Page 226 of Merciless Desires

She hesitated, so I continued.

“I made this for you, amorina.”

Slowly, Marcella took the plate and sat up. She stared down at the cutlets and roasted vegetables and sliced into the chicken. I watched as she raised the fork to her lips and finally ate.

“Was that so hard?”

“Yes,” she murmured, and I was certain I saw a hint of a smile. “Your chefs use too much garlic.”

“I will hire new chefs.”

Her smile slipped away, and she peered down at her dish. “Since you hired someone to look after Mamma…are you responsible for hiring a new cook for my family?”

I frowned. “The safety of your family is important to me, amorina.”

“And Silvia is important to me. She is our family.”

Cazzo. The cook was one of the few who didn’t pass the background check.

“She has worked for us for as long as I can remember. You need to get rid of whoever is there now and get Silvia back,” Marcella stated and peered up at me as she chewed a roasted carrot.

Clearly, she was very determined when it came to her family.

“I do, huh?”

“Yes. Happy wife, happy life, right?” She was grinning again.

Good.

“Is that how the saying goes, amorina?” I leaned closer. “Then what do I need to do to get you out of this room?”

“Let me go home,” she replied quickly, and frowned when I sighed.

“I can’t.”

“You can,” Marcella countered and placed her plate to the side.

She got to her knees, the blanket falling away entirely. She was wearing a deep pink tank top with little black dots and matching shorts.

She was going to be the death of me. I knew she was beautiful, but this…the fact that she was mine was enough to drive me insane. I’d spend the rest of my days obsessing over every inch of her if she gave me the chance.

“I need to be with my family…” Marcella began, reaching for me. She gripped my shirt and turned me fully to face her. “Please, Matteo.”

I could get used to hearing her beg, especially when she was begging my name.

“If I say you can visit, will you come downstairs?”

“Why do you want me downstairs?”

I placed a hand over hers. “I have something to show you.”

“When can I visit? Today?”

I shook my head. “It is too late, amorina.”

“Tomorrow, then.” She countered and drew me in. “You’ll let me go tomorrow.”

“I’m not keeping you as a prisoner…”

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