by Cora Reilly
“I can’t help it.”
“You aren’t supposed to change. It’s good that you are kind and caring, and inherently good. It balances out what my brothers and I are.”
“You make me sound like I’m some kind of saint. I’m not that good.”
Nino pulled into the driveway of the Falcone mansion, killed the engine and pressed a kiss to my knuckles. “I doubt there’s someone who’s better than you.” He said it so honestly, as if it was the unfailing truth, that tears sprang into my eyes. I tried to blink them away before Nino could see them. His eyes lingered on mine and he leaned forward, cupped my head and pressed a kiss to my temple. “One day I’m going to kill every single person who made you feel less. They should pray that your kindness stops me long enough.”
Deadly words shouldn’t warm my heart, shouldn’t feel like the most romantic declaration of love, but with Nino they did.
CHAPTER 6
KIARA
In the afternoon, I joined Remo on the terrace. He was still brooding after a fight with Serafina during one of their daily walks this morning. His hands were pushed into his pants and he was glaring off into the distance. Standing beside him, I looked at his face, at the scar his mother had caused, at the cruel twist of his mouth.
Serafina had told me she felt like she was losing herself and I couldn’t help but wonder if it was the same for Remo, and what did it even mean for a man like him?
“Say what you got to say,” he growled. There was so much I wanted to tell him, how I thought it was wrong to kidnap an innocent woman, but he knew that. And deep down I wondered if maybe this was the only chance for Remo to ever be close to a woman, for him to overcome the hatred that had carried him through the years, that still carried him.
I wanted to tell him that he needed to stop this game so he could be strong for his brothers, particularly Nino. I wanted to tell him that I wished to see him happy one day, even if he didn’t believe in happiness.
Remo growled, anger flashing on his face. He grasped my upper arms and brought our faces close. “Say something. Don’t just stand there with that fucking sad look. It’s fucking annoying.”
Despite my body’s tension, I didn’t pull away. “Do you think Nino could love a child?”
Remo released me with a jerk, eyes widening as he stepped back. “Are you ...?”
“No,” I said quietly. “But I want a baby. I’ve always wanted to be a mother. I want to hold a baby in my arms, cuddle it into sleep. I want to protect and love it. I want to give this baby everything we all never had. If there’s only one thing in my life I can achieve, then it’s that.” Tears filled my eyes. I wasn’t even sure why I was telling Remo this. Maybe because I could feel that he was on the verge of something, something either better or far worse.
Remo looked like I had shaken him to the core. Silence stretched between us.
“I’m sorry,” I said eventually. I turned but Remo stopped me and leaned down, his expression fierce. “Nino loves you. I don’t understand how it’s possible. I thought the part of him capable of that shit was lost but you dug it out. I don’t know what he can or cannot feel, but every child that grows up in this house will be cared for, will be safe and as fucking happy as it can be in our fucked-up world.” He straightened. “And with you as a mother, it’ll drown in love and sweets, that’s for sure.”
Remo turned and left me standing there. I wrapped my arms around myself. Nino found me like that a few minutes later and pulled me against him.
“I’m fine,” I said before he could ask. I smiled up at him and his frown smoothed. Once things had calmed down, once Serafina was back home, I’d ask Nino if we could have a baby.
After following our new routine of swimming a few rounds in the pool together, Nino and I retired to our room to change. I watched Nino get out of his swim shorts, taking in his muscular tattooed thighs, his narrow hips with the delicious V leading down to his hardening cock. He stalked toward me as I admired him, feeling the familiar tugging of desire.
Nino kissed me, taking the lead as he always did. He unfastened my bikini top and bottoms, which fell in a wet heap on the floor, before he steered me backward until I fell on the bed. He climbed over me, his strong body pressing into me as he captured my lower lip in his mouth and sucked as he rocked his erection against me, sending a shockwave of desire through me.
My mind wandered to the one thing I’d been thinking about often in the last few days—finally going down on Nino. I’d been meaning to do it for a while but always lost courage. For some reason, I couldn’t forget how degrading and disgusting it had been to go down on my uncle. He’d forced himself into me until I felt I was choking, until my throat and mouth were tender. Whenever I considered pleasuring Nino with my mouth, the same horrible images flooded my mind, followed by a nagging worry that I’d still feel degraded and dirty when going down on him. I desired Nino, every part of him. I loved how he gave me pleasure with his mouth and I wanted to return the favor.
“Kiara?” Nino asked quietly, drawing back, searching my face. I must have become still under him.
“I ... I want to put my mouth on you,” I said. Even voicing the wish cost me a lot. It felt wrong to say it, to want it, and I was scared that despite my desire to do it, the images of the past would win, that a small part of my uncle remained wedged in my brain.
Nino didn’t say anything at first, but I could tell by the brief flicker of desire in his expression that he wanted this. I supposed I shouldn’t have been surprised. He’d been on the receiving end of that kind of attention in the past, with other women. And he pleasured me with his mouth almost daily. Of course he’d want it.
“On my cock?” he asked carefully.
Flushing, I nodded. “I want to try to give you...give you head.”
Nino’s face softened. “Okay.” He rolled off me and lay down beside me. “Come.”
I sat up and knelt beside his hips, then curled my hand around his shaft.
“Would you like me to tell you what to do?”
I considered that. “I don’t know if ... if I ...”
Nino squeezed my thigh gently. “Take your time and if you want to stop, stop.”
“You won’t go down my throat ... right?” I whispered, feeling a wave of shame wash over me.
“I won’t thrust into your mouth unless you want me to. I’ll try not to move at all.”
“Okay,” I said softly.
I stroked him for a while, enjoying his silkiness and feeling my own arousal spike once more just from touching him. I loved Nino’s body, the way he made me feel, the way I could make him feel. Gathering my courage, I bent my head down and cupped the tip with my lips, tasting him for the very first time. He twitched and I tasted a hint of saltiness. I looked up, finding Nino watching me with unabashed hunger.
Emboldened by his reaction and my body’s need, I twirled my tongue around his tip before I began to bob my head up and down slowly, testing my limits.
Nino brushed my hair away then touched my neck. I became still, slowly pulling away, fighting the images of the past. My gaze darted up to his face and as usual I found solace in his calm.
“I wanted to hold your hair so it doesn’t bother you. I won’t tug at it and I won’t push you down,” Nino said quietly, his thumb rubbing my neck.
“I know,” I said, because I did know. My body reacted before my mind could catch up.
With a small smile, I tasted him again, then ran my tongue around his tip, enjoying his softness, his scent, his taste. Everything kindled my own desire and I could have cried from relief. I established a slow rhythm. Nino stayed true to his promise, lying completely still beneath me. Only his hand fisting the blanket gave an indication how much he struggled to stay put.
Nino moaned, his muscles tensing. His hand on my neck tightened then he relaxed it quickly. “I’m going to come if you keep it up.”
I nodded, and kept up my sucking. My mind began whirring when I felt his muscles twitch. I tensed a
s I tried to decide if I could swallow, if I could do this for Nino.
“Kiara,” he gritted out another warning.
I didn’t pull back. I wanted to do this, to beat the last shreds of my past into submission. Nino’s hand twitched a second before his body coiled tightly and then his erection jerked. With a low moan, Nino came. He made small rocking motions as he spilled into me. For a second I was frozen, awaiting the inevitable. My past to bulldoze my present, for my body to do what it had done many years ago, to retch, for bile to travel up my throat. The feeling of choking, of suffocating as my uncle held me in place.
But nothing of that sort happened. Nino stroked my back and I swallowed, kept pumping and felt a wave of accomplishment. I was free. Completely free.
Nino pulled me on top of him as if I was a doll. He nudged my chin up as I lay sprawled on his strong chest, his eyes searching mine. He kissed my mouth once, twice. “Do you want me to get you a glass of water?”
Every time I thought I couldn’t possibly love Nino more, he showed this kind of consideration. My lips pulled into a smile.
“Say something,” Nino said with a hint of confusion.
“I love you.”
Nino kissed me again. “And I love you, Kiara.” He ran his hand over my spine before palming my ass. “But you didn’t answer my question. Do you want something to drink?”
“No,” I whispered. I didn’t feel the need to wash Nino’s taste away, not at all.
Nino tilted his head, confused by my reaction and unsure what to do. And I was too, because giving Nino pleasure like that had turned me on.
“Kiara,” he said. “Right now I’m not sure if you’re in shock or if you’re really okay with what you did ...”
I buried my nose in his throat and arched my hips in silent invitation. Nino’s hand on my ass cheek tensed briefly before he dipped his fingers between my folds, finding me wet.
His chest expanded under me as he released a shuddering breath.
“I’m more than okay,” I said with a small, embarrassed laugh.
Nino ran his fingers along my slit lightly, stirring up my need for him once more. “Sit on my face.”
I lifted my head with wide eyes.
He smiled, but his eyes shone with desire. “Come on.”
I pushed into a sitting position on Nino’s chest. His eyes lowered to my most private part as his hands came to rest on my hips and he nudged me forward, encouraging and hungry. With a small smile, I gripped the headboard and lifted up, allowing Nino to hoist me above his head.
NINO
My body was still throbbing with the remnants of my orgasm as I saw Kiara’s beautiful body, seeing her breasts stand to attention and her dripping pussy right in front of my face. Dripping because she’d sucked my cock. I couldn’t deny it, I’d enjoyed coming in Kiara’s mouth tremendously, especially because she’d enjoyed it too.
Grasping her ass cheeks, I pushed her pussy toward my mouth, tasting her arousal. Kiara peeked at me, but as always she was too self-conscious to watch like I knew she wanted to. I drew back from her pussy. “Watch me.”
Kiara smiled sheepishly then moaned as I sucked her clit lightly. She held my gaze and my cock soon filled with blood, eager for another round. A sound outside the open window caught my attention, but I kept teasing Kiara with my tongue, not wanting her to get distracted. It took me a moment to hear the hints of a deep male voice. Remo.
I wasn’t sure what he was up to now and I didn’t care. For all I cared he could listen, as long as Kiara didn’t find out. I slid a finger inside of her as I flicked my tongue back and forth, keeping her busy. Kiara’s body tightened and she rocked forward, driving my finger deeper into her pussy as I licked. Her moan rang out and I watched her thrown-back head and puckering nipples. She went slack, shaking and panting. I gripped her hips and rolled over so I was on top of her. “Turn on your stomach.”
Kiara’s eyes peeled open but she did as I asked and I pressed into her back, kissing her neck and shoulder blade as I slid my cock between her thighs. “Is this position okay for you?”
“I think so,” she murmured, her expression trusting.
I pushed into her and groaned low in my throat. In this position Kiara’s walls gripped me even tighter. Tilting her head so I could taste her mouth, I pitched my hips forward, my pelvis slapping against her firm ass as I fucked her. Our bodies rubbed together and Kiara’s tantalizing scent drove me almost insane with lust. I still tasted her on my tongue.
Kiara soon lifted her butt to match my thrusts, moaning desperately into my mouth as she came undone. After a few more hard thrusts, I exploded and Kiara arched up. We both went slack and I held her tightly, kissing the corner of her mouth. “Am I too heavy?”
“Stay,” she whispered. “I love the feel of your body on top of me. It makes me feel safe.”
I linked our fingers. “You are safe.”
Her mouth tipped up and her doe eyes held mine and I just stared back, feeling utterly calm.
CHAPTER 7
KIARA
I was completely exhausted after our lovemaking and didn’t move even when Nino rolled off me. “I could use something to eat. What about you?”
I grinned. “I could eat.” I moved to stand but Nino shook his head and got out of bed. “Stay. I’ll get something for us, and then we can plan our hike tomorrow.”
I stretched out on my back, feeling as if every muscle in my body had been turned to rubber. “Sounds good.”
Nino pulled on briefs then his eyes traveled the length of my naked body in appreciation, and my toes curled in delight. He slipped outside and I sat up, loving the delicious soreness between my legs. A grin pulled at my lips, and I couldn’t hold it in. I’d never been this happy in my life.
I cleaned up in the bathroom and grabbed the hiking guide for the greater Las Vegas area then waited for Nino. Thirty minutes passed and he wasn’t back yet.
Confused, I considered going after him but I didn’t want to appear like a mother hen so I occupied my mind perusing the pages of the book.
Almost an hour passed before Nino returned with a tray loaded with grapes, cheese cubes and bread. He set it down beside me on the bed. I could tell that something had happened. Reaching for a grape, I waited for him to say something. He sank down beside me and picked out a piece of bread.
“Have you decided which hike you’d like to try?”
“Not really. You’re more familiar with the area,” I said. “Why were you gone so long?”
A trace of hesitation on Nino’s face was worryinf. “I ran across Remo.”
“And?”
Nino’s fingers curled around my wrist. “He had sex with Serafina.”
I froze.
“She wanted it,” Nino added.
I shook my head, unable to believe it. “Now that he’s taken her virginity, her fiancé won’t want her back. She’ll be shunned. Unless she manages to hide the fact somehow, but...”
“Remo just sent them the bloody sheets to taunt them with the Famiglia tradition.”
I tore my wrist out of Nino’s grasp and pushed out of bed, too agitated to lie down. Nino swung his legs out and stood as well as if he thought I’d storm out for another confrontation with Remo. “What the hell is wrong with him?”
Nino reached for me. I was so angry, I slapped his hand away. He lowered his arm in surprise.
“Sorry,” I said. “I shouldn’t have hit you.”
“It’s okay, Kiara. I prefer your anger to terror.”
“Still, I don’t want to hurt you.”
Nino smiled slightly. “You can’t, trust me.” He approached me again and this time I allowed him to touch my waist.
“Is Serafina all right? Does she need medical treatment?”
Nino frowned. “I told you, she wanted the sex.”
“But it was her first time...with Remo of all people.” I cringed as unwanted images tried to come to my mind.
“Remo didn’t mention anything of the sort.
I assume, given his talent reading people, he adapted his sexual advances according to her inexperience and put some effort into making it pleasant for her.”
I burst out laughing, pressed my head against Nino’s chest and closed my eyes. Everything about our current situation was surreal, but with the Falcone brothers I should have come to expect nothing else. Tomorrow, I’d try to talk to Serafina in private and make sure she was truly okay, on a physical level at least. I could only imagine her inner turmoil over sleeping with her captor and family’s enemy.
Nino stroked my back. “Kiara?”
“I’m okay. Let’s plan our hike now.” I pulled back and gave Nino a tense smile.
Nino’s grip on my waist tightened, holding me in place. “Serafina chose to lose her virginity to Remo. It’s her choice, so you don’t have to feel pity for her.”
Nino couldn’t understand.
“It was her choice to sleep with him, that’s true, and I’m glad she got to choose, and that’s not why I feel sorry for her. Remo is playing a game and for him this might be nothing. But if she decided to give him what she promised to her fiancé, then whatever she feels for Remo isn’t just nothing.”
Nino thought about that. “You didn’t get to choose, not when you were a girl and not even now. You knew you’d have to sleep with me at some point. Nothing was your choice.”
My throat tightened realizing Nino’s thought process. Standing on my tiptoes, I cradled his head. “I didn’t choose you on our wedding day, because I didn’t know then what I know now. If I had, I would have chosen you. And since our first time, and even before then, everything was my choice, because you allowed it to be so, and because of that and because of how you always treat me right, I’ll always choose you.”
Nino pressed our foreheads together, and he swallowed. “Sometimes I feel like my insides are a raging flood of emotions when I look at you, but I don’t mind drowning.”