After the weekend, she felt refreshed when she opened the door on Monday morning. There was no way he would still—

Why?!

Biting her lip hard, she started the journey down the driveway, beginning to pray. Dear God, please give me the strength to walk past this unbelievably arrogant man. She repeated the prayer over and over in her head and, with only one little glance, she was able to walk past a still patiently waiting Angel.

The Escalade door was opened, and Maria stepped out of the back seat to allow her to squeeze in. She couldn’t help noticing the strange look Maria gave her as she got in and climbed into the third row between Elle and Lake.

The tall blonde paused for a moment before she finally got back in, closing the door behind her. She sighed as the car started to pull away, then Maria’s voice filled the confined space. “Wait.”

They all looked at her when the car suddenly came to stop.

“Everyone out,” the mafia princess commanded, and she was instantly obeyed as the doors flew open and they all started to exit. When Adalyn started to leave, Maria pushed her back. “Not you. You stay.”

What the—

Her eyes grew wide when her butt immediately fell onto the seat beside her.

Vincent didn’t want to shut the door, clearly assuming what she was going to talk about. But when Maria gave him a threatening glare, he slammed the door shut.

In the now private space, the princess stared her down. “What the hell are you doing?”

“Well, I was going to schoo—”

“I meant, what the hell are you doing riding in here?” she hissed. “I can’t watch you turn him down anymore.”

To say Adalyn was stunned by the words coming out of the princess’s mouth would be an understatement. Never in a million years would she have thought Maria could care about something that involved a Luciano enough to meddle; yet she could tell by looking into her eyes that, deep down, for some reason she did.

Trying to keep her voice strong, she told the blonde, “He left me, Maria.”

“Well …” The blonde raised a brow. “He’s here now, isn’t he?”

“Yes … but he hurt me. How am I supposed to trust him again?”

Maria’s fierce gaze bore into hers. “He’s been here every day for the past week, and even though you continue to turn him down, he keeps coming back. Open your eyes and look at him. If you think he’s going to give up, you’re wrong, Adalyn. Men like Angel never lose,” she promised her, her eyes growing more captivating the longer she spoke. “If you can’t find it within yourself to trust him, then I was wrong about the type of man you were looking for, because I thought you wanted a man who was Made.”

“I do,” she whispered.

“Out of all the Lucianos, Lucca picked him. There’s a reason he did that; you just have to be brave enough to find out what that reason is.”

Swallowing down the lump rising in her throat, Adalyn admitted the real reason she didn’t want to take him back. Every Made man always needed one thing. “I’m afraid … he’ll break me.”

Maria reached over, lifting her chin high with long, manicured fingernails. Enunciating each word that passed her lips with an intensity like no other, she told Adalyn, “Then. Don’t. Let. Him.”

* * *

Angel got back into his car after being turned down yet again. He had come every day, wishing she would give him one more chance, but she hadn’t. At least not yet.

Having nothing but time, he would come back every single day if he had to, to get her to trust him again. As far as he was concerned, their little game wasn’t over, and he had plans on winning.

His eyes went to the rearview mirror, seeing all the doors to the Escalade open and then everyone getting out—almost everyone. He held his breath as a ray of hope shined down upon him.

Come on, Adalyn. He squeezed his tatted knuckles around the steering wheel so hard it was beginning to imprint the leather.

Still holding his breath, he stared a hole into the mirror as he watched the doors open once more. But when they all got back inside and the doors closed behind them, the hope he had for her forgiving him today vanished.

Angel put his hand on the key that sat in the ignition, ready to turn it, when his eyes were drawn back to the rearview mirror.

A slow smile started to twist up his lips.

* * *

Having said her piece, Maria snapped her fingers, giving the others the go-ahead to file back into the car.

It was all up to her now.

Adalyn avoided the gazes of her friends and her brother, unable to look them in the eyes as they got in the car and shut the doors. When she heard the car start up again, she felt her heart starting to race and pound out of her chest. She found herself more torn than ever, the temptation stronger than ever. Still, she didn’t move to get out of the car.

I thought you wanted a man who was Made.

Those words swirled through her mind, reminding her that was exactly what she’d wanted and prayed for in a man, yet she was walking away from one. A real one.

Upset, she guessed a part of her had wanted him to apologize repeatedly and beg her to forgive him, but that wasn’t who Angel was. He had said the word “sorry” already, and he wasn’t going to ever beg. You either forgave him or you didn’t. And him coming here every morning was his way of proving to her that he had meant what he said. She could either take him for what he was, or she could continue to walk away, but the choice was hers.

She put her hand on the door handle and flung the door open, making a decision she could one day live to regret with only one thing for certain … It would be one hell of a ride.

Vincent wasn’t happy, calling out in his sharp voice, “What are yo—”

“Don’t you dare,” Maria cut him off. “I’m sure Lake will take him if you don’t want your sister to have him.”

His baby blues slightly flamed at her before he sat back, giving in.

Lake and Elle’s muffled clapping and cheering could be heard from inside the car as Adalyn closed the door behind her. Then she walked toward the black car, but when the driver’s side door was opened, revealing a smiling Angel, her feet picked up speed until she was running. Then she took a leap of faith and jumped into his arms.

It was the moment she had been waiting for when he circled his arms around her and held her to him.

For some odd reason, even though her blood bled for the Carusos and his Luciano, it just felt right.

A few tears slipped down her cheeks as she nestled into his neck. “If you leave me like that again, I’ll kill you.”

Angel laughed. “Is that a threat, sweetness?”

“No.” Kissing his neck, she smiled. “It’s a promise.”

After he placed her back on the ground, he used his thumb to wipe away the tears from her face before he grabbed her chin, tilting it up for him to stake his claim on her.

By the time he touched his lips to hers, her mouth was already open for him, but as much as she wanted to kiss him back, she didn’t. She wanted him to be the one to kiss her so she could see how much he actually wanted her.

This kiss was different than the rest he had given her. The same passion, the same dominance, but she could also taste something new.

Need.

Adalyn kissed him back, then, with the same need showing through her kiss as a moan passed her lips and into his warm mouth.

When he pulled away, his voice came out in a low growl when he ordered, “Get in the car.”

“Why?” she asked, dazed, not knowing if she had heard him right.

“Because if I don’t take you to school right now, you’re not going.”

The intense gray eyes she stared up at showed her what kind of need he was feeling. She gulped loudly, having about three point five seconds to get in the car before her virginity was gone forever.

“Now,” he growled, giving her one last warning.

Adalyn wasn’t stupid … She ran to the passenger door.

God, I’m not sure if marriage is going to be for me.