He wanted her in one piece,

"So?" Luca chuckled, propping her jaw on her knuckles as her gleaming eyes were fixed on the man across her. "What happened then?"

"Well, I…" Xander sported a conflicted look as he grimaced. "I still didn't get what I wanted, and I had a terrible beating. My bottom swelled so hard I couldn't sit."

Luca let out another short chuckle. "I can't imagine. And here I thought you grew up like a pampered prince."

"Babe, I have a really strict family." Xander shrugged nonchalantly while reaching for his glass of wine. "In our family, they believed we should be raised according to the rules and cut out canines — horns even before they could grow."

"Was it that bad?" she asked, making him raise his brows. "Your childhood, love. Was it that bad? Tell me, so I know if I should console you."

Xander grinned as he laughed. "I'm the smart kid, so I lived better than the rest."

"The rest?" Luca cocked her head to the side. "Aren't you an only child?"