Fade

by Haley Ladawn

  “Nothing.” He shook his head, putting some space between the two of us. “It’s nothing. We shouldn’t be doing this. It’s dangerous here. We could die tomorrow—”

  "Which is even more reason to live tonight." I got on my knees, so that I could face him. He had already pulled away from me entirely. “You’re becoming a softy.”

  He turned his head back in a steadfast motion, pouting those soft lips of his. "Did you just call me soft, fiorella? I eat people like you for breakfast."

  "Go ahead." I laughed, smiling a little. "Eat me then."

  "Was that an invitation for oral sex?" He arched an eyebrow, folding his hands in front of him attentively.

  Instead of entertaining him a response, I reached for one of the pillows and swung it against his face.

  "You really shouldn't have done that." He reached for one of the pillows, but I'd already jumped off the bed to put some space between us. I held onto my pillow tight, like it was both a shield and a weapon. He stood up to his towering height, holding his own pillow that looked like it was stuffed with bricks. “You just started a war, cara mia. How fast do you think you can run?”

  “Let’s see!” I ran toward the door, like my life depending on it, dodging him left and right. I hadn’t even made it five feet and he was already on my tail. “Someone help me! There’s an angry Italian man chasing me!”

  I moved down the hall, avoiding all the people that crowed the foyer. The party was still going hard and it didn't show signs of stopping anytime soon.

  Stepping down the elegant stairs, I made it to the first floor without getting caught. I deserved a trophy, to be honest, because that place was like an obstacle course from hell.

  I’d only just made it to the living room, when someone grabbed me, pulling me against their solid chest. I let out a sigh of defeat, knowing that I’d been caught by the devil himself. I hadn’t made it very far.

  "If you're ever planning on escaping, you’re going to have to run a lot faster than that," Elliot whispered into my ear, his voice gruff and raspy.

  "Where is a towel rack when you need one?" I took a deep breath, dropping my pillow to surrender. "I give up.”

  "It's funny how you say that after I catch you." He turned me around, bringing me closer to him. "Punishment is in order, sí?"

  "What kind of punishment?" I asked quietly, aware of all the people standing around us. Most of them had stopped to look at Elliot, like he was famous or something. All of them gave him curt nods of acknowledgement or short, quick waves.

  "Go stand in the corner now." He took a breath, narrowing his eyes at me. He wasn't playing this time. He was really giving me an order, like I was a damn dog.

  "Why?" I put my hands against my hips to show that I meant business. "Do you want me in the corner, so you can fuck me against the wall?"

  "Don't give me any ideas, fiorella." He pointed to an empty corner, snapping his fingers. He was back to being the dominant asshole that he normally was.

  I decided standing in the corner for five minutes was better than getting spanked or knocked in the head with a pillow, so I strutted into the corner, like I was a Victoria's Secret model.

  Pounce! Pounce! Hair flip! Pounce!

  Once I was in the corner, I winked and gave Elliot the finger. It seemed most appropriate. I thought he was going to cut my finger off or something, but he just gave me a sly smirk. He obviously took that the wrong way.

  He was on his way to me, when a tall blonde intercepted him. She was wearing a short, sparkly dress that looked couture. I was wearing a plain white t-shirt that was long enough to be a dress. While I really needed to improve my outfit choice, she was at the peak of her fashion sense.

  "Looks like she's about to steal your man." A woman’s voice infiltrated my ears. “You should go stop her.”

  “He’s not my man.” I glanced over my shoulder to see Elisa standing next to me. “Did you ever find your boyfriend? Was he really making meth?"

  "Yeah, he was! Can you believe that?" She frowned, rubbing her temples. "I kicked him in the nuts so hard that he learned to say fuck in a new language. Want me to kick Elliot for you? I may be short, but I can kick like you wouldn’t believe.”

  "Thanks, but he'll probably want to have kids in the future, so I'll pass," I replied sarcastically.

  "You're thinking about having kids already?" She arched an eyebrow, her mouth hanging open. "Damn and I thought I moved fast…”

  "No!" I squealed, shaking my head at that ludicrous thought. “I was only joking. Can you really imagine trying to settle down in this lifestyle anyway? You can't and bringing a child in on this would almost be like abuse. My dad was only a thief at first and he managed to ruin my life just by stealing things. Can you imagine what a murderer would do? You would give your own child nightmares."

  Her face had lost some of its color, as she glanced down toward the ground. "Yeah, I can't imagine."

  "Good thing birth control and condoms exist." I punched her shoulder halfheartedly. "I'm glad you're not lying anymore."

  “Me too.” She mustered the softest smile and it reached her eyes.

  ***

  Somewhere in the midst of our conversation, Elisa convinced me to have cookies and milk with her. She said I looked hungry and even I couldn’t deny that. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d have a decent meal.

  The kitchen was a complete fiasco. There were several large men sprawled out on the kitchen table, wearing nothing but their boxer briefs.

  "Did they literally party until they dropped?" I poked one of them with a fork, like they were a dead animal. He didn't move one bit. "Is he alive?"

  "Let's hope so. I really don't want to move a body tonight." She sighed and I couldn't tell if she was joking or not. I decided to ignore that for the sake of my own sanity. "Chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin?"

  "Does anyone ever choose oatmeal raisin?" I shook my head, feeling disgusted.

  "I do, but I eat anything." She tossed me a cookie and I caught it between my palms.

  I took a giant bite out of it, unable to wait for the milk. My hunger was too strong to fight. Elisa poured me some cold milk into a glass, sliding it down the counter. I’d only just taken a drink out of it, when I heard footsteps coming into the kitchen. I glanced up apprehensively.

  "Sssh!" Connor stepped into the kitchen with Gabriel by his side. Both of them held black Sharpies in their hands. "You get Vin and I'll get Luciano! Go for the face and draw things that would make your mother disappointed!"

  I watched wearily as the two of them drew dirty images onto their unsuspecting victim’s foreheads, laughing wickedly all the while.

  "Is this the same Luciano that you said wanted to see me?" I looked at Elisa who was eating two cookies at once.

  "Mhm,” she said with a mouthful of chocolaty goodness. "He's more frightening when he's awake. Trust me."

  I stared at the man once more and decided that I didn't want to cross paths with him again. His body was burly and protruding like he’d taken one too many steroids. I didn’t want to know what he looked like when he was standing tall to his full stature.

  "Don't you two have something more productive to do?" Elliot walked into the room, seeming unamused by their shenanigans.

  “That was payback for all the times the cheating bastard beat me at poker.” Connor sighed, making a beeline for the exit. Gabriel followed closely behind him, dropping the Sharpie on the floor. “I can’t stand the heat, so I’m getting out of the kitchen.”

  “And on that note, I’m going to leave too,” Elisa announced awkwardly, waving goodbye to the both of us. “I have this math exam tomorrow and I need to study for it.”

  “You finished high school years ago and you never went to college.” I raised an eyebrow, feeling vaguely suspicious.

  “You know me so well!” She grabbed the whole platter of cookies and stepped out of the room slowly. “If it counts for anything, I’m going to go study my man. He’s really hard to figure
out.”

  Three seconds later, she was gone and the tension in the room had rose. Elliot really knew how to clear out a room and all he gave them was a dirty look.

  "I would offer you a cookie." I paused, scratching the back of my head. "But she took them all."

  "It's okay, fiorella." He hooked his arm around my waist, pulling me closer to him. "There are other things I would rather eat.”

  "You get nightmares if you eat before bed." I coughed, feeling his fingers move down my back, stopping right above my ass.

  "That's just a myth." He smirked, purring into my ear. "But it's past your bedtime, yes? Let me take you to bed."

  "Are you talking about tucking me in and telling me a bedtime story?" I tilted my head to the side, looking up at him as he towered over me. "Or are you talking about something else?"

  "The world may never know." His accent had grown deeper and huskier to the point there was hardly any trace of English left. "I want to fall asleep next to you, so I can wake up beside you. You'll give me good dreams, fiorella."

  "Hmph!" I folded my arms melodramatically. "More like wet dreams."

  "Sì." He gave me the faintest smile in the world, pulling me upstairs with his hand around my waist. "You give me morning wood too.”

  Chapter 24: Alien Invasion

  Loud music and overthinking made it hard to sleep. Tall, sexy Italian men who are completely naked also make it even harder to sleep.

  I stared at Elliot as he finally removed the last article of clothing he was wearing. Seeing him completely naked, completely exposed made my heart beat fast. Beads of sweat collected on my brows, and my breathing quickened to the point where I was panting like a dog.

  Thank God, his back was facing me. He didn’t get a chance to see my eyes, which were doused in lust as I stared at his ass. His cheeks were toned and completely squeezable. It almost seemed like a crime that they were hidden behind clothing all the time.

  Watching him stand there completely naked reminded me our first interaction; when he was getting some from a woman he later murdered. If I stayed here, I’d probably end up like her.

  Admittedly, I didn’t know a lot about Elliot, but a few things were clear to me. He was a bad man who was part of a crime family, and his family had been responsible for my father’s sudden death. Both of those things made Elliot Santoro dangerous, but the third and final thing I knew about him was the most threatening.

  He had complete control over me; mind, body, and spirit. My body was scorched and ready to boil over just at the sight of him. That heat didn’t only leave my cheeks flushed, it left something deep and heavy in my core.

  From the side of the bed, my unyielding gaze met his masculine silhouette all over again. I wanted to run my fingers along his ripped biceps and trace intimate patterns over his tattoos. The tribal tattoo that twisted around his arm really reminded me of a wolf, same with the rough stubble on his jaw and those perfect, sharp teeth of his.

  I wanted him to kiss me, but even more so than that, I wanted him to bite me. I wanted his teeth to tear at my flesh, and leave love bites for the entire world to see. I wanted him to treat me like an animal, not a lover.

  He turned around just as I turned my head to look up at the ceiling to avoid his scrutiny.

  “Why were you just staring at me?” He glanced at me, wiggling a dark brow. “You’ve seen me naked before, yes?”

  “You’re not just naked.” I pointed out, trying not to gawk at him. “You’re… um… stiff? I mean, you have an, um—”

  Way to know your anatomy, Lily!

  “Erection,” he interrupted me coolly, raising an eyebrow. “There’s a woman lying on my bed wearing nothing but a t-shirt. So, yes, my cock is hard.”

  A dangerous smirk formed on his stupid, kissable lips. He grabbed a new pair of boxers, sliding them over his toned legs.

  “Are you finally putting your pajamas on?” I questioned, smiling to myself.

  “No self-respecting man would ever wear pajamas to a business meeting,” he replied, sliding a snug dress shirt over his head that molded to his muscles.

  “A business meeting? At three in the morning?” I raised an eyebrow accusingly. “With who?”

  “That doesn’t concern you.” He sighed deeply, stepping into some dark slacks.

  “Is everything okay?” As soon as those words left my mouth, he tensed up and shifted his gaze to the window. He looked so focused, as if he was watching someone on the other side of the glass, but he was just ignoring me. “Are you okay?

  “I’m more than okay.” He nodded immediately, combing his black hair back with his fingers. “I’m perfect.”

  He didn’t sound perfect…

  “I have a better question. Are you okay?” Elliot glanced at me through the dark eyelashes that masked his eyes. “How do you feel?”

  “I feel…” I gave him a tentative smile, running my fingers along my jaw. “Emotionally confused, but my health is fine I guess.”

  “I’m not talking about your health. I’m talking about your body.” His entire demeanor had changed in the span of two seconds. Now, there was a hungry look darkening his eyes, and a certain masculinity to his raspy, cultivated voice. It made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up as I bit down on my bottom lip. “How does your pussy feel?”

  My legs instantly turned to jelly, so it was a good thing I was lying down on his bed. I wasn’t sure I could support myself anymore.

  “How does my pussy feel?” I repeated awkwardly as a hundred dirty images flashed through my mind. “Like a giant, black hole that will swallow you entirely if you get too close?”

  My deflective sarcasm wasn’t deflecting the wetness that was spreading between my legs, and he seemed to notice. I could tell by the wry smirk he gave me.

  “Fiorella…” Elliot lowered his head to face me, his posture stiffening. “Have you ever even touched yourself?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Petting your kitty? Riding the rubber boyfriend?” He gave me an incredulous stare, as I said nothing. He stroked his own jaw slowly, clearing his throat. I envisioned his hands stroking me instead, and my breathing slowed. “I’m asking if you’ve ever fucked yourself, gattina?”

  Heat rose on my cheeks as I became flushed from his sudden curiosity. It was simple yes or no question, but I couldn’t even form a coherent thought, let alone a single word. I tightened my legs together, trying to form a sentence of some kind.

  “I’m not answering that,” I said as he stalked over to me, taking wide steps. My heart beat a little faster with each advance he made, until he was at the foot of the bed. His shadow towered over me, causing me to sink further into the bed. He was breaking the rules of personal space, and I was thankful for his unruliness. “I don’t ask you if you blow your own horn.”

  “Most men can’t suck their own cock, fiorella.” He narrowed his eyes, wetting his lips with his tongue. He ran his long fingers down his throat, like he was considering something. “If that’s what you mean, but some men have broken their necks trying to.”

  “Desperate times call for desperate measures.” I let out a dramatic sigh, shaking my head. Glancing at him through lowered lashes, I pursed my lips together.

  “Non so cosa stai pensando.” Elliot put his palms on the bed, moving his warm body toward me. His voice was a soft whisper that made me whimper like a dog. “You leave me mind-fucked and temporarily insane. You make me go crazy, yes?”

  I kept my composure as he slid his hard, decadent body upwards, until he was hoovering completely above me. I could feel the fabric of his suit rub against me.

  With a movement that startled me, he spread my legs open wide with strong arms, cupping the small of my back with one calloused hand. He brought me closer to him, until there wasn’t an inch of space between our heaving bodies. He was breathing just as heavily as I was.

  “I think I’m the one who should be confused,” I finally said, trying to ignore his hand that dropped down my back. I
was completely saturated now and if he didn’t stop, he was going to feel it against the fabric of his expensive suit. “One minute you’re acting like a hardened criminal, and then the next, you’re acting like you’re trying to seduce me. What next? Are you going to start quoting Shakespeare, and buying me roses? Or are you going to kill me, then lay the roses on top of my grave? I know you’re going kill me, Emmet said so.”

  “My brother is an idiota.” His hands released me instantly, but before I could get up, he pushed me back down with one hand, until he was on top of me again. I could feel his hard length pressed against my stomach and I bit down on my lip. “There’s a reason he isn’t in charge of the family business. Forget him and never speak to him again, sí?”

  “Is that an order?” I narrowed my eyes, challenging him.

  “Yes,” he growled, grabbing me by the wrists. He squeezed just hard enough to cause me an ounce of pain and I felt it all the way down to my core. That familiar throbbing found its way between my legs, as I stared at the man holding me down. His hands moved lower, gripping my hips where they lingered for quite some time. He was teasing me. “Maybe I’ve been playing a little too nice with you. Maybe you still need to learn the rules, si?”

  “Okay?” I answered breathlessly. That was the only thing I could come up with. I arched my back, trying to grind against him, but he pulled back, taunting me.

  His fingertips traced circles on the skin between my thighs where he later laid kisses that made me come apart at the seams.

  I went to smack him playfully, but he caught me by the wrists again. My hands were up against the headboard in a matter of seconds and he dipped his body down, still holding me there. I could feel every inch of his clothed body press against me, especially the hard, warm bulge trapped inside his pants. “What are you doing?”

  “You.” His hands dropped from my arms instantly, making their dark descent down below. He gripped my thighs, spreading them even further apart for easier access. His face stayed close to mine, sending a shiver of anticipation down my throat where his breath lingered. “Presto.”