Marriage by Bravery - Book 3

Chapter Seventeen

Luca

I shouldn't have let my guard down.

It was foolish of me to do so before they were off the property. The guilt ate at me even days later when Kim was safe and healthy in my arms. I gazed at her sleeping form and pressed my lips to her hair, unable to stop the memories of what had to be the most terrifying day of my life from washing over me.

My hands swept over her body, desperately seeking the answer to a question I hadn't dared ask myself. Relief swamped me when my hand came with the bullet she'd taken for me but no blood. After having confirmed that she wasn't injured I found that my thoughts were still crowded and jumbled together even as I cradled Kimberly's unconscious form. My ears were buzzing from the close range of the gunshot, I looked in a daze trying to ascertain if anyone else had been hurt. Anabel, who had been tackled to the ground and disarmed by one of her father's men, was screaming incoherent words as she was held down and being restrained. Piero, Zandre, Damian and my father with their guns drawn had formed a protective barrier in front of Kimberly and I.

"Take her and leave now," my father ordered Abruzzo's in a tone I hadn't heard in the years since he handed the reins to me. It was a tone that simply dared you to disobey so you could face his wrath.

By now more of my men had reached the office and stood by armed and ready as they escorted the Abruzzos from our home.

"Cara, open your eyes for me now, please," I did nothing to hide the hoarseness of my voice.

I couldn't have mustered the strength to hide the emotions that were coursing through my body, not when I'd come so close to losing her. If I hadn't insisted that she wear the bullet proof corset instead of that crazy get up she'd picked I would have undoubtedly lost her. I'd be planning a funeral rather than a wedding. I clutched her close to my body as immense relief consumed me.

"Hey, quit it...I can't breathe," I heard her complain, her voice hoarse and grouchy, "what's the big idea buddy?"

"Oh just shut it, will you?" I said in mock annoyance as I covered her lips with mine, this kiss was tender and sweet.

"I should get shot more often," she smiled saucily.

"Young lady, that's not funny and I don't know if it ever will be," my father huffed,  reminding us that we weren't alone in the room.

She had the decency to look ashamed as she mumbled an apology. I picked her up and took her to our room. At my father's demands, I had the family physician come and check her over even though I knew she was fine.

It wasn't until the doctor gave the all clear that everyone calmed down. She had only gotten a bruise where the bullet had hit, which the doctor assured us would fade in a few days. The men visibly relaxed and the women who had by this time joined us started chattering away. I vaguely heard some mention of wedding favors and diaper changing, I tuned them out but my eyes didn't leave Kimberly. I watched in silent amazement as she partook in what was obviously an interesting conversation, about what? I couldn't begin to imagine but the normalcy of it all eased my anxiety.

The rest of the day went by in a blur, Kimberly insisted she was okay but I was more inclined to baby her and have her stay in bed. She complained throughout every second of it but I knew she understood that I needed to do this. A coping mechanism of sorts.

"If you keep staring at me like that then I'm gonna start thinking you're a creep and run away," she informed me sleepily, pulling me from my thoughts.

"I'd find you, toss you over my shoulder and bring you right back to make you my wife," I said, kissing the tip of her nose, "besides I doubt you'd leave after all the hard work you put into seducing and trapping me."

She scoffed, "As if! You barely put up any fight at all, you know you wanted me. You just needed someone to kick your stubborn butt in the right direction."

"I don't think anyone but you could have convinced me otherwise."

"Don't go trying to flatter your way into my panties mister," she said in her tough guy voice, even though her cheeks had grown pink with a blush.

"You're not wearing any," I countered as I rolled her onto her back.

"Yeah well, neither are you," she shot back pulled my head down to hers so that our lips met.

I hooked her legs over my hips and positioned myself at her entrance. I fully intended to take her this way, that is until the she-devil flipped us over so that she was straddling me. She'd clearly been paying attention in her self defence classes. I thought to test her skill by reversing our positions but was entirely distracted by the feeling of her warmth engulfing me.

"Dio mío."

She took my entire length in one slick movement, then started to rock slowly at the most torturous pace. I grasped her hips wanting to signal her to go faster but she peeled them off. Lacing her fingers through mine, she pinned them on either side of my head, tilting slightly forward as she rode.

I could have taken control but what man would give up the enchanting view of her flushed face and bobbing breasts framed by that rich mane of red hair. It was like something out of a carefully set scene, the way the first rays of dawn bathed her in their soft glow as she took and gave pleasure in equal measure. She looked like a goddess, my jaw involuntarily clenched as she rode me to the edge. She took my hands and brought them up to her chest to knead her sensitive mounds. I rolled the hard tips between my fingers and she let out a breathy moan as her body began to tighten around me. I dropped one of my hands from her chest to her hip, no longer able to resist the urge to make her go faster. She didn't fight it either, as she drove us both over the edge and into oblivion. She laid on my chest limp and spent, I could feel the waves of her pleasure still making her convulse around me. We remained joined in the most intimate way for a few minutes as our bodies fought to come down from the heights she'd just taken us.

I didn't know if it was getting shot or learning how to shoot and fight that had brought out this side of her, but what I did know was I loved it and her.

"You're going to to be the death of me," I murmured into her hair.

"Join the club buddy, I think I'm already in heaven," she said, her words slurring.

It was clear she surprised herself just as much as she'd surprised me.

"Luca."

"Mmm?"

"You're gonna have to let it go and I'd prefer that be sooner rather than later."

I contemplated playing the fool and asking her to clarify but I knew exactly what she meant. I also knew it was so much harder than she made it sound.

"Going into that meeting with you had been my choice, in fact you had asked me to stay with the other women but I wanted to be by your side. To see this through and to show you and them that I was prepared to be right next to you in the face of every challenge. You did your part, you ensured I wore protective gear, you taught me how to use my weapon. You did everything to ensure my safety, yet did nothing to protect yourself. When I saw her aim at you I knew what I had to do, you weren't protected and I'd be damned if I'd let that bitch snatch you away from me after all we'd been through. Who would love me, and take care of me and pretend to be annoyed with me if I'd let her take you? I did what needed to be done, and whether you like it or not if I could go back I'd have done the same thing. I'll always protect you in anyway I can, because I know that you'd lay your life down for me as well and because I love you more than I ever thought it humanly possible to love another person. Besides, my sister would be disappointed if I'd done anything differently anyway."

I could only look at her, this woman was crazy and I was just as crazy because the very thought of losing her could bring me to my knees. We were a team now, in it together forever and always.

"I love you Kimberly."