Becoming Mrs DeLuca novel Chapter 15

5

IAN

I bit back a smile as I worked the buttons of my vest. For a moment, I half expected resistance, fear, something that would remind me of Serena, but Valentina wasn’t reacting the way I’d braced for. Irritation flickered in my chest as my fingers fumbled with the last button, but her hand came up to brush mine aside. Calmly, almost shyly, she finished the task herself, letting her slender fingers undoing what I couldn’t. I let the vest slip onto the bench behind me.

Valentina exhaled, a small nervous sound, then blurted softly, “You look really strong.”

Her hand hovered in the air, uncertain, as if she wanted to touch me but didn’t know if she could. I caught her wrist and guided her palm against my arm, tightening my bicep beneath her fingers. Her laugh bubbled out, light and surprised, and for the first time that night, I felt my own lips twitch toward a smile.

She tilted her face up to me, and then, as quickly, looked away. I didn’t give her a chance to retreat further. Closing my fingers around hers, I tugged her gently toward the bed.

“Lie down,” I said quietly.

She obeyed, reclining across the white sheets, though tension stiffened every line of her body. I toed off my shoes and stretched out beside her, still in my shirt and trousers, close enough to feel the heat radiating off her. Sliding my hand to her hip, I eased her toward me, closing the space between us before leaning in.

Her face showed nerves she couldn’t mask, so I didn’t linger there. Instead, I lowered my mouth to her throat, brushing a kiss against the warm skin just below her jaw. She went utterly still, holding her breath. It wasn’t a great reaction, but it wasn’t too bad either.

I kissed her again, this time below her ear, and she startled with a twitch, and then, unexpectedly, a giggle escaped her lips.

A soft, girlish giggle slipped out of her. I froze, lifting my head to look at her. She bit down on her lower lip, caught between embarrassment and a nervous smile. For a moment, it hit me all over again how young she really was. She was of age, sure, but still more of a girl than a woman. She was legal on paper, yet her reactions, her expressions, the way she fidgeted… they belonged to someone still on the threshold of adulthood, not fully past it.

Suppressing a sigh, I pushed myself up a little.

“I’m sorry,” she blurted, eyes wide. “I didn’t mean to laugh. I’m just… very ticklish.”

Her voice carried both honesty and nerves, like she wasn’t sure if she’d just ruined everything. The uncertainty in her gaze had shifted into something like anxiety.

This wasn’t how I’d pictured our wedding night. Earlier, her flawless makeup and elegant gown had lent her an air of maturity, making her seem older than she was. But now, barefaced and dressed in her red nightgown, she looked exactly what she was: a young girl trying to step into the shoes of a woman.

I’d done worse things in my life. I’d threatened, tortured, and killed. So sleeping with my wife should have been easy in comparison.

18:45 Thu Nov 6 d

Chapter 15

55 vouchers

I ignored her mumbled apology and rose from the bed. It was better to move forward quickly than drag this out. One by one. I stripped away layers- my shirt, my pants, my socks. When I reached for my boxers, I felt her eyes on me.

Valentina’s gare was wide and unguarded, her pupils dark with something that looked caught between curiosity and fear. It made her look even younger and more innocent. I hesitated, then let go of the waistband. No need to make things harder than they already were. If she screamed at the sight of me, I wasn’t sure what I’d do. I’d tell Rico to screw himself on the fucking sheets and then my blood would definitely tinge them red

I sat down on the edge of the mattress, close enough to touch her. Then carefully, I reached for her knee, brushing the delicate skin with my fingers.

She flinched again and bit down on her lip as if fighting another laugh.

Awry smile tugged at my mouth. “I’m pretty sure I can find at least one place you’re not ticklish,” I muttered.

She pressed her lips together. “You can’t possibly know. Then her eyes went wide as the realization dawned on her. “You mean–She sucked in a sharp breath, and her cheeks instantly went red.

At least she caught on to what I’d meant. If she’d just blinked at me in confusion, I might’ve lost my patience entirely.

I shifted, kneeling on the mattress, close enough now that I could feel the warmth radiating from her body. I didn’t want to scare her, but I needed her to meet me halfway- if only to make this bearable for both of us. With Serena, there had been nothing but tears and pleas that still echoed in my head. I wasn’t eager to repeat that experience tonight.

Slowly. I pushed the hem of her nightgown higher until the silky fabric bunched at her waist. My throat tightened at the sight of her panties clinging to her slim hips, the soft valley between her thighs teasing me with every shallow breath she took. Heat stirred in me instantly.

I steadied myself and rested my hands against her sides. My thumbs brushed the waistband. She didn’t move. It didn’t even seem like she was breathing. Her lips were parted, and her eyes were fixed on me, with that raw innocence practically radiating off her. It was dangerous. That innocence was going to undo me.

“Can I take them off?” I asked.

We both knew the answer. We both knew what was expected of us tonight. But still, I asked. Maybe for her sake, maybe for mine.

Her lashes fluttered, and a flash of boldness lit her gaze. “What if I say no? Would it matter?” She asked, with a hint of insolence.

I studied her face, the way her chin tilted up just slightly as if she wanted to test me, to see what kind of man she’d really been forced to marry.

“Would it make you feel better,” I asked quietly, leaning closer, “if I kept going even after you said no? It certainly won’t help me.”

“I doubt you’d care. It won’t hurt you half as much as it will hurt me.”

18:45 Thu, Nov 6 d.

Chapter 15

55 vouchers

I felt a surge of anger at her words, at the situation, and maybe even at myself. I shifted forward, bracing my arms on either side of her shoulders, caging her in. She gasped and her hands came up, pressing against my chest. Her palms were small and trembling, but there was strength in the way she held me back, like she thought she could actually stop me if she needed to.

Her wide eyes darted down to my chest, lingering on the muscle beneath her fingers, before flicking back up. The sight of her hands shaking against me only made my jaw tighten.

“Listen,” I said in a firm voice. “You’re right. You’ll feel discomfort. That’s inevitable. But being difficult, being bratty about it?” I shook my head. “That won’t make it easier. If you work with me, if you trust me enough to meet me halfway, it will be better for both of us.”

Her throat bobbed as she swallowed hard. Then words tumbled out of her in a rush. “It’s not just the pain. Until tonight, men weren’t allowed to touch me. They could kiss my hand, maybe dance with me at a gathering, but that was it. And now…” She drew in a sharp breath, her eyes glassy but determined. “Now you’re here. You’re half naked, I’m half naked, and soon we’ll both be completely naked, and then you’ll…” Her voice trailed off, trembling with the weight of what she couldn’t quite say.

“I know,” I said quietly, cutting off her spiral before it could unravel her completely. “I know.”

Her lips wobbled, and she caught the lower one between her teeth, biting down. I recognized the look in her eyes, the burn of tears she was fighting hard to keep in.

“Don’t,” I murmured, softer this time. “Don’t start crying.”

Chapter 16

Chapter 16