Twisted City: (Twisted City Book 1)

  “Eva!” he shouts. “Calm down.”

  I pause momentarily as I gaze into his ice-blue eyes.

  Never before has he called me by my real name.

  The cool steel presses against my bare legs, ripping me back to reality, causing me to scream once again.

  I lurch forward, straight into the arms of my father, who grabs my wrists in an attempt to stop me hitting him.

  “Let me go!” I scream.

  He releases his grasp, allowing me to scurry away into the darkness. The satin sheets kiss my knees and the palms of my hands. This isn't my prison, but they’re here, somewhere in the darkness. I continue scurrying till I reach the end of the bed and allow my body to fall to the soft carpet. I scoot backwards until I hit a wall and curl my legs into my chest, securing them with my arms. My panicked breaths heighten the rapid beat of my heart.

  “Eva,” a soft voice I recognize says.

  “Angelo?” I whisper.

  “I'm right here, angel.”

  The dim light expels the darkness and allows me to observe him as he gathers me into his arms and carries me back to the bed, where he pulls me close.

  “I'm sorry,” I whisper. “I thought you were him.”

  “Your father?”

  “Yes,” I say, nuzzling into his chest.

  “Are you cold?” he asks, drawing the comforter around us. Only then do I acknowledge the violent quivering of my body.

  “No,” I whisper, allowing the first of my tears to escape. “I hate them. I wish they were dead. Then maybe I would stop having these nightmares.”

  He tightens his arms around me before resting his lips on my head. “I'll protect you, angel. I promise you’ll never see them again.”

  “Good morning.” Angelo whispers in my ear.

  “Good morning.” I whisper back.

  I’ve already been awake for an hour, but I’ve been laying here enjoying the serenity and listening to him breathe softly as he slept. I wanted to turn around, to watch him, but I was afraid of waking him. Instead, I nestled my head back into the pillow and waited for him to wake up.

  He liberates me, allowing me to twist and face him. While enclosing his arms around me, he kisses my forehead.

  “Did you manage to get more sleep?” he asks.

  “A little. What about you?”

  “Yeah, as much as the insomnia would allow me.”

  “I suppose me freaking out didn’t help any.”

  He shrugs. “I was awake already. How are you feeling? Since yesterday?”

  The mention of yesterday brings it all flooding back. I wish it was a nightmare and any moment, I’ll wake up. But I know it’s real, they found me.

  “I’m, um…” I sigh. “Terrified.”

  He tightens his arms around me. “They’ll never get to you, angel. All night I’ve been mulling things over.”

  I tilt my head to look at him. “About what?”

  He lowers his and finds my lips. “Well, since you’re staying here every night, how about we make it official and you move in?”

  “Really? You want all my girly things in here, mingled with all your manly things?”

  “I have a spare room. We can stuff your things in there.” The mischievous grin I adore appears.

  “Funny. But I’m serious.”

  “So am I.”

  “About the spare room?”

  “No.” He chuckles. “About you moving in here, with all your girly things.”

  In response, I kiss him.

  “Is that a yes?” he mumbles into my mouth, causing me to giggle.

  “Yes, that’s a yes,” I say, claiming his lips again.

  After I share the news with Alice, she throws her arms around me, giggling.

  “I’m so happy,” she squeals. “Mario asked me to move in with him a month ago, and I told him not until you were somewhere safe.” She leans back and her eyes widen. “And I’m happy for you, of course.”

  I giggle. “It’s okay. You could have told me, though. Maybe Angelo would have asked me sooner?”

  We still have a month left on the lease, but we’ll use this time to pack up our things and sell the old furniture.

  With my hand nestled in Angelo’s, I lead him into my room. His familiar chuckle reaches my ears the moment we step over the threshold and I turn to face him.

  “What’s so funny?” I wonder.

  The mischievous grin is plastered across his lips. “The first time I was here, you told me I’d never see the inside of your bedroom.”

  I open my mouth to respond, only to promptly close it again. I did say that. Finding there are no words, I tug his tie free from the confinement of his vest and pull him closer. My eyes flutter up to greet him.

  “Can I help you?” he asks, still grinning.

  I shrug. “Maybe.”

  I tug on his tie and press my lips to his. As we kiss, the warmth of his hands slides around my back, drawing me closer. He pulls back and glances around my room.

  “Nice bedroom. I can see why you didn’t want me in here,” he says.

  I tilt my head to the side. “Funny.”

  “I’m serious,” he says, focusing on me. The corners of his mouth twitch before curving into the mischievous grin I love so much.

  “That’s it. We’re not speaking anymore,” I say, wiggling myself free from his embrace and turn towards my bed, causing him to laugh.

  He rests his hands on my hips and closes the gap between us to warm my back. My eyes slide closed as his hot breath flows down my neck. His lips dance along my skin and come to rest by my ear.

  “Mm, I like that,” I murmur.

  “Thought you weren’t talking to me anymore?”

  “I was thinking out loud.”

  “Oh, really? What else are you thinking?”

  “Well, my bed is pretty comfy…”

  One of his hands slips down my back and behind my knees, to lift me into his arms.

  The sudden motion makes me squeal and I cling to him.

  “Don’t worry, I’ve got you,” he says, kissing the tip of my nose, before carrying me towards the bed.

  After he lays me down, I shimmy up the bed, sitting with my back against the headboard, and watch as he removes his shoes and jacket. With careful precision, he folds his jacket and rests it on top of his shoes.

  “Don’t look,” he says, glancing over his shoulder. “I know how much you hate it.”

  I furrow my brow until I realize he’s reaching for his gun.

  I lie back down and turn my side to gaze out the window until he blocks my view and lies beside me.

  With a feather-light touch, his fingertips tiptoe along my arm and come to rest on my shoulder. “So,” he chuckles. “You’ve got me here. Now what?”

  I giggle. “I didn’t think that far ahead.”

  He brushes the hair from my face and secures it behind my ear before leaning in for a kiss. My eyes flutter closed as my hands rest against his chest. One hand slips up to his face, where my fingertips trace the length of his jaw to feel his stubble.

  “You forgot to shave this morning,” I whisper.

  “Oh, sorry. We were in a bit of a rush. I’ll do it when we get back.”

  “No, I like it,” I say, allowing my fingertips to continue their journey and entangle in his hair.

  Our lips part, allowing our tongues to find one another. A bolt of electricity shoots through my body, just like this is our first kiss. His cologne imbues my nostrils and I become drunk from it. He tightens his arms around my waist, drawing me into his warmth. I gasp as my senses awaken, and silently implore him to explore my body as he’s done so many times before. He shifts, laying me on my back, where I feel his weight on me. With gentle fingertips, he caresses the length of my arm, and allows his fingertips to tiptoe down my side to the hem of my dress.

  A stranger’s face flashes in my mind. Another flash, of the inside of a car with the moonlight filtering in. The sound of tearing fabric and his heavy breaths.


  I try to abolish the thoughts and remind myself I’m with the sweet, caring man I love.

  But then another face creeps in: my father’s.

  “Baby, what’s wrong?” a familiar voice says, bringing me back.

  As my eyes spring open, I inhale a sharp, fearful breath.

  His ocean-blue pools emit love and concern.

  My breath shudders along with my quivering limbs.

  “What did I do?” he asks, lying back on his side.

  “Nothing,” I whisper. “It wasn’t you.”

  A coating of tears obscures my vision.

  “Was it them?”

  The warmth of his body and his love shrouds me, and yet I can’t abate the despicable images from my mind. I can’t hold back the tears or the sobs that tear from my throat.

  “I thought I could do this, but I can’t,” I sniffle.

  He tightens his arms around me and strokes my back.

  The image of my father slithers in my mind. The cigarette hangs from his bottom lip as his lips spread into a twisted grin.

  Hello, princess.

  Acting on pure instinct, I cry out, shove him off me, and scramble into a sitting position.

  My heart hammers against my chest, and I slap my hands over my mouth when I see the anguish in Angelo’s eyes. The tears slide down my cheeks, plummeting me into the abyss.

  “Oh, my gosh,” I whisper. “Angelo, I’m so sorry.”

  He’s already sitting and opens his arms to embrace me. I fall into them, clinging tightly to him.

  “I’m so sorry,” I sob.

  “It’s okay, angel,” he soothes, combing his fingers through my hair and down my back.

  “No, it’s not. I can’t treat you like this just because I see them when I close my eyes.”

  He nuzzles into my hair for a moment before leaning back slightly and I lower my head in shame.

  “Eva, please look at me,” he whispers. When I refuse, he cups my chin within his fingertips and tilts my head up. Still, I gaze through my lashes. “Talk to me, angel.”

  I wipe the tears from my face and take a deep breath. My bottom lip quivers as I try to prevent more tears from spilling over.

  “I don’t know if I can do this,” I confess.

  “What? Kiss me? Lie in bed with me?”

  “No, I’m talking about what this is leading up to.”

  “Oh, baby. I wasn’t trying to go further than this.”

  “But I want to.”

  He arches his eyebrows. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, but how can I if I can’t leave them in the past? What if I can never make myself forget?”

  “Well, then we’ll never have sex.” He chuckles and I bury my face into his chest.

  He sighs. “Can I tell you a secret?”

  I nod.

  “My first time was with a very experienced woman. I felt I needed to learn from her to know how to please women. And ever since…well, you’ve seen the kind of woman I used to—”

  As I raise my head to look at him, I secure my hair behind my ears. “You don’t need to finish that sentence,” I giggle.

  “My point is, you’re the first…innocent woman I’ve ever met.”

  “Nice save.”

  He chuckles. “Thanks.” Another heavy sigh escapes his lips. “I’m nervous, Eva.”

  I narrow my eyes. “What?”

  “No joke. I don’t know how to be with you. I don’t want to hurt you.”

  An invasion of butterflies penetrates my stomach.

  “Can I tell you a secret?”

  “Of course.”

  “Because you’re so…experienced—”

  He chuckles. “Nice save.”

  I giggle. “I thought I’d disappoint you because I have no idea what I’m doing. And now I can’t get those images out of my head.”

  “First of all, you could never disappoint me. And second, we’ll figure something out.” He laces our fingers and brings my hand to his lips, leaving a kiss behind.

  I gaze at him through my lashes. “I know you’re nothing like them, but I can’t stop them from taking over.”

  With his free hand, he cups my cheek. “Do you trust me?”

  I lean into his touch. “Yes.”

  He leans in to kiss my cheek and jaw, leaving behind a trail of warm tingles as he works his way to my lips.

  “You’re the one in control. Just say the word and we’ll stop,” he whispers.

  As my body relaxes, my eyes flutter closed.

  “You have to promise you’ll tell me to stop when it becomes too much.”

  My lips remain sealed as he lips dance along my cheek and brush against my ear. His hot breath flows down my neck, heightening my desires for him once again.

  “Promise me, Eva,” he whispers before nibbling on my neck.

  Electricity flows down my body and I gasp.

  “I’ll know anyway because you tense up. And I’d rather you tell me before that happens.”

  “Okay,” I breathe.

  I tilt my head, giving him full access to my neck as his lips dance along my skin, down to my collarbone.

  “Remember the first time I kissed you like this?” he asks.

  My body shudders involuntarily at the memory of the first night he brought me to the club just to spend time with him.

  He chuckles. “Yep, that’s what you did then too.” He glides the tip of his nose up my neck, back to my ear. “Ti amo.”

  The hummingbird beats her wings at those words.

  “Wait, I’ve heard you say that a few times. What does it mean?”

  “I love you.”

  Warmth radiates through my chest. I open my mouth to speak but no words emerge. The first time I heard him say it was in his office, after he’d been away for three nights. The way he looked at me, I thought he could never love me back. And yet he did. He told me that night. A rogue tear breaks free and slips down my cheek.

  “Why didn’t you say it in English?” I wonder.

  “Well, back then, I wasn’t sure what I was feeling. It was like testing the waters.” He lies down and opens his arms, inviting me to lie beside him and rest my head on his chest and listen to his heartbeat. As he runs his fingers through my hair, I allow my eyes to slide closed. “When you first walked through the doors of my club, I knew there was something different about you. I had no idea about your past. All I saw was this innocent, beautiful woman.”

  I can’t stop the grin from spreading across my lips.

  “And then I got to know you better and you stole my heart.”

  I chuckle. “You stole mine first.”

  “I never let myself love anyone else because I was waiting for you, angel.”

  Suddenly, I can’t hold back anymore. Hearing him tell me how much he loves me, despite the fact that I’ve just frozen up while we were kissing, despite everything he knows about my past, makes me realize that I have nothing to be afraid of. Not with him.

  “Angelo?” I say in a small voice.

  “What, baby?” he asks.

  “Just shut up and kiss me,” I chuckle.

  I run my fingers through his hair as I crush my mouth against his. All the pain and all the anguish melts away as our lips and tongues dip and swirl around each other in the familiar dance that only we know the steps to.

  He loves me despite my scars, despite my past, despite my flaws. All the lies my parents told me about how I’d never find anyone to accept me are simply that: lies. Because he loves me and I love him.

  My hands slip down his front to fumble with the buttons of his vest.

  “Eva,” he mumbles into my mouth and I sit up. “Are you sure?”

  I nod and release the last button.

  He sits up and sheds his vest before tugging the tails of his shirt free from his trouser. I tug at the knot of his tie.

  “You’re wearing too many clothes.” I giggle.

  “Promise me you’ll tell me to stop if you get uncomfortable. I’ll never force you,
angel.”

  “I promise,” I say as I discard his tie and start to undo the buttons of his shirt.

  Once his shirt is undone, he releases me and shrugs it off, letting it fall to the floor. My hands rest against his muscular chest as I rest my lips on the star shaped scar on his shoulder. The heat radiates from him.

  “Are you always this warm?” I ask.

  The mischievous grin materializes on his lips. “What can I say? I’m a hot-blooded Italian.”

  I giggle, slide my hands up his chest, and drape them around his neck before nuzzling my nose against his. His hands rest on my hips a moment before reaching around my back to unzip my dress. He kisses my neck, working his lips down towards my shoulder. He slowly slips the straps from my shoulders and continues his journey along my collarbone.

  I allow my dress to fall around my waist and pull him against me, feeling his bare skin against mine. He wraps his arms around me and lowers me on the bed before kissing my chest. My eyes flutter closed.

  “Are you okay?” he asks.

  “Mm-hmm.”

  “Want me to keep going?”

  “Yes,” I breathe.

  With one hand, he guides me towards him, resting my body against his. The other slips around my back, unhooks my bra, and slips the straps off my shoulders. His fingertips glide over my skin, leaving warm tingles in their path, and he cups my breast, brushing his thumb over my nipple, sending electricity down to my core. I gasp. His hands lower to my hips as his kisses work their way along my neck, my collarbone, my breast.

  “Sei bellissima,” he whispers, his warm breath coating over my nipple.

  I melt into a puddle of my former self. I barely know any Italian, but at least I do know that “bellissima” means beautiful.

  With a feather-light touch, his tongue flicks over the swollen bud. I tilt my head back and release a moan. He sucks gently, flicking his tongue back and forth over the sensitive flesh.

  Warmth spreads through my body, my core is pulsing, and yet I remain unfulfilled. His lips trail across my chest to the other breast and he pulls the neglected nipple into his mouth, giving it the same attention as the first. I arch my back, pressing further against him, and thread my fingers through his hair in an attempt to keep his mouth where it is. But after a few minutes, he guides me back down on the bed and removes my dress completely.