by LC Taylor
I had to see his eyes when he realized his own people had turned on him. It was bittersweet to hear him pleading for his life as I left him with my brother. Vincenzo might be a renowned chef, but he had a sick side to him. As a member of Fantasia, I knew his dark side would make Juan’s death painful.
The flight took longer than I wanted. We had to stop in Paris for fuel, making me antsy. I called my mother, explaining I wanted my arrival kept under wraps. She was pissed at me, saying that Madison had not come out of her room all day, and that she knew Antonio and I were not speaking.
By the time I got there, a full day had passed since my brother and I spoke on the phone. Rather, he yelled at me before hanging up. Glancing at my screen, I worried my late arrival would be bothersome to everyone.
Speaking to my family’s long-time driver in Italian, I leaned back in my seat and closed my eyes. I was exhausted from traveling. The time difference made me feel like I’d been beaten and dragged through town. It would be noon in Vegas right now. It was nine here, and I wondered if Madison was even awake. Knowing she wasn’t speaking to anyone had me worried. I fucked up... bad.
When Aldo pulled into the driveway, my insides twisted with guilt. I opened the door before he stopped fully and hurried up the path to the front door. Gripping the knob, I took a deep breath and pushed inside.
Antonio stood at the bottom of the stairs with his arms folded over his chest. He was glaring at me.
“Wow... a few minutes later and you’d have caught me in bed with Madison.”
“Alright, I get it, Brother. I fucked up.”
“You think? How the hell could you think I would cross that line? I have come to love that girl like she’s my sister, and you have hurt her.”
“I know. That’s why I’m here.”
“She hasn’t come out of her room at all since your assumption was made, and not to mention your avoidance of her calls.”
“Antonio,” I stepped close to my brother, “I am sorry. I overreacted and I regret what I’ve done. You were here for her when I couldn’t be. It made me think she’d fallen for you instead.”
“Are you serious?” He shook his head, “That girl is in love with you. Sure,” he laughed, “she needed time to come to terms with loving an asshole, but she did. Now,” he stepped closer, “are you going to fix it or what? I want her in this family, so do the others.”
“Me too.” I tugged him against me. “I love you, Fratello.”
Antonio hugged me back. “Go see her.”
“Thank you for taking care of her.”
I smiled and took the stairs two at a time. Her door was closed when I stopped outside her room. Pressing my hand on the wood, I leaned my head against the cool surface and listened. Even through the barrier, I could hear her whimpers. The sound nearly crushed my soul.
Easing the door open, I stepped into the darkness. Even in the blackened room, I could make out her form on the bed. The soft moonlight bathed her shape beneath the covers in a soft glow. As my eyes adjusted, I could see the soft shaking of her sobs. Kicking my shoes off, I undressed and crept to her bedside. Easing the covers back, I slipped in beside her and wrapped my body around hers.
She tensed against me. “Massimo?” she whispered into the darkness.
“Who were you expecting?” I pressed a kiss to her neck, “I’m so sorry, Baby. The way I acted by not answering your calls was wrong. I jumped to the wrong conclusion because I thought you’d fallen for Antonio.”
She rolled over in my arms, her face red and swollen. Pressing my thumb to her cheek, I wiped at the tears collecting on her perfect skin.
“I haven’t fallen for your brother. He’s important to me. We’ve shared things that haunt us, bringing us close. But Massimo...” she sucked in a breath, “I love you. I thought...” she hiccupped a sob. “I thought you changed your mind about us.”
“Changing my mind was never an option once I found you, Bella.” I leaned forward and kissed away her tears. “Do you forgive me?” I brushed her hair away from her face and cupped her cheek.
“You need to make it right with Antonio. He has so much going on with him, Massimo. Losing your grandfather is going to shatter him. He needs you.”
“I know. He’s part of the reason I came. What do you mean he has so much going on with him?”
Madison pressed her hand against my chest, “It’s not my story to tell. Just know when the time comes and he’s ready to share—show him unconditional love.”
I didn’t know what that meant, but it made my heart swell with even more love for her. “He’s my brother. Whatever burden he is carrying; I’ll lift it up for him no matter what. You didn’t answer me though.” I pulled her tighter against my body.
“Of course, I forgive you. You came here.” She smiled. “Wait... if you’re here, does that mean you’ve taken care of the issue?”
“Vincenzo has most likely disposed of the matter by now. I left him to take care of the final dealings.”
“You did that for me?” She tilted her head and held my gaze.
“Madison.” I fisted her hair in my hand. “I know it’s been a short amount of time, but I would move heaven and earth for you. You own me.”
I captured her lips in mine, demanding ownership. Her body relaxed against me as we melted into one. Her leg wrapped around my hip, giving her access to my growing bulge.
“You’re wearing my shirt.” I tugged at the dress shirt she wore.
“It made me feel close to you.” She blushed.
“As sexy as it looks on you... it needs to be off.” I tugged it over her head and tossed it behind me. Her breasts bounced free, begging to be touched. I descended on them, sucking her pert nipple into my mouth while my free hand palmed the other. She moaned, grinding her hips into my rock-hard cock.
“Fuck, Bella.” I licked across her flesh, nipping the other nipple as she writhed beneath me. “These need to go, too.” I snagged the tiny lace panties covering her pussy and ripped them off. Her scent was like a drug burning through my veins.
She pawed at my boxers, pushing them down my hips, causing my dick to spring free. Her fingers wrapped around my shaft, drawing a hiss from my lips.
“Please, Massimo,” she begged. “I need you inside me.”
Chapter 38
Madison
He was here.
Massimo had come for me.
And now I was going to come for him.
I fisted his cock, jerking my palm up and down the steel hard shaft. As he moved between my legs, I let go and spread my legs. I wanted him buried deep inside my pussy. Wrapping my legs around his backside, I couldn’t hold back the scream as he drove himself inside of me.
He filled me to the brim, touching parts of me I never knew existed. Even though he was a big man, his member fit inside with precision. It was as if my vagina had been molded for him. He froze once he was seated fully, his ass clenching beneath my heels.
“Fuck, Bella. Your pussy feels so good.”
“I need you to move,” I said breathlessly. My body on fire from his touch.
Massimo began to pump his cock in and out of my channel, his rhythm absolute perfection. He adjusted his angle, placing his hand beneath my ass and lifting me up. He braced himself on the bed, pumping harder and faster. It was like he was a possessed man or a man trying to possess me.
The sensation began to build, starting in my toes. I couldn’t have stopped the scream bursting from my lips even if I tried. I clawed at his back, eager to pull him closer as he pounded into me. His head dipped, and he caught my nipple between his teeth. The feeling of his lips against my flesh drew another orgasm from my body. Arching against him, I pushed my hip up, begging him to send me over the edge one more time.
“I’m close, Baby. Can you give me one more?”
I nodded, unable to form words. His hand slipped from beneath me and eased between our bodies. His finger swirled around my clit, before he pinched the swollen nub in his fingers. Lights da
nced across my eyes as the most powerful release flooded my senses. I could feel my juices coating his dick as my pussy clamped down on his rigid member. His body tensed as his movement became jerky. My center filled with warmth as his cock exploded inside me, coating my walls with his seed.
“Goddamn.”
Massimo rested his forehead against mine as his body stilled above me. His warm breath brushed against my face as I pressed my lips to his, my tongue plundering his mouth in ecstasy.
“I love you, Massimo.”
“Good.” He kissed a trail down my face and nibbled my neck beneath my ear. “Because I don’t think I could let you go.”
He rolled off me, his semi-hard cock slipping from between my nether lips. He rolled me to my side and tucked me against his body.
“I am sorry for hurting you, Bella. My jealousy got the better of me.”
“It’s ok. I would feel the same if I’d seen something like that. You and Antonio ok?”
“I think so. You and him are close, aren’t you?”
I glanced over my shoulder at him. “Yes. You don’t have to be jealous, though. Like I told you, he and I connected in a way that is different from you and I. Antonio is trying to figure out where he belongs, and I understand what that’s like.”
Massimo pressed his lips to my neck, “Belongs? He is an Anastasi...”
“You should be having this conversation with him.”
“Ok. Maybe you’ll be good for the whole family. You balance me and help Antonio in a way I obviously can’t. What do you think of the rest of my family?”
“Your parents are the sweetest people I’ve ever met. It’s hard to believe your dad is the head of a crime family. Your sisters are hysterical; I can’t wait for them to move to Vegas.”
“Does it bother you that I’m in charge back in the states?”
“At first it did, but after talking with Antonio, I’ve come to realize, you will protect me and your family at all costs. That’s not something I’ve had in a long time.”
“I would never let anything happen to you. I’d give my own life to spare yours.”
Rolling to face him, I cupped his cheek.
“How about you just live for me and love me?”
“I’ll love you until the end of time, Madison. You have my heart in your hands. It is you that has the power to destroy me. Never forget that.”
“Me?” I ran my fingers through his hair. “I’m only a girl. You're a man with so much at his disposal. How could I destroy you?”
“If you ever left me, you’d take my beating heart. The air that I breathe exists because you are near me. Without you, I’ve realized I am not whole. Take you away... and I have nothing.”
A tear slipped down my cheek. “How did I get so lucky to find you?”
“It is me who is lucky.”
Melding our lips together, I felt the familiar desire pooling in my belly. This man thought I had power over him, yet he brought me to my knees with a simple look or touch.
“You make me wanton with need, Bella.”
His erection dug into my belly as we kissed and touched. Being apart made me realize how much I needed him in my world.
“Take me to the shower and fuck me.”
I pressed a kiss to his jaw, sucking the tender flesh. Massimo moved quickly, pulling me into his arms as he carried us both to the bathroom. He deposited me on the counter and turned on the shower heads. The stall was as big as the walk-in closet, making it roomy enough for the both of us. One wall had a long bench, wide enough to lay down on. The ceiling had sunken lighting and multiple shower heads that made it feel like rain was falling. There were even sprayers embedded in the walls.
Watching Massimo’s nude body move around the massive enclosure made my pussy ache with need. Although he had been my first, I couldn’t imagine anyone comparing to him. The way my body responded to him had me believing he was made for me.
Scooping me off the vanity, he carried me into the stall. The mist warmed my skin as he held me beneath the spray. My legs were wrapped securely around his waist as he held me close to his chest. Our lips melted together, the passion lighting the flame of need inside us.
Massimo sat down on the bench, my legs resting on either side of him. My core was poised over the head of his cock, making it easy to slip him inside me. My pussy wrapped around his shaft as he burrowed deep inside my womb. When he flexed his hips, my walls spasmed around his dick, drawing a guttural moan from his throat.
We were lost in the rhythm of our love, the water surrounding us with a mist of lust. Every fiber was firing on heat and desire, causing my whole body to quake with an explosive orgasm. I screamed out, leaning my head back into the water. Massimo sucked my nipple into his mouth, licking and biting at the pink flesh.
“I can’t hold on, Baby. Come with me one more time,” he grunted.
I bounced and flexed my legs, rubbing my clit against his pubic bone. My nub was swollen and needy, begging for release. He thrust up into me, ramming his cock against my cervix. His eyes squeezed shut as his breathing became erratic. He was just as close as I was. Like a flash of light, our bodies exploded in a feverish climax. My center clamped down on his cock, forcing every ounce of his seed from him. Collapsing against him, I rested my head in the crook of his neck. He eased me off him, sitting me on the bench beside him.
“Wait here, Bella. I’m going to clean you up and get us back to bed.”
My eyes fluttered closed as he wiped the evidence of our coupling from my legs. I vaguely remember him wrapping a towel around me and carrying me to the bed. His body eased in behind me, the covers draped over our bodies as he held me against him.
In his arms, I felt like I could conquer anything.
Chapter 39
Massimo
I left Madison asleep in the bed as I crept down the hallway. She needed to rest, and I still had to resolve some things between Antonio and I. Rounding the corner, I was surprised to find my grandmother sitting at the table.
“Nonna... what are you doing here?” I smiled as I spoke in Italian to her. I quickly realized her expression did not reciprocate my happiness. “Is it grandfather?”
“Yes,” she sighed, her eyes shining with un-spilled tears. Her accent was thick with remorse and sadness. “Giuseppe has gone to the angels, Massimo. Your father is at the hospital making the arrangements.”
“Where is Antonio?” I looked around, noticing how quiet the house was.
“He ran out of the house when I told him. He is somewhere on the grounds. I knew this would be hard on him. Your grandfather understood him in a way your father does not. It will take time for him to open up to you. Although,” she forced a small grin, “your bride to be seems to have bonded to him.”
“Bride to be?” I scratched my head. “Madison? I have not asked her yet, Nonna. I take it you met her already?”
“Yes. She sat at the hospital with me and Giuseppe. She is a lovely woman and will be a great addition to the Anastasi name. You are asking her to marry you?”
“Of course.”
“Maybe a funeral first.” She wiped a lone tear from her face. “Then a wedding will bring us out of despair.”
“I don’t know if she will say yes.”
“Yes, you do.” Madison’s voice filled the room. She walked up behind me and wrapped her arms around my middle. “I love you, Massimo, or do you still doubt that?”
“I don’t doubt your love.” I pulled her around and held her in my arms. Resting my head on top of hers. “I just wanted to ask you the right way.”
“Vittoria.” She tilted her head at my grandmother. “I am sorry about Giuseppe. I wish I could have met him before this happened. He sounded like a wonderful man who loved his family.”
“He was. He would have approved of you.” Her English was broken but filled with such kindness.
“What can I do for you?” Madison reached out and took her hand in hers.
“Nothing, Sweet Girl. Look after Mas
simo and my other grandsons.”
“Oh God! Antonio?” She turned toward me; her eyes wide. “Where is he?”
She sighed. “The gardens. He has not come in since I told him.”
“Can I?” She looked to me. “Massimo, would you mind if I go check on him?”
“Actually, we can go together. You were right last night. I need to be there for him right now. Nonna.” I leaned down and pressed a kiss to her head. “Will you be alright for a moment?”
“Yes. I said my goodbyes some time ago. I think Giuseppe was waiting for her.” She pointed to Madison.
“Me?” She jerked back, confused.
“Yes. He knew Massimo would need a strong woman to balance him now that he is to lead the family in the United States. I believe he could hear you talking and knew his time had come. You set them both free, Madison. Now go find Antonio. He will be lost for some time, but I think you will help him.”
Madison embraced my grandmother, her tears staining the silken shirt she wore
“I will take care of them all. You have my word.”
“Come.” I tugged her hand in mine and led her to the gardens out back. “Let’s find Antonio. I need him to know I am here for him and there’s nothing he could say or do that would change that.”
“I hope you’re serious. When he finds the strength to tell you his burdens, he will need your support. Don’t forget he is still your brother when that time comes.”
I mulled over her words, wondering what secret he held that made him feel so inferior. There was nothing that would change the fact he was an Anastasi. The same blood that ran through his veins, ran through mine.
“Thank you, Madison.”
“For what?”
“Being there for him when I couldn’t. I’m glad you and Antonio are so close. If he won’t talk to me, it gives me great comfort to know that he has you.”