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• Alessandro •

I was one of the best assassins yet I turned into a nervous ball of wreck when it came to facing my wife for the first time.

My palms felt sweaty as I locked the door behind me. For the first time, I wasn't alone in my room at night.

My wife who also happens to be my friend for so many years sat on the edge of the bed, still in her wedding dress, her deep blue eyes fixed at me curiously.

"Hi..." She mumbled, offering me a small, sheepish smile and she played with a strand of her deep brown hair nervously.

I slid my hands inside my pants pockets so that she can't see them tremble. "Hi."

I didn't see her for the past week ever since her father asked me to marry her so I didn't get to say anything to her not even at the wedding where I had brushed a light kiss on her lips sealing our marriage.

I almost kissed my friend earlier but I swear instead of feeling awkward with it, it just felt right. Like it was meant to happen.

And I suddenly looked forward to our wedding night, the sudden urge to claim her. My wife.

But now as I stood in front of her, all my courage vanished. I don't even know if she wants me in that way.

I stepped closer to her, chewing on my lips. "I am sorry that you had to marry me."

She shrugged. "It's not like Dad forced me into this. It was my choice to say yes earlier."

Okay. That kinda relieved me.

She stood up slowly and walked to me. "Can you...um...help me with this dress? I am not able to pull the zip down."

With the amount of movies I watched, I knew how much of a cliché request it was yet that didn't stop my heart from jolting against my chest.

I gave her a curt nod and gestured for her to turn around so that she was facing the full-length mirror.

I gently swept her hair to one side, the smell of her coffee-scented shampoo which she loves so much wafted up to my nose and I resisted the urge to sniff her hair like an animal.

Hoping my desires weren't visible on my face, I glanced at the mirror to check instead our gazes clashed together just as I gripped the zip.

She was biting her lips nervously, a blush prominent over her pale cheeks. She was so beautiful that it hurt to look at her.

I slowly lowered the zip, unable to take my eyes off her. Her hands went to her chest to hold the dress.

When I first met her, I thought she was a spoiled daddy's little girl but over time she proved to me that she might have been a little spoiled yet she was sweet and kind and mature enough even at the age of twenty-two.

As I lowered the zip further, my fingers brushed her bare back and my jaw clenched, my eyes finally leaving hers to take a look at her soft, smooth skin which I had the need to mark.

The zip finally stopped just above her ass and I couldn't help but rest my palm over her lower back, loving the feel of her skin against mine.

I leaned closer until the tip of my nose skimmed her skin just under her ear, a soft, sharp exhale leaving her mouth.

"You are exquisite, my wife," I whispered, my voice coming out hoarse.

Goosebumps pebbled her skin and staring at me in the mirror, she whispered back, "That's the first ever compliment from you."

The seriousness with which she said that caused me to chuckle. "Seriously, Ari? I expected a thank you."

She rolled her eyes. "In your dreams. Just because we are married, you don't need to compliment me."

"I didn't say that just for the sake of it," I said without any hint of amusement. "I mean it."

With that all the playfulness vanished between us and that tension descended upon us once again.

I became aware that I was still touching her and maybe she realised too because for a second I felt her lean back into my touch and then as if realising what she was doing, she stepped away and darted inside the bathroom.

I sighed heavily and proceeded to change out of my clothes in the room itself. So that she doesn't feel uncomfortable, I didn't strip down to my boxer briefs as usual instead wore a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt.

She emerged from the bathroom a couple of minutes later, wearing a red-coloured, satin nightgown that left little to the imagination.

I forced my eyes away from her bare thighs and went inside the bathroom where I took a quick shower and after doing my night routine, stepped out.

She had already dimmed the lights and made herself comfortable on my bed. Ours from now.

I joined her, laying beside her and turned to face her.

We watched each other in silence, my hands itching to just grab her, pull her close, let her body heat engulf mine and then sleep in her comfort.

She was my only friend when I had none, she was there to talk to me, make me laugh, and make me feel happy for once after all the shit. And now, she was my wife. I couldn't have imagined marrying anyone better than her.

She always comforted me so this time, I tried to comfort her because she looked uncomfortable. "We are already married but we don't have to rush into things. We can take our time to know each other--"

She burst into laughter, cutting me off. "Alessandro, please. Know each other? We know each other better than anyone else. I mean okay, we can take things slow but you are making it sound like we are strangers."

Mirth danced in her eyes as she continued, "A stranger wouldn't know that even though you always dress in black, your favourite colour is white because it somehow reminds you of your childhood home."

I decided to remind her too. "And like how your favourite colour is that horrendous shade of orange because it happened to be the colour of the stray cat you once brought home but her real owner came looking for it later?"

"Ugh, don't remind me of that. Do you know how heartbroken I was? My poor Orange." Yup, she named that cat Orange.

"Your favourite food is pasta because bleh, you are Italian." She spoke.

"And your favourite food is pizza even though you are not Italian and you fell in love with it after I made it for the first time."

She scowled at me. "It's not my favourite food just because I liked the one you made. Don't be so arrogant."

"Whatever. Keeping all that aside, it seems like we don't have to ask each other these questions since we already know them."

"Yup. Also, you cried when we watched Titanic." She grinned mischievously.

I shot her a glare. "That did not happen. And are you forgetting the time when you broke your arm because you suddenly thought you had the superpower to 'fly' after watching that Barbie movie and you tried to jump off your desk?"

She gasped and hit me on my forearm. "Shut up! That's not true!"

I chuckled loudly. "It's only fair I remember all your embarrassing moments when you remember mine."

"If you ever expose this to anyone, I will ask Dad to castrate you." She warned.

"Ouch, that's a bit extreme."

"Then keep your mouth shut if you don't want that." She smiled victoriously.

I sighed in defeat and stared at her as a comfortable silence engulfed us.

Some of her hair fell down on her face and I brushed it away before she had a chance to. My fingers paused on her cheek, cherishing the feel of it as her mouth parted slightly.

I swallowed hard as the air charged with some tension, my fingers stroking her cheek and my eyes flicking down to her mouth.

I forced my eyes away from it and found her staring at my lips too which caused my fingers to involuntarily cup her cheek quite firmly until her eyes flickered back to mine.

She cleared her throat. "Ahem, so...um, you don't regret marrying me, do you?"

"No. Do you?"

She shook her head and I caressed her cheek with my thumb. "Good."

"I knew dad would be the one to fix my marriage in any case so when he said I had to marry you, I was glad actually."

"You were?" I asked in surprise.

"I mean..." She blushed. "...at least I know you. And I feel safe with you despite whatever you do for my dad. I know you won't hurt me. You are my friend first."

"I would never even think of hurting you. I promise to protect you, Ariella."

She smiled softly. "You are actually quite a sweet person for someone who is supposed to be an assassin."

"Only for you." I clarified.

Her smile faded away as my words sank in and warmth swirled in her eyes. Then she leaned in and brushed a kiss on my lips. Similar to the one we shared at the ceremony.

But this one managed to surprise me and make my heart race.

She looked embarrassed as I stared at her and she averted her eyes and was about to turn away when I pulled her face to mine and kissed her firmly.

She rested her palm over my cheek and tilted her head slightly, kissing me back with equal fervour.

Fuck. If I die right now, I would die a happy man.

Encircling her waist, I pulled her closer until she was half sprawled on me and parting her lips with mine, I slipped my tongue inside her mouth.

My emotions were all over the place, I couldn't think straight as her tongue met mine, I had to tell her.

With much resistance, I pulled away and told her in a whisper, "I think I love you."

Her eyes widened. "W-what?"

Fuck. Maybe this was a bad idea but I repeated myself nevertheless, "I think I love you."

"You think?"

"I know it's stupid and makes no sense but for the past month, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you. Morning, day, night, you are all I can think of. And when you smiled at that guy in that charity event two weeks back, I wanted to fucking kill him for being the receiver of your smile. I want all your smiles to belong to me."

"I know this is sudden but I never felt like this before. I never felt jealous over you, I never had any such feelings for you but now I just can't stop. When your dad asked me to marry you, I instantly said yes and it was not because I am loyal to him or I respect him, I said yes because the idea of marrying you, of having you just for myself, for making you mine eased my heart a little."

"I felt a little relieved that at least you will be mine and that I won't have to watch you flirt with other men while I stood in a corner fuming with jealousy."

She remained silent for a whole minute and I was half convinced that she was going to push me away but then her brows furrowed. "First of all, I do not flirt with anyone. I may converse with them but that's only because I am supposed to play the role of a good hostess."

She shook her head in disbelief. "And why would I flirt with them when I love you?"

"You do?"

"Yes." She rolled her eyes. "For almost six months now. So it was more difficult for me to see you having those one-night stands."

"I am sorry. I...I had no idea obviously and-- I am just sorry."

"It's okay. Just kiss me. Please. Make me yours fully."

She didn't need to ask twice as I covered her mouth with mine, my hands roaming her body hungrily, slipping inside her nightgown to caress her inner thighs.

She gasped into kiss, lifting her hips in a silent invitation and soon I was tearing the remaining clothes off us and worshipping her body with my mouth, leaving my mark.

Our groans and moans filled the room as I finally entered her and she clung to me as I made sweet love to her all night long.

I don't think I love her. I just love her. With all my heart.

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And that's how they conceived Marcelo 🤣🤣