Annika made me feel welcomed and Aleksander made me feel wanted. Somewhere along the way, it must have rubbed off on Nikolai. He let go of whatever displeasure weighed him down, allowing himself to smile at my jokes. In such a brief span of time, they filled the family shaped hole in my heart.Never a replacement for what I'd lost, but something new to ease the pain.I grabbed a bubbling glass of champagne after spinning in circles on the dance floor. A slower song played, and I the opportunity to hide in a corner and catch my breath. Through the empty tables, I found Ricky and Devin swaying in a tender embrace on the dance floor. Nearby, Aleksander led his aunt in a dance. Her head fell back with mirth as she cackled at something he said."Excuse me." An unfamiliar male voice snuck into my ear.I lowered the glass from my lips seconds away from taking a sip. Something about the cold air at my side sent a nasty shiver shooting down the length of my spine. Cautiously, I angled my head

"You could make up for yelling at me by helping me relax." Under the blanket, she deliberately spread her legs wider. My eyes flared, but I couldn't move. Rhea readjusted my arm for me, lifting it over her head and pulling it under the blanket.Her soft, perky breasts pressed into the back of my arm as she guided my hand between her warm thighs. I came back to life as the fabric of her leggings brushed against my hand. The heat from her pussy caused my dick to twitch with excitement."Can you be quiet, baby?"She drew her bottom lip into her mouth. Her eyes closed when I pushed my hand under the waistband of her leggings. Rhea nuzzled her face into my shoulder, feeling the moment I sucked in a sharp breath.I drew a finger along her slit and found her already wet. Sticky arousal coated my finger when I inserted it. Her hips lifted under the blanket to give easier access. It forced me to hold my breath, otherwise I might have thrown subtly out the window.Rhea gripped my arm tight to h

The Amalfi coast of Italy is scattered with medieval villages that seem impossibly draped from the cliffs over the coast. That view only became increasingly dramatic as the dome of the sky darkened overhead. Riding through the winding streets was a thrill on its own. The scene through the windows was a photographer's dream.Our driver pulled up to a staggering villa under the cover of night. Smooth sand-colored walls with multiple floors built on the hillside took my breath away. Over the ledge of the front driveway, one level down, a soft back door light revealed a covered terrace. On the level below that was a private pool and a small garden, all built on the cliff side to face the ocean scenery.In the morning, I knew the sunlight would reveal the vast ocean view below us. For now, I couldn't see where the twinkling stars in the night sky ended, and the glittering black waves of the ocean began.Aleksander's voice startled me out of my reverie. "Tomorrow, we'll have a private chef

ALEKSANDRER'S POV I tore free of the fuzzy belt shortly after Rhea buried herself under the blanket. My wrists were red and chaffed from struggling. Not that I cared about that. The white-hot fury burning a hole in my chest persisted, regardless.Watching Rhea's sensual writhing on the bed as she made herself climax repeatedly drove me wild. Like a feral animal that needed to be put down before he could harm himself or others. My blood pounded through my body with each intense beat of my heart. Fire burned my skin because of the tension in my muscles from keeping my anger under control.Rhea's pleasure belonged to me. Her body, her heart, her soul. If anyone was going to make her toes curl, it was going to be me.I wished someone could tell me why I deflated like a popped balloon when I approached her sleeping form on the bed. Seeing her pink pouty lips parted, softly breathing as she slept, and the slight crease between her brows took the fight out of me. Every ounce of my fury blew

RHEA'S POV Relenting to Aleksander's request, I showered and dressed myself for dinner. He slipped into the bathroom too and washed himself while I focused on doing my makeup for the evening. It was nothing heavy since it was the two of us dining alone near to the shore. I didn't want it to melt on my face with the slight humidity in the air.That didn't stop me from picking out one of my more revealing dresses. In fact, it encouraged it. The thin material of the forest green dress I slipped on clung to my frame like a second skin. With the hem right below my ass and a cut-out showing off the bottom swells of my breasts in the front. It seemed the right choice for the night. I wore nothing underneath.As adorable as that darkly vicious man appeared this afternoon, I didn't believe it one ounce. Aleksander's act of innocence didn't fool me. He might have held me close and cuddled me through the night, but I knew my husband. And I knew he would fulfill his threat."You better count eve