He lifted his eyes to hers and found that she was observing him in turn, her eyes languid, and he felt himself grow hard on the spot.
He reached out and tugged at her dirty camisole until her breasts popped free and he watched as they rose and fell with excitement, and he ducked his head to run his tongue over a pink, hard peak. He licked and sucked it raw as she moaned and he moved to the other, squeezing her breasts in his hands, watching them go red under his ministrations.
She pushed out her chest to give him better access, the stubble on his cheeks grazing her skin, and this excited her so much she began to tug at her own panties.
“No, not yet,” he growled under his breath, his teeth grazing her flesh until she couldn’t take it anymore. “I want to see how long you can resist.”
After what seemed like forever, he moved his attention to her inner folds. She writhed, her legs rising above him as he rubbed his knuckles against her and she pushed up against his hand and the pressure increased.
“Faster,” she panted, her mouth open.
“No.”
She watched his head as it disappeared between her thighs and his tongue darted inside her. She groaned, feeling she would faint with wanting.
“Please,” she moaned. “I can’t wait any longer.” Finally, after long moments, he finally entered her as he kissed her open mouth.
The thrill of survival made their love even more sizzling, like the fire in the bushes. He wanted to swallow her whole, drive as deep as he could and bury himself into her, like the lava boiling at the center of the earth, like the island plunging into the sea. He brought her to orgasm after orgasm, and he felt his passion exploding and his hips snapping into her again and again, until they cried out together and collapsed in exhaustion.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
A gray dawn met the lovers. Alex cautiously opened the door a crack as Rea stood behind him, peering anxiously over his shoulder.
They stepped outside and looked about. The bushes and trees were gone. The houses were covered in soot and debris, and further down below the sea, as thick as treacle, slugged around slowly, weighted down by its new contents.
Before Alex could stop her, Rea darted down the hill into what was left of the town. The sloping square was full of heaps of debris and ash that had been swept aside in massive pillars everywhere.
Rea ran about, looking for familiar faces, and wept with joy when she spotted Margherita and her family.
Soon they all conglomerated in the piazza, all white-faced, silenced by the tragedy that had hit them all.
Alex searched the crowd for Giuseppe’s face, but there was no sign of him. Had the fool gone back to the cave to bury Calogero’s body?
Rea was laughing and crying with Margherita’s mother and some other of their customers. The store! Alex bolted past the crowd and skid to a stop. If not for the dirty facade, it looked perfectly intact.
Rea reached his side, red-faced and smiling. “Everyone is safe. Everything is going to be okay.”
“Giuseppe’s gone,” he whispered, and she paled instantly.
“I’m going to look for him. You stay here and help.”
Rea’s old fear returned. “No! I’m not leaving you!”
Alex sighed and held out his hand, and slowly they descended the slope down to the dark, thick sea.
After a few yards Rea grabbed his arm, her other hand over her mouth.
On the beach, or what was left of it, lay the remains of Giuseppe, their sincerest friend.
Rea sobbed and dashed for him, but the young man’s eyes no longer saw.
Alex sunk to his knees and wept alongside Rea. Finally, after long moments, Alex hauled the man onto his shoulder and back up the hill toward the church.
* * * *
The funeral was a simple one among the debris in the Piazza as the church had not yet cleared of the dust hanging thick in the air. Everywhere faces reflected the tragedy of Giuseppe’s death. He had been the only victim. He would have been alive if he hadn’t gone back to bury Calogero.
“He died trying to save me from going to jail,” Rea sobbed softly, and Alex grabbed her elbow and lead her to one side.
“No. He died to save me from going to jail. I killed Calogero.”
She shook her head, and he grabbed her elbows.
“It’s too dangerous to stay here, Rea. Let’s move somewhere else.”
“What? Where?”
“We can move to the province of Ragusa. It’s beautiful.”
Rea stared up at him as if not seeing nor hearing him.
CHAPTER TWELVE
At dusk, a ship and a coach ride later, they reached the foot of Ragusa Ibla on the southern coast of Sicily. Alex helped her down and Rea gasped at her surroundings. It looked like a prince’s city, tinged with the golden light of the departing sun. Precious Baroque buildings and beautiful gardens sat atop small hillocks, and the air perfumed of jasmine and orange blossoms.
Here, they would start a new life together. Alex would finally finish his book and she would learn to enjoy life. Alex took her in his arms and they looked into each other’s eyes, but a veil of sadness clouded hers.
“I didn’t foresee - Giuseppe’s death. I always do, Alex…”
Alex’ hand squeezed hers. “Then you’re healed, Rea. You’re finally free, sweetheart.”
And she was. Free from her superstitions, free from her fears, and from Calogero. She had lost the power to foresee death. But she had gained the much greater power of love.
EPILOGUE
In 1952 Rea gave birth to a beautiful baby girl named Caterina. Their new friends in Ragusa Ibla flocked to see the love child, gifts in their arms, respect in their eyes. None of them knew that Rea, a little abandoned urchin found on the beach, had grown into a beautiful, loving woman and doting mother. All she had needed was a chance. And the love of the right man.
THE END
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The Obsession and the Fury Page 6
