Ruined in Vows (Marchetti Family #3)

42. Dante

Chapter 42

Dante

B efore our meeting with Nico ended, he informed me that the specialist doctor that he had employed to help me would be visiting tomorrow and doing his first consultation. Though I was grateful, I couldn’t bring myself to get my hopes up about my memories returning, considering it had been six months since I woke up and they hadn’t returned yet.

I could tell Allegra was hopeful. She had informed me that she had done extensive research into the best Neurologists in the country and Doctor Nabil Baddour and his team were at the top of their field.

Between the whole team and their methods of therapy for brain injuries, they had achieved things with patients that other doctors believed would be a miracle to accomplish. Allegra had high hopes for me under his supervision. I just hoped things worked out in the way both she and I wanted them to.

My gaze burned into my principessa as I track her every move around her bedroom. She is getting ready for her ‘date’ tonight and is trying to ignore me, but I know with certainty that it is getting harder with every moment that passes. I am proven right when she lets out an exasperated sigh and turns to face me.

“You know I don’t want to go to dinner with him, Dante. But I have no choice. We don’t need him getting suspicious. Like we agreed, it is no coincidence that he has asked to meet not even twenty-four hours after ‘Luca’s’ death.”

“I hate this,” I grumble.

Pain flashes across her beautiful face. My chest tightens, that she is in this position, that I am making things harder for her. Allegra exhales, erasing the distance between us and joining me on the bed. She cuddles into me.

“I hate this too. The man is a disgusting pig, and my time spent with him has been nothing but torturous. But we can’t afford to lose sight of why we are doing this now. I will do everything in my power to protect you. To protect us. And if that means dinner, then I will do it with a smile on my face.”

My eyes close, and I squeeze her into me. “You are the strongest woman I have ever met, angel.”

She chuckles, and when I feel her lift her chin, my eyes snap open, locking on her beautiful blues. “You are also strong, Dante. With all that you have been through, the confusion, the not knowing who you are. And still, you fight for yourself, for us, with every day that passes. I am in awe of you.” Her voice is earnest, and emotion tightens my throat.

Brushing my lips against hers, I say, “And I, you. I worship the very ground you walk on, principessa . You are mine as I am yours. And no one is going to change that. We are forever.” As if it is instinctual, I curl my little finger around hers in a pinky promise but get a different reaction than what I expected.

Allegra gasps, her eyes widening as she looks down at our joined fingers. “Dante,” she whispers.

I frown, confused, looking from our fingers back to her face. “What’s wrong?”

“It's our thing.” She squeezes my little finger with hers. “This. A pinky promise that could never be broken.” Her eyes are glassy, hope shining in them. “Did you…” she trails off, biting her bottom lip. “Did you remember something?”

I want to lie to her, tell her that I did, just to keep that look on her face. Nonetheless, I cannot lie to her. But… it was instinct, to link our fingers, so maybe subconsciously I did remember something. Maybe that’s a better way to put it and that way I am not lying. “It wasn’t so much remembering. It was just instinctive, joining our pinkies that way. I think it's trapped in my subconscious, just waiting to be released. I just need to find a way to do that.”

She beams at me, reaching up with her free hand and running a finger down my cheek. “Doctor Baddour is going to help with that. I have a really good feeling about it.”

Pulling my finger from hers, I flip her beneath me. Allegra squeals, her chest heaving as she stares up at me with hooded eyes. She licks her lips, and my restraint snaps.

My lips smash to hers, tongue plunging inside. I taste every part of her, groaning as she floods every one of my senses. My cock hardens against her, and it would be so easy to push my shorts down, pull her thong to the side and thrust into her. But now is not the time. I’m not going to take her virginity just before she goes to dinner with another man.

Even if it is fake and a case of keeping up appearances.

Pulling back, I nibble at her bottom lip before soothing the sting with my tongue. Allegra whimpers, her hips rolling as she grinds up into me.

“I can smell your arousal,” I groan.

“I want you,” she whimpers.

Shaking my head, it takes everything to push up away from her. “Not like this. But soon.” I press kisses all over her face. “Soon my cock is going to be buried so deep inside you, that you won’t be able to move without feeling the imprint of my dick in your pussy for the rest of your life.”

“Dante,” she gasps, trying to pull me down on top of her once more.

Smirking, I growl. “Stop before I mark my territory and spray my come all over your body, angel. We don’t want Riccardo smelling another man on you, do we?” I raise my brow.

Allegra freezes, the color draining from her face as the reminder of what she is doing tonight comes back to her. Tears spring to her eyes, making them glassy.

“I don’t want to go.” She shows her vulnerability, and her change of mindset makes me want to go down there myself and put a bullet in that fucking asshole Riccardo’s head.

Gripping her chin, I force her gaze to mine. “Hey. Stop. It’s just for a couple hours and you will have Nico and at least ten guards with you. Nothing is going to happen.” I comfort her the best I can, because the truth is, I hate this just as much, if not more, than she does. “How the tables have turned.” I smile, dropping a kiss to her lips.

Allegra sighs, before grinning up at me. Though I can tell it's forced for my benefit. “I panicked for a moment. But I’m good. I know what must be done and that is what I am choosing to focus on. Nico will not let anything happen to me.”

“No, he won’t,” I mutter vehemently. “And if he does, I will kick his ass.” I’m trying to lighten the mood, and it does the trick.

My angel chuckles, the sound music to my ears. Reaching up, she cups my face and I see the unwavering determination flicker in her eyes.

“Everything will be fine. Just promise me that you will be in my bed when I get home?” she asks it as a question but it’s more of a statement.

Barking out a laugh, I narrow my eyes playfully. “There is no place I would rather be.”

“Good. Now let me up so I can get ready.” She pushes at my chest, but I don’t move.

Reaching under the pillow, I grab the square box I hid when I came in here and pull it out. Allegra eyes the black box, before her gaze snaps to me.

“Dante?” she questions.

Grinning, I push up onto my knees and with my free hand bring my angel with me. “I bought this in Vegas. When I saw it, I knew instantly I had to buy it. It reminded me of you.” I flip the lid open, revealing a platinum necklace with a diamond encrusted angel wing pendant.

Allegra gasps. “It’s beautiful.”

“Just like you.” I unclasp the chain, refraining from informing her that it has a small chip inside that will track her every move, and bringing it to her neck I clip it into place.

My principessa , glances down at the pendant, reaching up and stroking it gently. “I love you.”

“I love you, angel,” I tell her honestly, before rolling to the side and onto my back.

I watch as Allegra looks lovingly at her necklace, then climbs off the bed and heads to her closet to pick out a pretty dress.

Sighing, I stare up at the ceiling, wishing that this shit with Riccardo was done with and we could move on with our lives.

Something tells me though, that we still have a long, difficult road ahead of us.