Lora loaded the table with all kinds of Italian delicacies. Since I’d been with Marcella, I’d discovered a whole new world of Italian food. My experiences with Italian dishes had been restricted to Olive Garden in the past, and that was, as I found out, far from traditional Italian cuisine. I still remembered Lora’s appalled expression when I’d asked why her Spaghetti Carbonara didn’t have cream in it. Her lecture about the traditional recipe with only eggs and parmesan had been memorable.
Marcella leaned over to me. “I love that you don’t even hesitate to risk your life for me,” she said, her lips brushing my ear shell, sending a pleasant shiver down my back. It took me a moment to realize she meant kissing her in front of her father. She lowered her voice further. “It’s incredibly sexy.”
She touched my thigh under the table and squeezed it hard once, which could only mean I’d really get lucky later. Unfortunately, it also gave my cock a little jump start I really couldn’t use at the table with the Vitiello clan.
I kept touching Maddox’s thigh under the table, teasing touches to drive him crazy. Maddox and I had never slept together in our house. He had never even been allowed to join me in my room. But I had been longing for his touch all day and wanted to make him as horny as I felt.
When I brushed his crotch, I got proof that he was indeed as hungry for alone time as I was. I had to stifle a smile and Maddox sent me a challenging smile that made me a bit worried.
He reached for my leg under the table, his fingers clutching my thigh close to my pussy and squeezing.
“Have you discussed the matter of your last name yet?” Dad asked. It was a topic I wasn’t looking forward to discussing with Maddox and had no intention of bringing up today. Maddox slanted me a curious look.
“Not yet.”
“Maybe we can do it after dinner,” Maddox suggested. I wasn’t sure if he wanted to get me alone or if he really wanted to discuss the topic as soon as possible.
After dinner, I convinced Dad to allow Maddox up in my room. Maddox looked around curiously. “I can’t believe this is the first time I’m in your room.”
“You’re lucky Dad didn’t insist on Amo as our chaperone.”
Maddox snorted. “He can’t really believe we haven’t had sex in the last few months.”
“Oh, he definitely doesn’t believe it, but he won’t make it easier for you than absolutely necessary.”
Maddox tilted his head. “That sounds about right.”
I smiled seductively. “But now we’re alone…”
Maddox chuckled as he wrapped his arms around my waist. “As much as I want to fuck you right this second, I think we should get the name thing out of the way. Your father suggested that you keep the name Vitiello.”
I could hear that he considered the idea ridiculous and expected me to deny Dad’s suggestion. I sighed and Maddox loosened his hold on me, his brows pulling together. “Don’t tell me you’re really considering keeping your name.”
“I’m not considering it,” I said carefully. “I already made up my mind. I’ll keep my name. I’m sorry, Maddox.”
Maddox pulled away and began pacing the room. “One of the main things about marriage is to adopt the same name to show you and I belong together.”
“I don’t think we need to share the same name to belong together, and everyone will know about our marriage. It’ll be all over the press, so no need to rub it in even more by using the same name.”
He gave me a disbelieving look. “Rub it in even more? I want every single fucker on this planet to know that we’re together.”
“I want that as well,” I said, touching his chest.
“If we don’t use the same name, people will only speculate that you don’t really mean this marriage, that you have doubts.”
“I thought you don’t care what other people think?” I asked teasingly but Maddox only glowered.
“And I don’t have doubts. If I had doubts about you, I wouldn’t have fought Dad for so long to accept you and I definitely wouldn’t have risked the social backlash I’ve been getting. You are my man, a name won’t change that.”
Maddox smiled bitterly. “So we won’t have the same name.”
I bit my lip. “You could—”
Maddox’s eyes flashed with anger. “Don’t say it. Don’t fucking suggest I could adopt the name Vitiello. Do you want me to cut off my balls and hand them to your father on a silver platter as well?”
I rolled my eyes. “Adopting my name doesn’t have anything to do with my father or your manliness. Why would you be less of a man if you adopted your wife’s name, especially if that would make her life in the Famiglia much easier?”