Dante's Angel (24 page)

“You cut off
their regular side business,” Hunter told her. “It’s not a hard jump for them
to start moving other things that would net them large sums of money. It was
probably easy for them, and they didn’t even have to travel. All those charity
events they’ve been hosting lately, their clientele probably came right to
them.”

“I’m glad they’re
dead,” GT bit out. “People like that who kidnap children, there’s a special
place in hell for them.”

“I agree,”
Dante growled. “And I hope they’re able to track down every buyer so they can
put a bullet into their heads as well.”

“It’s really
over,” Zoe whispered, turning so she could wrap her arms around his waist. “I’m
so happy it’s over, but hearing about all the horrible things they were
doing…I’ve been in that house, Dante.”

He pressed his
lips against her temple. “It might have been a new business venture for them
like Hunter said.”

She pulled
back so she could look at both Hunter and Dante. “How am I ever going to be able
to repay Nikita?”

“She wouldn’t
want you to,” Hunter said simply, then he walked away, heading straight for
Dare to update him on the news.

GT blinked.
“Why would you thank Nikita? Speaking of, where is she?”

Zoe glanced at
Dante before saying, “She should be back in a few days. Now, I need another
drink. We have a lot to celebrate.”

* * * *

It was late by
the time Dante drove Zoe back to his house.

Their friends
had been in on the wedding surprise, and had spent the evening moving Zoe’s
things into Dante’s house for them. Zoe had been comically horrified when she’d
heard they’d moved her stuff, but Dante had laughingly told her that he’d
already moved her toys from their hiding spot in her apartment and had taken
them to his house, where he’d tucked them away someplace she’d never find them.

“You really
need to get over that,” she said as they got out of their truck.

“Nope. Not
going to happen. You want it, you come to me.”

She let out an
exaggerated sigh. “If I must.”

“Come here,
you,” he growled as he swept her into his arms. Carrying her to the front door,
he bent a little to unlock it before stepping over the threshold. “Isn’t this
tradition? For a man to carry his bride through the door?”

“It is,” she
murmured, then pressed a kiss to his lips. “Now, put me down. Why don’t you go
get us something to drink? The ladies told me they left a gift in the bedroom
for me that I think you’re going to like.”

His gaze
heated. “I’m intrigued.”

“Give me ten
minutes.”

She hurried
down the hallway toward the bedroom and he heard the door slam shut a few
seconds later. He’d taken the tie off in the truck on the way home and tossed
it on the kitchen counter now as he searched for the bottle of champagne he
knew was in the wine fridge.

It was a hard
wait, but he gave her the ten minutes she’d asked for. He took off the suit
jacket, laying it over the back of a chair, then he carried the bottle and two
glasses with him to the bedroom. He knocked on the door, and when she called
out to him, he opened it.

Starlight greeted
him. Zoe had lit dozen of candles in the room, reminding him of the first night
they’d spent together. His eyes searched for her, and when he finally saw her,
his heart swelled with love. She was wearing a long shimmering gown of white
lace and satin that hugged her curves and highlighted her long legs with a slit
in the skirt that came up to the top of her thigh. She looked like every dream,
every wish he’d ever made, and it was hard to believe she really belonged to
him.

“You’re
fucking gorgeous.”

Her bright tinkle
of laughter warmed his heart.

“You say the
sweetest things,” she drawled out as she slowly walked over to him. Reaching
out, she took the bottle and glasses from him and set them on the dresser
before she moved into his arms. “I love you, husband.”

Just like
that, Dante instantly felt all those empty spaces inside himself fill. She was
his light, his love. “Not as much as I love you, wife.”

Smiling, she
pulled him with her as she took a few steps backward until they were in the
middle of the room. “Stay right here for a second.”

She went back
to the dresser and picked up her phone. After she hit a button, music began to
play. The strains of the violin playing were light and airy, and the melody was
soft and sweet. Dante cocked his head to the side as he listened.

The song was
beautiful and something he’d never heard before.

When she moved
back to him, she took his hands in hers. “Will you dance with me?”

“Of course.”
He took her into his arms, holding her close. When she rested her head on his
chest, he let out a contented sigh. “I wish I could hold you like this
forever.”

“You can,” she
assured him. “Dante? Do you like this song?”

“I really do.
It’s beautiful, but I’ve never heard it before.”

“That’s
because I wrote it for you.”

Dante froze. He
stared down at her with wide eyes. “Wait—what?”

“I started
composing this shortly after I moved here. There was no music in me before
that. I was empty until I walked in the bar and met you. I never thought I
could love this deeply, but then I fell in love with you and a whole new world
opened up for me. You helped put the music back in my soul, Dante.”

He leaned his
forehead against hers. “I love you so much it fucking hurts. I can’t lose you.”

“Never,” she
vowed, wrapping around him tight. “Want to know what I named this song? I
titled it “Dante’s Angel,” because of you.”

“How can I
ever thank you for what you’ve given me?” he asked, his voice rough with
emotion.

Her lips
curved even as her eyes filled. “You’ve given me everything. If I have your
love, you’ve given me everything I’ve ever wanted.”

“God, I love
you.”

With a groan,
he slammed his mouth down on hers. He needed her. Desperately. Endlessly.
Picking her up, he carried her over to the bed. They undressed one another,
hands stroking lovingly as they stole gentle kisses in between removing each
item.

When they were
both naked, he laid her down on the bed, covering her body with his. She opened
for him, welcoming him, and when he slid deep, it was like coming home. They
loved each other in the golden glow of candlelight, moving together as one. He
filled her with slow strokes, teasing her until she was writhing beneath him.

Zoe felt
herself sinking into him, deep into the love that welled up inside her like a
bubbling fountain until it filled her completely. She took his mouth with hers
again, sharing that love, wanting him to feel it, taste it. She ran her hands
over the corded muscles of his back, feeling the power of them bunch beneath
her palms as he continued to move.

“Dante,
please, please…” she moaned, shaking her head from side-to-side, begging for
more.

Dante’s greed
for her broke him. He felt her struggling beneath him and gripped her hands in
his, linking them together. Breath coming in gasps now, he drove deep, filling
her to the hilt. Hips pumping, he began to move faster, driving into her over
and over again until he heard her scream his name as she shattered around him.
When he let his own release take him, he buried his face against her neck,
shuddering as he emptied himself inside her.

“Only you,” he
whispered.

And it was
true. She was his angel, and he was sure to the depth of his soul that he would
love her until the moment he took his last breath.

The
End

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Other Books by Laurie Roma:

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