching Luciano give our son a bath. He was making a mess of it, but I had to give it to him. He was dedicated to it. But then I knew that about my husband. When he decided on something, he put all his energy into it.

His sleeves were rolled up, revealing his strong forearms. Black ink snaked from his wrist up his forearms, and I knew it covered his entire arm. He must be working out a lot because his muscles were toned and strong. I imagined his shirt sliding off his back and tracing my fingers over each muscle on his back. His skin would be warm to my touch. It was always warm to my touch, like a burning heater.

“Grace,” Luciano’s voice pulled me from my lusted mind back to reality.

“Hmmm?” I met his eyes. That gaze used to make me so weak in my knees. I would have done anything for this man. Instead, his ruthlessness and distrust burned it all to ashes. Well, except this damn desire of mine. But I could blame that to my abstinence. All we had done last night apparently didn’t sate my lust for this man.

“So yes?” he asked and I wondered what he was talking about.

“Yes what?”

“You agree to accompany me?”

I frowned. “To what?”

What the hell was he talking about?

“I have an event tomorrow night. Do you agree to accompany me?”

“What event?”

“Just an appearance in the city at the fundraiser.”

I laughed. “You, at a fundraiser?” I retorted sarcastically. “What are you raising money for? Guns? Drugs?”

He didn’t like it, I saw I hit a sore subject. But that was good. I didn’t care about his hurt feelings. I had to remember who he was.

“No, it is a fundraiser for victims of trafficking.” Now that surprised me. “Cassio and I run it, but all the men you met are on the board. Including Raphael Santos.” My eyes flashed to him. He just confirmed my prior suspicion that my uncle lost his Florida connection. “Raphael took over for his father and has a different approach to human trafficking. His brother-in-law and half-sister will be there.”

How nice! A freaking mobster gathering! So they could make themselves feel better.

“No, I won’t go with you.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t want to.” What kind of stupid question was that? “Besides, I have plans.”

“What plans?”

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