Chapter 63: Losing control

Marco’s POV

Silence settled between us. I meant every word I had said. When the time comes, I would kill Edoardo Moretti with my own two hands.

"I can help," Fabio muttered, still refusing to give up.

As I prepared my next words, I gulped, knowing fully well they would surely send this man on another almost-killing rampage. Knowing Fabio, he would not take what I was about to say lightly.

"I have Luca for that. His help is easier and less risky."

Did I ever mention that Fabio had a tendency to laugh whenever things between us got too intense? Because that was exactly what he did the moment I finished speaking. It was almost as if he found amusement in situations where any sane person would have been furious.

Then he said, his lips curling into that light yet dangerous smile, "I overheard that you two are getting married in a month. That’s your plan?"

"Yes," I replied without hesitation. "The Prime Minister is the ultimate weapon against my father. Only by becoming his son-in-law can I gain leverage."

This time, Fabio did not laugh. He seemed to have caught the seriousness of the situation, and I could tell he was not particularly pleased with my answer.

He stood up, the bathrobe he had on dripping with water. Being inside the tub made him appear a little taller, and I realised I was looking up at him. I raised my head to meet his eyes, finding it increasingly difficult to ignore how easily he could distract me.

Those eyes. Those hauntingly spellbinding eyes. Lord knew how difficult it had been trying to forget them. I could already feel myself drowning already, with the deepest and most selfish part of me whispering that I should abandon this entire operation and simply go with him. They made my resolve weak, and so, I looked away before I could entertain the thought any further.

But all that achieved was having him grip my jaw with his wet hand and turn my face back towards him.

"If, by even the slightest mistake, he dares to touch you," Fabio uttered, dead serious. His eyes barely blinked as he spoke, his voice strangely calm and deep. "I’ll make him choke on his own blood. That’s a promise."

Judging by the look in his eyes, I knew he would genuinely kill Luca. The man was not even trying to hide how much the thought bothered him.

"What if ’I’ touch him?" I murmured back, maintaining eye contact.

"Either way, I will still kill him," he answered immediately, then his eyes narrowed before he asked, "Have you... had sex with him?"

I gulped, my head ringing with warning bells telling me to be truthful. All it would take is a simple shake of my head or a straightforward no. I could easily end the conversation there, but something about the way he was looking at me made me want to push him further.

And so, I pressed further.

"He and I have been together for six months. Isn’t it normal for me to have... needs?"

I barely managed to finish the last word before Fabio went straight for my neck. That made it the second time in the last ten minutes he had tried to choke me. I did not resist.

Not because I could not.

Not because it did not hurt.

And not even because I could still breathe.

But because I craved it.

The trembling of his fingers made it seem as though I had touched a fragile spot inside him. The way his lips parted as if he wanted to speak, yet something was choking him. The way his brows knitted together, and most especially, the maniacal look in his eyes, as if he were ready to turn everything around him to ashes.

"Say that again!" he demanded, his lips barely moving.

I did not. I could not. Only when I began to feel as though I was running out of air did I grip his wrist and remove his hand from my neck. Judging by the amount of strength he had used earlier, it would surely leave marks. And hell, I had no intention of hiding them.

Coughing a little, I said, "You want to kill me. I thought your grudge was with Luca?"

Fabio got out of the bathtub and walked past me. He grabbed his clothes, which had been discarded on the ground, and left the bathroom without another word.

I followed behind him silently. I continued watching as he changed, taking in his figure. I dared not let my mind wander too far, but my hands began misbehaving, trembling slightly with the yearning to touch him. It was irritating how even after everything that had happened, I still wanted to reach for him badly, desperately even.

Still, I painfully managed to keep myself in place.

Once Fabio was done, he gave me one last glance before saying, "If you think you can get rid of me that easily, dream on."

With that, he tossed something my way, and I caught it. I glanced at the Corvino ring before looking back at him, wondering what exactly he expected me to do with it.

"Your way of proposing is quite unpleasant. My answer is no," I uttered with a chuckle.

I saw the corner of Fabio’s lips rise, but he quickly masked it.

"You don’t have a choice. I’m going nowhere."

Then he headed for the door and opened it. He glanced sideways, then up, before dashing out.

I was left standing there, completely lost in my thoughts as I looked at the ring still attached to the necklace. For a moment, I simply stared at it, remembering that it had been around my neck for the last six months.

I put it back where it had been, around my neck, before disappearing back into the bathroom.

Things were about to get crazier because, knowing Fabio, the man would definitely not leave. And that meant the one person I intended to use would be in danger. Luca, because Fabio was simply jealous.

Bloody jealous.

That sounded dangerous... and yet, I could not help smiling about it.