by Reilly, Cora
It was ridiculous to be scared because it was Nino, but how Durant had felt hovering over me always returned to my mind, even if I didn’t want the memories to hold me back.
Nino lowered himself to the bed beside me, and I quickly returned kissing him. He complied without hesitation and as usual took lead. I surrendered to his expert tongue, feeling my center heat. His hand stroked my side then slipped below my shirt, touching skin and creating goose bumps. His fingers reached higher then brushed over my lace bra. My nipples puckered under the touch, and I moaned into Nino’s mouth. His hand cupped my breasts and kneaded lightly at first then his touch grew firmer. Gathering my courage, I reached for Nino, needing to feel him. My hands slid over his muscled chest, down to his ripped stomach until I reached the hem of his shirt. I tugged at it.
Nino pulled away from my mouth, sat up, and yanked his shirt over his head. My eyes took in his torso, the muscles, the scars, the tattoos, and as usual, my body filled with thousands of butterflies. Before he had even lain back down, my hands were already roaming over his chest. He propped himself up to allow me to explore. His eyes were on my face, but my eyes remained on my fingers as they stroked his pecs then grazed his nipples.
He exhaled, and I repeated the motion, loving that I could break through Nino’s cold demeanor with such a small touch. It felt empowering. Exhilarating.
“How about we get rid of your shirt as well?” Nino murmured, hands reaching for the hem of my shirt. I raised myself up so he could pull it over my head.
His eyes traveled over my body, lingering on my breasts, and then his lips returned to mine as his fingers tugged at my nipple through the lace. He helped me out of my bra. Fingers and lips caressed my breasts, shoulders and stomach, as he left a burning need in their wake. Despite my body’s need, I froze when Nino reached for my panties. So far he’d touched me through the fabric. It gave me the illusion of safety.
I lifted my hips, and Nino took me up on my invitation, but his eyes remained on my face as he laid me bare to his eyes. His palm stroked my thigh then slowly up it, moving over the small patch of dark hair between my legs. I held my breath when his thumb touched my slick nub for the first time without a barrier. Arching up, I moaned.
His finger nimbly stroked my folds, but he never dipped between them. I wasn’t sure how good he was at reading me ... if he understood that having his fingers so close to my entrance scratched the surface of painful memories. Nino moved to the end of bed and eased my ankles apart. I knew what he was about to do and tried to make my body relax.
He stretched out between my thighs, his tattooed biceps flexing as he parted me wide. My center clenched, followed by my thighs, when he lowered his gaze to my center.
“Fear?” he asked quietly, intently. I wasn’t afraid of that. He had never done that to me.
“Nerves,” I admitted.
“Of what?” His breath ghosted over my wet heat, and I trembled with anticipation, nerves, and need.
It was hard to explain. “I don’t know.”
He leaned forward. “This is going to be good for you, Kiara. Try to focus on my tongue and my lips. Don’t think about anything else.”
His breath fanned over my clit, and then his tongue slid over me lightly, dipping between my folds before it fluttered over my nub. I whimpered from the sensation.
“Good?” Nino asked against me, his voice deep and calm.
I nodded, my fingers digging into the bedsheets. Nino’s tongue did a small flutter again, and my muscles finally loosened. He eased my thighs farther apart with his shoulders and dragged his tongue down to my opening. I tensed briefly, and he moved back up quickly. Again, his tongue fluttered over my clit then over my folds before he dipped lower and repeated the same motion over my entrance. Intense pleasure coursed through me, and this time my body didn’t tense. Nino’s tongue flicked lightly over my opening then he twirled it around and increased the pressure, easing the tip into me. I released a surprised gasp.
He let out a low hum, which sounded like approval, and my eyes darted down to watch him. His gaze rested on my folds as he circled my opening with his tongue. He seemed to enjoy it, and that realization banished the last of my nerves. He flicked his tongue over my clit again, with light nudges and twirls, and then I could feel something building; tension tightened deep in my core, mounting with every lick and flick, until I shattered. I cried out, shuddering through my release.
Nino groaned against me, moving lower, and lapped at my entrance with slow strokes. My eyes widened as my walls clenched again under his ministrations.
“Ride it out,” he ordered in a low voice.
He began to use firm licks to heighten my pleasure again. It was incredible, impossible. This felt better than anything ever had.
“Nino,” I whimpered as he worked me with gentle care. “This feels so good.”
“Good,” he rasped against my folds, and I trembled at the sound. “I want you to come again for me, Kiara. Can you do this for me?”
“Yes,” I gasped out, and he flicked his tongue along my clit before he focused his attention on my entrance. He pressed his mouth firmly against me and his tongue entered me again. His tongue felt so good inside of me as he moved it slowly. His thumb found my clit, and he rubbed the same soft circles.
I bucked my hips restlessly, overwhelmed with the wondrous sensations. It was building even quicker this time, my flesh oversensitive but still eager for more. My hand flew down to Nino’s head, gripping his hair, and then I came even harder.
Nino’s fingers stroked my folds. “I’d like to put my finger in you.”
I met his gaze. His expression was calm, self-assured. I swallowed.
He dipped one finger between my lips. “Say something. Tell me to stop if you don’t want this.”
“I ... I’m worried it’ll hurt like last time.”
“It won’t,” Nino said firmly with certainty. The tip of his finger moved a bit lower. I tensed, remembering the pain from long ago, the feeling of breaking, of helplessness.
Nino regarded me, his finger lightly tracing my opening, but he didn’t push in. He reached up with his other hand and stroked my lower belly. “Try to loosen up, Kiara. You are very wet, and my finger will be very pleasurable against your sensitive walls if you allow it.”
I tried to relax, but my body clamped down with fear from the past. Nino kept stroking my opening and folds. “Let me help you,” he murmured.
He startled me when his hand fluttered up from my stomach to the ticklish spot over my ribs. I gasped out in laughter and twitched. Then Nino slipped his finger into me. He immediately stopped the tickling.
“Oh,” I breathed out and stilled. It didn’t hurt at all. Slowly, his eyes found my face. He began moving his finger, and I moaned at the sensation.
“Why did you tickle me?” I asked thickly as Nino kept thrusting inside me with his finger. He rubbed my clit lightly.
“I distracted your body. Your brain had assumed my finger against your opening was a threat because you expected pain, so I went and posed another threat your synapses had to focus on. Usually it works best with actual pain, but tickling is effective too because the body reacts in a similar way.”
I shook my head. “You are good at this.”
His lips twitched, and his gray eyes questioned me. “I’ve studied the workings of the body for a long time, especially its reactions to pleasure and pain.”
I didn’t doubt it. I moaned as he did something with his finger inside of me, a light rotation.
He repeated the motion and rubbed his thumb lightly over my clit. “Do you like this?”
How could he even ask? “Yes,” I managed to get out. His lips took the place of his thumb over my clit as his finger slid in and out slowly.
“Come again for me,” he said in that silky, dominant tone, and I fell apart under the combined sensation of his finger and his mouth.
My entire body burst with waves of pleasure. I trembled for a long time, trying t
o catch my breath. Nino pulled his finger out and then shocked me by lifting it to his lips and putting it into his mouth.
“I enjoy your taste, Kiara,” he said in a more textured voice as he knelt between my legs. My eyes were drawn to his pants. He was hard, aroused because he’d had his mouth on me.
I sat up, reached for his briefs. “I want to give back.”
Nino slipped out them then knelt on the bed again. I was in front of him and reached for him. He groaned. I moved slowly then leaned forward, and he met me halfway. His lips claimed mine and tasted like me. We kissed as I pumped my hands up and down, his eyes boring into me with more than cold scrutiny. Our kiss turned desperate, uncoordinated. Nino tensed in my grip. I watched the small twitches of his muscles, the sharp pull of his mouth, listened to his quick pants, and it felt right.
CHAPTER 18
KIARA
Leona gave me a look. “Are you nervous too?”
I laughed. “Nervous doesn’t even begin to cover it. I don’t think I’ll be any good at fighting.” I paused. “But why are you nervous? I thought you’ve practiced with Fabiano before.”
“A few times, yes, but we’ve always been alone. Now there will be people watching.”
I nodded. I wished Nino had chosen to practice alone with me, but I knew he had a lot on his plate because of his upcoming fight against that giant man.
When we stepped out into the training hall, my eyes had trouble taking it all in. The chandelier dangling from the ceiling, the red and gold wallpaper, the broken roulette tables, the beautiful dirty, seashell-shaped windows ... It was so typically Falcone to choose something as flashy as an abandoned casino building for their fighting gym.
The men had already gathered around the boxing ring. They were only in fight shorts, and my heart thundered faster at the sight of all that muscle and scars. Even Adamo was muscular for an almost fourteen-year-old.
“Thank God, not the cage,” Leona muttered, and I gave her a questioning look. She smiled. “Fabiano always insists we work out in the cage, and it honestly gives me the creeps.”
My eyes wandered over to the cage, and I had to agree. I was already nervous as it was.
Nino touched my hip when I arrived beside him. “Leona will go first because she already has some practice.”
Trying to hide my relief, I nodded.
Fabiano parted the ropes for Leona, who climbed in with a nervous look toward the Falcone brothers. “Are you all going to watch?”
“No,” Nino said. “I’m going to attack you.”
Leona’s eyes widened. “What? I thought Fabiano would train with me?”
Fabiano shook his head. “Not this time. Being faced with an opponent that makes you nervous is closer to reality.”
Nino swung himself over the rope and faced Leona, his arms hanging down at his side in a relaxed way. “Watch closely, Kiara,” he said.
I nodded.
Nino lunged at Leona, and I noticed Fabiano’s body rocking forward slightly. Leona let out a surprised cry when Nino’s hand clamped down her wrist. He jerked her toward him, and then she was already on her back. He knelt between her legs.
“Leona,” Fabiano hissed. “Remember what I taught you.”
Leona began struggling, but Nino pressed her wrists into the ground above her head, lowering himself, parting her legs further with his muscular thighs.
Remo made a buzzer noise. “There’s no way for you to escape now. You acted too late. Now he’s got you exactly where he wants you.”
I shivered.
“He would have to open his pants. That might give her an opening to attack him with her free hand,” I said.
Everyone looked at me, and I swallowed but stood my ground.
Nino grabbed both of Leona’s wrists in one of his despite her wriggling and showed me his free hand. “Free to open my pants.”
Nino straightened and pulled Leona to her feet.
“Why did you act so late?” Fabiano asked with a frown.
“I was startled, and to be honest ... Nino scares me,” she said indignantly.
“Then let’s hope your assailant announces his attack ahead of time and doesn’t scare you,” Remo muttered.
Obviously losing interest, Savio and Adamo moved into the cage and began sparing with each other, but Savio definitely had the upper hand and didn’t take it easy on his younger brother, judging by the force of his kicks and punches. No wonder Adamo was always beat-up.
“Again,” Fabiano said.
Nino grabbed Leona’s arm, but this time she acted instantaneously. She brought her hand up to claw at his face, but he blocked it with his elbow, at the same time dodging her kick aimed at his groin with his hip. Then he threw her down. They ended in the same position as before, and Leona huffed.
“Better,” Nino said with a nod, pushing off her and pulling her to her feet.
“I still ended up on the ground.”
“Your attacker won’t be Nino,” Fabiano said. “He probably won’t be half as fast or strong or skilled.”
They did two more drills until Leona’s face was bright red and covered in sweat. Nino looked like he’d just finished a nice, slow morning walk.
I stifled a smile and when he met my eyes and the corners of his mouth twitched. My body filled with warmth as it so often did in Nino’s presence.
“Your turn,” he said and parted the ropes for me.
Gulping, I climbed inside the ring, and Leona quickly scrambled out, whispering, “Good luck.”
Fabiano immediately wrapped his arm around her waist possessively. Remo shook his head and jumped up on the edge of the ring then swung himself inside.
I stared at Nino, my pulse hammering in my veins. “You will train with me, right?” My voice trembled.
Nino regarded my face then shook his head. “I want you to face your fears. They might immobilize you during a real fight.”
I started shaking as I looked at Remo, who stood with his arms crossed over his chest, watching me with dark amusement.
I shook my head. “No. I can’t.” I backed into the rope. “Please, Nino.”
Nino exchanged a look with his brother, who rolled his eyes.
“I can take over,” Fabiano suggested.
My head swiveled toward him. He terrified me too, but not nearly as much as Remo.
“Then do it,” Remo growled, but he walked toward me, his dark eyes hard. “As long as you don’t face your fears, you will be weak. He will keep power over you as long as you let him. If you ever stop being a coward, come to me and I will show you how to fight an opponent set on hurting you.”
He jumped over the rope and walked toward Adamo and Savio to join them in the cage.
Nino touched my waist, his eyebrows pulled together. “Don’t mind him.”
“Do you agree with him?” I asked quietly.
Nino nodded. “Remo would be the best option if you wanted to simulate an attack.”
“I can be as scary as Remo if you want me to be,” Fabiano said with a shrug.
“No,” I said quickly. “Thanks.”
Fabiano was scary enough with his assessing blue eyes.
“You saw what Leona did,” Nino began. “Of course her past doesn’t harbor the same demons, so you will have to fight two enemies: Fabiano and your memories. I can tell you how to do the first, but the latter is your fight.” He motioned for me to get closer to Fabiano. “You are smaller and weaker, so you will have to make every hit count. Aim where it hurts the most. His balls.” Nino pointed at Fabiano’s groin area, who cocked an eyebrow. “Solar plexus.” He pointed at the area below the ribs. “Under his chin. Eyes. Nose.” He gestured toward Fabiano’s face.
“Here, let me show you,” Nino said and positioned himself in front of Fabiano, whose lips widened into a smile.
Nino brought his knee up sideways toward Fabiano’s groin without making contact. Then he curled his hand into a fist and pretended to punch Fabiano’s stomach twice. Then he pushed the heel of his
hand up toward Fabiano’s nose. “You can also scratch or bite, but don’t waste too much time. You will tire eventually.”
Nino stepped back and gave Fabiano a nod.
Fabiano came at me at once, and I seized. Everything happened so fast, and suddenly I was on my back and he was between my legs. Panic choked me. I let out a terrified sob, clenching my eyes shut, and began to shake.
“Fuck,” someone said. Then another cold and compelling voice spoke above me. This voice had brought me back before.
“Kiara, open your eyes.” And I did, looking up into cool, gray eyes. Nino. “Don’t allow the past to control you. You are safe. Nothing will happen to you. I am here.”
I swallowed and gave a small nod. Fabiano had sat back on his haunches, regarding me with a deep frown. I closed my legs, embarrassed. “Sorry.”
“You don’t have to be sorry,” he said with a shrug, but his eyes were a bit softer than before.
Nino helped me to my feet. “Again?” His eyes held mine, and I gave a small nod. He turned to Fabiano. “This time straddle her legs only.”
Fabiano nodded. “Ready?”
“Yes,” I said, and he reached for my arm, and again, I found myself on my back with Fabiano straddling my thighs. Panic clawed its way out of my chest, and I tried to fight it, but I couldn’t. My vision turned black. Fabiano shoved off me, and I sucked in a deep breath. Nino knelt beside me, touching my shoulder.
“I don’t think it’s working,” Fabiano said. “She is too scared.”
Nino nodded but he kept his eyes on me and his warm palm on my shoulder. “You can leave. I will take it from here.”
Fabiano gave me a tight smile. Then he climbed out of the ring.
“I’m sorry,” I said, embarrassed that I’d broken down like this even though this had been fake, even though Fabiano hadn’t meant to hurt me.
“I underestimated your fear of men. With me, you’ve been relaxed.”
“That’s because I trust you,” I whispered.
His brows pulled together, and he didn’t say anything. “That’s why I wanted you to fight Remo or Fabiano. You are wary of them. It would make the fight more real.”