Giovan had truly given her his all, heeding every single nuiance and ensuring her comfort and pleasure above all else; it was rare for him to be so considerate, dare one say even loving and truly affectionate. She had not disappointed him throughout the entire night, challenging him here and there while also submitting to his will. It had all been a glorious concotion of pleasure and desire, all of it making him dread the moment she would potentially leave his arms, perhaps even his life. Every touch and whisper had made it harder for him to even contemplate making her leave or even hurt her. Giovan knew he was in too deep the moment they had their fill, keeping her close as they drifted into slumber side-by-side upon his bed.

When he finaly stirred, he genuinely believed to wake up and find her missing from his arms, presumably having somehow snuck out of the Sicilla mansion and back to wherever she lived, and yet.. she was still here. She looked gorgeous at this precise moment, perhaps even more so than last night; she looked like his own personal goddess wrapped up in the safety of his arms, the sensation of her hand resting softly on his chest a welcome one. God, he was tempted to lean in and adorn her with gentle kisses across her face, but he knew it was too dangerous to do such a thing. He was not supposed to become attached to her or to anyone for that matter. The idea of letting her walk out of this mansion without her knowing that she was his and solely his was the last thing he wanted. For the first time in his life, he was conflicted.

``Good morning,`` Giovan managed to grumble, his voice deep and groggy from having just woken up, yet there was an unmistakable gentleness in his voice. He found himself trusting her for some reason, which was why he did not rush out of bed to ensure she had not already snooped around. With his eyes a little hazy from exhaustion with hints of affection lingering here and there within their cold depths, he shifted one of his hands to intertwine it with the one that was resting on his chest.

``So gorgeous,`` he could not prevent himself from purring out the compliment, finally deciding to throw away the concerns and cautions out the window. Giovan leaned forward to press a kiss to her temple before withdrawing and looking down at her again. Usually, he would have rushed the woman he had taken to his bed out of the mansion as soon as he could, yet here he was. It was painfully obvious to both of them that he was infatuated with her, dare say obsessed and possessive already. He always was the type to be like this, yet she was only one of the few to genuinely see it. Giovan wanted to keep her for himself, to worship her and show her the affectin she deserved. Keeping her by his side would undoubtedly lead to more and more growth in their relationship, maybe leading to something completely foreign to him: love.

Giovan had never been so attached to a woman before, the foreign emotions that drowned out his former doubts making him think and feel things he never had before. He smiled and chuckled lazily at her returned greeting, the sound of her familiar voice a welcome one. Truth be told, he could easily get used to waking up with her by his side and enveloped in the safety of his arms. A soft hum of approval escaped him when he felt her thumb stroking his hand, closing his eyes briefly as he savored her touch. Despite everything he believed and everything he had seen and learned, he decided then and there that there was simply no way he would let Josephine out of his sight again, the woman having so easily earned herself the one and only spot within his cold, selfish heart. It made no sense to him, yet she had managed to do so.

``And if I was?`` he dared to ask as his gaze searched her own, desperate to find any reciprocation of his feelings. Giovan was not foolish enough to reveal everything he was feeling, so his words were not as serious as they had meant to be, his voice laced with teasing. He relaxed further when she shifted closer, her face buried in the safety of the crook of his neck. A smile graced his features at her gentle, muffled question along with the kiss she gave him. ``I have never slept so peacefully before.``

Giovan was extremely conflicted with how much he wanted to reveal to her, hence the sporadic distance with his responses and inquiries; his heart was scared to him, something he had sworn to protect from others on countless occasions. He did not know how to approach this situation, especially when the idea of her walking away one day hurt him beyond words could describe. Regardless, he decided to bask in the moment as he gently pulled her closer, nuzzling his face against her head as she remained safe in his arms. Josephine was basically his woman at this point and it was a fact he had no qualms over; the moment she had wormed her way into his heart- either accidentally or on purpose- was the moment she had sealed her fate with him. He pressed a kiss to her head, whispering softly beneath his breath, ``How did you sleep, darling?``

Giovan listened carefully to every single response she gave him so willingly, humming in acknowledgement and occasionally placing another kiss on her head. The knowledge that she would enjoy the idea of him being attached to her was incredibly reassuring, stripping his heart almost bare before her. His hands tightened around her as she also moved closer, closing his eyes and relaxing at their close proximity. He truly could lay here forever, but only because it was her by his side. A deep, tired laugh escaped him when she teased him, knowing she had been slightly correct; she had known how to press his buttons and make him feel things he had never felt before, things he had not expected.

``As normal?`` he repeated with a raised brow, shifting backwards and cupping her face so she was now meeting his gaze head-on. Giovan needed to ensure that she was not messing or toying with him, especially due to how badly the consequences would be if it were the case. He was quiet as he stared into the depths of her eyes, searching them for what felt like hours. Desperately, he wanted to ask her to stay by his side and to abandon her old life. He wanted to spoil her and worship her the way someone as beautiful and perfect as herself deserved. His teeth dug into his lip slightly as he looked away for a brief moment, silently contemplating what he was going to do.

``I won`t let you,`` Giovan stated simply before he looked at her again, his breath hitching at how gorgeous she was. After a few seconds, he cleared his throat and darted his gaze elsewhere again, realizing he had allowed his thoughts to slip from his mouth. He wanted- no, needed- her to stay. The mere thought of her leaving him was an unacceptable one and he would do anything to prevent it from happening. He took in a deep breath before he relaxed once more, shifting slightly so she could hide in the crook of his neck again if she so pleased. As if apologizing for his outburst, he started placing soothing kisses across the wide range of hickeys he had implanted on her neck the night before. The sight of them further fueled his need for her. ``I.. want you to stay here, with me.``

Giovan was not deeply troubled by the blatant truth he faced if he truly wanted Josephine: their worlds were at complete contrast with each other, hers considerably peaceful and easygoing while his was chaotic and persistently violent. He knew he should be concerned about the problems that would arise if anyone heard that he was not only sleeping with, but also devoted to a woman that had no ties to the mafia other than him. In the mafia world, it was tradition to marry into other mafia families, yet here he was. Despite everything he knew he would be forced to face, this gorgeous woman that was wrapped around him and in his close proximity was worth it all, even if he was listening solely to his heart at the moment.

He observed her reaction to his words, feeling a slight twist in his heart at the sight of the confusion written across her face. She had momentarily succeeded in wounding his cold heart by seemingly being too surprised by his words and their implications; did she not want this as much as he did? Of course, she would later prove him wrong, but still.. He was always one to draw impulsive conclusions on the whim. Even though Giovan had never genuinelly invested love, patience, affection into any relationship he had ever had, he swore right then and there that all of his dedication and devotion would be Josephine`s and no one else`s.

Giovan was shocked by how easily she had managed to suddenly straddle him and plant her hands on his chest, keeping him in place as if it were the most natural thing in the world. He peered up at her as she spoke and revealed her innermost thoughts and emotions, his heart clenching in his chest at the vulnerability she was showing him. Her actions were further solidifying her place in his life and his heart, and the gentleness brimming his gaze proved exactly that. Slowly, he shifted one of his hands to caress her cheek and bring her a little closer, wanting every inch of her to be touching him.

``Darling,`` he began, his voice finally no longer as intense and firm as it had been for the past twenty-four hours. For the first time, it was gentle and loving, brimming with its own form of vulnerability. He offered her a small, genuine smile as his gaze flitted across her beautiful face. ``You should know by now that every word I say holds meaning. When I say I want you here with me, it is the truth. I want you, Josephine, but only if you allow me such a priviledge.``

Giovan watched her reaction carefully, basking in the way she waited so impatiently while her body remained closely pressed to his own. He was very much aware that his muscular anatomy was still on full display from their activities from the night before, yet he could care less at the moment; neither of them had cared enough to look decent after their intimate encounter. Her soft, loving voice sent a chill down his spine as he realized his feelings- the ones that were brand new and frighteningly foreign- were reciprocated. He knew how important this moment was for both of them, so he had to restrain himself from trapping her firmly against his chest and moving his lips against hers. His teeth dug sharply into his lips as he continued to stare up at her, waiting impatiently for her to make a move of any kind.

Giovan had a feeling that Josephine would be the sole woman who would not be overwhelmed the moment they walked out of his bedroom. Besides, he would not hesitate to kill any bastard that dared ridicule or judge her in anyway; he would personally see to it that they are punished.. severely. He wanted her to feel the power he held not only within his body, but over society and the men and women within the Sicillia Mafia. Most importantly, he wanted her to know forever and with confidence that she was a member of his family, his equal, and utmostly that she was his lover and forever would be. He nearly groaned in satisfaction when she leaned forward and started to bless him with her affectionate, loving kisses, the very same ones he wanted to receive every day and night for the remainder of his life. When she spoke again, he had to bite down harder on his lip in restraint, wincing slightly from the pain.

``Forever. I want you here until my last breath, darling,`` he replied before he leaned forward and met her advance head-on. He hummed softly as their lips met, his tongue gently seeking entrance into her mouth while his hand that had been caressing her cheek shifted to wrap around the back of her head. With utmost care and gentleness, he used his other hand to guide her off of him and onto her back, reversing their positions. He towered over her has they continued to kiss, his hands traveling to gently massage her sides and occassionally reaching for her own. Even though he wanted to continue, he knew he could not sit in bed all day with her like he desperately wanted to. A low groan of annoyance escaped his lips as he finally pulled back and arranged himself beside her, burying his face in the crook of her neck and inhaling her scent. ``For once, I want to stay in bed instead of tending to my duties.``