The Italian Heartthrob: Forbidden Standalone

by N J Adel

  He didn’t pound or glide. He fucked. Deep, hard strokes.

  “Yes,” she breathed, arching up.

  One hand lowered to her tit, and the other tangled in her hair. He flicked her nipple between his fingers as he fucked her harder. She screamed, not holding back, saying all sorts of dirty words. So erotic. So incredible.

  Her sounds of pleasure made him move faster, even deeper. As she clenched around him, he made a deep guttural sound in his throat. “Stupendo,” he ground out. “So fucking beautiful. Sei la mia putannella.”

  “Yes, I’m your little whore,” she cried out as her body coiled tighter and tighter. “Oh God, yes.”

  He pushed his hips forward as she pushed back against him, her head lifting and falling back against his shoulder. He spanked her hard, pulling her hair. Then he pinched her nipple again.

  “Please,” she panted. “Please, babe.” She screamed his name, her hands pounding on the wall while she came. He followed right behind her with a rugged rasp and one last thrust, an intense throbbing exploding from within and spreading to every cell of his body.

  Then he exhaled loudly, pulling out of her, and turned her around. Their lips connected in a heated kiss as his arm folded around her back, bringing their heaving chests together. He dropped his head to her neck and inhaled her hair. “Other than spanking, I didn’t know you liked it a little rough. Why didn’t you say something?”

  “I didn’t know I liked it rough. I didn’t know I liked many things till I had you, role-play included,” she replied, her breath huffing out.

  “Role-play?” His head lolled back.

  “Yeah. I felt I was fucking Chuck Sullivan. The control. The roughness. Calling me your little whore… God, that dark need was intense.”

  He blinked, raising a brow. “You like Chuck Sullivan?”

  “As much as I wanna say no, I do like him.”

  “The guy is a killer.”

  “Made into a killer when he was a kid,” she corrected. “He was abused. Didn’t know any better.”

  He nodded, chuckling. “So you were pretending to be Cammie the whole time? The begging in the end? The Maggie I know wouldn’t do that.”

  “No. That was all me in there. Like I said, I like things with you I thought I hated.”

  He sighed in relief. “Good. For a second there I thought I was being played, another trick of yours trying to get me into character.”

  She wrapped her arms around him. “This was nothing but Mike and Maggie making love to each other in a different way, exploring a new side in them they didn’t know they’d both enjoy.”

  “You and your words.” He smiled, his eyes traveling over her. “You need new clothes.”

  She pushed him off her and pulled her jeans up. “And to get my ass out of here.” Her feet dragged to the bathroom.

  He stepped into the bedroom and went through a duffle bag in the closet. “I packed a spare outfit for you.”

  The sound of her giggle and running water echoed from the bathroom. “Looks like you were expecting something like this would happen. Thanks.”

  Holding a pair of pale blue jeans and a black shirt, he entered the bathroom. She was fully naked now, her hair tied back, holding a showerhead, water splashing her skin, and he wanted her again. “Do you need help?”

  She turned off the water quickly and got out of the shower. “God, no.” Her hands were quick with a towel and then motioned for the clothes. “I really need to get out of here. I can’t have Nadine shoot the whole thing.”

  “Here.” He stretched his arm, handing her the outfit.

  “I pushed your scenes for a couple of hours. I need you to memorize those looks on the clip like the back of your hand.” She jumped into the new jeans, and he mourned the loss of the view. “And feel free to use what we just did. You can even pretend she’s me. I won’t object. I mean it’s exactly how I pictured Sullivan making love.”

  “That is disturbing on so many levels.” He frowned as she switched to director mode in a split-second, recalling that stunt she’d pulled in front of everyone. “You don’t seem upset about…that clip… I mean everybody is gonna talk now.”

  “After the Tribeca, everybody’s been talking already.” She shrugged. “We’re going official after we wrap anyway. It’s not a big deal.”

  He smiled, relieved. “So…you’re still shooting those scenes?”

  She finished buttoning her shirt and gave him a reassuring smile. “I’ll let Nadine do those.”

  “Thanks.”

  “But if you think for one second that I’ll let anyone shoot anything in Dark Hopes, you’re dreaming. And that one has a full frontal.”

  “And you’re cool with that? The whole world seeing your future husband’s cock?”

  Her expression stiffened.

  “Don’t give me that shitty look. You know it’s gonna happen.”

  Her lips twitched as she swallowed. “I know at some point you’re gonna ask, but who says I’m gonna say yes?”

  He stepped away from her, the look in her eyes a stab of heartbreak. “So what? We’re still in tryouts? All these months and you’re still not sure?”

  She rolled her eyes, stepping forward and wrapping her arms around his neck. “No. I just wanted for once to stop your heart like you always do to me.”

  His heart did just that. “What are you saying?”

  She smiled. “I’m saying that…I…want—”

  “Don’t do that,” he said through his teeth, pulling her closer into his embrace, a chill traveling though his spine. “Just say it.”

  She bit her mouth on a chortle. “I mean, when the time comes, which is not today, not this year…I will say yes.” She leaned back to say more, but he crushed her into his arms.

  At this moment, he fell in love with her all over again. Tenfold.

  “Mi—”

  “Hush.” He closed his eyes. “Let me have this moment please.”

  She yielded, relaxing in his arms without a word. When he finally let go, she was smiling.

  “I love you,” she said.

  He pressed his mouth to hers, wondering if he could put all his feelings into one kiss. “I love you, too.”

  Someone knocked on the trailer door. Of all the worst times.

  “Just pretend we’re not here,” he whispered against her mouth.

  “Mike,” a repugnant voice he detested to the core called out.

  Maggie drew back, pushing his arms away, her eyes wide. “Shit,” she stage-whispered. “That’s Andrea.”

  Scene 62

  Mike

  Mike heard the jiggle of the door handle. “Fuck. You didn’t lock the door?”

  Stunned, Maggie shrugged.

  “Hello?” Andrea called out.

  He bit the inside of his cheek. “In here,” he shouted. “Give me a second.”

  “What the hell is she doing here?” Maggie whispered.

  He rolled his eyes as Andrea’s steps approached, opening the bathroom door. She had a big smile on her face that vanished when she saw Maggie.

  “I said give me a second,” he said.

  Her eyes stared at her daughter with fury. “I didn’t hear you.”

  “That doesn’t mean you come look for me in the bathroom.” He stepped forward, compelling Andrea to step back and out of the room. Maggie walked out by his side, her expression sullen.

  He held Maggie’s hand as he ushered her to the trailer door, worried sick. The past two months weren’t easy with her depression. Work seemed to be the main thing that got her out of it, and Andrea, just being here, was already saddening his girl—and him. Andrea had just ruined one of the best moments of his life, but he didn’t care much about himself now. It was Maggie his heart squeezed for. He was sure Andrea was here to shit all over the most important thing Maggie cared about. “You all right?”

  “Whatever reason she’s here, it can’t be good,” she whispered, pale.

  “I’ll take care of it. Trust me on this one. Go
finish your work as if she was never here, okay? Think of nothing but how much I love you and how happy we are together,” he whispered in her ears, fixing his jeans. “Do you want me to give you a hot kiss in front of her and piss her off?”

  Finally, Maggie smiled, shaking her head. “Just don’t take too long.”

  He sighed when she left, his face contorting with agitation. He folded his arms across his chest as he turned to look at the devil’s face in full makeup. “I can’t believe you have the guts to show up here after what you did. Do you wanna tell me what the fuck you’re doing here?”

  Andrea spread her arms around the back of the couch, crossing her legs. “I thought I told you to break up with her.”

  “And I thought I told you to fuck off.” He grabbed a chair and sat across from her.

  “You just want what you can’t have. I get it. Forbidden love is hot.” She smirked. “And even better, I won’t fight you over it anymore.”

  His eyes narrowed. “You won’t?”

  “If you sign the movie I sent you, I’ll let you have your fun with her, even give you my blessing. Let’s see how soon you’ll get bored with her once she’s no longer a taboo.”

  “You’re in no position to be making demands, Andrea. I’m not just goofing around with Maggie because she’s a taboo. I’m in love with her with all my heart. We don’t need anyone’s blessings, especially yours.”

  “You tend to forget, Mickey, that I’m the only one who can destroy this lovely relationship beyond repair.”

  He scratched the back of his head. “Looks like you misheard me the last time. Do that, and you’ll have no career. The only reason I haven’t done it already is because Maggie made me promise I wouldn’t.”

  Her thin eyebrow shot up. “If you’re no longer my client, what difference does it make? You’re my biggest account. My whole reputation is based on me being your agent.”

  “I’m sure you’ll have no trouble finding a new eighteen-year-old and turning him into a star.”

  “I’m not interested in starting from scratch.” She uncrossed her legs. “Not when I can still have you.”

  “You can’t.”

  “Then you’re leaving me no choice,” she said. “A person with nothing to lose can do whatever she wants. Hurt whoever she wants.”

  The piercing hazel eyes held his with an earnestness that made him want to turn away, yet he didn’t. Not anymore. His grip tightened around the arm of the chair. “So let me get this straight. I make the movie you want, and you’ll leave us the fuck alone?”

  “Movies. Plural.”

  “For how long?”

  She sidled up to him and put her hands on his knees. “For as long as we both shall live.”

  Bile filled his mouth. Her fingers felt like acid on his body. A memory he’d suppressed for years threatened to resurface, to ruin everything he’d ever worked for, to rob him of the one thing he wanted in life.

  He glared from her hands to her eyes with one thought in his head; he’d no longer be afraid; he’d no longer be burdened by the face before him or by his past. Nothing was going to stand between Maggie and him anymore. Nothing.

  He brushed Andrea’s fingers off his knees as if they were garbage. “I’m sick and tired of your shit. You think you can come here, blackmail me for the rest of my life, and I’d just stand still?”

  “Well, what are you going to do about it?”

  “What I should’ve done months ago.” He rose from his chair and grabbed his phone. “I’m gonna tell Maggie to get back here so I can tell her myself.”

  She laughed, but there was a hint of something far from amusement in her eyes. “You wouldn’t dare. If you had the guts to tell her, you’d have done it by now.”

  He held his breath as his finger tapped dial, everything inside him tight and wound up like a spring. “Watch me.”

  This was it. The moment he could win everything or lose it all. But for Maggie’s sake, to rid her of this serpent that was poisoning both their lives, he was ready to do anything.

  Andrea jumped to her feet, snatching the phone from his hand, her eyes wide with terror. “Mike! Are you crazy?”

  “What do you expect when you’re trying to take away from me the only person that makes me sane? I swear if you weren’t her mother, I would’ve killed you by now for what you did to me sixteen years ago. What I haven’t even realized you did until the night Maggie told me about how you fucked her up.” He stared at her, his stomach revolting with disgust as his mind dredged up one particular night. The worst night of his life.

  She winced, swallowing.

  He watched the fear etching on her face as silence fell between them. “Look at you, all scared now. Weren’t you blurting out about telling her yourself a second ago? You’re so fuckin’ pathetic.”

  “I never thought I’d really have to do it. We can’t tell her. It will ruin everything. I didn’t realize what was at stake until now.” His phone boomed in her hand. Her eyes fell on the screen, and then she blanched. “It’s her.”

  “Give it to me.”

  “What are you going to tell her?”

  He yanked it out of her hand. “You’ll hear for yourself.”

  “Mike, think about how much you’ll hurt her. She will never forgive you. You’ll lose her forever.”

  “Carolina,” he answered, boring into Andrea’s terrified eyes. “There’s something important that I need to tell you. I wanted you to hear it from me first.”

  Andrea shook her head, her jaws clenched.

  “Andrea…” God, how much he wanted to tell Maggie the truth. Secrets were heavy. They pressed down and made it hard to breathe. Yet they were so hard and sharp they hurt. And hurting Maggie was the last thing he would do. If he could spare her the pain, even if it meant doing the wrong thing, he would. “Andrea isn’t gonna bother us anymore,” he said.

  Andrea allowed herself to breathe.

  “Believe it or not, she’s here to apologize. She finally understood that you’re so talented and our movies are gonna be great. Also, we agreed to part on good terms. I’ll sign one last movie with her, as a farewell gift, and we’re all good.”

  “You’re right, I don’t believe it,” Maggie said. “She’d never say that.”

  “Well, she did. She’s even gonna give us her blessing, not that we give a shit.”

  Maggie laughed. “That’s unbelievable. It doesn’t sound like her at all. What did you do to her?”

  “Nothing. She just realized she was gonna lose everything if she wasn’t on our side, and you know how much your mother hates to lose.”

  “Wow. Should I come over? I don’t think I’ll believe it till I hear it from her myself.”

  “You’re gonna have to take my word for it ‘cause she’s already left. Anyway, I know you have to get back to work. I just wanted to tell you the first thing. See you in a few minutes.” He hung up.

  “Thank you,” Andrea whispered.

  “I didn’t do it for you.” His eyes became level and steady on hers, his features quiet, giving no sign to the psyche underneath. “Listen carefully, if you ever threaten me again,” his nostrils flared, “if you ever touch me again, don’t blame anyone but yourself for what happens. Do you understand?”

  She swallowed. “I do.”

  “Now get the fuck out of here, and never show me your fucking face again.”

  PART FOUR

  EIGHT MONTHS OF PEACE

  Scene 63

  Maggie

  SEVEN MONTHS LATER

  I swiped through my messages as I waited in the VIP lounge, my backpack and carry-on suitcase sitting next to me. Then Mike was calling.

  “Superstar.” I smiled.

  “You landed yet?”

  “Yeah. You here?”

  “I’m sorry, vita mia. I couldn’t make it to the airport.”

  You’re so full of shit. “Oh. That’s too bad. Why?”

  “I got caught in a meeting. I’m so sorry. I promise I’ll be home by t
he time you get there.”

  “Okay. Love you.” I saw Samantha coming back from the bathroom as I hung up. “What’s the surprise this time?”

  Samantha took a seat. “What surprise?”

  “Come on. You plot these things with him all the time.”

  “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “You’re my manager!”

  “Sorry. He made me swear. My lips are sealed.” She nodded forward. “Security is here. Let’s go.”

  Escorted by airport security and a personal host who dragged my suitcase, I hurried behind Samantha through the exclusive terminal, my backpack on my shoulder, fixing my jacket. It was cold this time of the year with the holidays approaching. Once we passed the secure and private gated LAX exit, we were confronted curbside by aggressive paparazzi.

  Since the press caught my first public kiss with Mike—at the wrapping party of Black Sheep—dealing with relentless photographers and people asking for my autograph was the norm.

  I had no idea how Mike had been doing this so effortlessly for sixteen years. Or was it hard for him, too, and he was hiding it well from me? Just like whenever there was anything troubling him. He still saw me as a kid. Someone to love and protect. It was cute. Warm. Assuring. But I wished he’d have shared more. Given me a chance to help him like he always did with me. Or, at least, let me try.

  I was asked questions on top of questions about my latest movie with Callahan, and shooting in Ireland, and how it felt working thousands of miles away from Mike. The truth was it sucked to the bones. So cold, and not only because of the weather. I missed him so fucking much. Yet again, what did I expect? He’d go to Ireland with me and do nothing but wait for me to come home exhausted every night? Besides, he had one last cheesy movie to make. Andrea’s parting gift.

  I posed and smiled for a couple of photos before a black BMW pulled over by the curb. The personal host put the suitcase in the trunk and opened the door for me.

  As I got in the backseat, Samantha ducked her head inside and winked at me. “Enjoy.”