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I don’t move. I stay exactly where I am, hovering over her, and move her hair out of her face, needing to see all of her.

“I’ve never felt this way about anyone,” she admits. “In my entire life and… this? Me and you? Is it a good idea? What will happen to you and Luca?”

I growl when I hear his name. I thrust my hips forward, taking her by surprise, and I bury my tongue in her mouth in a quick, passionate kiss. Breaking away, I press my forehead against hers, breathing in every exhale she gives me.

“Don’t say my son’s name when I’m still inside you,” I warn. “Don’t ever bring up another man in our bed, even if he is my son because all I want to do now is fuck you all over again, so you know who you belong to. “

“Oh.”

I smirk. “Yeah,oh.” I gently slide out of her, both of us groaning from the loss. I slide to her right, turning to my side, and shefaces me, her cheeks to flushed from her orgasm. I could look at her all day and never get enough. Watching her should be my full-time job because I never want to admire anything or anyone else ever again.

I rub soothing circles on her shoulder, dragging the pad of my finger across her collarbone, then slide back to start the touch all over again.

“What this means, what we mean, is that we are together. You are mine. There’s no doubting that. We are exclusive. I will not hide you or be ashamed of being with you because of my son. Luca will be okay. He’s a complicated person. He has trouble understanding the difference of loving someone versus using them. He’ll most likely be upset about us for the wrong reasons, but he’ll have to get over it.” I glide my touch down her arm, intertwining our fingers together. “Because you’ve been mine before you were ever meant to be his.”

She lowers her gaze, her light lashes fanning over the tops of her cheeks. “What if you lose him because of me? I wouldn’t be able to live with that, Santino. I can’t come between you and your son.”

I nod in understanding, loving she cares so much about my relationships with my children. “You’re very sweet and thoughtful. Too sweet for the likes of me.”

“Just sweet enough,” she grins, inching closer, and giving me a quick kiss. “But I am serious.”

“I know you are, and I don’t have any answers for you. Luca hasn’t been the same since his mother died.”

Jovie squeezes my hand. “I know what that is like. I lost my parents too. It isn’t easy. Grief tends to stick and tangle. The knots never go away.”

“They don’t, do they?” I watch our hands twist together and I bring her knuckles to my lips, kissing them.

“What was she like?” Jovie asks out of nowhere, surprising me.

“Who?”

“Your wife.”

My brows raise in surprise. “You want to know about her?”

She frowns. “Of course, I do. She’s the mother of your children. She was part of your life.” She cups my face, brushing her thumb across the edge of my jaw.

I lean into her touch, allowing myself to feel grounded and at peace. “I haven’t talked about her in a very long time.” I clear my throat when an unexpected emotion bubbles up.

“Why?” She tilts her head to the side, genuinely curious.

I stare at the wall, trying to think of a good reason or excuse, but there isn’t one that’s good enough. “I don’t know. The job, mostly, I think. No weakness can be allowed, or enemies will prey on it. I couldn’t show weakness and my children couldn’t either. We bottled up our pain, each of us losing ourselves in grief within the silence of ourselves. I’m sure that’s why Luca is the way he is. Omar, honestly, he is the best one to lead the family. He has a level head. He knows how to work through his emotions and when to set them aside. I stopped enjoying life. Until now. If you can’t tell.” I wave my arm around my dull room. “We don’t have to talk about her, Jovie. It’s okay.”

“You never say her name, you know,” she whispers, her nails lightly scratching my arm.

“I don’t?” I frown.

“No, but it’s okay. You can talk to me about her, any time. It’s okay to miss her, Santino. She was a massive part of your soul. That doesn’t go away.”

“Maybe another time,” I say, not wanting to talk about my wife when Jovie is lying in my bed naked. “I only want to focus on us right now. Is that okay?”

“Of course it is.” She plants a kiss on my forehead. “Whenever you’re ready.” She tosses the blankets from her and gets out of bed. I’m left staring at her voluptuous body. “I’m going to go take a shower if you want to join me and then maybe we can go get breakfast?”

I toss the sheets to the side and get out of bed, not wanting to miss the water sliding down her delectable curves. I glance down at my cock, covered in dried come and blood. It pains me to wash my claim off, but now she’s all mine, and no one can take that away from me.

“Sounds like the perfect morning.” I grab her hand and tug her to the bathroom that’s attached.

I slide the doors open, revealing a huge vanity. One side is mine, complete with my own sink, and the other side is made for a spouse. It sits empty. There’s even a section for makeup or to do hair and it hits me that Jovie’s meant to take that section. The realization hits me so hard, I lose my breath.