“Connor!” I scream. Everything begins to pulse and constrict and my inner walls clamp tighter around him. I lift my head up, my hair whipping forward and covering his chest in a dark waterfall. My hands splay over his chest and as the aftershocks continue to pulse through me,
Connor spins me around onto my back, lifts my leg and thrusts hard, pounding into me.
A moment later, he explodes, filling me and we’re both panting hard as trembles rack through our connected bodies. Then he carefully drops to the side, mindful of his arm, and trying to get his breathing under control again.
Once he does, Connor slips out of bed and returns a moment later with a washcloth. Very gently, he wipes between my legs then gets rid of the washcloth and climbs back into bed with me.
After Connor pulls me into his arms, I lift his left hand and pull it against my chest. He tenses slightly, probably because of the scar there, but I need him to know that I love him and accept every part of him.
“Feel that?” I ask, holding his hand over my heart. “It beats for you and only you.”
“You are my heart, cara mio,” he says. “Since the moment we met, I knew it.”
“I want you to know that I love you, Connor. Every part of you–the shadows, the scars, the imperfections.” Then I lift his left hand and press a kiss to his damaged pinkie. “I wouldn’t change a thing.”
I hear him pull in a breath. “I love you so much, Trish.”
“Will you tell me what happened?” I ask softly. Again, I press another kiss to where his poor finger had been cut off.
He momentarily squeezes his eyes shut. Then he starts to tell me the story. “Roberto and I were 16, hanging out with some friends, and we were messing around, daring each other to do stupid shit that young boys do. We saw a fancy Mercedes pull up to the curb and the door opened and your father got out. At that time, we didn’t recognize him, but one of the other kids with us said it was Matthais Volkanov.”
I nod, encouraging him to continue.
“One of the kids dared Roberto to steal the hood ornament. He didn’t want to – we were terrified of the Volkanov family and taught from a very early age to fear you all,”
“I’m especially scary,” I lightly tease him.
His mouth edges up. “Oh, you have no idea.” He sighs, wrapping his hand around mine. “Anyway, I volunteered to do the dare in place of Rob. I snuck over when I thought no one was looking and broke the Mercedes symbol off the hood. Of course, my timing couldn’t have been worse, and his guard caught me. Grabbed me by the shirt and held me there while everyone else ran off.”
“He took you to my father?” I guess.
Connor nods. “Dragged me into the restaurant and right over to the table where he’d just sat down. He ratted me out and I’ll never forget the look your father gave me. I swear there was a flicker of awe and reluctant respect. But that didn’t last. He told me I needed to learn a lesson. When he asked my name, I didn’t hesitate and boldly let him know that I was an Mennetti. Probably not the smartest decision I ever made. I remember his eyes narrowing and the way his hands wrapped around the sharp knife beside his plate.”
Oh, God.
“He asked if I knew what happened when people stole things in other countries. I said no and he said the punishment was harsh and swift. Then he told me that many times, their fingers would be cut off so they’d be marked as a thief and everyone would know. Before I realized what was happening, his guard was holding my hand against the white tablecloth and then… he sliced the top of my finger off.”
My eyes slide shut. “He never should’ve done that,” I say. “He was the adult and should’ve known better. You were just a child.”
“Yeah, well, I remember screaming, wrapping a napkin around my hand and stumbling out to find Roberto waiting on the sidewalk.”
“I can’t imagine how traumatizing that must’ve been for you. I’m so sorry he did that to you, Connor.”
He presses a kiss to my lips then pulls me close. For a long moment, we just hold each other, comforting the other and relishing in our love. But then he sits up, propping his back against the pillows, and turning me around so he can look into my eyes.
“How’s your arm?” I ask.
“It’s okay.” His serious blue gaze searches mine. “I know this might not be the best place to do this, but I don’t care. After what happened earlier, I’m not waiting for the perfect moment because you never know what can happen in life.”
“Every moment with you is perfect, Connor,” I tell him with a smile.
“I love you, cara mio, and I am not going to ever lose you. I know that not everyone in our families approves of us yet, but that’s their problem. Not ours. I refuse to spend another minute without you. Trisha, there’s nothing I want more in this world than for you to be my wife. Will you marry me?”
Tears blur my vision and I throw my arms around Connor, shouting a resounding, “Yes!” He flinches when I accidentally bump his arm and I immediately pull back.
“I’m so sorry!”
A deep laugh erupts from his throat. “For hitting my arm or saying yes?”
“For hitting your arm, silly,” I assure him. “Spending the rest of our lives together, becoming your wife, is all I want.”
His smile is so bright, and it’s been a while since I’ve seen such absolute, true happiness on his handsome face. “Don’t cry,” he murmurs and strokes a thumb at the corner of my eye, catching a tear before it falls.
“They’re tears of happiness. I promise.”
“Those are the only tears allowed when you’re with me, cara mio. I only want you to be happy and if you ever aren’t, just tell me so I can fix the problem.”
“The only problem right now is our families,” I murmur thoughtfully.
“They may never be fully onboard with us,” he warns in a low voice. “Does that change things?”
I shake my head. “No, of course not. Besides, I always thought getting married was more about the couple, anyway. I don’t want a big wedding, Connor. I only want you.”
He mulls over my words for a minute then leans in and presses his lips against mine. The kiss is tender and full of so much love that I can barely stand it. When we finally break apart, he locks eyes with me and says, “Let’s get married tomorrow. Just me and you.”
“Really? You’d be okay with that?”
“Absolutely. And then we’ll tell my family and see how it goes.”
“One step at a time,” I murmur.
“Exactly.”
I pull my lower lip into my mouth and chew it thoughtfully. “Connor?”
“Hmm?” He’s pressing kisses along my throat, and it tickles. Pulling back with a squeal, I grasp his precious face in my hands. “I want Roberto to be there, too. If that’s okay?”
Emotion and gratitude flash over his face. “I’d really like that,” he says, settled then. You, me and your twin.”
“I love you, Trish. So damn much.”
“And I love you,” I tell him, pulling him in for another soul-searing kiss. I’m so close to my happy ending with Connor and I send up a silent prayer that nothing will ruin what we’ve worked so hard to find.