Reluctant Bride

by Sam Crescent

  When he pulled away, Eve struggled to push air into her lungs. Part of her hated the fact he possessed the power to reduce her into this quivering mess of a woman. She might have started out as his reluctant bride, but Roman seemed intent on convincing her she was more than a pawn in his giant chessboard.

  “You promise?” she asked like a hopeful child.

  He nodded. “And I always keep my promises, wife.”

  Chapter Four

  The click of a lock made Eve’s entire body tense up. Roman leaned against the door, watching her with that same predatory look that no longer frightened her.

  “I’ve never done this before, you know. Sex,” she said, swallowing.

  Her lips felt parched, her throat dry. Roman seemed to read her mind because he walked to the tray table next to the bed and opened a bottled water. He handed it to her. She greedily drank. Eve had taken two glasses of wine earlier. Usually, she couldn’t handle excessive amounts of alcohol, but right now, she was unusually sober.

  She thought he’d make fun of her for still being a virgin, but he merely regarded her gravely.

  “Don’t worry. We’ll take things slow.” He paused. “You don’t believe me, but that’s fine, because you don’t know me. I don’t force myself on unwilling women. I don’t need to.”

  “Because they fall on your feet at the snap of your fingers?” she suggested. Powerful men attracted beautiful women like flies. She’d done some research on him. There had been a photo of him in last month’s paper. Roman had a Russian supermodel on his arm. The photographer had caught them while they were leaving some charity gala. Eve knew exactly what she looked like. Passably pretty but she didn’t shine like a star in a roomful of people like Lucille or her mother.

  “Do I detect jealousy in your voice, wife? There’s no need for it. All I can think about is you. We De Luca men take our wedding vows seriously.”

  She let out a jittery laugh. “Pity for you.”

  He gripped her chin to the point of pain. “No. I think I got the better end of the bargain. I didn’t expect such a pretty and defiant prize.”

  A prize. Of course, that was all she was to him, but when they kissed in that church, he’d melted. Became less cold and inhuman for her. She’d caught a glimpse of the real man beneath the suit. Was that all in her imagination?

  “What if you get bored?” she asked, point-blank.

  “I doubt that’ll happen.” Roman released her and stood behind her. “But I promise you this, you’ll always be taken care of.”

  He still wore his shoes, but his footsteps hardly made a single sound. He slowly unzipped her dress as if he had all the time in the world. The beaded fabric slid down her breasts, her hips, and finally landed on the floor. She gingerly stepped out of the dress, feeling self-conscious about her body. About the fact she stood in front of him in only the skimpy lace underwear her mother chose for her.

  Her job was to entice, to tempt him into putting her seed deep inside her.

  What suspiciously sounded like a growl slipped from his lips. The animalistic sound stopped her from using her arms to cover her ample breasts, which were practically slipping from the wired bra.

  “Your turn,” he said.

  She blinked at him in confusion.

  “To undress me.”

  Feeling shy, she stepped closer to him. She undid his tie, then the top buttons of his crisp white linen shirt, unveiling the hard and tanned lines of his chest. Roman took off his jacket. She reached his belt buckle. Her fingers started to tremble and he gave them a squeeze.

  “We can stop right now and resume whenever you’re ready.” His words surprised her. The last she expected from Roman De Luca was kindness or consideration. Was it the trick of the light or did his blue-gray eyes soften for a fraction of a second?

  “I’m ready.”

  Roman had no right to tease her like this. Didn’t he know how her body ached for him? Remembering the kiss he stole from her earlier renewed her courage. Lured the wild side of her she didn’t know existed until tonight. She knelt in front of him, despite not knowing what exactly she was doing. She must be doing something right because he let out a sharp exhale.

  She unbuttoned his pants, unzipped him. Eve lowered his underwear and pulled out his dick, which hung thick, long, and erect for her. She licked her lips. Eve had nothing to compare it to, but she hadn’t imagined him being this big.

  Too late to back out now. She leaned forward, feeling his fingers in her hair. Roman pulled her close so her lips touched the crown of his dick. She darted her tongue out and licked at the pre-cum gather there. He groaned. Encouraged, she explored and replaced whatever inexperience she had with enthusiasm. She decided she liked all the pants and moans she managed to wrangle from her crime lord husband.

  She traced him from tip to root, sucking and licking her way.

  “Squeeze my balls with your hand. Just like that,” he said. The approval in his voice made her want to perform better.

  How did she find herself in this position? Didn’t she tell him only hours ago she’d resist him? Eve should’ve known better. She could tell herself all she wanted that she was doing this out of obligation, for her family, but that was a lie. Part of her also wanted to find out where this particular road would lead.

  “That’s enough teasing, wife. Take me in your mouth.”

  God. She shouldn’t be turned on by his orders, but she was.

  Eve sheathed her mouth over his prick and blew him. She gagged on her first try but did better on her second. Eve bobbed her head up and down, loving every groan and moan of pleasure he emitted.

  “Hold still while I fuck your mouth,” Roman said, tightening his grip on her hair.

  She obeyed, remaining in place so he could thrust his dick in and out. It didn’t take long for him to climax. With a groan, he came, filling her throat with his seed. Eve took it all down, careful not to spill a drop. She licked her lips after as she settled on her knees. Then she looked up at him for further instructions.

  “Bed,” he said. Roman offered her a hand up and she grasped it. Only a few hours ago, she’d been appalled at marrying a man the entire city painted a monster. She was beginning to change her mind about him. Roman De Luca possessed a multitude of layers she wanted to peel away.

  Eve unclasped her bra, letting it fall to the ground. She also pulled down her panties. Judging by the growl he made, she’d made a good decision. Then she lay on her back on the bed. Her heart thumped. Her husband loomed above her, stroking his now limp cock.

  “I need to taste you. Now.” Roman straddled her. He took her mouth, stealing her breath for a couple of seconds. Feeling braver, she ran her fingers down the chiseled expanse of his chest. Roman moved his mouth to the hollow of her throat. His kisses felt like gentle rain. She moaned for him, squirming, but he held her in place with his big body.

  He took one of her nipples into his mouth, sucking hard until she gasped. Roman dragged his fingers down her ribs and the curve of her belly. She parted her thighs willingly for him as he stroked her soaked pussy. Eve caught the mischievous glint in his eyes. Then he bit down, leaving the perfect imprint of his teeth there. His fingers felt so good against her sex, she hardly felt the pain.

  He continued his exploration, nipping and sucking his way downward. Roman was like a man at Thanksgiving dinner, eager to sample everything the buffet table had to offer. When he angled his face to the crevice between her legs, she let out a shaky breath.

  Roman pressed his face close, tracing the shape of her pussy lips. He tongue-fucked her. Heat pooled at her core and traveled to the rest of her. Needing something to hold on to, Eve gripped the sheets above her. Roman moved to her clit, sucking the sensitive nub. Eve gasped, her hips rising from the bed as he set his teeth there. Then he pushed two fingers inside her wet heat. The pressure building inside Eve erupted and she came, her vision swaying.

  No man should ever be that talented with his mouth, she thought. He scooted himself upwa
rd, kissing her again.

  “Don’t go to sleep yet, beautiful. I haven’t fucked you senseless,” Roman said with a croon.

  “I won’t,” she whispered, eager and hungry to feel her husband’s cock inside her. Not for the first time that day, she started to believe that being Roman De Luca’s wife might not be such a bad thing after all. “Put a baby in me, husband.”

  Chapter Five

  Fuck. Roman could hardly believe the dirty words she uttered to him. Eve looked like a defiled goddess like this. Her languid expression, her dark hair spread across the sheets, and her body so ripe and all his for the taking only renewed his hunger. Roman couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this excited, this eager. His forty-five years on this earth had made him hard and cynical. Maybe Eve was the one capable of soothing his rough edges.

  He got off her and stood at the edge of the bed. “Scoot lower.”

  She did as he asked. Roman stroked his lengthening cock, all too aware she watched. Her breath hitched. He wondered if she was frightened, but he didn’t miss the excitement in her eyes.

  “Will it hurt?” she asked.

  “I won’t lie to you. Yes, it will, but only for the first time. I’ll make it good for you, wife,” he promised.

  “Okay. I trust you.”

  Did she know how much those words meant to him? Trust was something easily taken away and rarely given in his line of work. He reached for her left ankle, thumbing the bone there. Roman planted a kiss there before hefting her legs over his shoulders. Eve turned a bright shade of red. Like this, her breasts, cunt, and ass were completely exposed to his gaze.

  “All of you belong to me,” he said. Roman leaned forward, blanketing his body over hers. “Say the words.”

  “I’m yours,” she whispered.

  Roman took her sweet mouth again, tasting a little of his seed on her. He pushed two, then three digits inside her. She was primed for him. Roman breached her. She cried out as he went in slowly and carefully until he felt the skin of her virginity give way.

  Roman pulled his prick out. The tip was coated with her virgin blood. Neither of them bothered to use protection. There was no need to. Roman was clean, after all, and she was a virgin. They were also both husband and wife. No other man would be inside her sweet pussy but him and since he beheld her at the church, he doubted he’ll ever want for another woman. Eve was perfect in every way. She was born to be his.

  He pushed inside her again, finding a rhythm that suited them both. Roman fucked her, slow and careful, only picking up speed when she begged him to. Sweat pooled down his back. His cock felt like a steel pipe between his legs. Roman went faster, deeper with every push, pleased Eve took every inch of him eagerly. Her pussy muscles clenched over his cock, making him groan.

  He shifted the angle of his thrusts and must’ve found her G-spot, because she arched her back and gasped. Roman focused on the spot, hammering her with relentless passion. It almost felt like his tainted soul could touch her pure one. Every muscle in his body tensed up. His balls tightened. He was on the verge of blowing.

  A man like him had no business with an angel like her, but it was too late to return her. She was irrevocably his until the end of their days.

  “Roman, I’m close,” she whispered.

  His next push sent her off the edge, and she came apart, screaming his name. Several thrusts later, Roman erupted, emptying his warmth inside her waiting pussy. His vision swirled. If this wasn’t heaven, Roman didn’t know what was. He groaned, pulling out of her after. Then he collapsed next to her, spent, but only for a moment. He wanted to take her, mess her up all over again, but decided she’d had enough excitement for the day. His young wife was probably still sore from all his endeavors.

  Eve surprised him when she snuggled close to him like a kitten seeking warmth. How could he deny her? Roman wrapped his arms around her, stunned by how good this felt. How right.

  “I didn’t know sex could be like that,” she murmured, raising her face from his chest. She drew circles over the skin of his heart, meeting his gaze steadily. His brave and wild wife. Who knew he’d meet his equal, his destined soul mate today?

  “Sex with me,” he corrected. Roman brushed a stray strand of dark hair that had fallen across her face and tucked it behind one ear.

  She frowned. “It’s not like I’m going to go searching for someone else when I have you. Especially when my new husband’s demanding in bed.”

  Roman smiled. She was teasing him. Good. Sex had melted the ice between them. He knew they had a long way to go, but if she was willing to put the effort into making their marriage work, then so would he.

  “I’ll be your only husband,” he said.

  She nodded, then bit on her lower lip. A nervous gesture. “Roman, what happened between you and your first wife?”

  Few people in his life would dare ask that question to his face, but Eve wasn’t like most people. Roman knew she’d keep his secrets.

  “When I found out Melissa was cheating on me, I didn’t feel anything. Our relationship had reached an impasse by then. Neither of us loved or respected each other. She was a leech who only valued material possessions.”

  “Then what made you … end her?” She said the last two words with a shiver.

  “She went against my back. Melissa told the mayor about some of the delicate business deals I made with the Bratva. Melissa did it intentionally. She died, cursing my name and telling me how much she loved hurting me.”

  Eve whistled. “What a bitch.”

  Roman beamed at her, unable to help himself. He thought he’d spook her with the truth about his wife, but his fierce young bride looked angry for his sake. She’d never betray him the way Melissa did. Roman was sure of it.

  Chapter Six

  Eve woke with a groan, unsure of where she was for a moment. Eve rubbed at her eyes and stared at an unfamiliar ceiling. Certainly not in her own bedroom. There were other things Eve noticed. She was naked and her body was deliciously sore. A man lay next to her and he’d draped one possessive arm and leg over her body. Yesterday’s events came crashing down on her. The pit of dread in her stomach. The wedding. The world-changing kiss with Roman. Their wild night together.

  “Good morning.” Her husband flashed her a wolfish smile. Roman moved his hand to give her left breast a squeeze, making her groan.

  “Don’t.”

  “Don’t? Have you forgotten, Eve? I’m the one who calls the shots here.”

  “It’s too early for sex.” Eve wanted to explore every inch of her new house. She couldn’t believe it herself. Roman bought this gigantic place for her, for them. The mansion felt like a giant fortress, one that could ensure the safety of their future kids. God. They hadn’t even discussed kids, but Eve always wanted children of her own. Roman would also want a future heir for his empire. They were on the same page at least.

  “I can change your mind.” Challenge blazed in Roman’s eyes. He rolled on top of her, pinning her arms above her head. Eve never thought she’d ever bend to the whims of any man. Over the years, she’d caused her father plenty of headaches, but she didn’t mind yielding to Roman.

  He took her mouth, the kiss all heat and bite. Eve responded, moaning softly as he moved his mouth down her neck. Roman released her hands. She curled her fingers into the sheets as he sucked on her breast. He pushed two fingers inside her pussy at the same time.

  Who was she kidding? She could definitely look forward to all her mornings if they started out like this. She wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him close. He smirked, guiding his prick into her entrance. Roman entered her without warning. Eve scored his shoulders with his nails, silently urging Roman to take her deep and hard.

  Her husband didn’t disappoint. Roman pounded in and out of her, his strokes merciless and demanding. He crushed her mouth against his, sliding his tongue down her throat. Eve sucked down on it, and pressure built inside her like a storm. Once again, Eve could feel her soul resonating with
his—at least that was what she’d like to think.

  With a final push, Roman shattered her. She came apart, coming all over his cock. Spent and languid, she watched him behind half-closed lids as he pumped in and out of her a few more times. Finally, Roman emptied his jizz inside her. He rolled off her and gathered her close. She was happy to melt into his strong and powerful arms, with his cum still drying on her thigh. She’d only known him for a few hours, and yet, Eve didn’t mind spending the rest of her life with this man. The outside world might paint Roman a monster, but he was her husband.

  “Sooner or later, you’re going to put a baby inside me,” she murmured.

  “Would you like that?” he asked her. Roman nuzzled her neck, rubbing the soft skin with the stubble on his cheek.

  “I do. You?” she threw the question back at him.

  “Of course. Someone needs to carry on the family business.”

  “And if our children want to pursue a different path?”

  “Then I’ll respect their wishes. I’m not worried. We’ll just need to have more children. One of them would eventually be interested in becoming the next Don of the De Luca Family.”

  That got a laugh out of Eve. She was raised in a mafia household. All her life, she tried to escape her destiny. Eve knew, like Lucille, that their father would eventually marry her off to secure an alliance with another crime family. This wasn’t too bad. To Roman, Eve wasn’t just a prize or convenient tool. He respected her wishes and opinions, saw her in a way no one ever did.

  “Are you hungry? Because I’m starving. I can send food out. Or do you prefer to eat downstairs?” Roman asked.

  Her mother had taught Eve and her sister how to manage a household.

  “While it’s tempting to roll around in bed all day, I’d like to meet your staff,” she said.

  “Very well. If I keep you here, I’ll be distracted the entire day.”

  “Do you have business to attend to?” she asked. Eve finally got out of the bed. He smiled when she reached for his hand. They entered the bathroom.