Page 55 of Explosive Union

“What are you saying?” she asks softly, not once taking her eyes off me.

“That I’ll try. I can’t promise you anything.”

Her lips part, and then she gives me the biggest, brightest smile I’ve ever seen. Her magnificent blue eyes light up. I’m no longer able to hold back. I want her. I need her.

My lips crash against hers as my hand slides into her hair, tangling into the mass of curls. Her lips part, letting my tongue sweep into her mouth. Fuck, she tastes perfect. Utterly perfect.

I slide my other hand down her body to her delectable ass. My hand grips one of the globes, and I pull her flush against my rock-hard erection.

She whimpers against my lips and weaves her hands around my neck. The kiss is frenzied, both of us trying to get what we want. I lift her up so her legs wrap around my waist.

“This is your chance, Jade. You say no, and I leave now. You don’t, I’m staying, and I’m not leaving until morning.”

Her breaths are coming out in pants. “Stay,” she whispers and pulls me back in for another kiss.

Tonight, I’m making her mine, and all I can think is about fucking time.

CHAPTER15

JADE

Imust be crazy. That’s the only excuse I have right now. But I can’t stop. I knew from the moment I saw Rocco that I wanted him, but then he opened his mouth and his assholeness came out and it made that lust turn into hate.

My dress is bunched up above my waist as he walks us through my apartment. There’s a dim light coming from the kitchen, and Rocco moves toward it. With each step he takes, his cock rubs against my clit. Even though he’s got his pants still on, I can feel the thickness of him.

There’s a whole other side to him that makes me see more than the Italian man that thinks women belong back in the 1950’s. I see a man who wants to protect those he cares about—something I know all too well—I see a man who wants to keep the woman that’ll be his wife, safe. I can't fault him for that, seeing as I feel the same way about him. When the bullets started flying, all that ran through my mind was to ensure my family and Rocco were safe.

I’ve no idea why the man has become important to me, but he is. I think it’s because the man is going to be my husband, and my brain knows he’s going to become family whether or not I want it to happen. But also, my heart wants him to be safe. Rocco Gallo sees me as Jade, not the boss, not the convict, not the abused woman that has been beaten and raped, and not as some little girl that had pigtails and ran around after her brothers. He sees me.

I’m whimpering into his mouth, trying to catch my breath. His kisses are intoxicating. My lips are swollen, my stomach filled with butterflies and nerves. I’m trying my hardest to push the fear from my mind. I want this. I want him. I just pray that the memories of prison don’t resurface. I don't want him to know what's happened to me. With him, I’m not an abused woman. He sees my strength and beauty, and that's all I ever want him to see me as. If we can get through tonight, get through this, it'll be all okay. He’ll never have to know.

He bypasses the kitchen and carries me toward the back of the apartment, where the bedroom is, his hands on the globes of my ass pulling me onto his cock. I can’t help but grind against him, our bodies moving in sync, like we’ve been doing this for years. It’s natural. It feels so right.

Pressure builds from the pit of my stomach, being this close to him, feeling his hands on my body, with no malice in his eyes. There’s no pain and there's no anger. It’s just me and him. This sizzling attraction that has been floating in the air between us for the past week has finally combusted, and neither of us can stop it. We don’t want to. I'm just giving myself to him, praying that I’ll be swept away in the bubble that is us.

“Principessa.” His voice low and gravelly. “Once I’ve had you, there's no going back. You are mine, and that means, whether you like it or not, I will protect you.”

We enter my room, and anger swiftly moves through me. "Christ, Rocco, you just can't keep your mouth closed, can you?" My legs are still wrapped around his waist, his breath hot and heavy against my skin, making my body break out in goosebumps. He sure knows how to ruin a moment. "I need you to understand this, because this isn't going to happen unless you get this through your thick skull."

His eyes narrow, his lips purse, and he nods for me to continue speaking.

I take a deep breath and let him have it. "I do not need you to protect me. I have been looking after myself for a long time. Just because you are a man, it does not mean you are better, stronger, or more capable than I am."

His grip on me tightens. “That’s not what I'm saying. I watched you tonight, Jade. I watched you be the boss, and I doubt you were even at your worst. I saw how calm and composed you were. I watched how at ease you were with the roll. I’m not disputing that you’re able to take care of yourself.” He lays me down on the bed and looms over me. He reaches over and flips on the nightlight. My room illuminates, and I see the seriousness on his face; his gaze boring into mine.

He plants one fist each side of my head and leans in close, so we’re only inches apart. I fight the immediate reaction of flinching. “What I'm saying to you is that you are more than capable of taking care of yourself and don’t need me to help. Just because you are the boss, it doesn’t mean I’m going to allow anyone to hurt you.”

I swallow hard. I understand what he’s saying. I close my eyes and let his breath against my skin wash over me. The closeness of us is intimate, something I didn't think would happen, especially before we were even married. "Okay,” I say softly.

I know that this is a hill he's willing to die on, and it’s not worth the fight. He’s letting me know this is who he is, and if he is willing to accept me as a boss—something I know goes against everything he's grown up knowing—then I can do this.

My da has always told me that compromise is what makes a marriage work. And if we’re both going to survive this marriage, we’re both going to need to compromise.

“You can protect me."

His smile is dark and triumphant, and his eyes filled with mischievousness. Excitement rushes through me now the stupid argument is done. It's over, moving on.

“Now that's out of the way, how about we get around to making up?”