“There’s something I’d like to say. I’ll make it brief. Jillian, when I first met you, I knew you were different. I had a very strong feeling you’d change my son for the better, that you’d bring the light and love and laughter to him that had been missing for most of his adult life. You’ve done more than that. You’ve made him a better man, and I didn’t even think that was possible. Lina and I are ecstatic to call you our daughter, now and forever. I could never fill your father’s shoes, and I don’t even want to try because he had to be a very good man to raise such a wonderful daughter as you. But I hope you’ve saved a small place in your heart for me to be your new dad.”
Wiping the tears from my cheeks, I rose up on my toes and kissed Vincenzo’s cheeks. “I love you, Dad. You have a very special place in my heart, and you always will. Thank you for everything you said. Words can’t express how much it means to me.”
When Vincenzo took his seat next to Mama Lina, Damon and I turned to face the priest. The vows were a blur because all I could think about was how happy I was, how happy he still made me after everything we’d been through. A family bigger than I ever could’ve hoped to have. Our twin babies that would join us in only a few months. The sister I never had. But most of all, I was marrying a sexy as hell, dangerous bad boy, secret romantic, protective alpha man who showered me with love and spoiled me to no end.
“You may now kiss the bride.”
In true Damon Marchetti fashion, he broke tradition when he circled his arms around me, dipped me with a sudden lurch to the side, and turned me into putty in his hands with his obscenely inappropriate but insanely hot and sensual kiss. Public display of affection? No. Had a cop been present, we’d have been arrested for having public mouth sex.
The priest presented us to our guests as Mr. and Mrs. Damon Marchetti, and we were greeted by loud cheers and thunderous applause. Damon leaned over to me, kissing me on the cheek before whispering in my ear.
“You’re all mine now, doll. I have papers on you to prove it.”
“What a coincidence. You’re all mine too, and I have the same papers to prove it.”
“Abso-fucking-lutely. Speaking of fucking, can we tell everyone to get out now? We need to consummate our marriage as soon as possible.”
“No. We have too much cake to eat for everyone to leave just yet. But I’m sure I need help with my zipper or something.”
“Fuck the zipper. I have a better idea.”
We walked back up the aisle arm in arm and with smiles so big I thought our faces might permanently freeze that way. The family began filing out of the great room and moving outside onto the covered terrace, where the cake and finger foods were laid out for our reception. But Damon steered us in the opposite direction, toward the library on the opposite side of the house.
“What are you doing, Damon?”
“I wasn’t kidding, doll.” He closed and locked the door behind us. “Now, this may seem a little familiar, but since we still have to take a bazillion pictures, this position will have to do for now. Bend over the back of the couch and hold on to something. Tight.”
He lifted the back of my dress and hissed when he saw I wasn’t wearing any panties. I heard his zipper lower. A hand gripped the back of my neck before he positioned his cock at my entrance, sliding it up and down me, teasing and driving me out of my mind. Then with a sudden thrust, he filled me so fully I felt my delicate skin stretch. The hand on the back of my neck squeezed, and then he placed his other hand on my hip. His deep lunges at that angle hit the sweet spot every time, making my body crave him more with every movement.
Though it was the same thrilling sensation he’d always given me, our union was also different that time. We were literally one person, our bodies so connected it was impossible to tell where one ended and the other began. Our love and our life together felt the same way—only whole and complete when we were together. Mad with love and insane with need that only intensified when he was inside me. The feeling of being so completely loved and worshiped while also feeling so completely satiated by the one man who was capable of taking me to the highest highs.
Unquestionable. Unstoppable. Unyielding.
Passionate. Consuming. Relentless.
Our love for one another matched the ferocity of our lovemaking in every way. The words he spoke, the pleasure he gave, and his fingers digging into my skin created the perfect storm of hedonism and decadence. I was unable to hold back any longer. The free-falling sensation began low in my abdomen and quickly spread until I couldn’t stop the shudders and shakes that tore through me. Feeling my violent and forceful release, Damon followed close behind me before his upper body collapsed onto my back while supporting his weight with his arms on either side of me.
“Mrs. Marchetti, I think you’re already trying to kill me. That was so fucking hot.”
“Mr. Marchetti, if I were trying to kill you, it would be with a knife at your throat while you slept. Not while you’re making me scream your name in ecstasy.”
He chuckled and kissed the back of my neck, where I was sure the light bruises from his hold on me would begin to show within the hour. Not that I minded, but I did hope our wedding guests were well on their way out the door by that time.
After cleaning up, we rejoined the festivities on the terrace. Cutting the cake, feeding each other, throwing the bouquet and garter—all the traditional wedding activities. We also took more pictures than should be allowed, but I knew once I saw them, I’d cherish them all. Then a slow song came over the speakers, drowning out the multitude of conversations and making everyone pause to watch as Damon and I had our first dance as husband and wife.
After several lines of the familiar love song, I glanced away from Damon for a split second—long enough to see Carrie step into Lorenzo’s arms, and their bodies began to sway as one.
“You invited Lorenzo.” I jerked my eyes back to Damon, his knowing smirk squarely in place. “Are you turning soft, Damon?”
“I’ve already shown you once today exactly how hard I am. Sounds like I need to prove it to you again.”
“Don’t play dumb with me, husband.” I chuckled at the mere thought. “Thank you for doing that. You made your sister very happy.”
“As long as he’s good to her, I’m okay with it. What I care about most is that you’re happy, wifey.”
“I have you. How could I not be?’
When the wedding party left and the house was finally quiet, we changed into our comfortable pajamas, settled on the overstuffed sectional sofa in his newly decorated man cave, and relived the entire day through each other’s eyes.
The next day, we’d leave for Maui to enjoy our two-week honeymoon before my ban on travel started. But for that night, we were lost in each other and the miracle of love that brought and kept us together.
“When we get back from Maui, Mama and Dad are taking an extended trip to Italy. They’ll be back before the babies are born, but Dad will hand over the keys to the kingdom to me before they leave. So, for the two weeks we’re away, we’ll simply be Damon and Jillian—madly in love newlyweds with no other cares in the world. Sun, sand, sea, and sight-seeing like two normal tourists.”
“You won’t hear any complaining from me. I get you all to myself for two solid weeks. No sharing you with anyone else for any reason. No cell phones. No computers. No communication with the outside world at all. If there’s an emergency, they’ll have to call the hotel. Deal?”
“I completely agree. Totally alone. We can even stay in the room naked the whole time and leave the phone off the hook. That’s a fucking deal right there.”
23
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Damon
“Doll, it’ll be fine. Trust me.”
Famous last words of a fool.
Our honeymoon was two weeks of pure bliss on some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The crystal-clear water, the beautiful flowers, the lush vegetation, the perfect weather—we couldn’t have custom-ordered
a better vacation than the time we spent in Hawaii, lounging in the sand, soaking up the sun, and playing in the surf. But then we had to return to reality. And…
“You’re not the one being put on modified bed rest with almost three months left before your due date.” The forlorn expression on her face wasn’t an exaggeration. My high-energy wife was suddenly told to sit down and stay put.
“I tried to tell you—”
“If you dare to say I told you so right now, so help me God, you’ll see me become deranged right before your eyes.” She cut her tense gaze up at me and waited for me to amend my original statement.
“I strongly suggested we wait until after the babies were born to make the trip to Maui. I’m afraid the extensive flight time may have been a contributing factor. You know, it’s still possible the doctor could lift the restrictions after a couple of weeks—if you can behave until your next appointment.”
“Well, I really don’t have a choice except to behave, do I? All my furniture shopping will have to be finished online, or with your mom walking around the store while talking to me on FaceTime. I’ll have to bring someone in to decorate the nursery because I can’t do it myself now. All my plans just went down the drain.
“And he won’t change his mind after a couple of weeks, but I don’t think this has anything to do with our trip. Dr. Bowers had already warned me that this would probably happen around the seventh month.”
She’d hit an energy spurt when we got back from our vacation. She suddenly wanted to clean, organize, and finish every room in the house. Immediately. The extended shopping sprees came to a screeching halt after our prenatal appointment one morning a week after we arrived back home. The doctor said she was only allowed on her feet no longer than the time it took to shower because of the weight of the babies and the increased chances of pre-term labor. Thankfully, our bedroom and the nursery were on the main level of our new home, because she also wasn’t allowed to climb stairs.
“Now I’m regretting quitting my job just after we moved Geno’s money to Maria. I could have at least worked at home, kicked back on the couch, and kept myself busy. I’m afraid my brain will turn to mush watching TV all day.” She clicked the remote, changing the channel for the hundredth time in the last five minutes.
“Maybe Carrie could use some help with her business activities.”
“Damon, that’s a great idea. At least that would be interesting work. I can’t infiltrate system security programs like she can, but I can handle the accounting from right here. I’ll give her a call, and see what she has in the works.”
“Tell her to get her ass over here. She’s probably going a little stir-crazy from all the hours she’s been working in her basement. Do you need anything before I head upstairs and handle some work, doll?”
“No, I’m good. Thanks for checking though, babe. Try not to worry about me while you’re all the way upstairs today.”
“You’ll be down here with my sister all day. How can I not worry?”
“Good point. Love you.”
Yeah, that made me feel so much better. I jogged to my office upstairs, grabbed my laptop, and returned to the great room. Jillian’s eyes were glued to her watch when I walked back into the room.
“Forty-three, forty-four—you’re late. You should’ve been able to make that trip in thirty seconds or less. You’re already slipping and you’ve only been the Boss for a couple of days. What would Dad and Mama Lina say if they saw you now?”
“Wiseass. I’m not slipping—I didn’t even know I was being timed. And Mama and Dad are already in Italy, enjoying their retirement. When will Carrie be here to entertain you?”
“She replied to my text and said she’ll be here in about thirty minutes.”
“Good. While I have your undivided attention, let’s talk about the what we want to name our babies. We should pick out two of each so we’re prepared, especially if they unexpectedly arrive early.”
“I’ve been tossing a couple of names around in my mind, seeing how they fit. You know I adore you, so don’t be upset over this, but I think every child should have his or her own name. No junior or Damon the second. Same goes for me.”
“Fine with me. By the same token, there’s be no naming them after our parents either. Deal?”
“Deal. Do you want to use my baby names book to help pick out names you like?”
I shook my head. “No, doll. I have a couple of ideas of my own, too. How do you suggest we proceed with finalizing the names?”
“I suggest…we write down our top picks, swap papers, and we’ll use the ones I like best.” She grinned from ear to ear, thoroughly enjoying her idea.
“How about…we wrestle for it, and whoever wins gets to pick the names?”
“Fine. We’ll compromise, since you agreed to wait until they’re born to find out if we’re having girls or boys. When you have your list ready, we’ll go through them together, cross out the ones we don’t like, and then we’ll figure out what to do with the names left.”
“Why do I get the feeling you’ll be running an extortion game on me?”
“Hmm. I’m not sure why you think that.” She picked up a magazine and began thumbing through it, pretending not to notice my unconvinced expression.
“You’re not fooling anyone, little missy. You’re becoming more and more corrupt every day.” I shook my head and folded my arms across my chest in a mock threat. But she knew I wouldn’t lay a hand on her in anger, as proved by the giggle she unsuccessfully tried to suppress behind her magazine.
The alarm at the gate sounded, letting us know someone had keyed in the code and entered the property. Jillian perked up, dropped her magazine on the coffee table, and rushed to the front door as fast a woman pregnant with twins could move. Within a few minutes, my sister walked through the front door after giving Jillian a hello hug.
She had Lorenzo Sanfratello with her.
Even though I’d invited him to my wedding, I wasn’t sure I’d ever get used to seeing him with my sister. A lifetime of disliking someone was hard to overcome within a matter of weeks. Forgiveness never did come easy to me. Then I watched Jillian welcome him into our home without even a hint of a grudge on her part. Maybe I could give him a chance, after all.
“Come on in. Can I get either of you something to drink or anything?” Jillian used any reason she could find to get up and move around.
“No, you can’t. I’ll make myself at home and get our drinks. You three go sit outside by the pool, and I’ll join you in a few minutes. Kick back in the sun and get off your feet before my brother has a stroke. That vein in his forehead is already popping out.”
Jillian looked up at me then ran her finger over said vein. “Huh. Look at that. Imagine how protective he’ll be of our kids.”
“I’m glad you’re amused. I’ve just added finding a housekeeper to my to-do list for today. She’ll double as your babysitter when I’m away.” I scooped Jillian up in my arms and started walking toward the patio with her. “Follow us, Lorenzo.”
He chuckled under his breath from behind me. “Looks like married life suits you, Damon.”
To the outside world, I was the same man I’d always been—fearless, in charge, and focused on the business side of the family. While he was inside my home, Lorenzo saw a side of me very few had experienced—and none of those people was outside of my immediate family. Watching me in the role of doting husband and concerned father must have been a culture shock for Lorenzo to witness.
“There’s no doubt about that. You know, had I not met the most perfect woman in the world, I never would’ve known the first thing about marriage. Never wanted it, never even considered it until Jillian came along. She just had to run into one of my trucks on the expressway.”
“Hey! Your truck sideswiped me—not the other way around. I’m an excellent driver. It’s a good thing your guys were terrible drivers, though. Otherwise, we never would’ve met.”
I sat her down on the lounge chai
r beside the pool before taking the one next to her, the large umbrella providing enough shade to keep us cool and comfortable in the late morning sun. Lorenzo sat at the table beside us and stared at the ground, his mind clearly preoccupied with something important.
“Let’s hear it, Lorenzo. What is it you don’t want to tell me?”
“What do you mean?” A classic deer-in-the-headlights expression covered his face, his eyes wide and unblinking and his jaw slack.
“Come on. Being able to read people when they’re hiding something is why I’m so good at what I do. But you’re not even trying to hide that you have something weighing on your shoulders. It’s written all over you—from your face to your body language. Spit it out.”
He leaned forward, putting his elbows on his thighs and looking me directly in the eyes. I had to give him credit for that, at least. “I want to talk to you about Carrie getting out of the family business. She and I have talked about it extensively, and we’re both ready for a major change in our lives. If you can manage your business without her, we’d like to start our own legal business.”
My genuine reaction was surprise—Carrie hadn’t mentioned a word of this new plan to me. Jillian stared at Lorenzo for a moment as he waited for a reply before turning her gaze to me. She searched my eyes, looking for a clue of which direction I’d take, while not interfering with the family business decisions.
“She’s my little sister, Lorenzo.” I paused, noting the determination in his eyes didn’t waver. “If that’s what makes her happy, I’ll fully support her. What business are you two going into?”
“Real estate—mostly commercial and high-end residential. I already have my broker license and Carrie wants to get her agent license, so we’re starting our own agency. Of course, she’ll also design and update our website. It’s not like I need the money, but it’s something I enjoy doing.”
Warning: The Complete Series Page 39