My dad was with Romero, chatting very casually.
“Are we going to sleep here,” Dom interrupted everybody, “or can I go to the reception already?”
“Alcoholic,” Arianna said under her breath.
“Thank you, little sister. I do try, don’t I?”
The reception was grossly opposite of the wedding. The political connections of both families were invited. Celebrities, politicians, billionaires.
The introductions were plenty, with me introducing Alessandro to the Petrenkos people and him doing the same for me to his people.
I frowned whenever someone from my side didn’t need an introduction, mostly because I didn’t miss the smug look of satisfaction on Alessandro’s face. Every. Time.
The party continued well into the night, and even when I left the banquet hall at three in the morning, there were still many people at the reception.
I still owned all my properties, but I’d agreed to spend the wedding night in his place. Just because my dad had insisted, something about saving face.
I was driven back alone, but it didn’t take long for Alessandro to return too.
“Did you not think to tell me before you left?” he asked, storming into the room, still in the suit he’d worn to the wedding.
Red was his color.
“Oh? I’m sorry, I forgot I was supposed to seek your permission for everything I want to do.” I retorted, peeling away the cream floral dress I’d changed into for the reception, trying not to overthink about what he’d said at the club, and what could happen now that we were alone.
He growled behind me. “That wasn’t what I meant.”
I pushed down the dress and allowed it to pool at my feet. There was only one bedroom in this damned place, not my fault if I had no privacy.
Slowly, I stepped out and bent down from the waist to pick the dress up.
His intake of air was sharp, it made me smirk.
When I glanced back, his dark eyes watched my every move, locked on as if I were his prey.
But I wasn’t prey, I was a predator.
“I remember there being a lot of noise about perversion, and all that rubbish.” I said, stepping closer. He had a hard-on and was making no attempt to hide it from view…but then again, what was marriage if not about familiarity. “Where did all that bravado go hm?”
Alex laughed and stepped up to the teasing. “I’ve come to understand that playing with fire is your hobby, Kitten.”
“Kitten?”
His lips twitched into a playful smirk as one arm snaked around my waist, pulling closer. “I promised you a nickname.”
“And I promised you a marriage of convenience.” I said without trying to get out of his hold.
He pulled me closer until I was flush against him and could clearly feel his hardness. The dress in my hand dropped to the ground, my hands splaying on his chest.
He leaned down, so close, our mouths were only a breath away. He reminded me of the restaurant, of the hot wet feeling of his tongue against mine, his hands prodding and groping.
His hips rocking.
With every ounce of strength in me, I pushed against him and broke free of his warm hold.
He let out a frustrated growl, but I flashed him a smile and a wink. “Nothing a cold shower can’t fix.”
Then I turned my back to him, heading for the bathroom.