by Piper Stone
“Then why lead them?”
“To effect change.” He held up his glass, chuckling before taking a sip.
I wasn’t certain what to do with the information. “And he’s become one of them.”
“I think Christian realized that it’s difficult for anyone to make significant changes. The sect and the Council are all my family has ever known, yours as well. We are too intertwined with outsiders to break our own rules. We also have far too many enemies, secrets that if unveiled would destroy us.”
“So you’ve told me.”
“But you don’t want to accept that,” he said as he turned toward me. “The sect has been sparring with the Taglionis for two decades. I think the end is near.”
“The end?”
He nodded. While there was nothing terrifying about his voice or his stance, in his eyes I could see sheer resolve. He was determined to fight whatever was attempting to destroy the sect. I wasn’t certain whether to admire him or hate him even more.
“They’ve attempted to move in on our turf for years. What occurred with Capodanno Enterprises was their last effort. Both Christian and I knew they weren’t done. With Christian being in charge of the Council, my guess is they are running scared, prepared to do anything in order to get a foot in the door.”
“Including threatening my father.” That made sense why they seemed forced, pretending they were happy about the ceremony.
“Yes. My guess is that the Taglionis have something on your father, which is why he initially offered your hand in marriage for Franco.”
“Then why the change? Why didn’t he just drop me off on their doorstep?”
Sighing, he glanced toward the water, a wistful look in his eyes. “The Council and the Sacred Sect hold more power, even though new members must be appointed. Your father knew that the only way to keep you safe and not break his oath to the sect was to allow the ceremony with the Box to move forward.”
I closed my eyes, trying to rationalize everything he was saying. “Since we’re here, does that mean the Taglionis know that my father broke his vow?”
“Without a doubt.”
“Did you warn him? Did you?” I challenged, inching closer.
“He is being protected. That I promise you.”
“I don’t know whether to believe you or not.”
Matteo gave me a stern look. “I might dislike your father, Winter, but I won’t allow him to face whatever wrath Don Taglioni has in store. And they will not lay their hands on you.”
I turned away from him, folding my arms. “My parents found it easy to use me as a bargaining chip. Do you know how that makes me feel?”
“And Christian used me much like he did months ago. The good of the sect.”
“How can you stand to live this way? How can you tolerate being used, forced to play by these crazy rules?” As before, I felt the heat of his body surrounding me, the fire shared between us always lit, always hungry for fuel. I was lightheaded, struggling with my emotions and my desire. Matteo seemed so sincere, as if he really cared about me.
He wrapped his arms around me, refusing to let me go even as I struggled. “Listen to me,” he whispered, his lips brushing across my neck. “There are rules no matter what you do or how you live. Some can be beneficial, and they also keep the peace, sanctity of a relationship. I’ve never seen Christian happier than after he met his wife. I never thought it possible. He’s not the kind of man who accepts being forced into anything.”
“I’m not Stephanie and you’re not Christian, although you are very much alike. Controlling. Manipulative. I don’t know if I can follow the kind of rules you have in mind.”
“What do you think I’ll force you to do?”
I bit my lip as I thought about the question. “You’re going to control everything about me. My clothes. My friends. My perfume. I know what my mother has had to go through. She is nothing but a pretty fixture on my father’s arm.”
“While I will love having you on my arm, showing off my beautiful wife, I have no desire to select your clothing. However, I will enjoy buying you beautiful things and that is a husband’s prerogative. As I said, some rules can be enticing, even needed, much like discipline.”
Every word he was saying I wanted to refute but I couldn’t. I was slowly sinking into a realm that I had no way of recovering from. “I always saw my mother as being so weak, a frail woman who had no way of getting out of her relationship. Today, she told me she adored my father and had since she was a young girl, dreaming about him. I was shocked because I never saw that side of them.”
“Looks can be deceiving.”
“I know, but they were my parents and I never knew they were desperately in love. I want that kind of adoration. Perhaps I’m a fool, but I desire the romance and the intense longing that never leaves you, the kind that keeps you breathless with anticipation. I want to merely walk into a room and know the man who loves me has eyes for no one else. I know, it’s far too much of a fairytale and I stopped believing in those a long time ago. There’s no such thing.”
“I crave you, Winter, and you are definitely not a fool. I can’t explain why except that from the very second I saw you in the greenhouse, I knew you would become mine. You create a fire in me that I haven’t experienced my entire life. I don’t give a shit about the Box, but I do care about my family. I want you to be a part of my world. I want you in my life. Dear God, I want you to be able to trust me. I refuse to allow anything, including the ridiculous sect rules to take away my chance at happiness.”
“That’s not enough,” I whispered, tingling all over as he crowded even closer, rubbing his throbbing cock against me. As he slid his hands along my arms, moving them slowly down my sides, a moan escaped my lips.
“Isn’t it? Isn’t the way you shudder every time you’re touched enough to create something special?”
I shifted slowly, prepared to face him. “Don’t use that word. My mother repeated it over and over again. I want something that’s real, not contrived. I long for the passion and lust that leaves you breathless, hungering for more, but I also need friendship. You don’t know anything about me, or at least I thought you didn’t.” I pulled away, remembering the clothing and shoes, the gin sitting on the counter. I couldn’t believe he’d gone to such lengths.
“What’s wrong?”
“You stalked me or at least you had some of your thugs search my apartment to find out what I wear, my size. You even know what I like to drink. I don’t think that’s either a relationship or a trust builder.”
He chuckled under his breath, lifting my chin with a single finger. Instantly, I had flashbacks to the dream from the night before, my nipples aching to be twisted and plucked, my pussy longing to have his cock buried deep inside.
“I have no idea where you live, Winter.”
“The clothes fit perfectly, even my sandals. The gin. How do you explain that? Tell me. There is no freaking way you could have figured that out without going into my apartment and sifting through my things. My God, and you want me to trust you?”
He gripped my chin with his thumb and forefinger, guiding me closer. “I found out everything I could about you for this trip by calling your mother.”
Wait a minute. Whoa.
“I...” Another round of confusion settled in, my mind swirling. “My mother doesn’t really know me, especially my life in Florida.”
“I think you don’t realize how much your mother loves you and how close of attention she pays to what’s happening with her only daughter. By the way, she told me in no uncertain terms that if I ever hurt you, she would stop at nothing to rip out my heart. I believe her.”
Every part of me was shaking as a few layers of my armor fell away, longing to allow him inside, to share my life and everything I cared about.
“Why. Why act like you want to learn anything about me?” My question was barely audible. A cold shiver trickled down my spine, the uncertainty about him creating butterflies in my stomach.
As he lowered his head until our lips were almost touching, my body swayed back and forth. And when he spoke, his sensual tone further ignited the fire.
“I want to get to know everything about you. Every. Single. Thing. Your taste in music and food, wine and books. I want to sip wine on the sand as we talk about anything and nothing. I want to feast on succulent foods, sharing the richest in decadence. And I crave to learn every inch of your body, taking my time to explore the delicious nuances. This is our chance to find out if the fire shared between us is real, but only if you trust me. The question is do you think you can do that?”
As I gazed into his eyes, I could see the crack in the door leading to his very soul. I wanted desperately to believe him, to see if we could share passion in every aspect of our lives.
He was my nemesis.
My kryptonite.
I wanted to let go for once, to bask in the glory of passion. I longed to pretend that the horrors surrounding us weren’t real, that we were just a simple couple spending time together. And I craved more than anything the feel of his fingers touching every inch of my body, driving me inch by inch into raw and sensational ecstasy.
And so...
I said yes.
Chapter Eleven
Matteo
Yes.
The simple word held more meaning that anyone who’d ever stated it before. I’d warned her I wasn’t a good man, at least not in the terms of the kind of person who should be in her life, but I refused to let her go under any circumstances. As I pulled her into my arms, sliding my hand down her back, she pressed her hands against my chest, her lower lip quivering.
“God, I want you,” I whispered as I fisted her hair, dragging her as close to my body as possible. Every cell seemed to be exploding from the raging desire, my needs more primitive than ever before.
“I’m afraid.”
“I won’t let anyone hurt you. Not ever.”
Winter’s eyes became more imploring as she rose onto her tiptoes. “I’m not worried about the monsters living in the shadows. I’m terrified of you. Of this. Of what we will be forced to do.”
I wanted to tell her that everything was going to be all right, that we wouldn’t have to endure what might be the wrath of God, but I didn’t like to make promises that I couldn’t keep. What we’d be faced with could destroy everything that we might build, but there were no other choices. “You should be afraid of me, but I will never harm you. I may be one of those monsters in your eyes, but I’m not that kind of man.” As I lowered my head, I heard the slight moan escaping her lips, could feel her trembling in my arms.
She didn’t deserve any of this.
I was the one who deserved to face the real monsters threatening to consume us.
If only I could figure out exactly who they were.
The moment our lips touched, she gripped my shirt, her long fingers digging into my chest. I held her in place, darting out my tongue and tracing her sweet lips. I would taste every inch of her, devouring her at will. And I would show her the true pleasures of submitting, giving every inch of her body as well as the entirety of her soul.
But only if she could learn to trust.
I captured her mouth, yanking her even harder until her back was arched, her legs entangled in mine. Everything about the taste was sweeter, the almost instant intoxication igniting the flames that threatened to combust. My cock throbbed as I rubbed it against her, drinking in the scent of her feminine wiles.
She was as aroused as I was, her scattered moans as the kiss continued pure rocket fuel. I slipped my tongue inside, darting it back and forth across hers before taking over, driving the tip towards the back of her throat. I couldn’t seem to get enough of her.
Her taste.
Her perfume.
Her touch.
I became a crazed beast, a man who couldn’t take no for an answer. She was mine. Box or no freaking Box, I refused to let her go. The thought only added another round of surging electricity, my balls tightening. As the kiss became a manic moment shared, I could no longer think clearly. I had to be inside of her. I had to bury my face into her pretty pink pussy.
My heart skipping several beats, I cupped her bottom, the beast within me ready to rip off her clothes. With every guttural sound, every mewl she made, my desires increased, leaving me lightheaded.
When I could take it no more, I broke the intimate moment, lifting her into my arms and heading for the house. She kept her shimmering eyes pinned on mine as I took long strides. I could see so many questions mixed with her intense longing.
At that moment I was terrified of destroying her innocence, but there was no backing down.
Tonight, I would make her mine.
Now.
And for forever.
I didn’t bother shutting the door, my hunger too great. I headed into the bedroom, kissing her lips gently before easing her down. Her face remained pensive as she quivered in my arms.
“Matteo,” she whispered. There was no doubt she was debating whether she could place her trust in me, if only for a single night.
A growl slipped past my lips as I tore the shirt from my body, tossing it into the corner, adoring the way her nipples pressed against the thin material of her dress.
Winter backed away from me, her mouth pursing, her heated gaze driving the beast to the surface. She turned in a full circle, sliding her fingers down her long neck as she closed her eyes. I watched in fascination as she trailed them down her chest, rolling her fingers around her nipples several times as she swayed her hips back and forth.
“Don’t tease me, Winter.” She knew exactly what she was doing to me.
“Or?” she asked coyly.
“Or I will spank your bottom cherry red.”
“But I’m a good girl.”
A series of scattered breaths rushed up from my diaphragm, my vision suddenly cloudy. “You are one naughty woman, but you will learn to obey me.”
She gave me a pouty look yet refused to stop, dragging the tips of her fingers further down until she dipped them dangerously close to her pussy.
After a few seconds, I couldn’t take anymore, advancing toward her like the true predator I was, stopping only inches in front of her. No. This has to be done in the right way. She needed to conform, to learn to obey my every command. “Remove your dress.”
Winter studied my face before nodding, slowly pulling the frock over her shoulders. As she held the material out beside her, finally letting go, I feasted on her body with my eyes. There was nothing more arousing than a woman standing in a lacey thong and nothing else. She was truly the most beautiful woman I’d ever set eyes on, her rosy nipples fully erect and her hips swaying provocatively.
Just seeing her voluptuous body and the way her eyes lowered, as if respecting me was far too enticing. My entire mind was foggy, only concentrating on taking her in every hole. Even though I was losing control, my hunger shifting into a place of no return, I managed to retreat, finally pointing toward the floor. “Come to me.”
She remained defiant, her mouth twisting in frustration from the basic command. After taking a deep breath, she dropped to her knees, tossing her head back and forth. Always the vixen, the woman who would challenge me at every turn.
My mouth was dry as I waited to see what she would do. When she brushed her fingers through her hair before planting her hands in front of her, I sucked in my breath. As she crawled toward me, her eyes lit with the fire from her depths, my cock throbbed to the point of pain. While I knew this was nothing more than a façade, a game she was playing, I relished the thought of her surrender. She would remain the strong woman, refusing to give in.
And I adored her even more because of her tenacity as well as her disobedience.
As she continued her slow crawl, seductive purrs pushing past her luscious lips, the longing only continued to intensify. Every nerve stood on end as she padded across the floor, every move deliberate. She had a way about her that refused to be denied, a creative
method of seduction. I could only imagine how she commanded any room, her subtle yet expressive actions drawing in every male.
I could barely contain my hunger as she crawled between my legs, rubbing her cheek against my thigh. I’d experienced several beautiful and feisty women in my life, but none so enthralling as Winter.
Or as disobedient.
This was her method of taking control, forcing me to watch her moment of seduction.
I closed my eyes as she slowly slid her hands along the insides of my legs, her fingers kneading through the light fabric of my trousers. I held my breath as she teased, her delicate touch driving another round of electric current into every tendon and muscle. I was floored at the way my body reacted, something so simple creating palpitations. Every sensation became more incredible, my body shaking as her hands neared my cock. My mouth watered at the thought of having her lips wrapped around my shaft, sucking like the good little girl I knew she could be.
“What do you want?” she asked, the tone of her voice holding a daring element.
As if I wouldn’t tell her.
As if I wouldn’t command her.
“All of you,” I stated, my voice little more than a growl. I fisted her hair, forcing her to look at me, barely able to control my breathing.
A sly smile crossed her face as she brushed her fingers around along the insides of my thighs. When she dragged a single finger across my cock, I sucked in my breath. As she cupped my balls, squeezing through the fabric, I could barely contain the beast within.
“Every inch?” she whispered, the pressure her fingers created kicking up the adrenaline. I wasn’t going to be gentle with her.
“Yes,” I huffed, digging my fingers into her head as she pressed her lips against my cloth-covered cock. I watched in fascination as she took her time unbuttoning, tugging on the zipper as if she had all the time in the world. She knew exactly what she was doing to me, the temptation she was presenting.
