by Hart, Rye
“I have to go check on one more thing for tomorrow, and then we can crawl into bed,” I said. “How does that sound?”
Rose nodded but said nothing.
I rose up onto my feet and pressed a kiss into the top of her head. I smelled her hair, taking in the slightly greasy feeling to it and I sighed heavily. She hadn’t been taking care of herself at all, that much was certain. I was already formulating a plan for the day in my head.
I was determined to make her happy.
I ventured upstairs into my office to check the shipment that was due tomorrow. I called down to the staff quarters and informed them that people would need to be down at the dock with the Jeeps. I expected them to drive all of the stuff to me that I needed so I could ready Christmas for my family. Then, I sat my phone down and came out of my office.
And Rose was standing there, her arms crossed across her chest.
“How did the trip go?” she asked.
I swallowed deeply as I saw the anger rising behind her eyes. Rose wasn’t worried.
She was upset.
“You didn’t call,” she said.
“I couldn’t.”
“I was worried,” she said breathlessly, her tears trying to keep themselves at bay. “I called and called and called and you didn’t even take the time to let me know you were still alive?”
The pain of the stitches at my side ripped me from my thoughts. I could see Rose slowly approaching me, her hand reaching out for my arm. I whipped my hand up and grabbed her wrist, catching her by surprise. Her eyes widened at my quick movement.
I needed to forget. I needed to forget all of it.
I started walking and pulled her behind me. I headed downstairs and into the pantry to the door of the hidden hallway. I threw her over my shoulder while she squealed, her legs kicking in the air as I walked toward the door of our playroom.
I brought my hand up and slapped her ass, causing her to cease her movements and she whimpered lightly into my back.
“Camillo,” she said breathlessly.
I held my hand up, opened the door, and walked us into my hidden lair.
I slammed the playroom door behind me before I strode for the bed. I dropped her down onto it, and her body jumped, her tits bouncing freely for me as her legs spread. I slid my knee between her legs and pinned her wrists above her head, feeling her chest panting for air as I bent my face down into the crook of her neck.
I sniffed deeply, taking in her womanly musk, as well as the perfume she was using to cover up the fact that she wasn’t bathing.
“I need to forget,” I said huskily. “I need you to help me forget.”
I traced my nose along her neck, grazing the shell of her ear before I pressed a kiss to her cheek. I nuzzled my nose against hers, watching as her eyes fluttered closed while I held her helplessly to the bed.
I hooked my eyes onto hers as she opened them and, the moment she nodded, I encompassed my lips with hers.
I pressed my entire body into her. I felt my cock growing with each stroke of my tongue against her lips. I could feel her mouth swelling against mine as I pressed deeper and deeper, replacing the terrible memories with the taste and scent of her. She was intoxicating, like a glass of scotch on an empty stomach, and I felt her entire body relax as my tongue slowly raked across the roof of her mouth.
That was when I knew I had her. My beautiful little songbird, wrapped around the very fingers that pinned her wrists to the bed.
Chapter Thirty-One – Rose
I knew he was hurting. I could see it in his eyes. From the moment he came around the corner, I could see the bruise he was trying to conceal underneath his eye. When he bent over to kiss Ana, I could see the ring of bruising around his neck he was trying to conceal with the suit.
He needed to forget and, quite frankly, so did I.
He needed to push the world away for a little while and his kiss provided just that. It was forceful, but tender. His tongue explored my mouth while his hands and knees pinned me beneath him. He shuffled us onto the bed while his teeth bit into my skin. Not nipping. Not kissing. But biting and marking and sucking. I would be covered in bruises of my own come the morning but, instead of pulling away from him because of the pain like I did three years ago, I found my body bowing into him.
His hands roughly grazed my skin, and I could feel the cuts and scabs he had on his knuckles. My legs wrapped around whatever part of him I could. His teeth bit down into my breasts, causing me to moan while the wetness gathered between my legs.
My mouth begged him to stop, but never once did I say my safe word.
His hands finally released me and I clung to his body. I ripped off the clothes I could reach while his hands readied the chains he would put me in. The moment he chained my arms outward, I knew he would render me helpless. He chained my ankles to the bed, spreading me wide for him as he climbed off the bed. He shed his clothes while his eyes devoured me and, with each piece of fabric that fell away, a new bruise or injury was released from its dark hiding place.
His ribs were bruised purple and gauze lined his side. His chest had scratch marks and his neck was black and blue from where someone had tried to choke him. Tears rose to my eyes as I took in his hands and how battered they were as my naked body was spread for him.
He joined me again on the bed and brought his lips to mine in a searing kiss. I returned the kiss with as much fervor and heard him growl low in his chest. I wanted to hold him so badly, to soothe him and help him forget all he’d been through, but I knew that wasn’t what he wanted. It wasn’t what he needed. His lips blazed a trail down my body, nipping and licking their way to my wet pussy, and his tongue thrust deep into me. Soon, all I could do was arch my back and cry out into the room while his tongue made quick work of my clit.
He lapped and he sucked. He flicked and he bit. He sucked the wetness of my pussy lips and slid his tongue into my entrance. His fingertips dug into my thighs, pulling me closer to him while my shoulders stretched to their absolute limit.
“Camillo! Fuck, yes!!”
His tongue lapped deep, raking across my sensitive bundle of nerves, and my body convulsed with my first orgasm. Stars burst behind my eyes while he continued his assault. Electricity shot through my body and my legs shook. He dug his fingernails into me, rendering my body useless and immovable and my mind shook with the pleasure he awoke inside me. I could hear him drinking me down. I could feel my juices sliding down the crack of my ass. I could hear him gulping, reviving himself on the fountain of youth gushing from between my legs as my head pressed back into the pillow.
“Camillo! Fuck!”
I came again on his tongue and he pressed it deep into me. My entire body was shaking and tears were pouring down my cheeks. Never in my life had I felt so much pleasure at once.
Camillo slammed his lips back onto mine. His hand wrapped steadily into my hair, pulling my head off to the side and revealing the spot on my neck I knew he would sink his teeth into again.
Without warning, he slid his massive cock deep into my pussy. I cried out as he pumped into me, his hips jolting my tits against his body while his teeth raked against my pulse point. My hands were red and my feet tugged against the restraints. I wanted to wrap myself around him while his hips slapped hard into mine. His teeth stayed at that spot on my neck and my cries of pleasure echoed in the corners of the room.
Camillo grunted into my skin and his hands gripped the curves of my body.
The sounds of skin slapping skin permeated the room. My eyes rolled into the back of my head while another orgasm started creeping up, rendering me speechless as my mouth dropped open. I could feel my pussy pulsing around his cock and I knew he was getting close to coming as well.
And then, just as the two of us fell over the precipice together, his lips connected with mine.
“Rose. My beautiful songbird. How you cover me with your beauty.”
The words were warm. Dark. Deep. His voice shivered through me and I cried
out into the room. The pleasure was too much to bear. My vision was tunneling as he bit down onto my lower lip, and my tongue captured his once more before my body finally collapsed. I had nothing more to give him. I felt our intermingled juices dripping from between my legs and coating his bed while he slowly slid out of my aching channel.
His hands made quick work of my restraints. He gathered me in his arms, his entire body shaking as he held me. In that moment, he was so vulnerable that it nearly took my breath away.
“Are we safe?” I finally asked.
He pulled me close, pressed a kiss to the nape of my neck, and nodded.
“Yes, we’re safe,” he said, his eyes begging me not to ask him to elaborate.
“Good,” I said. “Because I can’t live without you.”
He raised his head and looked at me, a shocked expression on his face. “You can’t?”
“No Camillo,” I said breathlessly. “Because I love you.”
His eyes widened, and his eyebrows hiked up on his forehead. His darkened eyes lit up a shade.
“Say it again,” he said.
“I love you.”
“Again,” he said heatedly.
“I love you, Camillo.”
He pressed his forehead against mine and closed his eyes and I finally felt him exhale.
Chapter Thirty-Two – Camillo
I stared out at the water while I watched the ship dock in the early morning light. The staff was there, loading the boxes into the Jeeps, and I watched while they made their way up the hill. Everyone was still asleep and I relished the quiet for a few moments while I sipped my tea.
I went out to meet the staff and they helped me get the boxes into the living room. I sat on the floor with my knife and ripped boxes open. Then I began wrapping all the gifts for the kids. I wrapped up video games and sports memorabilia. I wrapped up new toys for Ana and placed her beautiful new dresses flat in boxes with bows on them. I got Cassie a new Keurig coffee machine, as well as a personalized coffee mug, complete with a thousand-dollar gift card to a website that specialized in k-cups.
She’d be drowning in coffee by the time she spent it all.
And for Rose, I got her jewelry and specialized lingerie. I bought her new outfits for winter in the Poconos and a gift card to the local furniture store so she could restock her house with comfortable things. New beds for everyone and couches that didn’t have stains. A kitchen table that didn’t wobble and bed frames that didn’t creak.
I’d set up college accounts for both Kevin and Ana. I’d dumped five hundred thousand dollars into each of the investments accounts, which would grow over the years into almost one million dollars. Schooling children was expensive and I wanted to make sure they had the best start in life possible. I put all of that official bank documentation into a folder and sealed it up.
I wanted the kids to have the perfect Christmas.
I wanted them to remember this Christmas for the rest of their lives. I wanted this Christmas to change the way they viewed the world. I wanted this Christmas to be remembered as the Christmas they stopped struggling and started living.
It was the first Christmas I was spending with my family, and I wanted it to be filled with happiness, smiles, and love.
But Rose had been distant after our lovemaking the night before. As much as she’d seemed to enjoy herself during, afterward she’d curled in on herself. I thought back to how she’d told me she loved me and the words warmed me all over again. But then she’d changed.
Maybe after the haze of her orgasms had dissipated, she had truly realized what it meant when I’d told her we were safe. She had finally admitted to herself that there was only one way that could have happened. Maybe she regretted loving a man with blood on his hands. What would I do if she did?
I sat there by the tree until the sun was high in the sky and shining down on this Christmas morning.
Suddenly, I heard the boys stirring from their beds. I heard the chef come in and walk toward the kitchen, starting a pot of coffee before he came and took the tea cup from my hands. Cassie was dragging herself down the hallway with her heavy feet as she schlepped into the room, but the gasp that fled from her lips caused me to turn my head toward her.
Her eyes were sparkling in shock at the presents lying underneath the Christmas tree.
“Boys, Rose, get the fuck up!” she yelled. “Get up now!”
For the first time since I’d known her, I smirked and shook my head at how brazen she was.
Some man would be lucky to have her by his side one day.
The boys came barreling into the room and screamed with joy. They ran and tripped, stumbling over to the tree as they began to shake the presents. I heard Rose’s feet hit the floor above my head, probably getting herself dressed before she went to get Ana from her crib.
I got up from my seat and started watching the waves crash upon the sandy beach while Rose rounded the corner.
“Oh, my gosh,” I heard her gasp. I saw her reflection in the window, holding Ana close to her as her jaw fell open.
I sighed heavily, memorizing the way she looked in that very moment. She was perfect.
I felt her approach me while my eyes stayed trained on the ocean. The truth was, I didn’t want to look at her. I wanted to keep the memory of her shocked happiness in my mind.
“How’d you do it?” she asked. “The presents, I mean.”
“I made some orders and rush shipped them,” I said. “They arrived around five this morning.”
“Thank you,” she said lightly.
And she didn’t move from my side.
“I’ve been struggling with things all night,” she admitted while Ana squirmed in her arms.
I nodded but didn’t say anything. I felt my hands gripping themselves behind my back so hard that I split open one of my wounds. I felt the blood trickling down the palm of my hand, and I winced, bringing my hands around to look at them as Rose set Ana down.
“Go see Cassie, sweet girl. Go on.”
I watched Ana run off toward the tree and pounce onto Cassie, who was giggling with the boys while they sorted through the presents.
Without another sound, I watched as Rose picked up the corner of her robe. She took my hand within hers, and pressed the robe to my wound, soaking up the blood while her eyes danced along my skin. I watched her closely, studying her every move while she drew in a deep breath through her nose.
Then, her shoulders heaved with a deep sigh before she allowed her gaze to travel up to mine.
She took both of my hands within hers and brought them to her lips. She kissed each bruise and cut on my knuckles and, as I watched, the heat in my body rose from my toes. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, taking in my scent while my wound slowly began to clot.
Then she smiled into my skin and I knew I was safe.
“I love you, Camillo,” she said. “And I’m just so glad you’re home.”
“I love you, too, Rose,” I said. “And I’m so glad you welcomed me home.”
Chapter Thirty-Three – Rose
I couldn’t believe what I’d just heard. As I stood there holding his hands, my eyes watered while my gaze studied his intently. He was looking at me with his icy blue eyes and the comfort that radiated from them was nothing less than sensual.
Lately, he’d been talking a great deal about family. He had mentioned “our family” on more than one occasion, but never once had he said anything about love. He talked about wanting to keep us safe and making sure we could all live the life we wanted, but never once had he expressed any interest in being anything more than a protector and a pleasure-giver.
I knew my desire for him was white-hot, but was it possible for a man like him to love me? Was it possible for me to accept his past and pull him into my future? I felt his hands drop mine before his palm raised to cup my cheek and, suddenly, the thoughts of Christmas day faded from my head. The only thing that remained was his hardened gaze, his soft touch, and the words that stil
l lingered in my ears.
He pulled me into his arms and I melded into his body. My hands ran up his stomach, grazing the bruised strength underneath his clothing as he pulled me into his chest. The beating of his heart was a sound I’d become obsessed with. A sound that I found both comforting, erotic, and frightening. He pressed a kiss to the top of my head.
“I know you must think I’m a monster, Rose, but I want to change. I have been changing because of you.”
I gripped onto his shirt and pulled myself closer into his body.
“Having a family is the only thing I’ve ever wanted and your family is perfect,” he said. “All I wish is to be a part of it.”
I craned my neck back to respond, but the shouts of joy coming from beside the Christmas tree ripped us from our reverie. I giggled and shook my head. Camillo took my hand and led me back into the living room where Cassie and the boys were sitting cross-legged beside the tree.
Ana came running up to Camillo, her arms held out wide for him. He picked her up and swung her around.
“Merry Christmas, my princess,” he said.
“Can we open presents now?” Kevin asked.
“Yeah, uncle, can we?” Junior asked.
“Of course,” Camillo said. “You boys can go first.”
One by one, they unwrapped gifts. Portable game consoles and new games for their new Play Stations, clothes they could wear and jackets for the winter in the Poconos and all their favorite treats. Cassie’s smile was broad and my eyes were filled with tears. This was the type of Christmas I’d always wanted to give Kevin, but never had the money to.
Ana was tearing into her presents, peeling the paper back and giggling at the shredding sounds. She unwrapped new toys that sang and a tablet installed with all the latest learning games. She pulled out beautiful dresses I knew Camillo had had made and tailored just for her and there was even a fuzzy blanket with a massive unicorn head at the corner of it she could cuddle with.