Chapter 235: On the Record
- LUCIANO -
Following Rory, I can feel the anger draining out of me. Part of that is because my vision is entirely focused on her cute little body in that sleek black swimsuit. It has cutouts along the sides that showcase her tan skin and just the right amount of ass cheek to tease any man into wanting to see more. Well, hopefully not any man. But it is definitely teasing me.
If I had a fucking shirt on, I’d drape it over her. Why didn’t I listen to her and wear one?
"I have a question, dolcezza."
She stops when we arrive at the wooden walkway that branches off toward the cabinas. Her beautiful blue eyes meet mine, and it almost knocks the wind out of me—the impact of her beauty and the worry welling where her soul confronts mine.
"What’s wrong?" I ask, abandoning the teasing question that was playing in my thoughts.
"Nothing," she says, shaking her head. "You just can’t go around threatening everyone, you know?"
"I didn’t threaten him," I chuckle. "Trust me, that was nothing."
"Trust me, it was. And you did," she says. "Your expression said everything."
"Rory, he was leaning." I reach for a strand of her hair, rubbing it between my fingers.
"Leaning?"
"Yes. And on top of that, he lied. He’s not a doctor."
"How do you know that?" Her eyebrows pinch with a frown.
"No one at this resort is a doctor but Burt. We researched everyone staying here."
Her bottom lip drops. "What? When? You were with me."
"I have guys for that, of course. But I read their reports."
She scoffs at the smirk I give her.
"What did he say his name was?" I ask, hands curling into soft fists when I allow myself to think about him and the moment I saw him sitting next to her. The bastard approached her at just the right moment when I was distracted.
"Josh," she says softly, and right there I catch it—the shadow of a fear I’ve come to easily recognize in her now.
"He scared you."
Rory chuckles with a curt shake of her head, but her gaze drops from mine.
"You don’t have to be ashamed, dolcezza. There are a lot of snakes out there, and it’s good that you’re wary of them. You should be. You would be naive if you weren’t."
"Yeah, I guess I lost my naivety some time ago," she chuckles without any humor in it and fidgets with her fingers. I take her hands in mine and rub my thumbs over them. Her hands are so small in mine.
"I should have been there with you."
"You can’t be next to me all the time, Luci," she says, brows furrowed in frustration.
"Then I’ll teach you how to defend yourself, okay? We’ll work on it when we get home. You’re a warrior inside, and I’m going to make sure you’re one on the outside, too."
A spark of hope lights in her eyes that ignites a similar spark of warmth in my chest. I will do anything to help grow that hope of hers into a blazing fire so bright she’ll scare the shit out of anyone stupid enough to approach her.
I love Rory’s darkness, but I want all the weight of her past to fall back into the past where it belongs. She deserves to be free.
"What were you going to ask me?" Her eyes search mine with the question. The shadows from the trees are feathering over her face, only allowing small slivers of sunlight through. But those slivers make her eyes appear lighter, like her irises are striped with light and dark—both calm and stormy waters.
"You picked out this swimsuit before we were together," I smile, reaching for her waist and pulling her closer so I can lean down and speak softly in her ear. "Were you planning on torturing me, dolcezza?"
"Yes." It’s spoken without any irony, and I can’t help but laugh.
"Well then it was a good choice. Well done."
Her hands find my scars, tracing them. She seems fascinated by them. This isn’t the first time she’s given them attention.
"Do you think Raya and Dex will be fine for awhile?" Her gaze flicks back up to mine, and I’m struck again by how different this is with her. The nerves and excitement and awe that I feel. It’s so overwhelming. I thought I was experienced... practiced. But I’m not experienced at this. Everything with her feels like a first for me, because she’s the first one I’ve ever felt this for.
"Yes," I tell her, not recognizing the softness of my voice, the way I melt into her... the person I become under her gaze and her touch.
Rory takes my hand and leads us back through the trees—through the part of this walkway that terrified her in the darkness last night.
"Where are we going?"
She chuckles at the question that needs no answer, because I know exactly where we’re going. She slows her steps, letting me get close enough that I can curl my arm around her, flattening the palm against her stomach. I hear her suck in a breath when she’s pressed back against me.
This walk back to the cabina is going to be so long.
"Rory..." I’m not even sure what was coming after her name... I just needed to hear myself say it. And apparently she did to, because she turns and pulls me down, opening herself to me—her lips, her mouth. I’m met with the tangle of her dark, punishing, desirous heat that’s desperate to pull me in.
And then she’s in my arms, hoisted onto the railing, legs curling around me. God, those legs. I run my hand up her thigh and groan.
"Luci," she breathes, "not here." She giggles when I stop kissing her and drop my forehead against hers, trying to get my bearings.
"I’m not even sure where we are, dolcezza, I’m going to be honest. It feels like heaven."
"I bet you say that to all the girls," she says, hopping down from the railing.
"Fuck, no."
She rolls her eyes and starts leading me again. I swear this is a tactical move so that I have to watch her sexy ass swaying the entire way.
Once we’re back in the cabina, I spin her toward me.
"Rory, listen. I’m serious. There’s only ever going to be you."
Her brows thread together, still unsure. "You don’t have to say that, Luciano. It’s okay."
"It’s not okay when you’re joking about how I am with other women." I squeeze her hand. "I need you to understand, Rory. I love you."
Her eyelashes flutter against flushing cheeks, and she stares at the space between us, searching her feelings or her thoughts or her trust... it’s a lot to put on her, I know. But I’m only being honest. She deserves that.
"I fucking love you, do you understand? I’ve never told anyone that. Never. At least, never a woman I’m not related to."
She chuckles and shakes her head, avoiding my eyes—keeping me from seeing what emotions are welling there.
"I told my mother," I add, wetting my lips at the awkward admission. This is not something I’m familiar with. "And my father. My feelings are on the record as far as my family is concerned. And to me, family is everything. You’re the one, Lorelei. Please don’t compare yourself to anyone else. No one else is in the running. They’re not even close."
