Elegant tips by PAR

BLOOD IN HER LACE 🖤☠️

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN 🔥

The safe house was silent. Too silent. Christie, Sal, the bodyguards didn't live in the main house. Everyone was gone.

Valentina stood in the bedroom Luciano had shown her to- their bedroom, he'd said with that dangerous smile.

Valentina stared at her reflection in the floor-length mirror. She'd showered, scrubbed away the blood and dust and debris until her skin turned pink.

Now she wore a simple silk black robe Everything in this room seemed to be black or white or gray, like Luciano's eyes.

Her hair fell damp around her shoulders. The cut on her temple had been cleaned and bandaged. But she could still feel it all- the chaos, the gunfire, her father's rage, her mother's tears.

She was married.

The thought felt surreal,.so foreign. Like it belonged to someone else's life.

She touched the ring on her finger, it was silver with a diamond on it, which definitely cost a lot.

It caught the dim lamplight, winking like it knew secrets she didn't.

Mrs. Valentina Moretti.

A knock at the door made her jump.

"Valentina?" Luciano's voice, muffled through the door.

"Can I come in?"Her heart kicked against her ribs. She'd been avoiding this moment, this inevitable conversation, but there was nowhere left to hide. They were going to sleep in the same bed.

"Yes," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

The door opened as Luciano stepped inside, and Valentina's breath caught.

He'd changed into black pants, white shirt unbuttoned at the collar, sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His hair was still damp from his own shower. He looked... different a bit softer somehow, without the suit jacket and tie. She tried to control herself from looking.

He looked more human and more dangerous in a way that made her pulse race.

His gray eyes found hers in the mirror. For a moment, neither of them spoke.

"Everyone's gone," he said finally, closing the door behind him. The soft click of the lock echoed like a gunshot."Just us now."

Valentina turned to face him, her hands twisting in the silk of her robe. "Luciano, I-" She didn't know how to finish that sentence.

I'm scared? I don't know what happens now? I'm not ready?

He crossed the room in three strides, stopping just in front of her. Close enough that she could feel his body heat, smell his cologne mixed with soap.

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine." The lie came automatically.

His eyebrow arched with amusement. "Try again."

"I'm fine, Luciano. Just tired."

"Tired." He repeated the word like he was tasting it. "That's all?"

Valentina's jaw clenched in frustration."What do you want me to say? That I'm thrilled? That this is everything I ever dreamed of?"

"I want you to be honest."

"Honest?" A bitter laugh escaped her. "You want honest? Fine. I'm exhausted. I'm confused. My father just disowned me, my mother abandoned me, and I married a man who-" She cut herself off immediately.

"Who what?" His voice went cold with calmness. "Say it."

"Who kidnapped me!" The words exploded out of her. "Who killed my fiancé right in front of me. Who decided I was his without ever asking if that's what I wanted."

"I gave you a choice today," Luciano said, his voice dangerously quiet. "At the altar. You could have walked away."

"With your men surrounding us? With guns everywhere? That wasn't a choice."

"I don't regret killing Alfred Donati. I would do it a second time again...but I do regret taking you forcefully. Am sorry, Val."

Valentina sighed lightly looking at him, as his gray eyes stared back, not knowing what to say.

She was tired of holding back.

"You are scared." Lucinao added softly.

She nodded, not trusting her voice.

His hand came up slowly, giving her time to pull away. When she didn't, he cupped her cheek, thumb stroking her jaw. "We don't have to do anything you're not ready for."

"We're married," she whispered. "Isn't there... an expectation?"Something dark flickered in his eyes.

"F**k expectations." His voice dropped lower. "I'm not your father, Valentina. I'm not going to force you into anything. Not tonight. Not ever."

The words should have reassured her, but instead, they made something clench low in her stomach or made her want to close the distance between them.

"What if..." She swallowed hard unsure. "What if I want to?"

His pupils dilated as his hand tightened slightly on her face. "Want to what?"

"You know what."

"Say it." His voice was rough now
"I need to hear you say it."

Heat flooded her cheeks, but she held his gaze. "I want... I want you to touch me. To-" Her courage faltered.

"To make you mine?" He finished for her, his thumb tracing her bottom lip. "To show you exactly what it means to be Valentina Moretti?To show you I mean all of this?"

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Luciano's smile was slow and soft

"I have something for you first."
He stepped back, leaving her cold without his warmth.

From his pocket, he pulled out a small remote and pressed a button.

The lights dimmed, soft music filled the room,the same haunting melody from the wedding. And then Valentina saw them.
Candles. Dozens of candles, flickering to life around the room. White roses in crystal vases on every surface. The bed had been made with fresh white linens, rose petals scattered across the silk. It looked like heaven.

"What is this?" she breathed with a gasp.

"The wedding you deserved." Luciano's voice was quiet, almost vulnerable. "Without the guns. Without your father. Without the chaos." He held out his hand to her. "Just you and me."

Valentina's throat tightened in surprise. She looked around the room, at the candles casting warm light, at the roses filling the air with their sweet scent, at the man standing before her with his hand extended.

"You did all this?"

"Yes. While you were showering." He stepped closer again, closing the distance as they both stared at themselves. "Valentina Moretti, will you marry me? Again. The right way this time."

Tears pricked her eyes as she chuckled in amusement. She placed her hand in his slowly.

"Yes."

Luciano pulled her close, his other hand sliding around her waist. They swayed slowly to the music, like they were the only two people in the world.

"I know this isn't what you wanted," he murmured against her hair. "I know I'm not who you would have chosen. But I swear to you, Valentina...I will protect you. I will keep you safe. And I will never, ever sell you like you're property."

She pulled back to look at him, really look at him. At the sincerity in his gray eyes, the fierce protectiveness written across his features.

"Why?" she whispered. "Why do you care so much?"

"Because you're mine." His hand cupped her face again. "And I take care of what's mine."

"You barely know me."

"I think I know enough."Slowly, he kissed her, soft at first, gentle, like she was something precious. His lips moved against hers slowly, thoroughly, tasting and exploring.

Valentina melted into him, her hands sliding up his chest to wrap around his neck.The kiss deepened. His tongue traced her bottom lip and she opened for him, gasping as he claimed her mouth with more intensity. His hands roamed over her body—one tangling in her damp hair, the other sliding down to grip her hip through the thin silk of her robe.

"Luciano," she breathed when they broke apart.

"Tell me to stop," he said roughly, his forehead resting against hers. "Tell me to stop and I will."

Instead, Valentina reached up and started unbuttoning his shirt.His breath caught. His hands covered hers, stilling them. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." She looked up at him, saw the barely restrained desire burning in his eyes. "Make me yours, Luciano. Really yours."

Luciano's smirk was sharp. "Careful what you ask for, Mrs Moretti."

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