by Bella J.
“Good.” I toyed with the fabric of my dress between my fingers. “We’re good.”
“Just good?”
“We’re fine, Dad. How is Mom? Has Alessa gone back to Oxford yet?”
“Your mother is perfectly fine, and Alessa is still here at home. We managed to convince her to stay awhile before going back.”
Instantly, the hair at the back of my neck stood up. My father never cared whether Alessa was home or not. Why would he suddenly convince her to stay?
I paced. “Dad, why are you calling?”
“Can a father not check in on his newly-wedded daughter?”
“You’re checking up on me, aren’t you? Making sure I’m fulfilling my duty.”
“Now, Daniela, there is no need for hostility. But since you brought it up, we might as well discuss it.”
I clenched my jaw and closed my eyes, my fingers clutching the receiver tighter. “There is nothing to discuss. My marriage to Gian is personal and not something I want to discuss with my father.”
There were a few seconds of silence before he cleared his throat. “Very well. I’ll just remind you, then, of what’s at stake.”
“I know what’s at stake,” I gritted between clenched teeth. “You’ve reminded me plenty even before the wedding.”
“Then, I’ll remind you again.”
I heard the click of his pen in the background and pictured him sitting behind his desk, a glass of whiskey adding another stain to the mahogany surface.
“Do what is expected of you to keep your husband happy. I’d hate to find out that Gian isn’t happily married to my daughter.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose and closed my eyes, biting my tongue as curses begged to be spat out. “I know, Dad.”
“Good. I’d hate to tell Alessa that she can no longer attend Oxford simply because her older sister couldn’t do what was expected of her.”
Tears burned, and anger simmered. “You know what?” I started. “One good thing about being married is that I no longer have to listen to you. I only have my husband to keep happy now. Send my love to Mom and Alessa.”
I hung up and swallowed, a painful tightness in my throat. What I felt wasn’t shock or disbelief. I had always known where my father stood on the subject of his oldest daughter’s happiness. But whatever it was that I felt, it was deep, and it fucking oozed. Maybe there was merit to Gian’s hate of my father.
My father had made it crystal clear that if I did anything to embarrass him or to risk the peace between our families, Alessa would be the one to pay the price. I’d do whatever was needed to keep that from happening.
My gaze swept up the staircase, my chest tight, and lungs struggling to expand. Maybe it had been long enough. Perhaps it was time for me to fulfill my duty as Gian’s wife…completely.
With every step I took toward the bedroom, my heart beat faster as it knocked against my ribs. Adrenaline surged, and I could feel the heat build inside my veins. I toyed with my thumbs, slowly making my way down the hall, my stomach a giant ball of nerves that cut at my insides with shards of glass.
The scent of freshly polished furniture clung to the air, and I took a deep breath when I reached for the doorknob. The click of the latch sounded like a gunshot right next to my ear, all my senses heightened as I walked into the room, which always smelled like him—expensive cologne and Italian leather.
My heart skipped a beat when I found Gian leaning against the windowsill, arms crossed, staring right at me as if he had been waiting for me. His blue shirt was unbuttoned, hair disheveled, and eyes threatening as any deadly predator. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t afraid. I’d be a fool not to fear him; a man like Gian could easily ruin a woman like me. I didn’t need experience when it came to sex to know Gian wasn’t gentle. He proved that the other night. He was a hunter, an untamed brute who dominated and devoured. Undoubtedly, Gian Silvestro would consume me whole, leaving no part of me untouched and unscathed.
My insides twisted, and sweat pooled in my palms. It was the first time since the night he had me tied me to the bed that we were in this same room together, and I had to consciously push the memory from my mind out of fear it would smother my courage.
I took a deep breath, feeling the air settling in my lungs as my chest tightened. But the longer I stood there with him staring at me, studying me, scrutinizing mee, the more palpable the atmosphere around us became.
He tilted his head to the side, dropping his hands to the edge of the windowsill. “Something on your mind, Faye?”
I swallowed, knowing he loved taunting me by calling me Faye—my name rolling off his lips like liquid seduction, igniting a spark of hunger deep within my veins.
My hand shook as I reached up, gradually tugging at the bow that kept my wrap-around dress intact.
The bow untangled, and with a gentle pull on the inside tie, the layers of chiffon fell to my sides, revealing nothing but a pair of light blue panties. I sucked in a breath when the summer air caressed my naked skin, Gian’s gaze sweeping down my body, and I watched his expression hardened with promises of wicked acts and carnal sins.
I thought marrying a man was the most daunting moment of my life, but I was wrong. Standing half-naked in front of Gian was unnerving, my courage hanging by a thread because of self-doubt that swarmed through my thoughts.
What if I’m not pretty enough?
What if my body isn’t attractive enough?
What if I’m not sensual enough?
A man like Gian was used to perfection when it came to women’s bodies, and mine was far from it.
His eyes locked with mine as he straightened, my angst making him seem larger, his shoulders broader, his expression more menacing. His amber irises raked up and down my body, drinking me in as he walked across the room. The moment he stilled before me, I held my breath, my heart beating like a jackhammer, about to crack through my ribs at any moment.
“What is this?” The tenor in his voice was low, dark, intimidating, yet his lips curled with amusement.
“I’m your wife,” I whispered and let the dress slip from my arms to pool around my bare feet on the floor. “This is how it should be, isn’t it?”
A gasp slipped from my lips when he traced a fingertip leisurely up my stomach, reaching the swell of my breast.
“After fighting me around every corner, defying me every chance you get, you’re here to what? Finally, consummate our marriage?”
I bit the inside my flushed cheeks, my mind blank of any answers.
He raised a brow, his finger still drawing delicate circles around the swell of my breast. “Does this have anything to do with the conversation you just had with your father?”
“What?”
The scar on his top lip moved as he smirked. “This is my house, Daniela.”
“You listened to our phone call?”
His silence was answer enough.
“That was a private conversation.” I wanted to be angry, but there was something stronger pulling at my insides. It was intoxicating and exhilarating being so close to him, feeling his touch against my breast, the gentle swirl of his finger around my pebbled nipple.
“Your sister. He’s using your sister.”
I licked my lips. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I knew there was something he was using to control you. You’re too strong, too stubborn to have someone dictate your life like this.” Abruptly, he palmed my breast, feeling its weight in his hand, earning a whimper from my lips. “He’s threatening to marry Alessa off the same way he did you.”
I bit my lip, torn between the annoyance of his blatant invasion of my privacy and the desire that bloomed inside my core.
“He reminded you to keep me happy, reminded you what was at stake if you failed.”
Tears stung the back of my eyes, and he squeezed harder before taking my nipple between his fingers, tugging and pulling, and heat spread down my spine.
“And that’s why you’r
e here now, naked and so willing to give yourself to me. You’re protecting your sister from the same fate.”
I remained silent. There was no need to speak the truth, as it would only reiterate what he just said.
“Admirable,” he murmured, “but foolish.”
His hand dropped from my breast, and I instantly mourned the loss of his touch, only to hum once again as his fingers teased along the waistband of my panties. “I told you I wouldn’t touch you again unless you wanted me to.”
“I want you to.”
“Liar.” His hand snaked inside my panties, and I moaned out loud as he palmed my sex. “The problem is, whether you’re lying or not, we both know I’m not a good man. And with you standing in front of me, naked and so willing, there’s no way in hell I can stop myself from taking you. So, I am only going to ask you this once, Faye. And you only get this one chance to say no. If you say yes now, I won’t accept a no later.”
“I won’t—”
“Hush.” He pressed a finger against my lips. “Let me ask you first.”
The wicked grin on his face should have been a warning, a sign of his need to play. To hunt. He pulled his hand from my panties, yet kept his fingers against the skin of my waist, dragging his touch all around as he circled me with slow, calculated steps. I could feel his leering stare on me, how it caressed my flesh with a heat that seeped through my pores.
“Do you want me to fuck you, Faye? Make you bleed?”
Fear slammed against my spine, and I looked at him in question.
He stopped in front of me, his finger lingering against my silk panties. “You’ve never been with a man before. It will hurt before it feels good. Your blood will coat my cock and stain my sheets. Do you want that?”
I sucked on my bottom lip, both dreading and anticipating how it would feel to be with him.
“Well…what will your answer be?”
The golden hues in his eyes gleamed with something primal. It should have scared me, but instead, it captivated me. “Yes.”
One word. One moment. And it could lead to a thousand mistakes.
“Get on the bed,” he ordered, and I didn’t hesitate for a second, determined to get through this.
I sat down on the mattress, the silk sheets soft against my thighs. I scooted up to the top without taking my eyes off him and lay back on the pillows.
I held my breath, watching Gian take off his shirt and unzipping his pants, slipping them off. Even naked, Gian looked regal, majestic…ruthless. Roped muscles stretched along his abdomen, a dusting of hair covering his chest, his olive skin perfectly unblemished—except for the tattoo I knew covered his back.
He didn’t say a word while he stood there at the end of the bed with his cock hard and standing proud. Just from his gaze alone, I was already writhing on top of the covers.
“You said yes, Faye. I will no longer accept a no. Understand?” The mattress dipped as he got on, and I simply nodded. There was no going back now. I knew that.
“Say it,” he demanded. “Say you understand.”
“I understand.” My voice sounded brave and daring, yet I was quivering on the inside because I had no idea what to expect. Not from him.
He leaned over me and hooked his fingers into the sides of my panties. “Lift your hips.”
I obeyed, and he gently pulled them down my hips, my thighs, until finally slipping them off. Warm fingers wrapped around my ankle. Soft. Gentle. A teasing of flesh against flesh, and he lifted my leg, pressing his lips against the sensitive skin on the inside of my calf. It was such a simple act, yet it ignited a flurry of sensations that trickled across my flesh. My back arched as his delicate kisses continued upward. It was so slow. So tender and gentle.
The deceptive calm before a destructive storm.
“I need you ready for me, your body prepared to take my cock. Otherwise, this will hurt much more than it has to.”
His mouth floated to the crease between my thigh and pelvis and lapped at my flesh, forcing a heavy breath from my lips.
“Just do it.” I whimpered, clutching the silk pillows between my fingers. “Please.”
“As much as I want to ram my dick inside you right now and fuck you for days, you need it this way. Trust me.”
My eyes fluttered open, and I lifted myself on my elbows to look down at him, dark brows framing wild eyes. I watched his lips form the perfect O and moaned when his breath caressed my sex. Shivers ran up my spine, and I craned my neck back as my eyes rolled closed.
“You like that? My warm breath against your wet pussy lips?”
I answered with an appreciative moan, relishing the exquisite thrill that bubbled inside me.
With his palms flat against my inner thighs, he forced my legs wider, his thumbs finding my sensitive folds, spreading them, teasing the tip of his tongue against my clit.
“Oh, God,” I moaned as a shockwave slammed against my core, causing every limb to tremble. I’d never felt anything like this—a basic need to be consumed. To be taken to the edge with the promise of falling.
“How does it feel to have a man’s tongue against your cunt?”
“Good,” I whispered, placing my palm against my forehead, arching my back, my body writhing and muscles tensing.
His warm lips touched my wet folds, and I cried out when his tongue prodded against my entrance. He groaned, the sound vibrating against my swollen flesh, rippling up to my core as he licked upward, taking my clit into his mouth.
I moaned when he pulled away, his fingers tugging at the curls. “I’m serious when I say this stays. You hear?”
Euphoria had crept in from every corner of my mind, possessing more of me little by little.
He tugged harder, and I yelped. “Do you hear me?”
“Yes,” I breathed. “Yes.”
“Good.” His lips were back against my sex, and I reached down, weaving my fingers through his hair, his tongue lapping harder, faster, from my clit to my entrance and back up. The throbbing he evoked between my legs ached mercilessly, and it was almost too much to bear. Too strong. Pleasure and pain fused into an onslaught I wasn’t sure I could handle.
“Jesus, Faye. Your taste, it’s fucking with my control, and your pussy is dripping for me.” I felt my sex grow wetter with each passing second, his lips and tongue creating the most sensual smacking noises that amplified the desire that bloomed so fiercely inside me.
Every muscle in my body started to burn, and I ground my body, lifting my hips, needing more. Gian knew this and slipped a finger inside me, the last push I needed before my climax exploded, fragments of pleasure flooding my pelvis, through my core, and up my spine.
“That’s it.” He breathed against my center, inserting a second finger. “Ride it out.” And I did, flexing my hips as my orgasm crested, my skin hot and body coiled so tight I was sure it would snap in half. “God, that’s beautiful,” he murmured, “watching you come. Your body, your face, your lips—it’s exquisite.”
Every inhibition was gone, replaced by my animal self, finally tasting the pleasure of a man taking control of my body. I became unhinged, lost within the seductive touch of my husband.
My skin tingled, and the ecstasy withered as his touch slowed to a rhythm that allowed my body to settle. My mind was void of every thought, and I was on sensory overload as Gian lifted himself, settling his weight between my legs.
My eyes fluttered open, loving the way his skin felt against mine, our heated flesh crushed together. He wiped a curl from my face, my chest rising and falling with my uneven gasps. Steadily, he held himself there as his head dipped to my neck, his lips touching my sensitive skin, sucking gently and nibbling as he worked his way down, across my collarbone, creating a frenzy of sensation that feathered over my flesh.
Sweat beaded on my forehead, and I squirmed under his touch, unsure if I could take any more. But anticipation broke through the exhaustion as he wrapped his lips around my nipple, sucking gently. Then roughly. Then gently again, flicking h
is tongue slowly. Fast. Slow.
“Gian—”
“Shh. Just lay there and take what I give you.”
Palming my other breast, kneading, squeezing, and tugging at the pebbled bud, his body started to rock on top of mine. Our skin rubbed together like silk, his cock slipping between the crease at my thigh, massaging back and forth—his shaft hard and hot.
His back arched, and he reached between us, dragging a finger through my wet slit. “Now you’re ready.”
I held my breath, steeling myself for what was to come. I bit my lip and pinched my eyes closed as he guided the tip of his cock to my entrance.
“Look at me, Faye.”
I opened my eyes and stared into his, mesmerized by the hunger I saw in them. The carnal wantonness that darkened every line on his face.
“You need to breathe.” He eased forward, his cock entering me. I was just about to cry out from the blunt pressure when he pulled out before slipping back in again. Just a little more than before. “Breathe, Faye.”
God, what was happening? This wasn’t what I expected. I prepared myself for an onslaught, to be mercilessly used by a callous man. Instead, it was the complete opposite.
He balanced himself on his elbow, his face inches from mine, covered with lines of exertion. “Put your arms around me.”
I did, and he leaned his forehead against mine.
“The next part is going to hurt.”
My breath hitched.
“Claw at my back if you need to.”
I closed my eyes.
“You ready?”
“Yes.” I nodded, and Gian moved, pushing inside me the same time his lips crashed against mine. Pain erupted in my groin, feeling as if my insides were being torn apart. I tried to scream, but his kiss drowned out the noise, his tongue lapping against mine hungrily, ravaging my mouth. My legs shook as he reared back, allowing me a few seconds’ reprieve before plunging back in, fire erupting inside me all over again. I clutched his shoulders, digging my nails into his flesh—the only outlet I had since he held my mouth prisoner with a kiss that made it possible for me to feel pain and passion at the same time.
With another thrust, I dragged my nails down his back, a groan ripping from his throat, escaping from his lips onto mine. Our bodies were fused, and while I still adjusted to the fullness, to have him buried to the hilt inside me, my hips moved.