"He set fire to the world around him, but never let a flame touch her."

The Luna Rossa Mansion was a mess when I had boarded the jet. Everyone was getting their stuff together to leave Italy and return home to California. Mine and Alessandra's marking is not the one they came here for but I'm sure it was exciting nonetheless.

Other than the staff, I was the only person on the jet. Alessandra refused to get on the same aircraft as me which wouldn't have been a big deal except we are the only ones going to the Chandani Ball. So I ordered another jet from California to get her and escort her to New York where the ball will be taking place.

A flight attendant approaches me confidently and gestures to the champagne on her hand.

"I'm good, thanks."

She pours at me and gives me a small flutter of her lashes.

"Let me know if you need anything, Alpha."

Her blonde hair whips around as she returns to her seat. Normally my cock would be buried in her mouth by now, but I can't remember the last time I was able to come without thinking of Alessandra.

The jet takes off and I'm asleep within five minutes. Of course, my dreams happen to be about a certain brown-eyed girl. And yes, she does look gorgeous with a flight attendant uniform.

I land around the same time Alessandra does. I'm adjusting my tie when she walks down the stairs in a short dress and her hair up in a ponytail. It's not typical airport attire but first impressions are important, especially with the Oberoi family.

Her eyes are hidden by her sunglasses so there's no way for me to tell what she's thinking. My hand reaches out to help her down the stairs but she ignores it and continues to walk down. As soon as her heels touch the ground I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her to my side.

"You might be forgetting but we are newly marked mates which means we have to be all over each other," I tell her. She gives me no response so I continue.

"We can't have people thinking there are problems in our relationship, Alessia," I say.

"We do have problems in our relationship," she counters.

"I'm aware! The point is we can't have people thinking we are weak. A united front is a strong one," I tell her.

She gives me a smile that is clearly sarcastic and goes on to pinch my cheeks like I'm a baby.

"Aww, my little sweetheart! I just can't stand to be apart from you!" Alessandra says in a too-high voice.

"Alessandra," I growl.

"Aww, are you upset? Is it because I forgot to give you a kiss this morning?" Alessandra says with a pout. She goes to kiss my cheek with her lips puckered up but I turn my head to catch her lips with mine. She kisses me back before slowly wiping her tongue on my lower lip. I'm given no warning when she captures it between her teeth in a painful grip.

A firm growl rips out of me as I grab her hips and push her ass against the grill of the black limo we were supposed to be in minutes ago.

My hand comes up to squeeze her jaw as my eyes penetrate hers.

"Don't start shit you can't fucking finish Alessandra," I say in a low tone.

"You're the one who won't fucking finish anything Zane," she grits out. My grip on her loosens.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. The driver is over by the jets poisoning himself with nicotine and no one can see us. So what's stopping you? You can just push up my dress and take me right here."

I'm having a hard time believing this is the same woman from two years ago. Alessandra has always been confident but she's never been confident in her sexuality. Her voice is sultry as she talks and she makes a point of looking at my lips and teasing me with hers.

Her hand wraps around my tie and she brings me even closer than we were before.

"I won't even make a sound, no one would hear us," she whispers.

I grab her thighs and hike her up onto the hood of the limo. The sunglasses on top of her head fall to the floor with a clatter. Once she's up I drag her closer to me so our pelvises are touching. My nose goes to her neck and immerses itself in her sweet vanilla scent. I continue to rub my nose up and down her nose slowly as I talk.

"When I fuck you, Alessandra," I whisper into her ear. Her thighs clench around me as the smell of her arousal travels to my nose.

"You're going to scream so damn loud that everyone will hear you."

Her breathing gets heavier and mine does the same.

"But you're goddamn out of your mind if you think our first time is going to be at some airport on a car."

With those words, I step away.

"Maybe I've already done it at an airport on a car," she says.

This woman knows exactly how to push my buttons.

I'm on her before she even finishes the last word of her sentence. I bring her off the hood and grab her ass in my hands. Then I squeeze, hard. She whimpers.

"Don't fucking lie to me, Alessandra, I know you're a virgin but that doesn't mean your words don't set me off."

She looks at me like she doesn't believe me.

I wrap her hair in a fist and pull her head back so her eyes can only see me.

"I killed thousands of people in a past life because you died. You think I wouldn't do the same if someone touched you now?"

The rage in her brown eyes calms slightly. I wonder if she knows that I've killed many people myself simply to restrain myself from seeing her. Sure they were all criminals but I'm not the goddess, it's up to her to decide when someone perishes. I might have some guilt but there's also some relief. When Alessandra comes home she will be in a place that is safer than ever.

I grab her hand in mine and lead her to the door of the limo. Her hand feels much smaller than mine and I wonder how she even holds anything.

I pull the door open and gesture for her to enter.

"Maxwell! Get your ass over here!" I call out to the driver who has a cigarette dangling from his lips. He hurries over and I get settled into my seat.

And so it begins.