I wanted to conceal the truth from her. She had enough shit to worry about and didn’t need to fear the war that was coming to Devil’s Creek. But I also knew I might not survive this war.
“Alex and Luca are getting married this week. We’re expecting the men who held you and Alex captive on the island to show up at the reception.”
She shrieked. “Are you serious?”
I nodded.
“How do you know for sure?”
“We don’t. But it’s what we would do. Everyone knows about the wedding. So it makes sense for them to attack when all of our allies are under one roof. That’s why Luca and Alex will have the real ceremony the night before the reception at our estate.”
“Your house is like a fortress. Can men get past your walls?”
I unbuttoned my dress shirt and pointed at the scar over my liver. “Before you came back, the Albanians ambushed us at our estate and tried to take Alex from us. I got shot in the process and almost died.”
She pressed her tiny fingers against my scar, her eyes meeting mine. “Oh, my God, Marcello. You better be careful. I can’t lose you.”
I clamped my fingers around her wrist. “Don’t worry about me. I can handle myself.”
“But someone shot you.”
“That was the third time,” I told her. “They’re just battle scars.”
She shook her head, unsatisfied with my response.
“I brought you something,” I said to change the subject.
Her face illuminated with excitement. “Really? What did you get me?”
I tipped my head to the far end of the room. She hadn’t noticed the small crate by the elevator doors.
She hopped off the couch and rushed across the tiled floor as if she were floating on air. Dropping to her knees in front of the carrier, she squealed. Rhi unlatched the metal lock and lifted the puppy out of the crate, hugging him against her chest. She kissed his head, and he licked her face.
“You got me a puppy,” she choked out with tears in her eyes.
“I thought you needed a guard dog.” I shot up from the couch and closed the distance between us, hovering over my beautiful girl. “He’s a Cane Corso.” I kneeled on the floor beside her and rubbed the top of his head. “He’ll watch over you when I’m not here.”
She smiled so widely it reached her irises. “Can I name him?”
“He’s yours. Go ahead. Do the honors.”
“Marcello.” She looked up at me, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I can’t believe you bought me a dog.” He rolled his little puppy tongue across her nose. “He’s so cute. I love him.” She chuckled when he licked her eyelid. “Hello, Achilles.”
The dog made a noise at the name.
“It’s perfect,” I said.
Her expression turned grim within seconds. “Please tell me this doesn’t mean you’re not coming back.”
“Not before the wedding. I brought enough supplies to last you a month.”
“A month?” Rhi set Achilles on the floor between her thighs, petting the top of his head. “What the hell am I supposed to do here for a month alone?”
“You’ll have Achilles. It probably won’t be more than a week.”
“Marcello, please,” she protested. “You need to get me out of here.”
“I’m doing the best I can. I don’t know what the future holds, not when our enemies are so unpredictable. Terrorists who call themselves The Lucaya Group held you captive. They’re the same people who killed Bastian and Damian’s parents. No one is out of their reach. Trust me. You’re safer here.”
“What about Sean Donnelly? Is he still looking for me?”
“Yes. And now that there’s a bounty on your head, you’re in even more danger.”
She closed her eyes and drew a breath from between her teeth. “Fine. I’ll stay here with Achilles. But you better promise to come back to me in one piece.”
Achilles slept on the floor between her spread thighs. The puppy was cute, but I couldn’t think about anything other than Rhi’s pussy when she taunted me with her delicious body.
I leaned forward, my palm on the floor, and sucked her bottom lip into my mouth. “I’ll come back for you.”
A few weeks ago, she had asked me if I loved her. Of course, I wanted to say yes, but I wasn’t entirely sure. Not until I moved her to the safe house, constantly worrying about her, did I realize I had been in love with her for years. For a long time, I’d hated myself for wanting her. I hated that I couldn’t do what my father commanded.
My Irish beauty waltzed into my life, taking a piece of my heart with her every time she left. I was an asshole to keep her away. But, no matter how far I pushed her, she always came back to me.
I peeled my lips from hers, both of us out of breath from the kiss. “When this war is over, I promise to do right by you.”