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FROM THE MOMENT FALLON hands me the diary with moisture pooling in her eyes, I sense that I’m going to read appalling words, so I want her near me. She rests her head in my lap, and I cover her with the white blanket as she watches TV.

Opening the purple hardcover diary, I scan through several pages and notice that not much has been written yet, so I just start at page one. By the third sentence, I’m already clenching my jaw while trying to hide my reaction from her by calmly winding my fingers through her hair. Nothing could’ve prepared me for the unadulterated rage storming through me as I read about how Ashton raped her at the police station. My hands are sweating, and I can feel her tensing up as my entire body becomes rigid, but I keep tangling my fingers through the strands of her hair in an effort to soothe her.

My sweet Fallon. The woman I will grow old with has been through so much more than I could ever imagine. Sweat trickles down my neck and my fingers dig into the paper of the diary as I have to read how that fucker assaulted her in the worst way. Evidently, Ashton is an even bigger madman than I realized. He gets off on physically hurting people. I should’ve known that after I witnessed the horrific scenes in Club 7’s fight club.

When Collopy attacked her, I was already infuriated like never before, but now, there’s no limit to the carnage I’d wreak. My need for retaliation against Ashton just magnified a hundredfold.

I will get you vengeance, dolcezza, whether you want it or not.

A newfound respect for Wade grows as I read how he helped her, and I’m beginning to understand the nature of their relationship. Surreptitiously, I wipe the sweat from my upper lip, but I can’t control my enraged breathing anymore.

And then she sits up with wide eyes, anticipating my reaction, so I immediately hug her to me, and she climbs onto my lap, burying her face in my neck as unbearable cries rake through her body.

Stroking the back of her head, I soothe, “Shhh. Why would I be mad at you, sweetheart? My god, I would never be mad at you. But I do hurt for you.” My own eyes water as her tears pour down my neck, and I press my lips to her hair.

I swear to god, Ashton will pay!

Her arms clasp tightly around my middle, and I return her embrace, needing her to feel safe with me as guilt darkens my soul. I was horrendous to her the day after she was raped. The day I decided I was done with her. The day she probably needed me most.

She hick-ups while trying to speak. “I’m...sorry for not—”

“Don’t. There’s absolutely no need for you to say you’re sorry – you did nothing wrong.” With both my hands on the side of her face, I look her straight in the eye. “You don’t need to apologize, okay?”

She nods almost unnoticeably, and I kiss her forehead.

“You are so brave, and you’re one of the strongest women I know. After everything you’ve been through, look at how you keep going.”

Not only did I underestimate her strength, but I completely undervalued the warrior hidden inside Fallon.

“Do you want to talk about it with me?” I ask cautiously.

Shaking her head, she rejects the offer. “Do you?”

“I want what you want.”

“Then no, not now.”

“Let’s—” I’m cut off by the buzzer announcing that our food has arrived, and Fallon takes this chance to end the conversation.

So we eat on the sofa in companionable stillness, sitting intimately close together, and I touch her continually to reassure her that I’m not angry in the least. Not at her, anyway; my fury will be unleashed on Ashton.

My resolve to talk about our relationship evaporates after reading her diary, and I can’t bring myself to push her for answers right now.

Although at night, I come up with an idea to surprise her this weekend. We fall asleep with our bodies entangled, arms and legs hooked together to find comfort in the warmth of each other.

***

“WHERE ARE WE GOING?” Fallon grins at me enthusiastically as the sun is setting on this cold winter night.

“Stop fishing, Miss Impatient. And get in the car.”

After almost an hour of driving, we pass the sign she recognizes, and she beams at me. “The cabin. I love that cottage.”

“But wait, there’s more,” I say while parking my vehicle in front of the cottage, equally eager because I want to spoil her, take her mind off everything.

Jumping out, I round the car to help her out and lead us to the door. After I unlock it, she steps inside, and her mouth drops open at the décor.

“Oh, Luca.”

Dozens of scented candles light the room, and the already-fired-up hearth warms the cottage. The aged wooden table is filled with desserts: chocolate muffins, crème brûlée, red velvet cake, and dark chocolate cake.

Swiveling around, she jumps into my arms, twining her arms and legs around me. I hold her up by her ass and lead us to sit in front of the fireplace while she presses her soft lips to mine.

I trace her mouth with my tongue before excitedly delving inside as she grinds her hips against me, and I hurriedly remove our coats while avoiding to break our kiss. She lies back on the white angora rug, pulling me down with her.

“I need your touch to make me feel safe again. I need to know that I’m still desirable to you. Make love to me.” Fallon rubs her palm over my hardening length through my dress slacks and coaxes my mouth open with her tongue.

Her soft moan spurs me on. All rational thoughts fly out the window. I grab her hips and wedge myself between her legs. “You will always be desirable to me, but I want you to talk to me, tell me what kind of intimacy you want. I want you to take the lead, and if at any time you want to stop, we’ll stop immediately, okay?”

She covers a hand over my jaw, and I rub my cheek against her palm.

“Talk to me,” I urge.

“I want it to be the way it always was, not different,” she confesses as my thumb strokes the corner of her full lips.

“That I can do.” I smirk and pull her sweater over her head and yank down her tank top to lavish her hard, pink nipple with my tongue, causing her to squirm and arch in anticipation. “Just focus on the pleasure I’m going to give you.” I place a delicate kiss on one nipple, and then the other.

With slow movements, constantly brushing my lips against her bare skin, I remove every item of clothing until she’s naked and lying back on the thick, white rug. I know exactly what she loves and plan to give it to her.

“Spread your legs,” I order while unbuttoning my collared shirt, and she pulls up her knees and lets her legs fall open seductively, offering herself to me.

I groan and strip my clothes as she watches me. Then I kneel down and my palms skim a path from her feet, up her legs, and over her outer thighs and hips. And she trembles when I press my lips to her inner thigh, and her hands clench in my hair. Another kiss, a little higher, and then one right between her legs that causes her to moan, so I lick her once, briefly, just to tease.

“Ah...Luca.” Her breathing is shallow, full of expectation.

She starts to writhe and circle her hips, but I move up, kissing my way over her stomach and marking her by biting the curve of her breast, making her mewl my name. Taking her hands in mine, I intertwine our fingers while pinning them beside her head, and I grind my erection between her legs as I push my tongue into her mouth.

She’s always been desirable to me, but I worship her voluptuous body with wider hips and fuller breasts even more now. As I move away from between her thighs, her eyes open lazily, and I stroke myself as she bites her lip.

“Sei da mozzare il fiato.” You’re breathtaking.