Vicious Devotion: A Dark Mafia Romance (Dark Temptation Book 2) by M. James & Ivy Thorn

Author:M. James & Ivy Thorn [James, M. & Thorn, Ivy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: PNK Publishing
Published: 2024-08-18T00:00:00+00:00

14

GABRIEL

The next morning, I head into town alone to buy Bella a ring.

I know there’s technically no need to. I know that she’s agreed, and that she won’t go back on her promise, now that it’s given. I know that she understands why I think this is what’s necessary to keep her safe—all of the reasons why this is a better choice than any other that we have.

I tell myself that’s the only reason that I’m doing this. That it’s selfless, that her safety, her protection, is all the motive I have. That I’m not marrying her because it could lead to me having exactly what I’ve felt that I wanted so many times since we’ve been here in Italy—Bella here, with us, forever. A part of this family.

I try to tell myself that it has nothing to do with the possessive desire to make sure no other man ever touches her. Nothing to do with the fact that when she’s near, all I can think is mine, even though she never has been. I’m not tricking her into giving me exactly what I want by talking her into doing something that I know she doesn’t want.

She wants me. That much was evident yesterday—abundantly so. I felt it in the way she kissed me, in the way she was so fucking wet, wet and hot, and tightening around me from the moment I slipped inside of her, as if she never wanted to let me go. But what she doesn’t want—what she has made crystal clear from the very beginning that she wants to avoid at all costs—is an arranged marriage.

No amount of desire, no ring, no promises, no justifications can change that that’s what this is. A marriage arranged for a specific reason, with no words of love. A marriage that she’s agreeing to out of necessity.

Everything that I tried to make sure she’d never have to agree to again.

I know it’s that guilt that partially sends me into town to the jewelry store. It’s also the fact that Bella deserves this. I’m not sure if she’ll want a visible symbol of this arrangement that we’ve agreed to or not, if it will make her feel cared for, or just constantly reminds her of what she’s once again been forced into with her back against the wall—but I have to try. I have to try to make this as normal, as real for her as possible.

A ring seems like the obvious way to do that.

The man behind the counter is older, with greying hair and an easy smile. He looks up as the bell chimes above the door and I walk in, raising a hand in greeting.

“Good morning.”

“Morning.” I glance around the glass cases, filled with gold and silver jewelry, sparkling diamonds and gemstones, necklaces and rings, and watches. “I’m looking for an engagement ring.”

“Center cases.” He gestures in their direction. “Let me know if you’d like to see anything up close.”

I have no idea what to get for her.

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