Page 31 of Wicked Knight 2

“I miss the hospital.”

“Right.” I rose to my feet. “Can we talk? Alone.” I raised my eyebrows toward Galina and her daughter.

“Sure.” Donata swallowed. “Where to?”

“Our bedroom.” I took in her scent.

When she nodded, I placed my hand on her lower back and ushered her out of the kitchen and toward the upper level. The whole time, she shot furtive glances up at me. I had to admit, this amiable Donata pleased me to no end. Had she finally figured out that leaving wasn’t an option?

My head pounded again as it always did around this time of day. I had a bottle of painkillers waiting for me upstairs, though all I wanted to do was reach out and touch her hand, touch all of her. She stopped in front of the door and waited for me to open it. Or maybe she was too chicken to go inside and be alone with me, while the air around us crackled with electrifying anticipation.

My intense need for her made me forget about my headache and all the work I had lined up for me today. Right now, all I cared about was that Donata was here and not afraid of me—more than that, she was willing. She kept her distance but stayed close enough that her body heat still burned my skin.

I reached for the handle and got a big waft of her scent again. I never knew time could stand still. I didn’t understand why it was happening now as she backed into the room, with her gaze on me as if she was afraid I’d disappear. She had to know I wasn’t going anywhere.

“Donata.” Her name echoed in my head.

Or maybe I said it aloud. At this point, it didn’t matter. I was too far gone. I shut the door behind me and closed the space between us in a single stride. Cradling her neck, I captured her mouth. Her lips were soft and sweet…and kissing me back. In the back of my head, a voice told me something was off. But I didn’t care. After all those nights of seeing her in my dreams, tasting her, I was starved for the real thing.

“Donata,” I whispered, deepening the kiss. She fit perfectly in my arms, just like in my dreams.

“Omigod. Luca.” She wrapped her arms around my neck, pressing her entire body to mine. “You’re back.”

My cock stood at attention. As it were, it was going faster than my brain. Luca? I thrust my tongue past her lips. She let out a small moan and let me in. Fuck. This was like living inside an erotic dream. I didn’t know how or why this was happening, but at the same time, I felt as though this kiss wasn’t our first. Luca? The word finally set in.

Laboring to catch my breath, I stepped back. “Who the hell is Luca?”

“What?” She blinked a few times, scanning the room as if she didn’t know where she was. Her cheeks were a pretty red. Her parted mouth was an invitation for me to get lost inside it again.

“You called for Luca.” I pressed my fingers to my throbbing temple. “Is that the love that’s supposed to come for you.” Anger pooled at the pit of my stomach.

“Wait? What?” She cradled my face. “You’re serious?”

“Serious about not wanting to hear another man’s name on my wife’s lips while I kiss her? The fuck I am.” I reached for her waist and pressed her to my body. “You’re my wife now. I don’t give a flying fuck who this Luca is. You’re mine.”

CHAPTER11

Luca's Doppelganger

Donata

Was this Luca’s doppelgänger? Jesus, what the hell was I saying? Doppelgängers didn’t exist. This was Luca Gallo, my Luca, in the flesh. Did he seriously not remember who he was? Downstairs when he first showed up and clocked Boris in the face, I thought Luca had finally come for me.

But then Belinda called him Maxim, and I realized Maxim and Luca were the same person. I figured maybe Luca pretended he didn’t know who I was while he recovered from his injuries. In his condition, he had no way to get me out of here. But now, I wasn’t so sure. Luca truly believed he was Maxim Belov. He didn’t remember me at all. He didn’t remember us.

Why was it always like this with Luca? Just when I finally got what I wanted, it turned out not to be real. Luca and I were husband and wife. But not really, because there was no Luca, only Maxim. I was married to Maxim Belov. This was so confusing.

“Your wife? You were gone for weeks.” I blew out a breath, meeting Maxim’s gaze.

“It couldn’t be avoided.” He ran his thumb over my lips.

Oh fuck. I missed Luca so much. My eyes fluttered closed. “You have to stop.”

As much as I wanted to be with Luca again, this wasn’t him. This was his face on someone else’s soul. Even the way he looked at me wasn’t the same. Luca loved me. The only thing I saw in Maxim was pure lust, raw and reckless, just like him.

“Why? I can see you want me.” His hot breath brushed my cheek.

Of course, I wanted him. The irony wasn’t lost on me. I once told Galina I couldn’t fall in love with a face. And here I was, madly in love with the man in front of me, only because he looked like Luca.

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