Forced To Be The Mafia King's Bride (by Oma Green) novel Chapter 204

Dante's POV

But I stopped myself, barely.

I pulled back just enough to look at her, my breathing as ragged as hers.

"You need to understand something. I would hate to ruin tonight's deal by putting a bullet in someone's hand because they couldn't keep their eyes off my wife."

Her eyes widened slightly, but then that playful smile returned. She was enjoying this, enjoying pushing me.

"Then maybe you should keep better control of yourself."

"It's not me I'm worried about controlling."

"So what?" She tilted her head, her fingers playing with my collar. "You want me to tell every man who looks at me that he's risking his life?"

"That would be a good start." My thumb stroked along her thigh, and she shivered again. "Say no. Save a life. It's that simple."

She laughed, genuinely laughed, and the sound made my chest tighten.

"You're too jealous."

"Jealousy doesn't even begin to cover what I feel when another man looks at you the way I want to look at you."

Her smile turned softer, more genuine. Then suddenly, her expression shifted, becoming more serious.

She stepped closer, her hand sliding up my chest to rest over my heart.

"Don't leave me alone for too long tonight."

"Gianna..."

"I'm serious, Dante." Her eyes locked with mine. "You know I have a weakness for wandering, especially when I'm bored."

A warning and a challenge all at once.

I scowled.

"You wouldn't dare."

"Wouldn't I?" That defiant spark returned to her eyes, brighter now. "I'm not going to be your arm candy, standing in the corner waiting for you to remember I exist. I told you that before."

She had, back at the estate, when we had argued about her role in all of this.

"You won't be standing in any corner." My tone was terrifying. "You'll be with Vera."

"For how long? An hour? Two?" She tilted her head, studying me. "What if I get restless?"

"Then you stay restless."

"That's not very convincing."

My hand moved from her thigh to the back of her neck, pulling her closer.

"I'm not trying to convince you. I'm telling you how it's going to be."

"And if I don't agree?"

"Then I'll have to find other ways to keep you in line."

"Promises, promises." But her voice had gone breathy again, affected by my proximity and my touch.

"Try me," I dared her, my lips hovering just above hers. "Leave Vera's side tonight, wander off into some conversation with men I don't know, and see what happens."

"Maybe I will."

"Maybe you'll regret it."

Then she leaned in, her lips close to mine, her breath brushing against mine.

"You mentioned a deal earlier. What is it about?"

My entire body tensed.

I had been so distracted by her beauty, by the heat between us, that I let my guard slip.

"This deal shouldn't concern you," I said, my voice carefully neutral.

Her brows furrowed.

"But you just said..."

"It's business." I cut her off, redirecting. My hand moved from her thigh to her face, cupping her cheek. "Nothing you need to worry about."

But she wasn't backing down. Instead, she pressed closer, her fingers gripping my jacket.

"I want to know how Mafia business operates, Dante. I'm capable of understanding. I'm not some delicate flower who needs to be protected from reality."

My brows arched, surprised.

"Gianna."

"I'm serious." Her eyes blazed with determination. "I don't know what this deal is that has taken you away from me throughout our honeymoon, but I want to understand. Why can't I sit in on this important meeting?"

My heart rate spiked.

She wanted to sit in on the meeting, the meeting where Roberto and I would discuss the final details of capturing Lorenzo.

"That's not possible," I said, keeping my voice even.

"Why not?"

"For your safety..."

"We should go inside," she whispered, though she made no move to step away.

"Not yet."

I kissed down her jaw, along her neck, finding that spot that made her gasp. My hand slid back to her thigh, my fingers teasing the edge of her dress again, higher this time. She trembled against me.

"Dante, there are people..."

"I know." I pulled back reluctantly, every instinct tugging at me to keep going, to take her right here against the tree. "That's why I need to make something very clear."

"What's that?" Her voice was breathy, dazed.

I leaned down, my lips brushing against her ear.

"Tonight, you're mine. Every look, every smile, every breath. Mine. And if any man in there forgets that, I'll remind him in a way he won't forget."

She shivered, and I felt her nails dig into my shoulders.

"You're insane."

"About you? Absolutely."

"You know, you never answered my question from earlier," she said, her voice still breathless.

"Which question?"

"What you would give me in return for sticking to all these rules." Her fingers traced patterns on my chest, teasing. "You make all these demands, but what do I get?"

The question hung between us for a moment.

"What do you want?" I asked, though I already knew.

"All of you." Her voice dropped to barely a whisper. "Your heart."

The words hit me square in the chest.

She stared up at me, vulnerable and hopeful, and so beautiful it hurt.

For a moment, I saw Esme's face, my late wife, the woman I'd loved with everything I had, the woman Lorenzo had taken from me. I had thought I'd never love again. I had been certain that part of me had died with her.

But standing here with Gianna, feeling my heart pound against my ribs, I knew I had been wrong.

The irony wasn't lost on me. Falling for the daughter of the man who had destroyed my life.

"And you think you don't have it already?" The words came out rougher than I intended, filled with honesty I hadn't planned to give her.

Her eyes went wide.

"You've never said..."

She trailed off, but I knew what she was waiting to hear.