by Marian Tee
Jaak and Nic’s incredulous gazes mirrored each other.
“That’s it?” Fleur blurted out.
Yeah, I thought, equally bemused. Was that really it?
“He has stated very clearly that he only sees Anneke as a friend, and as Marcus is also our friend, it would be the height of discourteousness to doubt his words.” Willem’s gaze turned to me. “Besides, there’s nothing wrong about just being friends.” The pause that followed was deliberate. “Is there, Anneke?”
Chapter Six
I had just gotten back inside my bedroom when my mobile phone vibrated with a text message from Marcus.
Marcus: I’m sorry.
I lay down on my bed and stared up at the ceiling. I could probably pretend I didn’t know what he meant. That would save us both from embarrassment, wouldn’t it?
Anneke: There’s nothing for you to apologize for.
And there wasn’t.
It wasn’t Marcus’ fault that Willem saw through me, and it wasn’t his fault either that my oldest brother thought it was best to warn me against falling for Marcus Ravelli in front of everyone. Sure, Willem hadn’t said it outright, but then that was never my brother’s style. I knew how to read between the lines. Willem himself had taught me, and so I knew what he was telling me without so many words.
There’s nothing wrong about just being friends. Is there, Anneke?
I flipped to my side and covered my head with a pillow, but the words just kept echoing inside my mind.
I knew Willem had only said that because he was worried about me. I knew that. But I also couldn’t help feeling resentful, and I hated it. I had never felt resentful in my life. Never.
And yet---
There’s nothing wrong about just being friends. Is there, Anneke?
I didn’t like the way everyone seemed to think that Marcus Ravelli could only hurt me, didn’t like the way I was being warned not to get my hopes up about Marcus. I knew Willem didn’t mean to make me feel unattractive and worthless, but right now that was how I felt.
Was it so preposterous that someone like Marcus Ravelli could be attracted to me?
My phone beeped, and I stared at it for a long time, wondering if I should just delete Marcus’ message without reading it.
My phone beeped again, and I gave up resisting.
Marcus: I know you deserve better from me. I know you deserve better THAN me. But I’m too selfish, bambina. I want you to be happy with me. If I’m honest, I want you to be happy only with me.
My lips twisted in a bittersweet smile at Marcus’ message. Oh, how good he was with words, incredibly so.
Marcus: Tell me you understand, bambina.
Anneke: There wasn’t anything you said that wasn’t true.
My phone beeped again, and another text message from Marcus arrived at my inbox.
Marcus: Can we meet somewhere private?
I bit my lip.
Say no. Don’t answer. Avoid temptation.
All sensible things to do, and any of them would have made Willem proud. All of them were guaranteed to save me from future heartache.
If only for one thing---
This one and only thing that Willem had miscalculated---
It was already too late for me.
Anneke: My bedroom’s private enough.
One minute passed, and I shakily put my phone down on the table.
Five minutes went by, and I forced myself through the motions of preparing for bed. I took a quick shower, changed into my old pajamas, and when half an hour had gone by and I was seriously contemplating banging my head against the wall, I heard the doorknob turn.
Crap. My heart started thumping. What have I done?
But it was too late to second-guess myself.
Marcus Ravelli closed the door quietly behind him, and I swallowed hard as I watched him, feeling almost hysterical at the way his presence made my room feel smaller and warmer in an instant.
He turned to face me. “Mi dispiace,” he said thickly. “I was in the shower when you texted, and I came as soon as I could.” His gaze ran over me. Owned me. Ravished me.
And I couldn’t help doing the same.
Even though the sight of his wet hair felt too intimate---
Stop staring!
Even though the way his thin shirt revealed the sculpted outline of his chest felt too erotic---
Oh my God, Anneke, stop staring!
But my foolish eyes kept moving…and moving…and moving…until I reached my downfall.
Oh.
The rigid shape of his erection made a well-defined bulge behind his loose gray pants---
My gaze jerked up to his, and Marcus’ lips formed a crooked smile. “Is that enough proof?”
My lips parted. Oh, he knew! He knew exactly why I wanted us to meet here.
“I’ve never felt the urge to be rebellious before,” I admitted unevenly, shamefully. “I’ve always known that Willem has done his best for us.”
“You’ve done nothing wrong, bambina.” Marcus’ tone was quiet. “He misread the situation.”
I choked back a nervous laugh. “Misread?” What a tame word that was!
But Marcus only shrugged. “He may have known me longer, but he doesn’t know me the way you know me.” He stepped forward. “He’s never seen what I’ve let you seen---”
“And what is that?” I heard myself whisper.
His lips twisted. “You really want me to say it out loud, bambini?”
Yes. But I could only look at him, knowing he could read my answer in my eyes.
A look of strain fell over Marcus’ gorgeous face.
And my throat started to itch.
His eyes narrowed.
It felt so parched and dry; my throat was just begging me to do something---
“Don’t push me,” Marcus hissed under his breath.
But it was too late.
A new dark side seemed to have taken over my body. Good-girl Anneke was gone.
And replacing her was a bad, bad girl---
A bad girl who wanted to do things that she wasn’t supposed to do, feel things she wasn’t supposed to feel---
A bad girl who liked licking her lips---
My tongue darted out, outlining my lips, and Marcus cursed. It was in Italian, but I didn’t have to speak his language to know when he was swearing.
“Didn’t I tell you not to do that?” he demanded under his breath.
“I beg your pardon.” The words came out by default, but we both knew I didn’t really feel sorry.
If anything, I felt like I was in the brink of coming alive---
My alter ego about to free herself from its cage---
And so with Marcus still staring at me, I did it again.
Slowly, carefully, deliberately---
My tongue wetting my lips---
His nostrils flared. “You’re playing a dangerous game, bambina.”
“Yes,” I whispered. “I know.” And now, I could barely hear my own words with the way my heart was thudding so hard against my chest.
He moved closer, and I held my breath.
Closer and closer---
Until I could feel his breath on my skin, his commanding form eclipsing the light inside my bedroom---
One hand suddenly drove through my hair, yanking my head back.
Aaaaaah.
His grip was rough and hard, the lust glittering in his dark eyes feral and volatile.
I should have been afraid. Maybe I should have even been furious. But I felt none of those. I felt nothing except the need to experience more.
It was in fact the only word that existed in bad girl Anneke’s vocabulary.
More!
Marcus pulled my head back an inch further, and I whimpered.
More!
His head lowered, his mouth grazing the exposed skin of my neck, and I shuddered.
Oh God, more.
His teeth sank into the length of my neck, and my eyes closed.
&nbs
p; Please, give me more!
Marcus’ other free arm wrapped around my waist, tightening, before hauling me close, my breasts flattening against his chest. The feel of his hot, hard body was too much, and I gasped.
His dark eyes blazed down at me. “Are you scared, bambina?”
I could only look at him. It didn’t matter if I was scared or not. I still wanted more.
“You should be,” Marcus snarled. “You should be fucking scared.” His head lowered again, and he whispered harshly against my lips, “This wasn’t how I fucking wanted it to be---”
I knew that. But this was what I wanted. And I still wanted more.
“Marcus.” His name came out a plea, and he shuddered.
“Dammit, Anneke.” His teeth sunk into my lower lip, and I almost screamed. “We’re not supposed to do this.”
I would’ve laughed if I could.
How could he say that when right this moment he was still pulling me closer towards him---
How could he think we could stop this when he was molding my body like he was its master---
How could he believe we both wouldn’t want more, with his rigid erection now knocking against the already-swollen folds of my core?
“We can still be just friends,” I whispered shakily against his lips.
My hands slowly moved up his chest.
“Just friends…”
And I found myself clutching his shoulders---
“Even if we do this…”
I pressed myself against him, my breasts swelling at the feel of his hardness, my nipples becoming turgid with arousal.
“Anneke.” He growled my name out. He probably meant it as a warning, a threat, but it didn’t quite work that way.
Instead, the sound aroused me, made me swell where I was supposed to swell, made me melt where I was supposed to melt---
Ooooooh.
Our gazes met, his dark eyes so full of lust---
Oh God.
This man wanted me so much.
Me.
The knowledge made me heady, and a feeling of wanton liberation rippled down my body.
“Can’t we?”
My nails dug into the blades of his back.
“Can’t we, Marcus---”
And it was like I could hear and feel his control snapping as his body jerked---
“You win,” he rasped. “We’ll fucking play it your way.”
And this time, he took command, his mouth crashing down against mine.
My first kiss.
It was my first kiss, and it was as brutal as it was passionate. It wasn’t in any way soft and gentle, and dear God, it was exactly the way I wanted it. I locked my arms behind his neck as my lips parted willingly under his, and I whimpered as his tongue drove in. Its every stroke inside my mouth was forceful and possessive, and oh God, it made me want so, so much more.
“Move your tongue,” he grated out.
I followed his command, my stomach squeezing and my breasts swelling even more. It was then I realized that I loved being commanded, and the knowledge made me whimper anew---
Oh God, had I always had this bad-girl-side to me?
Had I always been this dirty?
When Marcus’ mouth lifted, I mewled in protest, and he touched my lips soothingly. “Ssh.” His voice was hoarse. “We’ve only started.”
And then his mouth slowly licked a trail down my neck, the sensation making me arch in his arms with a silent moan.
More.
He started to suck, and my head fell back to give him more access.
Oh please more.
His hands moved up my body, cupping my breasts, kneading, squeezing---
Oh God, more, more, more.
His fingers loosened the buttons of my pajama top, and I heard Marcus suck his breath in when he saw that I didn’t have any bra underneath it.
“Bellissima.” His voice was guttural. “And mine.” His mouth took one nipple in, and I jerked.
He began to suck, and I clutched his shoulders tightly as I felt my knees weaken under me.
Oh God.
When he lifted his head, his eyes were blazing, and he was breathing hard.
“Tell me when to stop.”
And then he started worshipping my other breast.
We found ourselves on the carpet, Marcus laying me down even as he continued sucking on my nipple. I covered my mouth as I felt him reach for the waistband of my pajama bottoms, and I could only lift my hips up as he started pulling them down.
A second later, and I was down to my panties---
Oh God.
But soon, that was gone, too.
He finally released my breast, and he pulled away, breathing even harder now.
“Do I stop?” he asked hoarsely.
I slowly shook my head.
And so he went back to driving me crazy, my body trembling as his hands settled on my knees. He parted my legs wide open and I squeezed my eyes shut. “P-please don’t stare.”
“Impossibile.”
And then I felt his fingers stroking my folds ever so gently.
My back arched.
“You like that, bambina?” Marcus whispered.
I nodded jerkily.
“Say it then,” he urged in a low voice. “Say you like my fingers on your pussy.”
Aaaaah.
“Dillo, bambina.” His fingers stilled. “Say it.”
And because I wanted – needed – his fingers to keep moving, I choked out, “I want your fingers on my pussy.”
“Brava, bambina.” His purring words made me shudder, and when I felt one finger slowly penetrate inside of me, I shuddered even more.
Oh God.
“You feel so damn tight.”
And still his finger continued to push deeper and deeper inside of me.
Just one finger, and I already felt so full---
Deeper and deeper until it was all the way in.
I looked at him dazedly. “Marcus.”
He began to move his finger, in and out, and I realized with a shudder that this was really happening.
Marcus Ravelli, fucking me with a finger.
And I had asked for this. I had asked for this, didn’t I?
“Rilassatti, bambina. Relax.”
Good advice…but how could I when his finger had started moving faster? Harder?
“M-Marcus.” I could hear myself starting to pant.
“Si sente bene, bambina?” He reached for my clit with his other hand. “Does it feel good?” He pinched the straining nub of flesh, all the while continuing to fuck me with his finger.
And that was it for me.
My eyes rolled back as I covered my mouth with both hands, screaming as I felt my first orgasm sweep over me.
His finger ground deep into me, and I let out another scream against my hands.
My orgasm seemed to last forever, and I could only close my eyes and curl against him as I felt Marcus scoop me off the carpet.
He gave me a bath and toweled me dry, and by the time he laid me on the bed, I could no longer keep my eyes open.
Darkness descended in the room, and Marcus whispered into my ear, “Let’s play another game tomorrow, bambina.”
Chapter Seven
And so that was how ‘play,’ I reminisced dazedly a week later, became the dirtiest word in my vocabulary. Playtime was now both my favorite hobby and shameful little secret all rolled into one, and recently, it was all I could think about.
Especially when I needed a reminder that I wasn’t worthless---
Like now.
Carnival Week had finally come to town, and as ordered by the Queen of Contini, all my siblings and I were lined up at the reception tent erected next to the town square, dutifully greeting each and every guest. Most of them were locals from nearby towns, people who had seen us grow up over the years and considered themselves friends of the family.
A gray-haired woman in a smart pink suit with pearls around her neck was next in line, and she
came forward with a titter, saying, ““Oh my dear Willem, it seems like you grow taller and more handsome every year.”
“I’m delighted to hear that, Tante Matilda.”
The woman was now delirious with delight, no doubt feeling extra special that Willem still remembered her name. But then, that was how my oldest brother operated. He always had his best foot forward, and there wasn’t a thing he said or did without planning several steps ahead.
Tante Matilda then turned to Jaak, and she tittered once more when my other brother gallantly kissed her hand. “Your wicked charm never fails to astound me. No wonder you’re everyone’s favorite playboy!”
Fleur was up next, and my sister only had to bat her eyelashes for the older woman to exclaim, “Sweet lovely Fleur, how many hearts have you slayed this year?”
My youngest brother smiled without saying anything, but since he was as gorgeous as the other men in my family, it was more than enough for Tante Matilda. “Oh, Nic, such perfection in one so young!”
And then there was me.
The older woman’s smile faltered as she reached the end of the line. “Anneke.”
Yes, I thought with a silent sigh. I still existed, and I still hadn’t become as beautiful as my other siblings, much to everyone’s awkward dismay.
“Hallo, Tante Matilda.” I kissed her dutifully on both cheeks.
“Hallo.” Her smile was too bright, and her eyes darted here and there as if she was desperately searching for something.
I waited patiently.
Finally, she said, “Your dimples are cuter than ever!”
Hallelujah, I thought. She had found something to compliment about me. “Thank you, Tante.”
As soon as the older woman left, Fleur leaned past Nic and shook her head chidingly at me. “You’re too nice.”
“I know.” It was true, and there was nothing I could do about it.
This continued for the rest of the day, and by the time Willem finally gave us the signal to disperse, my jaw was aching from too much dimple-flashing.
As I turned away, Marcus came up to me with one of his usual sexy, heart-stopping smiles. “Ciao, bambina.” He was dressed a bit more formally today, with a dark blue flannel shirt tucked into a pair of chinos. “I thought you might need this.”
He handed me a bottle of ice-cold water, and I took it gratefully. “Thank you.”