Filthy Commitments: A Submissives’ Secrets Novel

by Michelle Love

  Elli chuckled at her boss’s grin. “Anything to help, boss.”

  At home, cranking up the heating, Elli made herself some tea and sat, hunched on her couch, listening to the wind outside her windows. Her apartment was tiny, but she didn’t care about that – the view from the windows over Venice’s Lagoon made it worth the squeeze. Today, she saw the ice and fog covering the gondoliers, jostling together at their moorings, the usually crowded streets almost empty. It would be Christmas soon, but if this weather held up, it would be a subdued event. Elli liked to walk the streets at night during the festive period – being alone in the world never bothered her much. She would eat food from street vendors, soak in the atmosphere, thinking about her mother who had died when Elli was only eighteen. Her father had been long gone; Elli didn’t even know where he was and her older brother, Enzo, had died the year previously from the same cancer that took her mother.

  Enzo has been Elli’s hero when she was growing up. He had been nearly a decade older but had been her companion, her teacher, her protector – or at least, he had taught her how to protect himself. He had been an architect, designing some of the most beautiful hotels in Italy with his best friend, Indio. Elli felt a warm rush through her veins when she thought of him. Indio Navaro had been her first crush, her first love. She closed her eyes now and thought of his dark curls, his swarthy caramel skin, his bright green eyes. She remembered the first time she had seen him when she was just nine, and he was eighteen. God, he had looked like an Adonis, so beautiful, huge eyes, perfectly symmetrical face, hard, toned body. No teenage acne or awkwardness for Indio and, even at her young age, Elli knew she would never again see such a beautiful man in her life. For his part, Indio stayed true to the code –never fool around with your best friend’s sister – but he adored Elli too, would spend hours with her, even when Enzo wasn’t there. They adored each other.

  But then, Elli was twenty, a couple of years just after her mother had died, something happened between Enzo and Indio, something neither of them would ever talk about, and when Indio came to say goodbye to Elli, her heart was broken.

  “Please don’t go,” she had begged him, “I love you so much, Indio, I always have.”

  Indio had looked shattered, and for a moment, she thought he might kiss her. Instead, he leaned his forehead against his, and to her astonishment, she felt tears on his cheeks. “Elli Bella, I…” He choked on the words and, not caring anymore about what was right, she pressed her lips to his.

  “Tell me you love me…please, Indio, say it, just once. I know you do. I know it in my soul…”

  Indio grabbed her head and kissed her roughly then pulled away, his hands dropping away, his eyes closed. “I can’t. I’m sorry, cara mia, I can’t.”

  And then he was gone, and Elli had curled up into a little ball, her heart destroyed. When Enzo, pale and hollow-eyed came to find her, she didn’t attack him or blame him. He was her brother after all.

  Indio didn’t love me enough, Elli told herself for years, trying to mend her heart, but something had always told her that wasn’t the truth and when Enzo died, her chance of finding out what really happened was gone. Indio had left Venice, had gone to Rome. Elli made herself stay away from searching him on the internet, or reading about him in magazines. She knew he was a big deal in Rome and abroad, his property nous and artistic aesthetic making him a billionaire. He dated a string of beautiful women, had married and divorced a former Miss World within a year.

  Elli sighed and pushed the thoughts of Indio away. She was a master of that; it was just in these quiet moments, alone on her couch, that she wished he was here with her, watching old movies and cuddling under a blanket like back in the old days. In bed alone, sometimes, she would think about what it might have been like to have sex with him, his big body covering her tiny one, his mouth on hers, his cock deep inside her. She would stroke herself into an orgasm then, afterward, cry because she would never know what it was really like to be with him.

  You are twenty-eight and still behaving like a lovesick teenager. Maybe it was the concussion that made her feel so melancholy. She dragged her thoughts back to Aldo Constanza and smiled. What a sweetheart of a man. His gaze had been intense on hers a couple of times, and her stomach had curled, warming at being so obviously admired. She wasn’t such a feminist that being flirted with was anathema to her.

  Her phone beeped.

  You may be hurting, girl, but you are also a magician. Aldo Constanza is investing – and he’s investing BIG. I love you! Viv xxx

  Elli was delighted and called her boss back immediately.

  “Hey, bruiser, how’s the head?”

  Elli grinned, although her head ached badly now. “Better hearing that news. Oh god, Viv, I’m so happy for you, for the magazine. Thank god I didn’t jinx it.”

  “Far from it, El…Constanza had one little request. That you do an interview with him for the magazine – an-in depth, not a puff piece, don’t worry – when you’re better. I think you have an admirer, Elli, a rich, handsome sweetheart of an admirer.”

  Elli flushed with pleasure. “He wants me to interview him?”

  Vivienne sighed and laughed. “Trust you to focus on the work part – I’m telling you, that man wants to fu...”

  “Vivienne Marche, you are over-excited,” Elli interrupted her, laughing before Vivienne could finish her sentence. “Calm down.”

  “I’m just saying…you need to get laid and there’s nothing like a sex god billionaire to get your rocks off.”

  Elli shook her head, grinning, although the thought wasn’t exactly repulsive to her. Aldo was gorgeous. “Viv, I’ll talk to him to arrange the interview when I get back.”

  “Um…” Vivienne suddenly sounded sheepish.

  “What? What did you do?” Elli knew Vivienne’s machinations of old, especially when it came to Elli’s love life.

  “Well, he kind of asked for your number, and I kind of gave it to him. I figured he rescued you, so…was I wrong?”

  Elli sighed. “No, it’s fine. He probably won’t call anyway.”

  Aldo Constanza did call. That night, about eight p.m. while Elli was reading, and contemplating what to eat for her supper seeing as her fridge was empty.

  “How are you feeling, Elliana?”

  His deep voice was low and sexy. “I’m okay, a little tired now. Thank you for today, Mr. Constanza, I mean it.”

  “Please call me Aldo. Despite the circumstances, and you being hurt, it was entirely my pleasure. Have you talked to Vivienne at all?”

  “I have, and she told me about your request. It would be my honor.”

  “Then it’s settled. Perhaps we can talk about it when you recovered, but I also wanted to ask if I may take you to dinner tonight?”

  Elli blinked. “Tonight?”

  Aldo gave a soft laugh. “Blame Vivienne – she was fretting about you not having any food in your home – I take it, that’s not unusual?”

  Elli didn’t know how to react to that. “Um, well, yes, that is true. Unless you consider breakfast cereal a meal.”

  “I do not,” he chuckled - god, he had a sexy laugh. “But what am I thinking? You probably don’t feel like going out in your condition and this weather. May I be so bold to suggest I bring dinner to you?”

  And for the life of her, Elli had no good reason to say no.

  An hour later, and she had panicked after hanging up the phone, dashing around the place, tidying it and herself and now she didn’t know why.

  Aldo was as laid back as a man could be, bring two large steaming-hot pizzas with him. “One vegetarian and one pepperoni. I didn’t know if you eat meat.”

  “Oh, so Viv didn’t tell you everything?” She grinned at him, and he smiled, somewhat sheepishly.

  “Sorry,” he eased the pizza boxes onto her little dinner table, “have I railroaded you?”

  She put her hand on his arm. “Not at all, I’m just kidding. Can I take your coat?”

  Already sh
e thought of him as a tailored suit guy so when he slipped out of his long coat to reveal a dark navy sweater and jeans, the navy bringing out the hazel in his eyes, she was taken aback – and impressed. He caught her expression and smiled.

  “You like my sweater?”

  No, actually, it’s you I like, she wanted to say. She breathed in his clean, woody scent and felt a pulse begin to beat between her legs. Aldo held her gaze then smiled, stroking his hand on her cheek.

  “Whatever you are thinking, cara mia, I am thinking too. But I am aware you have a pretty serious concussion, so maybe, tonight, we should just eat.”

  Elli flushed then giggled, shaking her head. “I’m sorry, I’m all over the place. Please, have a seat.”

  They ate most of the two pizzas as they chatted, and Elli began to feel much more relaxed. Aldo was fun, intelligent and god, he was sexy, his big frame dominating her small couch. His arm lay across the back of it, and she could feel the heat of his skin as his fingers lay inches from the back of her neck. He was easy to talk to as they discussed his business and his investment in the magazine. Elli was starting to feel excited about the forthcoming interview and told him so.

  He smiled. “I’m glad…but only when you are fully recovered, little one. Then, I hope, you will come to my home, and we will do the interview there. Afterward, perhaps you would dine with me?”

  Elli blushed with pleasure. “I would like that, very much.”

  At her door, just before ten p.m., he kissed her hand. “I don’t recall when I have spent such a pleasurable evening,” he said, and Elli nodded.

  “Me too. Thank you, Aldo. This day has been so much better than it deserved to be.”

  He touched a finger to her cheek and was gone.

  That night, for the first time in eight years, it wasn’t Indio who Elli dreamed of. And in the morning, a huge hamper of luxury food was waiting for her outside her door, with the note:

  Just so you don’t starve while you recover, cara mia. I look forward to our next meeting, Aldo.

  In amongst the pricey, rich food was a box of her favorite breakfast cereal.

  A week later, she was deemed by Vivienne to be fit enough to return to work, and two days later, she was being driven out to Aldo’s villa in Mira. As she approached, she gave a small gasp. The villa was huge, utterly Italian but Elli had learned enough to know what was old and what was new. This villa was a recent build which didn’t detract from its beauty one bit. Its features were simpatico with the Italian countryside around it, and although opulent, it shone with good taste.

  Elli’s heart was pounding even harder now. The design of it, the feel…it reminded her of the houses Indio and her brother had designed and built at the beginning of their partnership, albeit, on a much, much larger scale. This has to be one of Indio’s, she thought, and she felt tears welling to the surface.

  No. No, I will not ruin this by thinking about him, she thought to herself, fiercely, and when the car pulled up, and Aldo came out to meet her with a smile on his face, she pushed all thoughts of Indio to the back of her mind.

  “Bella Elli, it has been too long,” he said, kissing her cheek and lingering just a little too long. Elli felt her body respond, but she reminded herself to act professionally and smiled back at him.

  “This is a stunning villa, Aldo.”

  Aldo beamed at her. “Thank you, I could give you the tour if you’d like.”

  “Shall we do the interview first? Get the work part out of the way?” Too late, she realized what that sounded like and blushed furiously. Aldo laughed.

  “That sounds…promising.”

  Later, Elli would be able to narrow down to three particular moments when she knew she would be sleeping with Aldo Constanza that night. The first was when they were talking about his work with starving children in Uganda, and he was talking with such passion and commitment that it touched Elli’s heart. Here was a man unafraid to wear his heart on his sleeve.

  The second was when, after a delicious and luxurious dinner, they took a walk around his grounds, and he took her hand, bringing the inside of her wrist to his lips and kissing it softly.

  The third was when, a moment after that, he’d turned to her and taken her in his arms, smoothing the hair away from her face.

  “Bella Elliana…I’m going to kiss you now then I’m going to take you to my bed and undress you and kiss every part of your delicious body.” He took her hand and guided it down to his rock-hard, and impressively sized cock. “Then I will fuck you until you scream my name over and over and over…”

  Elli gasped a little, feeling her sex dampen and quiver at his coarse but sexy-as-all-hell words. His lips met hers, and they kissed, all passion, no hesitation.

  In a flash, they were in his bedroom, and he was stripping her slowly, lingering over each piece of exposed skin until she was trembling with desire. He swept her onto the bed and knelt over her as he freed his cock from his jeans, stroking the length of it, enjoying her lust, her admiration.

  “All this is for you, Elli Bella.”

  Elli didn’t have time to register what he’d called her before he thrust his cock deep inside her, hitching her legs around his waist and ramming his hips hard against hers. Elli’s body acted as if she had no control over it, arching her back as he fucked her, her belly against his, her nipples so sensitive that when they brushed against his pecs, she screamed with pleasure.

  Aldo was a masterful, dominant lover, enjoying pinning her to his bed, not letting her recover between orgasms, his face hard and focused as his cock thrust deeper and deeper inside of her.

  “Mio Dio, you are a beautiful woman. Mio Dio…”

  They came together, Elli gasping and moaning as Aldo groaned, pumping thick creamy come deep inside her belly. He kissed her tenderly as they panted for breath.

  “Sweet Elli, you have made me so happy, so happy…”

  She smiled at him. “That was incredible, Aldo…just as I dreamed it would be.”

  Aldo looked boyish as he grinned in delight. “You dreamed of me?”

  “I did.” Elli kissed his lips, his neck as she made her way down his body and took his cock in her mouth, teasing the long shaft with her tongue, feeling it quiver and harden under her touch. Aldo, on his back now, was stroking her hair.

  “God, yes, Elli, that’s so good, so good…”

  She brought him to near orgasm, then straddled him, impaling herself onto him with a soft moan. God, she wanted this man, his machismo, his strength. She rode him hard, his hands squeezing and caressing her breasts, then stroking her belly, his thumb pressing deep into the hollow of her navel.

  As the intensity built, Aldo flipped her onto her back and began to thrust harder and harder, almost violently in his need for her. Elli clung to him, her fingernails digging into his shoulders. Aldo gripped her wrists and forced her hands onto the bed. This man likes being in control, Elli thought as another shattering orgasm ripped through her body. Aldo, almost frenzied now, bit down hard on her shoulder, and she yelped in surprise and pain as he came, shuddering and groaning, his seed shooting deep inside of her. Elli gasped for air as he turned her onto her stomach and parted her buttocks.

  “Yes?” He asked his voice a deep growl next to her ear.

  She nodded, nervous, but wanting to experience all this man wanted to do to her. Aldo pushed into her rounded little ass and fucked her, gentler now. Elli had never experienced anal sex before, but it sent stars shooting across her vision, and she felt like she no longer had control over her own body. He withdrew before he came, flipping her onto her back, burying his face in her belly, his tongue tracing a pattern around her navel before dipping into it. Elli moaned as Aldo slid two fingers in and out of her swollen and sore cunt, his thumb stroking a rhythm over her clit. He smiled up at her.

  “Are you mine, Elli?”

  She nodded, breathless and Aldo took her clit into his mouth and made her come over and over until she begged him to stop, exhausted and sated.
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br />   Aldo wasn’t nearly done yet. He covered her body with his, kissing her mouth, smoothing the damp hair away from her face. “If you only knew how much I wanted you, the moment I saw you on that street.” He grinned and chuckled softly. “Even covered in blood, you were beautiful.”

  Elli frowned a little. Was she being too sensitive? Because that sounded a little weird. Aldo saw her expression. “I just mean, you could be covered in dirt or blood or anything, and I would still think you were the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. Forgive me, I realize what I said might have sounded strange.”

  Elli relaxed, her arms around his neck. Aldo Constanza had just fucked her into next week, and her body felt strangely soft, as if all limbs, all her bones had been liquified. “You’re forgiven. Aldo…it’s been the most incredible night.”

  He stroked a hand down the length of her. “You’ll stay the night?”

  She half-smiled. “I’m torn. Professionally speaking, I haven’t been at all professional.” They both laughed. “But the thought of leaving you naked in this bed to go home to my cold one…”

  He kissed her again, pushing her legs apart, his cock already diamond-hard again. “Then stay,” he said, thrusting into her, “Stay and let’s do this all night long…”

  Elli woke a little before dawn, her throat dry. Aldo lay on his stomach next to her, his big arm thrown across her. She studied him for a long moment, her new lover. His features were made to look tense, she decided and smoothed the crease between his eyes which made him look angry. She smiled as it immediately settled back into a line, then gently removed Aldo’s arm from around her waist. She slid from the bed, snagging his shirt and wrapping it around her body. She padded through the quiet villa, down to the large kitchen, and helped herself to a bottle of water from the vast, well-stocked refrigerator, grinning to herself at the difference between her own and this one. She even recognized some of the same foods Aldo had sent to her in the hamper. A man of good taste – of particular tastes. She went to the hallway and tried the doorway to one of the balconies. It opened, and she stepped out into the freezing cold night. The cold took her breath away, but it cooled her too hot body. It had been a long time since she’d shared a bed with someone else, and it felt strange, and a little claustrophobic.