A few moments later, Lucca returns with Xander and Ella in tow. I stand up to greet him and extend my hand out. Elena stands as well, looking nervous and unsure. As soon as Ella spots Elena beside me, her face splits into a grin.
Ella and Xander are like day and night. Before I knew the story, I always wondered how the dark-haired, brooding man that could kill without mercy, had ended up with the blonde-haired, blue-eyed innocent woman. It was like good and evil collided.
“Xander.” I smirk, shaking his hand firmly.
“Julian,” he greets, his gaze moving to Elena.
“This is my soon to be wife, Elena.” I wrap a protective arm around her and tug her closer to my side. “Elena, this is Xander Rossi and his wife, Ella.”
Elena gives both of them a shy smile. “It’s so nice to meet you both.”
“The pleasure is ours,” Xander says.
Ella beams at his side, looking like she is ready to jump Elena. Xander turns to his wife, his features softening for a millisecond as he drinks her in. Who knew the dark king of the Rossi empire could be brought to his knees?
“Why don’t you ladies go sit by the pool, so we can discuss some business.” Xander smiles, but it’s a lot like a shark smiling at you.
“That sounds great,” Ella says cheerfully. Elena pulls away from me, her back becoming straighter as she lifts her chin and gives Xander’s wife a gracious smile.
We watch them walk away together and down to the pool before sitting at the table Elena I was just having breakfast at.
“Did we interrupt your breakfast?” Xander questions his dark eyes on the table.
“No, no. We were finished. Would you like something to drink?” I offer.
Xander shakes his head. “No, thanks. I’m merely here to see what my dear friend is up to, and of course, to allow Ella to meet your soon to be wife. She was all but jumping up and down when I said we would be attending your wedding.”
“It’s a wedding of mere convenience,” I say, sitting back in my chair, my eyes wandering down to the pool where Ella and Elena are sitting. I know what I’ve said is a lie, simply by the bitter taste that appears on the tip of my tongue. “I need to know I have your alliance against the Romero family, and I may need your help with weapons.”
Xander sits back in his chair as well. “Is that so, it doesn’t seem like a marriage of convenience?” Of course, the fucker would call my bluff. Is it that obvious? “And, yes, you have my alliance, and always will, against whomever. You’re like family to me, and what is mine is yours. Now, tell me what you need the weapons for?”
“We may be going to war against Volcove. I killed their son the other night after he put his hands on Elena.”
Xander grins. “Marriage of convenience, huh? Willing to go to war for her? Sounds a bit more serious than that.”
“Tell me you would ever allow someone to touch Ella?”
Xander’s features turned dark. “Anyone who ever touched her would die a painful death at my hands.”
“Exactly, and you would go to war for her. You killed your father for her.” I lift a brow.
“I killed my father because I wanted to, the Rossi empire was meant to be mine.” I nod. Xander’s a good man, but if you double-cross him, you’ll wish you’d never met him.
His power reached far and wide, and if he wanted to destroy you, it could easily be done.
“I’m going to kill her father,” I tell him.
“Hmm, are you? Have you let her know this yet?”
“She is aware of it, but I don’t think she is taking me seriously. I took her for revenge, that part she doesn’t know.”
“But she’s getting to you, she’s weaseling her way under your skin.”
I look out to the pool, and this deep fondness pulses through my veins. The organ in my chest thumps loudly, and it’s never felt so fucking whole. She fills the spaces that her father’s betrayal took from me, and I realize that now.
“It will never work as soon as she finds out why I took her, and that I will never return her feelings, she will hate me even more than she already does.”
“I’ve known you since you were a teenager when you first took over for your father. You don’t want to believe it because we’re men that aren’t meant to feel anything but pain and rage, but I think there is something there.”
As if Elena can hear us talking about her, she turns and looks at me over her shoulder. Her green eyes glitter with joy, and I wonder if I could stand to see them filled with bitter rage, pain, and anger all over again.
“I don’t know.” I shake my head, “I don’t want to feel anything for her.”
“I think you’re past not wanting to feel anything for her. Even though you’re doing your best to hide it, I can see that she means something to you. You might have taken her for revenge, but things can change. It changed for Ella and me, the same could happen to you too.”
Ella and Xander weren’t Elena and me. I may be able to make her happy and give her all the things she wants and needs, but I could never fall in love with her. It would be a slap to my mother’s face if I fell for the enemy’s daughter.
There was no room for love in our marriage.
“Ella said if it’s okay with you, that they would visit us again with their kids next time.” Elena beams on the way back upstairs.
“Sure, maybe after our honeymoon.”
“Wait, we’re going on a honeymoon?” She squeals the words.
“Yes, we’ll leave tomorrow after the wedding.” After I kill your father.
“Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise. You’ll like it.” I know she will. And the best part is, I can give her more freedom there. She’ll be able to walk around the house freely, maybe even on the beach. I know she’ll love it, she’ll just hate me by then.
Pushing all those unwanted thoughts away, I concentrate on the here and now. I soak in her happiness, not knowing when it’ll be the last time I get to see it. She is basically skipping along by the time we get to the bedroom. I want one last night with her where there is no hate or guilt between us. Where it is just us, no last names, no contract.
Opening the door, I let her walk in first. As soon as the door closes behind us, I start to unbutton my shirt. All-day, I’ve thought about this moment, stripping her bare and making her beg for my cock. Now, here we are, the night before our wedding.
“Strip,” I order as she turns around to face me.
Her green eyes widen, desire pooling in the depths. She does as I instruct, slowly stripping out of her clothing.
“What are you going to do to me?” she questions innocently.
“What do you want me to do to you?”
“Touch me. Kiss me.”
Her reply is soft and sweet, just like her. I cross the distance between us, and trail a hand down her side, enjoying the way her skin quakes beneath my finger. I need her now. Need her honeyed taste on my tongue. Grabbing her hand, I tug her behind me as I walk over to the chaise lounge. She’s going to ride my cock, but first, I’m going to taste her sweet cunt.
“Sit on the couch and spread your legs as wide as they’ll go.”