Page 36 of The Beast

Her soft moan against my lips makes my heart swell and as she holds my face in her gentle hands, I love every single fucking moment of this kiss. It’s as if it’s our first one and all the sweeter for the long wait we’ve suffered to arrive at this point.

There is no need to stop. I could kiss her all night and now we have started, there will be no stopping and as the minutes turn to hours, we just spend them in each other’s arms.

As the night falls into dawn, we have spent every precious minute touching, kissing and smiling into each other’s eyes as we explore what this could be. I don’t press any further because Winter needs to heal, and kissing is a step I never thought we would reach so soon after we came here.

The sun inches its fingers through the drapes and warns us it’s time to rise and I must physically tear myself from my position beside her because we have business to attend to.

“Where are you going?”

She looks anxious and I smile reassuringly. “I should shower and change. Breakfast is at seven and be late at your peril.”

She glances over at the clock by the bed and says with surprise, “We’ve been up all night.”

“So it would seem.” I chuckle and her eyes are wide as she whispers, “I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

‘For keeping you from sleeping. You must be exhausted.”

“Are you?”

She wrinkles up her forehead and I want to kiss every line away. “No. I’m not.”

“Then you have your answer.”

I sigh and say with regret. “You should shower and change, too. Nonna has arranged a change of clothes and after breakfast...”

“What?” She looks anxious and I say gently, “You must spend time with Angelo. He leaves today and will be anxious to check on you.”

“He’s leaving me here?”

“Only if you’re happy about that.”

I am suddenly anxious because what if she wants to leave with them? I never considered that possibility for a second and now I’m not so sure.

“I want to stay with you.” She appears shy as she speaks and the faint blush to her cheeks pulls me by her side in an instant.

Cupping that gorgeous face in my hands, I kiss her long and leisurely and make no secret of my intentions. When I pull back, the spark of desire I see in her eyes mirrors my own and I say roughly, “You are mine, Winter, and you were before you were snatched from my side. Don’t feel guilty about this because you belong here.”

“But how will this work?”

She seems sad all of a sudden, causing me to pull her against me to chase the shadows away.

She whispers, “I can’t be with you, Alessandro.”

“That’s not what I want to hear, baby.”

I growl and try to make light of it, but she pushes me away and says almost bitterly, “The first thing your grandmother told me was that you will inherit the title of Don Majerio.”

“She is right.” I’m a little surprised this is a problem, and Winter sighs and moves across to the window.

“You will need a mafia wife, not a divorced woman like me. Your grandmother told me that and said if I loved you, I would put you first and honor the traditions of a family that abides by them.”

I can’t believe I’m hearing this and say angrily, “Nonna said that.”

“Don’t be angry, Alessandro, she was only speaking fact. Jasmine herself had nothing to say because she ticked all the boxes herself. I am soiled goods; another man’s cast off and I have no right to be your queen. Maybe we should stay as friends for all our sakes because I don’t think I’m strong enough to fight this battle. Not now and it wouldn’t be fair to you either.”

“So, what are you saying?”

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