“But you aren’t a child anymore,” Luca said with a predatory smirk. His lips were less than an inch from mine. “You’re making this really hard. I can’t kiss you if you look at me like that.”

“Then maybe I should give you that look on our wedding night,” I challenged.

“Then maybe I’ll have to take you from behind so I don’t have to see it.”

My face fell and I stumbled away, my back colliding with the wall.

Luca shook his head. “Relax. I was joking,” he said quietly. “I’m not a monster.”

“Aren’t you?”

His expression hardened and he straightened, drawing up to his full height again. I regretted my words, even though they were the truth. “I wanted to discuss the matter of your protection with you,” he said in an emotionless, formal voice. “Once you move into my penthouse after the wedding, Cesare and Romero will be responsible for your safety. But I want Romero at your side until then.”

“I have Umberto,” I protested, but he shook his head. “Apparently, he’s taking too many toilet breaks. Romero won’t leave your side from now on.”

“Will he watch me when I shower too?”

“If I want him to.”

I raised my chin, trying to quench my anger. “You would let another man see me naked? You must really trust Romero not to take advantage of the situation.”

Luca’s eyes blazed. “Romero is loyal.” He leaned close. “Don’t worry I’ll be the only man to ever see you naked. I can’t wait.” His eyes traveled over my body.

I crossed my arms over my chest and averted my eyes. “What about Lily? She and Gianna share this suite with me. You saw how Lily can be. She will flirt with Romero. She will do anything to get a rise out of him. She doesn’t realize what she could get herself into. I need to know that she’s save.”

“Romero won’t touch your sister. Liliana is playing around. She’s a little girl. Romero likes his women of age and willing.”

‘And you don’t?’ I almost asked but swallowed the words and nodded instead.

My eyes darted toward my bed. This was a horrible reminder of what would happen soon.

“There’s something else. Are you taking the pill?”

Color drained from my face as I stared at him. “Of course not.”

Luca scrutinized me with unsettling calm. “Your mother could have made you start it in preparation for the wedding.”

I was pretty sure I was going to have a nervous breakdown any moment. “My mother would never do that. She won’t even talk to me about these things.”

Luca raised one eyebrow. “But you do know what happens between a man and a woman in a wedding night?”

He was mocking me, the bastard. “I do know what happens between normal couples. In our case, I think the word you’re looking for is rape.”

Luca’s eyes flashed with emotion. “I want you to start taking the pill.” He handed me a small packet. It was birth control.

“Don’t I need to see a doctor before I start taking birth control?”

“We have a doctor who’s been working for the Familia for decades. This is from him. You need to start taking the pill immediately. It takes 48 hours for them to start working.”

I couldn’t believe him. He seemed really eager to sleep with me. My stomach tightened. “And what if I don’t?”

Luca shrugged. “Then I’ll use a condom. Either way, on our wedding night you are mine.”

He opened the door and gestured for me to move. As if in trance, I walked into the living area of the suite. I hadn’t meant to make him angry, but now it was too late. It probably wasn’t the last time anyway.

Umberto stood beside Gianna and Lily, looking annoyed. He frowned at Luca. “What are you doing here?”

“You should pay better attention in the future and keep your breaks to a minimum,” Luca told him.

“I was gone for only a few minutes and there were guards in front of the other doors.”

Gianna smirked. Matteo’s eyes were locked on her. “What are you looking at?” she snapped.

Matteo leaned forward. “At your hot body.”

“Then keep looking.” She gave an one shoulder shrug. “Because that’s all you ever get to do with my hot body.”

“Stop it,” Umberto warned.

I wasn’t looking at him, but at Matteo who had a calculating expression on his face.

“Romero will take over the watch duty until the wedding,” Luca said. Umberto opened his mouth, but Luca raised a hand. “It’s done.” He turned to Romero who straightened at once. They walked a few steps away from us. Gianna pressed up to me. “What does he mean?”

“Romero is my new bodyguard.”

“He just wants to control you.”

“Shh.” I was watching Luca and Romero. After a moment, Romero glanced at Lily, then nodded and said something. They finally returned to us. “Romero will stay with you,” Luca said simply. He was so cold since I’d as good as called him a monster.

“And what am I supposed to do?” Umberto asked.

“You can guard their door.”

“Or you can join our stag party,” Matteo suggested.

“I’m not interested,” Umberto said.

Luca shrugged. “Suit yourself. Scuderi is coming with us.”

My father would go with them? I didn’t even want to know what they were up to.

Luca turned to me. “Remember what I told you.”

I didn’t say anything, only clutched the pill packet in my hand. Without another word, Luca and Matteo left. Romero held the door open. “You can leave too,” he told Umberto who glared but walked out after a moment. Romero shut the door and locked it.

Gianna gaped. “You can’t be serious.”

Romero leaned against the door, arms clasped in front of him. He didn’t react.

“Come, Gianna.” I pulled her with me toward the couch and plopped down. Lily was already kneeling on the armchair, watching Romero in rapt attention. Gianna’s eyes flitted down to my hand. “What’s this?”

“Birth control.”

“Don’t tell me that asshole gave it to you just now so he can screw you on your wedding night.”

I pressed my lips together.

“You aren’t going to take them, right?”

“I have to. It won’t stop Luca if I don’t. He’ll only be angry.”

Gianna shook her head, but I gave her a pleading look. “I don’t want to argue with you. Let’s watch a movie, okay? I really need the distraction.” After a moment, Gianna nodded. We picked out a random movie, but it was difficult to focus with Romero guarding us.

“Are you going to stand there all night?” I asked eventually. “You’re making me nervous. Can’t you sit down at least?”

He moved toward the vacant armchair and sank down. He shrugged off his jacket, revealing a white shirt and a holster holding two guns and a long knife.

“Wow,” Lily breathed. She stood and walked over to him. He kept his attention on the door. She stepped in his way and he had no choice but to look up at her. She smiled. She quickly slipped into his lap and he tensed. I leaped off the sofa and wrenched her off him. “Lily, what’s matter with you? You can’t act like that. One day a man is going to take advantage of you.” Many men had trouble understanding that provocative clothes and actions didn’t mean a woman was asking for it.