Soulless Devil (Sons of Valentino #3)(49)

“No,” I tell him with my arms folded over my chest.

Romeo raises an eyebrow at me. “Please,” he adds, the corner of his lips tipping up slightly.

“Stop being charming.”

“My name’s Romeo. It’s hard not to be, babe.”

“Shut up.” I take the glass and drink the entire thing, slamming it down on the counter when I’m done. “Happy?”

“With you? More than you’ll ever know.”

“Ah, Livvy, I’m going to just head out if you’re all good here,” Kirk interjects.

“Yep, I’m good. Thanks, Kirk.” I offer him an I’m sorry smile. And before he leaves, Kirk lifts his pinky to his right ear. A sign we haven’t used in a really long time. It’s what we used to do at school to check in with each other. If either of us didn’t return the gesture, it meant we weren’t fine. Far from it. Lifting my pinkie, I copy the gesture and he relaxes.

“Okay, I’ll catch you later.” Kirk leaves without acknowledging Romeo.

“I don’t like him,” Romeo says.

“You don’t like anyone,” I tell him.

“That’s not true. I like you a whole fucking lot. And Luca, I like him.”

“One, he’s your brother, so he doesn't count. And two, I kind of like you a whole lot too.” I smile.





Chapter Twenty-Seven





Livvy is sleeping with her head resting in my lap and her legs stretched out on the sofa. We landed in New York late last night, and I brought her straight back to my place. Where she belongs. I’m fucking fuming that she was alone all week. In that cabin. In the middle of fucking nowhere. And how the fuck did I not know? I should have fucking known.

I’m painfully aware I haven’t done this whole boyfriend thing before. I didn’t think I’d be so fucking bad at it though. I want to be better. I need to be better. Livvy deserves the best. And right now, I’m not giving her that.

I make a vow to do better.

She stirs, little cries escaping her lips as she sleeps. She’s had no one to comfort her during the nightmares. All fucking week. I wonder how much she’s been sleeping.

Picking her up, I walk into the bedroom and tuck her under the blankets. I then strip down to my boxers and climb in next to her. As I lie here, watching her sleep, I can see our whole future. I see her as my wife, the mother of our children. I wonder if I can take a page out of Matteo’s book and run off to Vegas and get hitched. As much as I’d be okay with that idea, I don’t want to rob Livvy of whatever her dream wedding is. As long as I’m the one waiting at the other end of the aisle, I don’t care where or how we get married. The result will be the same. Livvy will be a Valentino.

Her eyes open and she looks around frantically.

“Livvy, it’s okay. You’re safe. You’re home.” I pull her onto my chest, and my hands smooth out her hair.

“I really missed you, Romeo,” she whispers.

“It’s a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife,” I say, quoting the same Jane Austen phrase we once argued over.

“I guess it’s a good thing you’re not a single man then, Mr. Valentino.” She smiles up at me.

“Marry me,” I blurt out.

“What?”

“I want you to always be mine. I want to wake up with you every day. I want to be everything you want and deserve. I don’t ever want to be apart from you again, Livvy.”

“Romeo, we’re nineteen. We can’t get married.”

“Technically, we can.”

“We’re nineteen,” she repeats.

“I’m aware.”

“I think my dad really will shoot you.” She grins.

“I can take it,” I tell her. “So, is that a yes?”

“Yes.”

My eyes widen. She said yes… “I love you so fucking much.” I slam my lips down on hers. The moment they touch, I freeze, fully expecting her to pull away. She doesn’t though. She leans into me, and her tongue swipes over the seam of my mouth, seeking entrance. I open for her and immediately take over the kiss. Slowly pulling away, I look into her eyes for any sign of anxiety, hurt, anything that will tell me she’s not handling this kind of physical affection.

“I’m okay,” she assures me.

“It’s okay if you’re not, you know. I will wait a lifetime just to kiss you, Livvy. If you’re never ready for this, that’s okay too.”

“You’d really marry me knowing you’d never get laid again? I know how much you like sex, Romeo. I’ve done it with you, remember?”

“Oh, I remember, fondly. But it’s you I love. Everything else is secondary.”

“I love you. I’m sorry I’m not my best self right now, but I will work on getting better.”

“You don’t need to work on anything. You are perfect just the way you are.” I lean in, fusing my lips with hers again. Now that I know she’s okay with this, I’m not going to stop kissing her until she tells me to. Or until I have to get up and shoot whoever is currently knocking on my fucking door. “Go away.”

“Moving truck’s here, Romeo. Get your ass up. I’m not your secretary,” Luca yells out through the door.