Nero slid in the car and put the car in drive, pulling out.
“Why were you the one to pick me up?” Elle finally asked.
Nero shrugged. “Because I went over to your parents’ house to get you some things and told them I would.”
Elle’s mouth dropped open. My parents’ house! “What the hell? You pay for my medical bills and they roll out the golden carpet!”
Nero smiled, flashing his teeth at her.
Elle crossed her arms. “Nero, you can’t just pay for my lunch, school, and hospital bills to fix what happened between us. I don’t care about how much money you have!”
Nero gripped the steering wheel. “I know you don’t give a shit about how much money I have. Besides, I didn’t pay for everything to make up for what I did, Elle. I did it to make your life easier, and what do you do? You fucking go pick up even more hours than you started school out with.”
Elle darted her face to look at him. “How did you know that?”
“Do you really think I would let you go to work alone after what happened to you?”
“You’ve been following me this entire time?” Elle whispered.
“Every fucking day,” Nero gritted out.
Oh, my God. Elle blinked, remaining in shock at Nero’s actions. If Elle hadn’t been such a zombie these past few months, she would have noticed and maybe…
Elle watched Nero drive past the road to go to her house. “You missed the turn.”
“No, I didn’t,” Nero said matter-of-factly.
“Well, then where are we going?” Elle didn’t understand. She wasn’t in good shape to go anywhere.
“Home.”
What is he thinking? “Nero, I’m not going anywhere with you. Especially not your house where you fucked countless girls only to fuck me right there, too. And there’s no telling the girls you’ve fucked these past few months.”
Nero flexed his jaw and gripped the steering wheel without saying a word.
Elle felt bad as soon as she said it, even if it was the truth. She could feel his anger beside her, his pain. She closed her eyes and rested her head on the door, wishing her off switch would come back. She also wished her heart hadn’t been stolen from her. Elle suffered from a big wound right in her chest, and no matter how sore her body was, none of it hurt as much as that.
When Nero didn’t go in the direction of his house, Elle asked him over and over where he was going, but he never said a word. Elle really began to worry when Nero parked out front of the Kansas City Casino Hotel, right next to her work. That was where Nero’s family had come from when they’d killed the man.
She watched Nero walk to her door and open it. Elle didn’t want to go in, but Nero leaned over, swooped her out of the car and slowly put her to her feet.
“N-Nero, why are we here?” Elle tried to get out.
Nero grabbed her around her waist to hold her up. “It’s okay, Elle. You know I’m not going to hurt you.”
Elle took a deep breath and put her weight into Nero, letting him walk her inside. When he opened the door, her head felt like it was going to explode from all the noise of the machines and the change swishing around. She had to close her eyes and let Nero guide her. Nero walked her to an escalator and held her to him to steady her. She couldn’t take the pain anymore; therefore, she put her head into Nero’s chest, wanting it to go away.
Nero leaned down to whisper in her ear, “I’m sorry, baby. I should have brought you in the back.”
At the top, Nero quickly swept her off the escalator. Up here, it wasn’t so loud, and she was able to open her eyes. She saw a security guard wave Nero past the crowd, and then they headed toward some elevators. Nero led her onto an elevator and went to press a button when a crowd of people joined on. He pulled her toward him again.
Elle put her face back in Nero’s chest, not wanting to see the looks people were giving her. She thought the elevator ride was the longest one of her life as it kept stopping and starting, making her sick.
She felt one of Nero’s hands leave her for a moment before it returned and started soothing her.
This time, when the elevator went up, it didn’t stop for quite a bit. When she heard the elevator door open, Nero moved for her to walk again. That’s when Elle noticed the button lit, indicating they were on the top floor.
Nero took a right and led her down a long hallway until he reached the last door on the left. He pulled out a key and slid it through the slot like a credit card before opening the door.
Elle walked through the door Nero held open for her and her mouth dropped open. It was a loft. The downstairs had a big, flat-screen TV, a leather sofa, and a huge kitchen and dining room all connected. Everything was black and white, and everything was brand new and modern. Elle still couldn’t pick her mouth off the floor when she saw the view. It was a corner suite with floor-to-ceiling views.
Nero took her hand and led her up the steps where she saw a huge black and white bed low to the floor. The windows had carried up behind the bed, making the city the backdrop.
“Where are we?” She was in complete awe, never having seen anything like this even in a magazine.
Nero couldn’t take his eyes off Elle’s amazed face. “Home.”
Elle, shocked, turned to look at him. “You live here now? How?”
“My father owns the hotel, and he’s been saving this room for me since I could remember. I got to design it a few months ago, and it was just finished last week. Do you like it?”
“Yes, it’s beautiful.” Elle looked down at the black, hardwood floors. “Was he waiting to give it to you when you joined the family business?”
Nero sighed and walked toward her. Taking her hand again, he brought her to a door and opened it.
Elle saw a huge, walk-in closet just as big as Maria’s—wait.
“Are those my clothes?”
Nero took Elle’s chin in his hand. “Yes. I’ve been telling you this is your home now.”
What in the hell? “Did my parents approve of this? How in the world did they agree to this?”
“I told them you needed to be monitored, and I could provide that. I have a doctor on call who will check on you. Baby, you hit your head pretty hard this time. You clearly just had a headache, and if they get worse, that’s not good.”
Elle moved away from Nero, all of this too much, too fast for her to handle. She felt a little betrayed by her parents and by Nero for not even asking her if that was what she wanted. He’s acting like I don’t have a choice.
“I need to take a shower.” Then I’m calling someone and I’m leaving. Elle would leave now if she didn’t feel so gross. She still felt the hospital all over her.
Nero nodded his head. “The bathroom is over there.” He pointed to the only other door up here.
Elle looked through the closet rack, trying to find something comfortable for her to wear; nothing. She noticed some of her clothes were not here, mostly just the ratty ones. Elle decided to look through the drawers of a big chest in the closet and saw a bunch of lingerie with tags still on them. What the fuck?
She looked at the sizes and saw they were all correct for her. You have got to be shitting me.
Elle went through the rest of the drawers, hoping she would find something comfortable to wear, but the only thing comfortable-looking were Nero’s t-shirts. Fuck!
Elle went back to the rack and snatched down a pair of jeans and a sweater. Before she left the closet, she saw a white dress hanging up. When she realized what dress it was, she wanted to stomp on it.
Elle came out of the closet with just her sweater and jeans. When she saw Nero sitting on the bed smiling, she stomped off into the bathroom where she slammed the door shut.
Fuck you!
Chapter Forty-Seven
Wash Me
Elle rested her head on the bathroom door, trying not to cry. She was feeling far too overwhelmed; just days ago, she had felt nothing, and now she could feel everything again. All these differ
ent emotions were hitting her full-force from reading Nero’s letter, being in the hospital, and then talking to Nero again.
Elle’s tears started to flow as she silently cried in the bathroom. When she turned around, the bathroom was just as gorgeous and modern as the rest of the apartment. It was floor-to-ceiling black and white tile, a huge walk-in shower, double sinks, and a bathtub that looked like a huge bowl.
She tried to muffle her tears as she began attempting to pull her shirt off. A moment later, she felt Nero’s hands at her shirt.
“Get out!” she yelled at him through her crying.
“Let me help you, baby,” he murmured to her as he pulled the shirt over her head.
Elle quickly covered her exposed breasts and began to shake. “P-Please g-go.” Please, please, please. Elle knew she wasn’t strong enough to fight him.
Nero saw the huge blue and black marks on her stomach. “No.” His hands returned to her body and pulled down her sweatpants and panties. “I am not fucking leaving you again.”
It was too hard for Elle to stifle her crying anymore, so she merely let it out. “You hurt me, Nero.”
He pulled her to his body. “I know I did, and I’m sorry. I am so fucking sorry, Elle, for everything. I’m sorry I didn’t notice you for all those years, and that I didn’t say anything when they picked on you. I should have told you about my family, no matter how afraid I was to lose you, because I lost you anyway.” Nero made Elle look up at him. “I shouldn’t have let you go and left you alone for all those months, and I’m sorry I wasn’t there to protect you.”
Elle blinked back her new tears. “I’m sorry I didn’t see you hurt—”
“Shh, baby. You have nothing to be sorry for.” Nero wiped the tears off her face and then took her towards the shower. He quickly turned it on and checked the temperature before he led Elle to walk in.
Elle continued to hold her body while standing still under the water as she watched Nero pull off his clothes. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to fight him off. Truthfully, she didn’t want to anymore. She needed Nero because without him, she was nothing.
Elle backed up as Nero entered the shower, standing there as he took a loofa hanging from the wall and poured some soap on it. She grew nervous when he pulled her towards him to stand in front of her. He pushed at her hands to make her drop them from her body before he touched the soapy loofa to her skin and began washing.
Elle’s breath caught in her throat as Nero rubbed the loofa over her breasts. Then, when he lightly swiped down her abdomen, Elle’s stomach clenched as he ventured lower.
“Open,” Nero commanded.
Elle quickly spread her legs at Nero’s harsh word and got the pleasurable feeling back from doing as he asked. When the loofa went between her legs, Elle bit her bottom lip to avoid moaning. It had been a long time since she had been touched there, and she’d felt more of Nero’s hand than the loofa.
After what seemed like an eternity to her, Nero turned her around and washed her back. Elle saw the shampoo and grabbed it so she could wash her hair; it was the same shampoo at her house that she’d used for years, the kind with the berry scent. Elle smiled as she poured some on her hand and started rubbing it into her hair. He thought of everything.
Nero put Elle under the water and began rinsing her off, massaging his hands into her scalp. Elle thought she was going to draw blood from her lip by the time this was over, but before she knew it, she was all rinsed off.
Nero grabbed another loofa, pouring on some soap before handing it to her. “Wash me.”
Elle slowly took the loofa out of his hands and touched it to his chest. She began making circle movements over his body. She went from his chest down his arms and back to his chest, going lower to his abdomen.
Elle bit her lip again as she saw how hard his dick was. She ran the loofa down over his cock and balls and heard the deep groan out of Nero. She looked up at him, seeing the pain he was in. She had known he had to be in pain just by looking at how hard he was, though.
Elle went to run the loofa over his cock again except this time, her hand wrapped around his length.
Nero swiftly grabbed her wrist and kept her hand from moving. “Don’t. You’re still sore, and I’m on the verge of fucking you already.”
Elle looked back up at him curiously. “Is that why you haven’t kissed me yet?”
“Yes,” Nero gritted out.
The feeling of butterflies returned after being missing for months. Elle leaned forward and kissed Nero’s chest.
“Kiss me.” Elle looked up at him, and he planted his mouth on hers.
Elle hungrily kissed him back and squeezed her hand that was still over Nero’s cock, making him drop his hand. She took the opportunity and slid her hand down his length. She saw his eyes change to the wolf she remembered before watching him quickly leave the shower.
Elle frowned. She didn’t want him to leave her, but he was back before she could protest, seeing he had left to get a condom out of the bathroom drawer. When she looked at his face, she again saw his torment.
Nero pushed her up against the back shower wall with his body but stopped himself before he touched her.
“Baby, I don’t want to hurt you.” His hunger and conscience were fighting against each other.
Elle didn’t care how sore her body felt, or how badly Nero could hurt her by how hungry he must have been.
She leaned towards his chest and said, “I trust you,” before her tongue licked over his nipple.
In one quick motion, Nero had her legs wrapped around him and her back up against the wall, causing Elle to gasp and grab onto his shoulders. She could feel him press against her entrance, making the shower water not the only thing that slickened her flesh.
Nero took deep breaths, trying to calm his shaking. “Did I hurt you?”
Elle shook her head, staring into his emerald gaze.
“You’re the only girl I have looked at these past few months and imagined my dick sliding into. I haven’t fucked since the night I fucked you, Elle, and you’re the last one I will ever fuck. Tonight will be the first night anyone has slept in that bed and in this place. I couldn’t sleep here until you were in the bed beside me where you fucking belong.”
Holding her with one arm around her waist, he slowly slid her down onto his dick. Elle’s head fell forward onto his shoulder as a whimper escaped her throat. Then Nero began to pump high inside her slick pussy.
“Everything I wrote in that paper was true.” Nero’s hips quickly thrust back and forth, faster and faster, driving him in deeper and deeper.
Elle’s heart started to return to her at Nero’s words and actions. The first time they had been together, Nero had been tender and sweet. Now, Elle felt like she was stuck in the middle between pleasure and pain because Nero was fucking her hard, rough, and fast all at the same time while holding her gently against the wall. She knew he was doing twice the work by not letting her move her hips, afraid she would get hurt.
She could feel the water beating down his back and on her legs and arms, making it all the more erotic. Elle knew she wasn’t going to be able to last long, the build in her pussy growing strong from Nero fucking her so fast. She dug her nails deep down into his flesh as her legs squeezed him tighter to her.
Nero took his hand off her ass and grabbed her face to look at him. “I love you, baby. I fucking love you more than anything.”
Elle started shuddering and crying out as Nero somehow drove into her harder. Her body began to convulse as the climax rocketed through her. She clung to him as he reached his own peak, bringing a few more short bursts to her body.
“I love you, too,” Elle whispered as she went through the aftershocks. Her heart had fully returned.
Nero claimed Elle’s lips, driving his tongue deep into her mouth, tasting her sweetness once more. He pulled his cock out from inside of her but held her to him as he turned the water off and got out of the shower. Then he placed Elle against the sink
.
Elle braced herself, unable to stop from shaking. She didn’t know if it was the after effects from the fucking or from being cold from the shower. Elle shivered again. Both.
She watched him pull off his condom then throw it in the trashcan before he grabbed a towel. After Nero quickly dried Elle off before himself, he lifted her back into his arms and carried her to the bedroom where he lowered her down onto the bed.
Elle expected him to lie down with her, but instead, he went to the nightstand and pulled out the small, black box wrapped in the pink silk ribbon she had left behind months ago.
Nero lay down on the bed, grabbing Elle to lie beside him. He pulled the covers around them both and snugly wrapped Elle. Then he handed her the box for the second time.
Elle just stared at it. “You kept it?”
“Of course I did. Open it.”
She pulled the silk ribbon and it fluttered away. She then opened the box, revealing a rose gold chain and strawberry charm. “Nero, it’s beautiful.”
He took the box from her then pulled out the necklace. “I had planned to give it to you that night and tell you I loved you. That was the last gift I wanted you to get on your birthday.”
Elle’s heart ached for all the time they had lost together and the months they had been miserable. She sat up so Nero could finally put the necklace on her. Then Elle touched the necklace that hung from her neck and turned around to kiss Nero hard on the lips. “Thank you.”
Nero lay back down and held Elle to his chest. “I love you, Elle.”
Elle smiled against his chest. “I love you, too, Nero.”
Elle had dreamed about lying next to Nero. She had missed the feeling of him naked and beside her. When his hand started soothing her back, she melted into him, her lashes falling to rest on her cheeks. Nero turned out the light and kissed her on top of her head.
“Get some rest, baby.”
For the first time in what felt like forever, Elle fell fast asleep, without tears.
* * *
Elle started to wake when she felt the covers removed from her body. The air whipped at her skin, making her curl into a ball. She suddenly felt fingers circle her ankle and Elle opened her eyes.
Nero (Made Men #1) Page 28