by Bella J
She didn’t say a word. All she did was stare into my eyes for what felt like an eternity, my finger still buried inside her body as she searched my soul for every secret. It was as if she tried reaching into the depths of my humanity, hunting for a weakness I never had before her.
I was a captive in that moment and didn’t even realize her hands had moved until I felt her unbuckling my belt, her gaze not leaving mine for a second. The second she wrapped her fingers around my cock, I groaned as lust anchored me to the spot. I couldn’t move away. I didn’t want to move away even though I was still angry at her for running from me. For not trusting me. Did I blame her? No. But I was still furious about it, nonetheless.
She freed my cock and wrapped her arms around my shoulders, her cheeks flushed, and my palm between her legs was soaked, her body primed for me to fuck her right there and then with nothing but a tree hiding us from passing cars.
I bit my lip, unable to contain the raging lust that possessed me, the lethal mix of anger and desire killing all inhibitions. I let go of her throat and grabbed her waist, twisting her around and pushing her front against the tree, birds chirping above us in the heat of the late afternoon sun.
Seconds. Moments. Time. It stood still as if fate had paused the world around us so we could lose ourselves. And as I grabbed both her hips, pulling her out toward me, I knew not even a gun to the head would be able to stop me from fucking her. The way she arched her back and pushed her ass toward me, I knew she craved it almost as much as I did, and I refused to waste any more time, pummeling into her as if I had been starved for this moment my entire life.
She cried out when the tip of my cock hit against her core, her voice echoing through the tree branches. I reached for her hair, twisting my fingers through her curls, pulling her head back as I thrust harder, deeper, faster. Nothing about this was sweet, or tender, or even remotely close to romantic. It was hard. Carnal. Filthy fucking.
Her body squeezed my cock with her inner walls, the heat of her core and slickness of her desire wrapping around my dick like a vise. My thighs slapped against her ass, and I grabbed her right arm, pulling it down in front of her. I forced her fingers to find her clit before placing my palm back on her hips, holding her steady so I could fuck her the way I wanted to. Own her. Mark her. Claim her.
Neither of us spoke a single word. The open space around us sang with the resonating sounds of my groans and her cries, mixed with our heavy and heady panting breaths.
Mila craned her neck, wild curls hanging down her back, and I could feel her cunt throb around my dick as she came, her pleasure ricocheting in her cries as she climaxed so fucking hard her inner walls clamped down on me, and I could no longer hold on to the last shred of control I had. It slipped out of my grasp, and my balls tightened as my orgasm tore up my spine, down my chest, and slammed against my cock. A groan ripped from my throat, a low rumble of dominion as I pulsed every last drop of my cum inside her.
Adrenaline swooshed inside my veins, my fingers biting into her hips, and my mind was nothing but a frenzy as pleasure exploded, forcing its way to every corner of my body.
Mila glanced over her shoulder, her cheek flushed and lips plump. “Liar.”
4
Mila
This wasn’t the way it was supposed to go. The entire way in the car, all I thought about was how I wanted to get away from him. How much I hated him for being willing to kill my brother in order to get me back so he could continue this war with his dad. Never in my life had I come across one human being who was so selfish, so vengeful that he didn’t care who he hurt in the process. Yet, when he had me pinned against the tree, the lies in his words a complete contradiction to the truth in his eyes, I succumbed. For the first time since this mess started, Saint had challenged me, and not the other way around. He dared me to see through the deception of his tongue, and to hear the dishonesty in his voice. And I did. The shades of blue in his eyes reflected that which he couldn’t say. He knew it. He wanted me to see it without him having to let his guard down, without him having to expose his weakness. Me.
While Saint towered over me, his body pressed against my back as he leaned with his hands above my shoulders against the tree, I felt the warmth of his breath against my neck. His heat penetrated my bones, his presence swathing me, and that was the moment I felt it. The comfort. The solace. Something I’d never felt before. If I was an impulsive person, someone who acted on a whim without caring about consequences, I’d let myself fall. I would let go of the uncertainty, the distrust, and throw caution to the wind while spontaneously falling head over heels for this man. But that wasn’t me. I wasn’t the reckless type. The girl who would leave everything to chance in order to experience a flaming passion that had the power to drown an entire lifetime of heartache and pain, no matter how temporary. But that wasn’t me, which was why I couldn’t let my guard down—especially when my heart was on the line and I still harbored slivers of doubt.
Saint brought his lips to my ear and traced his tongue along the curve, causing me to shiver. “Don’t. Ever. Run from me again.”
This time, there was no trickery or falsehoods hidden behind his words fortified by an unspoken threat. And he didn’t need to say anything else to make me understand how serious he was. I heard it loud and clear and glanced at him over my shoulder. “Don’t ever again make me feel like I’m nothing but a whore to you.” I turned around to face him, my skirt still bunched up around my waist. “I am your wife, and a Russo wife deserves the respect of her husband.”
He slanted a dark brow. “Respect is earned, not demanded.”
“And neither is marriage, yet you demanded that.”
The edge of his mouth curved slightly, a subtle hint of amusement. “If I keep you,” he traced a gentle finger down my jaw, “will you continue to fight me?”
I leaned my head to the side, deeper into his touch. “With every breath.”
Seconds slipped into moments as we stood there staring at each other as if the world around us no longer existed. I didn’t know what it was, but something shifted between us. The barrier that kept us apart was slowly starting to crumble, and I wasn’t sure whether it thrilled me or scared me. What would we find once the barrier was destroyed and nothing but dust?
Without moving away, he pulled his tie from around his neck and reached down between my legs. A breath slipped from my lips when I felt the soft silk against my sex. His eyes never left mine as he cleaned me with his tie, wiping away the remnants of our climaxes. His touch was pushing me toward that damn edge once again, but before I could completely succumb to it, he pulled away and tucked the tainted tie into his pants pocket. My body shivered when his knuckles grazed against my naked thigh as he pulled my skirt over my hips and bent to pick up my tattered panties from the ground, stuffing them with the tie in his pocket. “At the risk of ruining your underwear in the future, I’m inclined to request that you no longer wear them.”
I pursed my lips and watched as he zipped his pants and fastened his belt. “I don’t think you’re in position to request anything at the moment.”
“And why is that?”
“You wanted to kill my brother, so consider a denied request a light sentence.”
With a smirk, I turned and walked back to the car, not looking back to see whether he was following.
The Maserati parked on the side of the road complimented its owner perfectly. It was like whoever designed this goddamn car had Saint in mind when he did it. Seductive styling, dominant luxuries, and a thick Italian accent that screamed from every curve. Was there no end to this man’s wealth? To his power?
As I reached the car, Saint grabbed my wrist and flung me around, pulling me flush against his chest. I gasped, and he claimed my mouth with one hard and heady, desperately forceful kiss. His fingers pressed into my cheeks as he puckered my lips more, holding me in place so I couldn’t pull away. The fierce laps of his tongue against mine, the way his mouth all but devoured my own as he searched
for my taste, it made my legs weak and my heart strong. There was nothing tender about his kiss. It wasn’t loving, or caring, or an act to show affection. It was an act of hard passion to show ownership. To take and to mark, to make sure I knew who I belonged to.
Him.
He tore his lips from mine, his tongue lapping up what was left of our kiss. “I’m not done with you yet, segreto.”
“What do you mean?”
He sucked air through his teeth. “You ran from me. You think I’m going to let that go unpunished?”
Chills wracked through me at the memory of my last punishment. I could still feel the burn of leather on my flesh just thinking about it. “I’m not playing one of your sexual games, Saint.”
“Who says I’m playing?”
I stepped back, my lips tender from his fierce kiss. “If I asked you not to hurt me—”
“Don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t ask me something I can’t give you.”
I frowned. “You can’t give me your word? A promise?”
He bit his lower lip, and the mask he always wore which kept me from reading his expression slipped back into place. “Not when it comes to hurting you.”
A car drove by, the sound intruding on the silence around us. Saint walked around the car and stopped at the driver-side door. “Get in the car, Mila.”
I looked his way. “You’re so sure you’re going to hurt me that you’re not even willing to give me your word that you won’t?”
There was no attempt from him to respond. He merely stared back at me, not giving me an answer I wanted to hear.
“I’m not like you.” I weaved my fingers together and turned to face him. “I’m not like you, Saint.”
“A fact I’m very much aware of.”
“Do you want me to be like you? Be someone who likes pain?”
“No.” He shook his head. “You have it all wrong. I don’t like pain. I only like inflicting it.”
My heart hiccupped, and I held my breath. “What did he do to you?”
“Who?”
“Your dad. He did something to you. He hurt you. I looked into his eyes, Saint, and I saw nothing but pure evil.”
His expression remained stone, his eyes an endless ocean of stormy seas. “I’m impressed. It took you five minutes to figure out my father’s the devil.” He opened his car door. “It took me twenty years.”
He climbed into the car, and I swallowed hard. Confusion wasn’t the right word to describe the chaos inside my head. My heart. And after what just happened between us against one of the tall stone pine trees, I wasn’t sure whether now was the right time to try to sort through the chaos. To try to dig into what I was feeling.
The drive to the marina was silent, yet I welcomed it. Exhaustion filled my bones, and I had no energy left to act the part of a defiant hostage, but rather that of a submissive wife.
The scenery flew in one big blur, and the smooth motion of Saint’s car lulled me. I wanted to close my eyes as I settled deeper into the leather seat. Just for a little while. A few minutes.
“Mila. Come on, baby, hold on to me.” Two strong arms picked me up, and I opened my eyes only to realize we were already at the marina. The familiar scent of him—wild spice and pepper, comforted me as I laid my head against his chest. I was too tired to fight him. Too tired to demand he put me down so I could prove my strength by walking on my own two feet. In fact, I welcomed the solace of his arms as he carried me, and sleep threatened to pull me from reality and into a dream. The world was hazy, my mind fogged and thoughts silenced. It was nice, having someone to carry me when I was too tired to go on.
“I’ve got you,” Saint whispered against my hair. “I’ve got you now, and always.”
“Six months,” I whispered. “Only for six months.” I nestled my cheek against his chest, and he tightened his hold around me.
“You’re wrong.”
If I had a sliver of energy left or a single coherent thought, I would have asked what he meant by that. But I couldn’t. Not now.
Not today.
5
Saint
Like a fucking stalker, I creeped in her room, watching her while she slept. I couldn’t get myself to walk out after I laid her exhausted body down on the bed. The fact that she mumbled in her sleep, asking me not to go, didn’t have anything to do with why I was still hovering around.
I leaned against one of the bedposts and regarded her beautiful face. Flawless skin, raven curls, and the lips of a goddess. How did she seem so peaceful? It was practically a week’s worth of shit that took place in one goddamn day.
If I was anything but a selfish bastard, I’d let her go. If my entire life hadn’t revolved around ruining my father’s, I’d start over. I would let all this rage go and forget about my thirst for vengeance. But it had been too long. It had been years, and I no longer knew who I was without it.
There was a knock on the door, and I cursed under my breath as I quietly made my way across the bedroom.
I opened the door, and James’s worried eyes greeted me. I glanced back at Mila, who was still sound asleep, then stepped out and gently closed the door behind me. “What is it?”
“Your father is on his way here.”
“What?”
“One of my guys just spotted him getting out of his car, and he’s coming this way.”
“Jesus.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “Okay. Stay here.”
James frowned. “We should leave the marina. Now.”
“No.” I rested my hands on my hips. “If my father wants an audience with me, that’s what I’ll give him. But you need to stay here and make sure no one,” I stepped up close to him, “and I mean no one goes into her room.”
“Let me get someone else to guard her room. I need to be out there with you.”
“No. I don’t trust anyone else with her, James. I need you here, and I need you to protect her.”
“I don’t trust—”
“I know. I don’t trust him either. But you and I both know what my father is capable of.”
James pulled his hand through his dark hair, and I could see the frustration in every line on his face. “Fine,” he reluctantly conceded.
“Okay.” I straightened my suit jacket and walked in the other direction. “Oh, and James,” I stopped and turned to face him, “if anyone comes looking for her, shoot them. Don’t even fucking hesitate.”
With a simple nod, he set me at ease. There was no one I trusted more than him. If I had to put Mila’s life in someone else’s hands, it would be his. When I actually started caring about who I trusted her with, I didn’t fucking know.
My feet hit the deck, and I put every thought of Mila in the back of my mind. Facing my father was a deed that needed every ounce of anger and hate I could muster. I wondered how many children hated their parents as much as I hated my father. The thought was unsettling. It wasn’t normal for kids to feel disdain whenever they thought of their parents.
I stepped off the Empress and saw my father approaching with two brutes flanking him. It wasn’t his lawyers. The men who walked beside him like guard dogs proved my father was too much of a coward to face me alone, man to man. It brought a smile to my face knowing he saw me as a threat, that he’d tread on the side of caution when it came to me. Smart man.
“Since when does an old man need protection when he pays his son a visit?” I smirked.
“Since the day my son made it clear he’d ruin me, no matter the cost.” He stopped four feet away, and the cocky look on his face instantly irked me.
“What do you want?” I tucked my hands into my pants pockets.
“I want to talk.”
“About?”
“The girl.”
I lifted my chin. “What about her?”
He glanced around before looking me in the eye. “How did you find her?”
“None of your business.”
“Come, now, son,” he widened his arms
as if he was ready to welcome me home, “let’s stop with all this hostility. It’s not healthy for any of us.”
I clenched my jaw, agitation gnawing at my bones. “What do you want?”
His top lip curled into a snarl. “I want you to stop whatever the fuck it is you think you’re doing.”
A subtle breeze started up, and I pulled my hand through my hair. “The day I stop is the day you man up to all the lies. Admit what you did.”
“I didn’t do anything,” he barked, the gold chain around his neck glinting in the last sun rays as dusk started to settle on the horizon. “You were a ten-year-old boy—”
“Twelve.”
“Who gives a shit? It’s time to get over it, Marcello.”
“Never,” I growled, hate dripping from my tongue like toxin. “I will never get over what you did.”
He stepped forward. “I didn’t do anything.”
“See, you’re so good at lying even you are starting to believe the bullshit coming out of your damn mouth.”
My father stood there, and the corner of his mouth curved as if I amused him. As if this entire situation amused the fuck out of him.
I crossed my arms. “You know what you did. And soon the entire fucking world will know it.” I stepped back, the hate I felt toward him oozing out of my pores like pus from an infected wound. “You better leave before I decide to cut your motherfucking throat before you even have a chance to confess.”
The smirk on his face remained. “I have nothing to confess. You, on the other hand, seem to have quite a bit to confess. Forcing a young woman to marry you so you can get her shares in a company you don’t even want is not appropriate behavior, Marcello.”