Worship (Sinful Series Book 2)

by Trilina Pucci

  “You got it. I have to protect my rep,” he answers, passing his wife in the doorway and grabbing his drink from her.

  He dips his head again to kiss her forehead, and this time I stare at them, soaking in the beauty. Can I ever have that with Luca? My gaze drifts past my friend to where Luca is sitting inside, holding Ella. He looks at me and smiles. It’s so easy and genuine, and I’m immediately filled with hope.

  “Do you want help?” Drew asks, now standing alone.

  “Yes, that would be amazing, I need to check the food.”

  I make my way to the kitchen as Drew finishes the table, and check on the sauce and the chicken parmesan. I place my oven mitts on the counter and walk around to Luca, holding out my arms for Ella. She’s the cutest version of Luca, all dark curls and beautiful hazel eyes. A little red bow set in place holding her hair off her forehead highlights her olive skin. She’s beautiful.

  “Hello. Aren’t you a stunner.” I snuggle her in, inhaling the baby smell.

  Ella giggles a sweet, baby laugh. So, I stick my nose in her neck again and again making her come undone with laughter. Dante is laughing next to me at the cuteness, and I hear Luca’s deep laugh join the chorus. Her joy is addictive.

  “I think she likes you.” Luca’s voice calls my attention.

  He takes a swig of his beer, staring at Ella and me.

  “What’s not to like?”

  Ella grabs my earring, wanting to inspect it closely, and I tilt my head to let her.

  “I’ve been asking the same question since we met.”

  He takes another drink, and I watch the way his lips purse together after he pulls the bottle from them. The sheen on his bottom lip draws me in from being pulled into his mouth and released. I want to lean in and suck his bottom lip.

  My voice grows husky. “You’re flirting again.” Or I’m thinking bad thoughts.

  The smirk on his face is arrogant.

  “You’re holding my child, looking sexy as fuck, and making me want to kick everyone out. You’re flirting.”

  I reach out and take the bottle from his hand, bringing it to my mouth, wanting my lips to cover where his were, and take a drink. Pulling it away, I swallow.

  “This isn’t your house—you can’t kick anyone out.”

  I hand the bottle back and walk away with Ella into the kitchen and turn off the burners.

  “Dinner,” I call out, and Ella laughs.

  Dante claps his hands together, and Dom tells Drew. But Luca doesn’t move from his seat, where he hasn’t taken his eyes off me. Everyone grabs a plate from outside and comes around to plate their food.

  Luca walks over to me, and Ella immediately reaches for him.

  “What am I, chopped liver? Little traitor.” I say with fake offense.

  I give her one last tickle before he takes her in one arm, his plate and beer in the other.

  “Let me help.” I laugh, and grab his plate along with my own and follow him outside.

  I place his plate next to where Dom put the high chair for Ella and start to walk around the table to sit next to Drew. Luca reaches out and grabs the wrist on my free hand.

  “No, your place is next to me.”

  Luca’s words are firm, but his eyes are a question. My entire body lights up. It’s the intention, the insinuation. It’s the goddamn possession of the words that make me wish what Dom said earlier is actually true.

  “Okay,” I whisper, putting my plate down as he lets my wrist go.

  Everyone takes a seat, and Drew smirks at me from across the table, but I try not to read into it.

  Dante raises his glass, and we all follow.

  “To family.”

  “Family,” we all chime in, clinking glasses as Ella squeals with excitement.

  It’s exactly how I imagined. Our table is adorned with wine buckets and pasta, bulb lights are strung above, and laughter is echoing around in the greenspace. This is perfect. This is everything I’ve been missing. I was so afraid to let myself feel this again, and for nothing. It feels healing.

  “Penny for your thoughts,” Drew asks from across the table.

  Conversations are being had between the brothers, so I don’t worry to tell her. I’m not spotlighted.

  “I was so scared that moments like this would feel sad or make me sadder since my dad’s death, but it’s the opposite, and I’m just really grateful that Luca bullied me into coming.”

  He brushes my hair behind my ear, and I turn and look at him as his fingers linger. I should have known he was listening; he’s always listening. I know this moment is too intimate, too obvious. I can feel all the eyes on us, but I don’t care. He makes me feel understood, and I don’t want to hide that.

  Drew smiles, her words laced with insinuation.

  “He’s a good friend.”

  I take a bite of my food.

  “Calm down over there.” Luca points his fork at Drew’s giggling face. “We’re just friends. She won’t budge.”

  I almost choke on my food.

  “Luca!” Drew chastises, and he smirks. Dante laughs next to her.

  Luca rolls his pasta on his fork. “I’m kidding.”

  I laugh and ask Dante about his newest tattoo, and the conversations ease into a rhythm around the table as we all begin to eat.

  You always know when you’ve nailed it because silence befalls the table as everyone eats. After a few moments, Dante groans, “Donna, qualcuno ha bisogno di renderti a piedi nudi e incinta e lasciarti in cucina.” Woman, someone needs to make you barefoot and pregnant and leave you in the kitchen.

  Drew swats his arm and laughs along with the others. “In English, for the non-Italian speaker, please?” I ask, taking a bite of my chicken.

  “You don’t speak Italian. I assumed since you and Drew went to school together. Same major and all,” Dom remarks.

  “No. Drew left me for a whole semester abroad, and I stayed at Columbia and learned the language of New York. Lots of ‘eff yous’ and ‘fuggetaboutits.’” I laugh. “Somebody translate what he said, please.”

  Luca leans in with a mischievous grin, “He said the food is divine, and you’re an amazing cook.”

  It feels like he’s saying it, not Dante. It also feels like I’m being told a lie, so I raise an eyebrow in question. Drew starts to cough, and I look at her surprised.

  “Are you okay?” I ask, and she gives me a thumbs-up in answer while gulping down her water. I look back to Luca. “You are lying…but I don’t want to know, do I?”

  “No, Angel, you don’t,” he says, tossing his napkin at Dante, who hurdles back some choice words in Italian.

  I may not know what the words are, but seeing Drew’s reaction means they’re probably colorful. The laughter is compounding, and I watch Dom and Dante speak animatedly to one another. I can’t help but smile; they really are very Italian.

  Luca leans in, his mouth close to my ear. “Un giorno, passerò la mia lingua nell’interno della tua coscia e morirò nelle labbra della tua fica.” One day, I will run my tongue up the inside of your thigh, and I will die between lips of your pussy. He pulls back and reaches for his beer, eyes on me.

  Even after he puts distance between us, goose bumps spread down my neck, where his warm breath touched. “In English, please,” I say quietly, hoping nobody is paying attention to us.

  He just shakes his head and grins.

  “You won’t tell me?” I say, falling for his game.

  “No. But if you’re good, I might show you.”

  I don’t know what he’s said, but whatever it was, my gut says I want him to show me.

  GRETCHEN AND DREW ALMOST TOOK my head off when I told them I was going to leave to put Ella down for the night at home. I expected as much from Drew; she always bullies me into letting her put Ella to sleep here. She even has a spare room for her with a crib. She and Dom have been secretly trying for a baby, so I know Ella is practice for her.

  Gretchen, however, was unexpected, but I was happily sur
prised at how sweet she is with Ella. I couldn’t take my eyes off them earlier.

  Seeing Gretchen making her laugh was intoxicating. So, when she offered to help put Ella to sleep, something stirred inside of me. She’s becoming more…and I sure as hell didn’t anticipate more. I’m not even sure how to define it, but she’s more than just someone I want to fuck, and I think about her more than someone I simply like.

  “They’ve been upstairs now for a solid half hour,” I say, trying to hide my worry.

  Dom raises his eyebrows in answer. He waves his hand dismissively, looking at the game on the television.

  “Women have their methods. Best to stay out of it.”

  I look at him like he’s stupid.

  “Neither of them know what they’re doing. I’m going to go check on them.”

  Shaking my head, I stand from the couch and walk down the hall. I sneak up the stairs quietly, making sure not to give myself away, and walk down the hallway, past two bedrooms, to look through the door that’s thankfully cracked.

  Gretchen’s standing in front of the window with Ella, bathed in the moonlight. Seeing Gretchen with Ella tonight has left a tightness in my chest. She’s not what I expected—then again, she seems to be everything I need.

  The one thing I’m sure of. She keeps making it harder for me to honor our friend deal.

  Ella’s little head is lying heavy on Gretchen’s shoulder. She’s already in a deep sleep, telling by the way her arms are dangling. I watch, feeling mixed emotions over how much desire I have to be standing here.

  Gretchen is swaying back and forth and singing. I can’t quite make out the song, but it doesn’t matter because the pain I feel is tearing me apart. It’s regret. Regret over marrying Shelby. This is what Ella should have, not some dimebag hooker that fucks for better opportunity.

  A soft voice comes from behind.

  “Hey.”

  I turn to see Drew standing behind me. She must have been in her room down the hall.

  “Hey,” I whisper back.

  I see worry in her eyes. Fuck, she’s going to say something I won’t like. I can feel it.

  Drew stares at me, hard and serious.

  “You’ll ruin her life and yours too. You know that, Luca.” She walks to me, placing her hands on my arms. “Don’t bring your mess into what could be something beautiful between the two of you. She’ll need you to be the one strong enough to walk away.”

  My brows draw together, my irritation at her words growing inside of me.

  “You want me to stay away from her? Is that what you’re saying?” My voice is gruff, giving away the dislike I have for what she’s said to me.

  Nobody can ever tell me to stay away from Gretchen, no matter how reasonable their words.

  Drew levels her eyes at me.

  “No. I’m saying clean up your fucking mess before you break her heart because she won’t let you put it back together once you’ve figured your shit out.”

  She pats my shoulder and gives me a nod. The girl is feisty.

  “Consider me warned.”

  I’m amused at her bravado as she walks past me back downstairs. I’m not surprised at Drew’s strength. It takes a helluva woman to put up with me and my brothers, but she handles Dom with ease and grace—the same way she just tried to handle me, but I don’t need her to tell me what I already know.

  If I pull Gretchen further into my life, she’ll never forgive me for breaking her. But I don’t think I can stop myself. That’s a lie—I don’t want to because every time I see Gretchen play the role I wish she could play, it makes me greedier for her.

  I start to walk away, stopping at the top of the stairs. I know better than to stop; I need to keep walking. We said “just friends,” but I want her despite the fact that I’m unavailable. Walk down the fucking stairs, Luca.

  My stubborn feet won’t move. I want to turn around, pull her from the room, tell her to stay away from me, beg her to wait for me, ruin her, exalt her. I’m at war with the most unworthy of opponents: my heart. Goddammit. I grip the handles of the railing, wishing I could crush the metal.

  A noise behind me pulls my attention.

  “Luca.” Gretchen’s whisper is all it takes for me to break.

  I look over my shoulder to see her shadowed silhouette standing in the hallway. I can’t say a word because I’m being driven by need. I feel an urgency I shouldn’t explore, but I turn around anyway. No matter how hard I fight what I’m feeling, in the end I’m too selfish.

  She stands wide-eyed, the curiosity written all over her face. She wants to fix me, heal me, and it makes me angrier. I hate who I am through her eyes. I’m broken and hurt. I want to punish her for seeing me for who I am. For making everything I hide feel seen. For making me want to be better in her eyes.

  Walk away, Luca.

  “Do you know what I can’t stop thinking about?” My voice is heavy with my intention.

  She shakes her head, and her tongue darts out to lick her bottom lip.

  I take a predatory step forward, and her body tenses in reaction to my movement. The closer I get to her, the more determined I’ll become to be inside of her. It’s almost already too much to take with ten feet between us.

  I take another slow step, and her breath hitches.

  She wants this, us.

  No matter how hard she tries, she could never keep her desire a secret from me. Her body is already a pawn for me to do what I want. She knows it. I know it.

  Walk away, Luca.

  I lick my lips before speaking again.

  “I can’t stop thinking about last night. The way your skin felt against my fingertips. Will it be as soft against my lips?”

  Her eyes dilate, and her fingers are pushing into the sides of her legs. A slow grin spreads across my face.

  “If I were to touch you, between your legs, would you be wet, Angel? Would your pussy be ready for me?”

  I’m close enough to see her face clearly now. She’s beautiful—everything about her is beautiful, perfect. She glows even in the shadows. I let my eyes roam her body, taking in her breasts, the way they rise and fall with each of her breaths. The cinch of her waist that leads to heaven.

  My eyes drift down to her center, and a growl comes from my throat. I want to taste her, feel her wetness on my tongue. She’s fucking divine, her entire body begging for attention.

  Walk the fuck away, Luca.

  “I want to taste you.”

  I’m lost in the thought.

  She swallows.

  “Luca, we said friends. You can’t do that.” Her voice trails off at the end.

  She’s turned on and not turning me away. She’s giving in tonight, she just doesn’t know it.

  My voice grows deep.

  “I can, and I will. It’s just a matter of when.”

  I watch her body for a reaction. Her eyelashes blink rapidly a few times, and her lips are ever so slightly parted. She’s drunk on my words.

  “Say you don’t want this.”

  I offer her an out, knowing she won’t take it.

  She shakes her head again in answer. I reach up and trace her collarbone with my fingertip.

  “Use your words, Gretchen. I want to hear you.”

  She stands silent. Looks like her resolve is breaking down. Then she opens her beautiful mouth.

  “This shouldn’t happen.” she breathes out.

  “That’s not what I asked, Angel. What do you want?” I push.

  “You…but that’s not something I get to have.”

  She takes a step to the side, and I do the same. Her breathing hitches, and her nipples pebble through her top. My eyes dart down to the hard buds and back to her face. This is unexpected.

  “Does that turn you on? Do you like the chase?”

  My entire body is lit up. Intrigued, amazed, and turned the fuck on. She’s perfect.

  Gretchen doesn’t say a word. She licks her lips, and her chest begins to move rapidly with her breathing. My angel i
s seriously turned on. She takes another step and I mirror her, and a soft moan escapes her lips.

  My girl is dirty, just the way I like it.

  “All you have to do is tell me no, Angel. This is your game, but I sure as fuck want to play.”

  This woman speaks to the basest, most primal pieces inside of me because I love the catch.

  Her eyes grow wide, and she bites down on her bottom lip. My hands reach for her waist, but she steps back quickly out of my reach, a tiny smile gracing her lips. Her eyes are wild with her challenge.

  My eyes burn into her, and I feel like an animal. I’m going to hunt her down and fuck her like the beast she wants. I begin to stalk toward her as she walks backward. She turns to take the corner, and I take three large steps, reaching out and grabbing her, twirling her back up against the wall.

  “Gotcha,” I whisper into the skin on her delicate neck.

  She moans out her permission. “So, what are you going to do about it?”

  My mouth comes crashing down on hers, our tongues exploring as my hands do the same. We’re frenzied and impassioned, all heat and desire.

  I know she hates that she wants this as bad as I do, but she never had a choice. I wasn’t giving her one. I was determined to wear down her resolve. My hands roam her body, and small moans fill my mouth as she grips my hair, tugging me in closer. I can’t get enough of her; I can’t get close enough, connected enough.

  I grab her wrists roughly and throw her hands up against the wall, locking her in place.

  Pulling back, I lock eyes with her. My voice is deep, almost angry.

  “Do you remember what I said? What I warned?”

  I don’t need to explain my question; she knows what I mean. I dip my head and suck her nipple through her shirt, hard, letting it go with a pop.

  Her voice stutters, “Y-yes.”

  “Tell me, Gretchen.”

  Her eyes lock to mine as I push my thigh in between her legs and lean against her center. Her body rocks into the pressure.

  “You won’t be there to console me when I feel ashamed,” she says breathlessly, enjoying the sensations on her clit.