The Holy Ghost

Chapter 15

Phoenix~

Both Luca and Ciro had called me to tell me that they'd made their peace with Frankie, and that now it was up to me to convince her to accept her place with us, which had translated into getting her to marry me willingly. While I knew that they wouldn't interfere if I had to force her, it was better for everyone if she married me of her own free will. After all, I didn't want to have to pay off a priest, damning my soul deeper into Hell.

I walked into the apartment, and I immediately saw several boxes lined up against the wall.

Frankie's stuff.

I had already removed my jacket, then had tossed it over the back of the couch when Frankie walked out of the hallway. She mis-stepped when she saw me, but quickly recovered. I started taking my tie off as I nodded towards the boxes. "Your stuff?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

"How did things go with your brother and Luca," I asked, even though I already knew.

"Like you don't already know," she retorted.

"I was hoping that we could eat dinner before we started round two, but if you want to go now, let's go," I replied, suddenly feeling exhausted as fuck. In my earlier years, I used to spend hours torturing people or lying in wait, but nothing exhausted me like the woman standing before me.

Nothing.

"What would happen if I left?" she asked. "What would happen if I snuck off and...and just disappeared? Because that's still an option, you know."

I laughed.

I couldn't help it.

I laughed because she must really be ignorant of what we were capable of if she really thought that was an option.

"Try it and find out," I dared her. "As a matter of fact, I look forward to chasing you, Frankie." I stepped to her, then grabbed her by both her arms. "I dare you to run out the front door, Francesca. Let's see how far you get, shall we?"

Her face was all anger and humiliation. She'd lost the war, and she knew it. She was just trying to salvage some pride and wanted to pretend that she still had choices. Frankie wanted this to be her choice, but it wasn't. She also needed to get used to the idea that there were going to be a shitload of choices taken from her, moving forward. Everything that we did-and will do-would be to ensure her safety, and as independent as Frankie was, I knew that it was going to be a huge adjustment for her.

"Go to hell, Phoenix," she spat scathingly.

"Baby, I'm already there," I flung back. "What do you think the past six years have been?"

"You turning into a king," she retorted. "You, Luca, and Ciro turning into royalty."

"Luca's the king," I corrected. "And, yes, that makes me and Ciro royalty, but do you want to take a guess at what that makes you?"

Her yellow eyes narrowed, and there was all the hate in the world bottled up in those gorgeous irises. "I hate that I still love you," she hissed.

"I know you do."

I did know it, and the only thing that helped was that I wasn't alone in that category. Of course, she'd always love Ciro, he was her brother, but I knew that she hated that she still loved Luca. Her love for us kept her prisoner just like our love for her made us weak.

My hand slid around to the back of her neck until my fingers dug into her flesh. "I know that you hate that you love me," I told her. "I also know you hate the fact that your body craves mine. But you'll either get over it or you won't. Either way, it doesn't change anything. You and I will be married by the end of the week, Frankie. We're going to be married, and you are joining the Benettis." I leaned down, then used my teeth to tug on her lower lip. "You're also going to spread those creamy thighs for me every fucking night, baby." My teeth then nipped at her jaw. "I don't care what you do with your day, but every night, you will be in our bed with your thighs spread wide, waiting for me." She moaned, and I almost sank to my knees. "Whether I've just come home from the office or just walked in after blowing someone's brains out, you will be on that bed, your sweet, tight, pretty pussy presented to me for the taking, Francesca. Am I clear?"