by Bella J.
Harder, faster, deeper I started to thrust. I gripped her hips to stop her from falling forward. She needed to endure it. It was her gift and her punishment all rolled into one round of extreme fuckery.
“Head down,” I ordered, my dick never leaving her body.
Immediately, she bowed her head, her cheek against the sheet. This way her ass was pushed up all the way, her pussy open and begging me to go deeper.
I looked down, watching while my cock moved in and out of her. It glistened with her arousal, the sight fueling my animalistic urge to fuck her senseless.
“Dante, I’m going to come again.”
“I don’t care how many times you come, just as long as you take what I fucking give you.”
“Oh, God.” Her fists clutched the silk sheets beneath her.
With every thrust and every moan, the sound of skin slapping against skin, I knew this was right. This was us. This was how it used to be. How it was supposed to be. As warm and passionate as our lovemaking could be, we had the talent to fuck each other like savages. We were the whole goddamn package, she and I.
Her cries of pleasure slammed against the roof of my bedroom, and it was the last push I needed to go over the edge.
“Fuck!” I roared, pulled out, and pulsed the ribbons of my release on her bare back. I pumped my cock, the pleasure lingering in every bone until it felt like my body was on the verge of being split in two.
After all these years, this was what I had been searching for.
This was right.
She was right.
And not the Devil himself would be able to take her away from me…not again.
Chapter 15
Layla
“Layla, wake up.”
For a second, I was confused. I heard his voice, I felt his touch, but I wasn’t sure whether I was dreaming.
“Layla, baby. Wake up.”
Dear God, I loved the sound of his voice. It fed my soul with a moment’s happiness, chasing the darkness away.
“Baby, come on. We’re going to miss it.”
I opened my eyes and stared straight into his. Dante. The man who owned all of me.
It wasn’t a dream. The night we spent together devouring each other wasn’t a dream. It was all real. Every moment, every touch, every kiss, it was all real. For one night, I had let my defenses down. For one night, I allowed the years of longing for this man to take control. And it meant I screwed up.
“Dante, what are you doing?”
“Come look.” He took my hand, and I rubbed my eyes with the other.
“What is it?”
He smiled, the dimple above his lip making an appearance. He truly was the most beautiful creature I had ever laid eyes on, my heart and soul all his from the first day I met him.
“Sit.” He gestured to the leather couch in front of the window. We sat down, and he placed his arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer. “Look.”
When I looked out the window, I sucked in a breath. “Sunrise,” I whispered.
“Yeah.” His fingers brushed up and down my arm. “Someone once told me that the birth of a new day is one of the most amazing things to witness. That we should never take this for granted.” He placed a kiss on my temple. “Being able to share a new day together.”
I had to bite the inside of my cheeks to keep myself from crying. He remembered. He remembered the last sunrise we saw together, as a couple irrevocably in love with each other. It was heartwarming to know he hadn’t forgotten—to know I wasn’t the only one who held on to the memories of that day.
With Dante’s arm around my shoulder, his body against mine, we watched the sun rise at the far corners of the horizon. The yellows, oranges, and pinks painted the sky like a canvas as if God Himself was creating this resplendent image just for us. Even though it was autumn, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. It was the beginning of a beautiful day, and once again I was sharing it with the man I loved. The man I had always loved. The way my heart swelled inside my chest, my gut filled with equal parts hope and uncertainty, I knew I had to do everything in my power to save the people I loved.
Years ago, I was naïve to think I had made the right decision to leave, to keep Dante from the truth. I thought I was protecting him, protecting us. But I was wrong. I was so incredibly wrong. The only thing I did was to make us targets. And that was why we were all here, in the middle of a war. A war which would have happened whether I had stayed or not. I only realized that now. No matter what decision I made, this was inevitable. But if I had done it differently, maybe we would have been stronger together. Dante and I. Maybe then we would have been able to protect what was ours. Unfortunately, that was no longer an option.
He placed his hand under my chin, lifting my face so we could look into each other’s eyes.
“I remember it as if it was yesterday. The last morning we spent together.”
I swallowed hard with tears in my eyes and a dagger in my heart.
“That morning you said the sunrise is one of the most amazing things to witness. Do you know what I did the entire time you stared out this exact window?”
I blinked, a tear finally slipping down my cheek. He wiped it away with the back of his hand. “I stared at you, thinking that you were so wrong, because the most amazing sight, for me, was you. And that I’d spend every goddamn morning sitting here while you stared at the sunrise, allowing me to stare at you.” He placed a soft kiss on my lips. “You are my sunrise, Layla. You always were, and you always will be. Nothing can change that.”
My heart broke. Everything inside me shattered into a million pieces. Not just because of his words, but because of the way he looked at me. His eyes spoke volumes. The windows to his soul showed me so many things. Sadness. Regret. Pain. Heartbreak. And unconditional love.
I wrapped my arm around his neck and pulled him down, kissing him. With lips so soft, and a kiss so unyielding, I poured my everything into that one kiss. That one final kiss.
Tears freely rolled down my face, the saltiness invading our kiss. But I only pulled him closer, kissing him harder, desperate to show him what I couldn’t say…
That I loved him.
I loved him so much it hurt. I loved him more than any sunrise, more than any memory. I loved him enough to let myself wither away in the darkness that was slowly swallowing me whole. And I loved him enough to protect him from the same fate.
I broke the kiss and wrapped both arms around his neck, hugging him so damn tight. I never wanted to let go. And by the way he hugged me back, I knew he felt it too—the need to hold on. He wasn’t going to let me go. Not now. Not ever. So I needed to make the decision for him. And by the way my body ached, my insides becoming more and more agitated, I knew I was running out of time. My body was running out of time.
“Thank you,” I said softly. “This means more to me than you’ll ever know.”
“I love you, Layla. That hasn’t changed. That won’t ever change.”
I smiled. “And I love you too.” I bit my bottom lip, fighting the sorrow that spread through bone and marrow. I love you more than life itself.
He placed a soft kiss on my lips, his tongue gently coaxing me to open for him. And I did. But only for a few seconds. Even though I would have loved nothing more than to surrender and let him take control of my body once more, the craving was stronger. My stomach pulled tighter and tighter, the cramping growing more intense, more painful. I needed to get out of here.
Dante stared back out the window. “I hate saying his name, but it surprises me that we haven’t heard from Matteo or his father yet. I’m sure he already knows you’re here.”
Because he knows I’ll come back.
Dante looked at me. “I wish you would tell me. The more I know, the better I can protect you.”
More agitation, more cramps. I tightened my arms around my waist and let out a soft, involuntary moan.
“Are you okay?” His eyes widened with concern.
“I’m fine. I’m jus
t hungry.”
He cocked a brow. “Please tell me you mean that in a sexual way because then I’ve got everything to sate your appetite.”
I chuckled. “No. I mean I’m hungry…for food.”
“Seriously? I have this huge beef right here to—”
“For the love of God, please don’t finish that sentence. It would be so wrong.”
We both laughed, and then he helped me up to my feet.
“I need to take a shower. Would you mind getting us something to eat? My stomach grumbling is quite embarrassing.”
I planted a smile on my face, but for a second I wasn’t sure if he would fall for it. With narrowed eyes and grooves on his forehead, he stared at me.
“Okay. I’ll be quick.” He kissed me once more, and I took a few seconds to savor it, committing the moment to memory. After all, it would probably be the last.
I watched as he pulled on some pants and a white t-shirt then opened the bedroom door. “Oh, um…Kate said something in the car. Something that you need to tell me, or she will. What was she talking about?”
My heart sank right down to the soles of my feet, and it took every breath in my body with it.
I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, sweat beading on the back of my neck. “We can talk about it when you get back.”
He frowned. “You promise to tell me everything?”
“Yes.” No.
“Okay.” He stood still for two more seconds, dark irises seeming like he looked straight through to my soul. “I love you, Layla.”
I choked up and pushed back the heartache that threatened to paralyze me. “I love you too.”
He smiled, then he left, closing the door behind him. And then I heard the click of the lock.
Shit. He locked me in. Son of a—he knew me too goddamn well.
Panicked, I glanced around the room. I wouldn’t be able to control it much longer. It was torture already.
I spotted the phone on his bedside table and realized I only had one option left. I only had one way out of here. One way to keep them both alive.
I picked up the phone and dialed housekeeping.
“Hi. This is Layla. I’m phoning from Dante’s room. Could you do me a favor? I need to get hold of someone…Yes. I need to get a message to Antonio. It’s urgent.”
***
Dante
One thing I’d learned about Layla a long time ago—I knew when she was lying. I saw it in her eyes, playing off like movie credits. Because of the connection we shared, she was incapable of lying to me, which was also why I called bullshit ever since she walked into Vertigo claiming to be with Matteo.
She wasn’t really hungry like she claimed to be. Besides the fact that her eyes never lied to me, I also knew Layla had never been a breakfast eater. I used to constantly remind her breakfast was the most important meal of the day—especially for someone who loved the occasional morning jog. But I never could persuade her to get into the habit of eating early in the morning.
And then there was also the nail flicking she’d been doing before I walked out the door. It always was a dead giveaway with her.
So…she was lying—which was why I locked the door. Something was going on, and since she wasn’t giving me any answers, I needed to find another way to get to the bottom of this. And calling in a favor—which I had held on to as if it was the last ever get out of jail free card—was my only hope.
Dante: I need your help sooner rather than later.
I wasn’t even halfway down the stairs when he texted me back.
Unknown Number: I’m already on it.
Time was running out. I could feel it in my bones. Layla was starting to become desperate, restless. Earlier, Kate had mentioned something I needed to know, but I was one hundred percent sure Layla wasn’t planning on telling me.
“Dante.”
I turned to see Karina walking my way. It didn’t take a genius to notice the worry lines forming grooves on her forehead.
She stepped up and gave me a hug. “Lorik gave me the in a nutshell version.” She leaned back. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. You don’t have to worry about me.”
She scowled at me with her dark eyes under thick lashes. “You’re kidding, right? Dante, you’re the only brother I ever worry about.”
“What? No way. I’m not the brother who walks around like he has a stick up his ass the whole time. At least I have a personality and this one thing they call…a life.” I winked at her, trying to play it down. The last thing I wanted was for my little sister to worry about me while she was planning one of the most important days of her life—her wedding.
She placed her hand on her hip. “Antonio might have a stick up his ass, but at least I know it’s that same stick that keeps him from doing stupid shit.”
I stared at her, deadpan. “Funny.”
“I’m serious. Dante. You can’t go around killing people when you don’t even know what Layla’s story is.”
“Jesus Christ. Someone needs to shove something in your annoying as fuck fiancé’s mouth.” I turned and continued down the stairs, the cluck of Karina’s heels making me painfully aware she was following me.
“Dante, I understand your concern about Layla. But I’m afraid I’m with Antonio on this one. She left you, leaving no trace to be found, and now she’s back and dating Matteo? Surely you’re intelligent enough to realize there are about a hundred reasons for you to not to get involved in this.”
“I don’t buy it.”
“I know you don’t. But do you really want to risk everything for her just because you don’t want to believe she moved on with a man like Matteo?”
I stopped dead in my tracks and turned abruptly to face her. “I don’t care what anyone says. She is not with Matteo out of her own goddamn free will. He is somehow controlling her, using her, and I will find out what it is and prove all of you wrong.”
Karina’s eyes softened. “Don’t get angry at Antonio and me. We are only looking out for you, and we don’t want you to get hurt. We’ve seen what losing Layla did to you once. I don’t want you to go through that again. I’m afraid you won’t survive it.”
I took a deep breath, trying my best to calm my racing heart. It irked me that everyone was up my ass about Layla, but I did understand my sister’s concern.
With a sigh, I placed my hands on her shoulders. “I appreciate your concern. I really do. But I know her, Karina. I know Layla better than anyone, which is why I’m not buying any of this.”
“Are you sure, Dante? Are you sure you really know her? Because maybe she’s not the same woman anymore. The woman you fell in love with.”
With a sullen look on her face and a whole river of pity running through her eyes, Karina made me think about it all. For a fleeting moment, I wondered “what if…?” What if Karina was right? What if Layla was no longer the woman I remembered? What if my actions were nothing more than a desperate man grasping at the last threads of a broken dream?
What was last night, then? If nothing of what I was feeling were true, and Layla was no longer the woman I had fallen in love with, then why did last night feel so absolutely right? Surely there was no way of imagining sharing something so intense with someone. My God, last night it felt like two broken souls had finally been reunited and put back together by the one thing powerful enough to heal any wounds. Love.
“No.” I shook my head. “No. I refuse to believe Layla is no longer the woman I remember.”
“Dante—”
“No.” I held up my hand. “Until you, or Antonio, or whoever the fuck else can prove to me otherwise, I will not believe anything other than that Layla is being used as a fucking pawn. And even if it will cost me my last fucking breath…I will not let her go.”
I turned and stormed off, more determined than ever to solve this whole goddamn mystery surrounding Layla. My instincts had never let me down before, and my instincts were fucking screaming.
Just as I reached the bottom of
the stairs, Lucio came walking through the front door.
“Where is Kate?”
“Good morning to you too, cousin.”
I glared at him, silently conveying the message that now was not the time to fuck with me. “Where is she?”
“Do I look like her personal bodyguard?”
“Lucio, I’m serious. Layla is hiding something, and I’m convinced Kate knows what it is.”
Lucio shook his head. “Bro, I already tried talking to her. She won’t budge.”
“Maybe I can persuade her.”
“I don’t think so, man. She just said that Layla needs to be the one to tell you.”
I cocked a brow. “Tell me what?”
“Whatever it is Layla is hiding.”
“Goddammit.” I paced up and down, my mind reeling in a million different directions. Right now, I was two things an Italian man should never be at the same time. Determined and desperate. “Okay, you go find Kate and take her to the study. I need to get Layla some breakfast, then I’ll meet you there.”
Lucio pulled on his leather jacket. “You know what I think about all this, right?”
“What?”
He opened the front door. “I think the only way to solve this is going over to the Mancuso mansion and kill every motherfucker we can get our hands on.”
I had to smile. “You know I’d be all over that plan if it was even remotely possible.”
“God, I hate all the strategic planning. What happened to good old-fashioned mobster wars where you didn’t give a fuck when or where you put a bullet in some poor bastard’s skull?”
“Dear cousin,” I placed my hand on his shoulder, “if I don’t get to the bottom of this very, very soon, we might just revert back to that good old-fashioned mobster war you crave so much.”
Lucio closed his eyes, the look of sheer delight painted all over his face. “A man can only dream.”
Smiling, I watched as he closed the door behind him. Even though Lucio was still young, he was an old-school mobster at heart. Sometimes I wondered why he was such a stone cold son of a bitch with not a compassionate bone in his body. I supposed the whole family wondered about him. One didn’t just get to be as cold-hearted as Lucio. Something turned him, but I had a feeling we would never find out what.