Page 78 of Of Desire And Deception

“I wish it were a joke,” Dante groaned, resting his forehead on the top of Olesya’s hair.

The collective gasp and echoes of disbelief made me frown. “Is it so hard to believe?”

“Yes,” Romeo answered immediately. “I’d believe you if you told me you were fucking somebody. But marriage?”

“Get used to it,” I retorted.

“Go on,” Dante interjected. “Tell them the best part of it. Who did you marry, Cosimo?”

“Remi.”

The room went silent, and I scanned the faces of my brothers and sisters, everybody’s mouths agape. They all knew about the FBI agent who’d nearly infiltrated the family. Ilaria was the only one not judging me. She waved her chubby little arms at me and squealed with glee. I was definitely her favorite.

“What does this mean?” Olesya asked, breaking the silence. “For all of us?”

Romeo leaned against Dante’s desk. “I assume if she married you her career with the government is over.”

I looked away. “Not exactly.”

“You’ve put us all at risk,” Riona whispered, clasping Romeo’s hand tightly.

“No,” I said firmly. “I won’t let Remi out of the dungeon until it’s safe.”

“You’re keeping her in your dungeon?” Bianca asked, appalled. “Are you torturing her, too?”

My gaze dropped to the floor. “Not like that. I would never do that to her.”

“Cos.” Dante stepped around his desk, stopping before me. “I want Olesya to check her over.”

“No.”

His palm fell heavily on my shoulder. “If you don’t allow us in, I will remove Remi and put her somewhere I know she’s not a threat to the family, and you’re not a threat to her.”

“If anybody tries to take her from me, it won’t end well,” I vowed, letting my brother see how serious I was. There was no reasoning with me when it came to my wife. I would do anything to keep her, and I couldn’t be held responsible if somebody tried to interfere.

“So you’ll let us see her.” Dante’s brow lifted, urging me to agree. He wasn’t just speaking as my brother, but as my Don.

I nodded. “Fine. You can see her, but she’s not leaving the dungeon.”

“Olesya will make that decision,” he insisted. “We’ll go now. I’ll meet you there.”

“Fine.” I pushed past Romeo and out the door, trying to block out their hushed voices as I strode down the hall and out the door, back to my car. I gunned the engine and took off, knowing I’d only have minutes with Remi before my brother and his wife invaded a space I’d worked to protect.

My breathing was heavy by the time I raced down the basement steps and punched in the code to the dungeon door. I found Remi curled up on her bed, asleep. She’d started letting her guard down more, and the door opening didn’t always wake her. I shut off the music and knelt on the bed next to her, taking in her pale gold hair fanned across the pillow and the way her lips parted slightly in slumber. She looked like an angel encased in a cloud with her white nightdress and bedding.

Leaning close, I breathed her in. She smelled like me now, and my cock hardened as the possessive fucker inside me churned with pleasure. I didn’t want Remi startled awake by Dante, though. I wanted those eyes to open for me alone.

“Remi,” I whispered, threading my fingers gently through her hair. “Wake up, goldilocks.”

“Hmm,” she hummed, burrowing further into the covers.

I pulled the comforter down, stroking along her neck as I leaned down and kissed her forehead and lips until her eyelids fluttered open. There was always a moment when she awoke, with no judgment or anger in her eyes. Before she remembered our sordid reality. I smiled, running my thumb along her lower lip.

“Time to get up.” I pulled her to a sitting position. “Company is on the way.”

“What?” Remi snapped to attention, her body going rigid in my arms. “Who’s coming?”

Her eyes widened with hope that I was about to crush.

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