Judas was standing by the dining table where a feast fit for a king had been laid out, looking deep in thought.

  When he spotted me I swore his eyes lit up.

  “Come sit. It just got here.” He pulled one of the large chairs out for me.

  I sat down and thanked him. “Sweet and a gentleman. Who knew you had it in you?”

  “On rare occasions, I can put out.” He placed his hands on either side of my shoulders and leaned down to kiss my cheek. “You are beautiful, Amore Mio.”

  “I try.”

  “But you don’t need to and that’s what makes you all the more stunning.”

  I smiled as he took the seat directly to my right, placing him at the head of the table. “Help yourself to one of everything. It’s all fresh.”

  “If I did that my ass would literally explode. Have you ever seen that cartoon where the squid eats all the burgers, and then explodes? That’s me.”

  “I can’t say that I have seen it, but I can attest that I love your ass.”

  I reached for a plate and looked over everything on the table. It was all labeled. Glasses of water were already filled, and two different liquors sat on ice. That was the last thing I needed. If I got alcohol in me right now, I’d really be a blubbering mess.

  I started with a grilled filet of salmon that had some kind of potato and mixed vegetables with it. Judas had something called Wagyu with almost the same sides.

  “Do you like it?” he asked after I’d nearly eaten half the plate.

  “Delicious.”

  “Taste this.” He cut off a piece of what looked like steak and extended it to me on the tip of his fork.

  I leaned over and delicately bit it off. I couldn’t even sink my teeth fully into the tender chunk before the flavor was exploding in my mouth.

  I nodded and swallowed before speaking.

  “What is that?”

  “Japanese cattle.”

  I’d never heard of this before, but it was good. I looked around the room and took in more of the décor.

  “I know you didn’t get out of Crudele much. I’ve added a few pamphlets with your gifts. You pick your favorites and I’ll get us there.”

  “What about your job, work, or whatever you call it?”

  “I can do both. Being the boss has its perks, letting you travel is one of them.”

  I reached for some kind of dressing to taste it. “Haven’t you been almost everywhere?”

  “I haven’t been anywhere with you.”

  “Judas, you don’t have to be this sweet,” I replied with a laugh. “I do like you when your edgy and a giant asshole too.”

  “I’m giving you variety then, enjoy it. I traveled mostly when I was younger, with my famiglia when it was permitted.”

  I could almost picture that. Gemma and Zacharias with a mini-Judas. “Has your mom always been…hard of hearing?”

  His brows rose in amusement. “You mean Deaf? Yes, since she was a kid. We don’t dance around it, principessa.”

  “Well, I didn’t know that and what did you mean by permitted?”

  “My padre can be very controlling when it comes to her.”

  So, the outside comment was probably exactly how I translated it.

  “She seems happy,” I tossed out.

  “It took a while. He was with someone else when he met her and she made the mistake of leaving him once too, like you.”

  I rolled my eyes and grabbed a roll. “I doubt the situations compare.”

  “Oh, they don’t. Wait until you find out how he brought her back. You’ll think of me as a martyr then.”

  “Well, as I said, she seems happy. She probably deserves a medal or something but at least it worked out. Right?”

  He grinned and took a sip of his drink. “She got something better than a fucking piece of a medal, she got an empire and a famiglia. She’s very happy. We make sure of it.”

  His use of the word we was adorable. I couldn’t see myself ever traveling with Marcus or Evie. The man who raised me treated me like a princess while Evie was more of an evil-step mother near the end. Seeing him actually enjoy a vacation with me would have sent her spiraling into a rage. The backhanded compliments would’ve been endless.

  “A family trip with Marcus and Evie would have been so toxic,” I mused out loud.

  “Of course, it would be. I may want to piss on Marcus’ grave, but he did care for you as his own. Evie was jealous of you. The older you got the more you resembled the woman her fuck-toy fantasized about.”

  I bit the inside of my cheek so I didn’t snap at him about the grave comment. “Was he the guy Santiago was talking about?”

  “One and only. He really fucked that up.”

  “Yeah…” I tore a chunk of my roll off and popped it in my mouth.

  “I know you cared for him.”

  I lifted one shoulder in a half-shrug to play off how much it still hurt. “He was my dad.”

  I wasn’t going to go too much deeper into it. Marcus was public enemy number two around here it seemed and that was completely validated by his actions. I would never argue on his behalf when Judas had a sister he’d hurt. I hated even having to be torn between the two.

  I couldn’t despise one man I loved when the other did the same thing.

  Enemy number one was obvious. I propped my chin in my hand, connecting the dots of all these people.

  “This could be a movie.”

  He scoffed and reached for a cloth napkin. “Where almost everyone dies, sure.”

  “Can you tell me why Evie isn’t?” I asked directly. No one else would specifically say what had or hadn’t happened to her or why she was alive. “She’s still living, right?” I pushed.

  “Evie is living in an oceanside estate eating calamari and getting dicked down by a replica of my padre every day.”

  There was a story in there somewhere regarding her wanting his…dad. I’m pretty sure that’s what he’d just said. I was more concerned that this bitch was living a grand life after everything she’d done.

  Indirectly harming Maisie.

  Shooting my dad in the back like a fucking coward.

  Wanting me dead.

  I didn’t understand. Me aside, she’d hurt his sister, hadn’t she?

  “So why is she still alive?”

  “We were waiting on you to decide how you wanted her to die,” he replied without missing a beat.

  “What kind of reason is that?”

  “Considering you’re going to be the one who delivers this news to her personally, a good one.”

  Okay…I had to be missing something.

  “Does Evie know I’m alive?”

  “She knows. Since I’ve been intercepting her every attempt to find you. She has no fucking clue you’re beside me.”

  Then it was as I’d perceived it to be, he’d been protecting me.

  I reached for my water and drank a decent amount to wet my throat. I sat the glass down, strumming my fingers against it.

  “You have a very roundabout way of informing me of things.”

  “I’m straight to the point when I need to be. There was a time you wanted that from me.”

  “I did—do. What does this mean, though? What is it you want me to do for her to disappear?”

  “I want to make a deal with you.”

  “I thought I did that already.”

  “No.” He reached for his own drink, some kind of liquor, and took a sip. “You gave me a chance and now I’m going to offer you one.”

  Intrigued, I reached for my napkin and sat back. “I’m listening.”

  “You’re going to marry me without bitching or any cold-feet bullshit.”

  “Am I?”

  “I want a genuine smile on that beautiful face on our big day.” Imagine how rich, well-fucked, and spoiled you’ll be for the rest of your life by a man that always chooses you. That should do the trick.”

  “We--?”

  His hand came up to silence me.

  “You’ll take the same crash course I did and learn how to keep our dynasty secure. My kids will have what I did. It’s important to me.” He paused and looked at me expectantly.

  I would love to learn the ropes to navigate life as I would come to know it. If there was one thing a woman couldn’t afford to be in this world, it was weak. I refused for that label to ever be associated with me.

  I didn’t have a reply for the baby thing. I was still planning to be besties with birth control for the foreseeable future.

  “And what else?”

  “When I do something for your safety, don’t be fucking bullheaded and fight against me in the name of woman’s rights and independence. You won’t have either if someone puts a bullet in your head or makes you into a whore.”

  “Because you give me so many choices?” I questioned sarcastically.

  “You’re getting me and with that comes everything else you need. All you have to do is agree.”

  “Judas, even if I don’t agree, you’ll make me marry you.”

  “I’m not making you. You said the ring is beautiful. And I told you I was going to marry you years ago. I’m a highly sought-after bachelor you’re taking off the market, rejoice a little.”

  I laughed at his selling points. “If this is a deal, what do I get out of this?”

  “Everything, including Evie.”

  “If I don’t want your deal?”

  “Then you remain oblivious to everything I do and live life in the same manner. I’ll shield you always, but you can’t have it both ways. You can be my unassuming bride with her head in the clouds or one that’s going to ensure no one ever fucks with her by the power she wields.”

  I gnawed the inside of my lip, considering everything he said. This is what Maisie and Nova had been trying to tell me. As my husband, he could give me what I needed to get what I wanted.

  Once I was in, though, there’d be no way out. We’d never divorce. I couldn’t stand there and support him making decisions that destroyed lives and then decide I wanted to be his naïve wife who knew nothing. That wasn’t appealing to me at all.

  “What exactly would I do? If I accept?”

  “Do? Nothing.”

  At my confused look, he went on to explain.

  “Rhiannon, you’re a goddess. You will never sully your hands with blood unless I fail you and you’ve got to decide life or death.”

  “A…goddess?” I didn’t know if I should swoon or cry. “Santiago called me a queen.”

  “You’re everything,” he surprisingly agreed. “You be the queen, regal and safe knowing she has a king that will do whatever is necessary to keep a smile on her face and make sure she’s safe.”

  I swallowed, reminding my heart it needed to keep beating at a steady tempo. He wanted to give me everything, but was it real? Would he dangle these promises just to snatch them away and leave me this bitter, broken woman I’d have to fight like hell to bring back from a place of misery again?

  Would I let him?

  “You don’t have to decide right this second, principessa. I prefer you spend more time figuring out what theme you’d like for our wedding because whether you choose to stand beside me or behind me, you’re going to be my wife.” He pushed his chair away from the table and stood up. “I’ll be back.”

  I watched him disappear into the bedroom and a few seconds later, heard the shower kick on. I sat there for a few minutes before wandering out onto the balcony.

  It had been a long day.

  Now that I was showered and fed, I should’ve been ready to fall into a coma, but my mind was too loud. Was it Nova who said everything happened at breakneck speed around here? That was an understatement.

  I draped my arms overtop the guardrail and looked out at the city. It was bustling with activity, legal and otherwise.

  Judas gave me two options having to know I had a third.

  Santiago gave me an out. He was still very much part of this world, though and I wasn’t looking to be rescued like some damsel in distress. I’d pulled myself up on my own too many times for that. Technically, this was all his fault in the first place, but I think he’d paid dearly for it.

  I lingered on the balcony lost in thoughts of murder and wedding gowns.

  Judas joined me after some time. He placed his hands on either side of my body to cage me in. Feeling his naked torso, I looked back at him and saw he’d come out in only a towel wrapped around his waist—low. I could see the perfect cuts that led to his cock. I did a quick scan of the balcony a few rooms away to make sure it was still empty.

  “Admiring your city?” he asked, nuzzling the side of my neck.

  I leaned into his solid chest with a contented sigh. “My city?”

  “Just say the words and I’ll give you my whole world,” he murmured. “It’s nothing without you.”

  My nipples tightened in response to what he was doing. I’d been turned on the second he came up behind me, but now I was growing needy. That’s how it always seemed to be.

  He could look at me and I’d be ready to throw my underwear across the room. Our attraction to one another was visceral. It didn’t matter how sore I was or recent it had been, I was always willing to let him fuck me again.

  “You let me go once, how do I know you won’t’ do it again?”

  “Don’t be naïve, principessa. I never let you go.”

  I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. This was a life-changing choice. I could reign beside him or be the reason his dynasty was scattered among the ashes of our ruin.

  I knew what he wanted my answer to be, and I’d already made up my mind. He knew it too. I just hadn’t said it out loud.

  He let go of the balcony and moved his hands to my hips. I turned my head to get a better whiff of his spicy body wash. “You smell good.”

  He lowered his mouth to mine, kissing me softly. I turned and wrapped my arms around his neck. I parted my lips and let his tongue slip between them. He took over, kissing me like I was the last woman on earth. He broke away every so often to nip, lick and suck on my neck, a major one of my erogenous zones.

  I moaned, running my palms up and down his back. He tugged my robe open, and warm air skated across my naked skin. I was acutely aware we were doing this on a balcony, and that anyone could potentially see us, but I didn’t care.

  He spread his hands wide and firmly grabbed my ass, kneading the flesh as he began kissing down my neck to my chest, taking his time to move lower.

  He kissed along my inner thighs, still licking, and sucking every so often, moving back up to my bikini line. When he finally dropped all the way to his knees I was nearly panting with need. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been this turned on.

  “Judas.” His name spilled from my mouth on a breathy plea.

  His hypnotic silver hues locked with mine and he grinned. “Watch, principessa. Keep your eyes on me.”

  He placed his face between my thighs and began licking my pussy ever so softly. I was soaking wet and struggling not to beg for more. He pushed his tongue through my lips up to my clit over and over again.

  “Judas.” I thread my fingers through his hair and pulled him deeper into my pussy, needing more.

  He grabbed my left leg and hitched it over his shoulder, giving himself better access as he hardened his strokes.

  He used the flat surface of his tongue, to apply pressure with every stroke. I could feel every groove and ridge, heightening my pleasure to a new level. He finally began to toy with my clit, and I wanted to cry in relief.

  He sucked and licked, alternating between it and my lips. I felt the tightening in my core and knew I was close to coming. My moans grew louder, I didn’t bother trying to hold them back.

  I was right there when he stopped completely and went back to kissing up and down my thighs. He took me right to the edge four times just to stop completely, laughing when I cursed his name.

  He swiped his middle and ring finger through my arousal and then slowly eased them inside me, pushing them to the knuckle and slightly curling his fingertips against my sweet spot.

  “Holy shit,” I half moaned, half whimpered, grabbing his hair to guide his mouth back to my pussy.

  He gave me what I wanted, burying his face between my legs, and lavishing my clit with attention while simultaneously massaging my G-spot. I was lost in what we were doing I almost missed someone stepping out onto the balcony a few rooms down.

  The blonde froze when she saw us, her cigarette nearly falling from her mouth. I was going to have bum one when he was done with me.

  “Judas.” I ran my fingers through his hair and tried to tell him we had an audience. He didn’t seem to care.

  He began to fuck me with his fingers, suckling my clit into his mouth. I lost interest in the wide-eyed woman as I came, moaning uncontrollably as fluid sprayed from my pussy, coating Judas’ knuckles, and wrist.

  “Fuck, I love eating your pussy,” he groaned appreciatively and slowly rose up.

  I nimbly grabbed the corner of his towel and pulled it free. He stepped closer and grabbed my hand, guiding it to the base of his solid cock. I ran my thumb over his smooth tip and urged him closer with my other hand.

  “Put me inside you,” he demanded lowly.

  I still didn’t question his choice of location, but he must have seen something in my expression. He leaned down and began to kiss me again, my juices still covered his face and the taste of me all over him spurred me on. I sucked on his tongue and rose up to place his cock at my entrance, rubbing against it.

  He pulled away and brought his mouth to my ear, “I want this whole city to hear you screaming my name.”

  My stomach flipped, a moan ripping from my throat as he thrust into me in one fluid motion.

  He grabbed the leg he’d had over his shoulder and placed it over his forearm as he pounded into me. His hand went to my throat, and he began to force my body to bend backward over the balcony, still fucking me with deep, hard strokes.

  My heart began to race as he held me there, asserting his strength. I felt like at any second, I would flip all the way over. There were fifty-one floors between me and the ground. I grabbed his toned body and pulled him deeper into me. Blood began rushing to my head and his grip tightened, limiting the amount of air I could breathe.