“Ivo…I…” She couldn’t get the words out. Ivo kissed her then gazed back at her with concerned eyes.
“What is it, baby?”
Just say it. “I’m a virgin.” She waited for him to bolt up and looked shocked and uncomfortable. Instead he gave her a gentle smile.
“I figured. Sofia, we don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”
Sofia let out a deep breath. “Oh, I want to, Ivo…I really do. Have you got a condom?” She realized nervously that the question wasn’t romantic and cursed herself.
He nodded, grinning, flicking one between his thumb and forefinger. “In the back of my jeans. Listen, beautiful one, there’s no rush…I’ll make sure you’re so relaxed that it won’t hurt, and I swear, I will make you come over and over.”
She groaned and pulled his head down so she could kiss him again. Ivo kept his promise. He kissed and caressed every part of her body, trailing his lips along the lengths of her slender legs, biting down gently on the fleshy inner thighs, teasing her belly with his tongue. He took each of her nipples into his mouth and sucked on them until Sofia was delirious, and when finally, he gently hitched her legs around his waist, his cock huge and straining to be inside her, she didn’t feel any pain as he slowly pushed into her. Sofia thought she might die of happiness right there. He made love to her slowly, tenderly, rhythmic measured strokes, his eyes never leaving her face, his mouth on hers or murmuring tender words to her, making sure she was okay. Sofia clawed at his back, wanting his cock to go deeper, harder and as his pace quickened, she gasped and moaned until stars exploded in her visions and she came, shivering, crying out his name.
Ivo groaned her name, burying his face in her neck as he too reached his peak but she made him look at her. She wanted to see the ecstasy in his face, know that she had given him as much pleasure as he had her. She looked into his beautiful green eyes and knew she had.
“Bella, bella, bella…” God, his voice, deep and low and with that accent, her whole body was set aflame at the sound of it.
“Ivo… Ivo…” she said, tightening her legs around him. They were recovering, but Ivo hadn’t yet withdrawn from her. She wished he didn’t have to. The feeling of his magnificent cock inside her was like nothing she had ever experienced before. Her thighs were like jelly, her vagina pulsed still, clenching his cock, still half erect. “Stay inside me.”
He grinned at her ruefully. “There’s nothing I’d like more, baby, but this condom…”
She laughed and released him. “Be right back,” he said and darted to the little bathroom just off her room.
Sofia laid on her back. Her body felt…like someone else’s, her limbs liquified, her heart pounding, her breath only just returning to normal. She heard the toilet flush and the faucet running, then he was back. “Wait, Ivo, stop. I want to look at you.”
Grinning shyly, Ivo leaned against the doorway as Sofia took in every inch of his sensational body. Apart from his height, his shoulders were broad, his shoulders muscles and strong. His olive skin was tanned, which made his big green eyes look brighter against the color. His dark hair was wild about his head, his beard three days old and dark against his skin. His smile was…god…it softened his features making them boyish. Even so, he radiated machismo. His face, so beautiful one moment, and dangerous the next made her heart pound against her ribs, her belly quiver with pure longing. She crawled to the edge of the bed. “I want to touch you,” she whispered and held out her hand. He took it and stepped to the edge of the bed. Sofia ran her hands over the planes of his chest, traced each bicep with her tongue, down his flat stomach, rimming his navel the way he had to her. His thickly muscled arms came up to hold her head and he dipped his own to kiss her, his tongue massaging hers.
“You’re so beautiful, little one.”
She gazed up at him, feeling utterly vulnerable, and so, so loved. She giggled and pushed her breasts against his erect cock, caressed it with them and he laughed, rolling his eyes, but she could feel how aroused he was by her body and it made her feel like a goddess.
He slid his hands on either side of her face, his thumbs stroking gently on her cheeks. The way he was looking at her made her body tremble. “You make me weak, Ivo Zacca.”
Then, with only a little hesitation, Sofia took his cock into her mouth. God, the clean taste of him, salty pre-cum on the sensitive tip. She traced a pattern around it with her tongue, hearing his soft groan of desire, feeling his hands stroking her hair. She licked the entire length of his cock, one hand mirroring her tongue on the opposite side, the other gently massaging his balls. She began to suck, increasingly the pressure until he came, shooting onto her tongue. She swallowed him down and looked up at him smiling. “Did I do that right?”
Ivo was trembling and laughing, damp hair stick to his forehead. “Damn, Sofia, yes, that was incredible.”
He pulled her close to him and kissed her, before gently pushing her back onto the bed. “Sweet one, I don’t have any more condoms, and given my situation, I think we’d better not risk any more until…our stocks are replenished.”
“Romantic.” She laughed as he pulled a face. “Well, Mr. Zacca, I have to say, for an initiation, you may have spoiled me for other men.”
He grinned. “I should hope so, because I don’t intend on letting you go.”
Sofia’s smile faded. “Don’t say that. Don’t promise forever. Just promise tonight and tomorrow and we’ll go from there.”
Ivo nodded, understanding. “I will prove to you that you can trust in me, Sofia. No-one will ever treat you like your old family again.”
She touched his face and kissed him. “Thank you.”
Ivo lay down beside her and ran his hand down her body. “Can I take you to dinner?”
Sofia laughed. “Always. I think I might need fries of some type.”
“The French kind?” He chuckled as she tickled him. “Ow, woman. Stop that. What’s digging in my back?”
He turned and pulled her sketch book from under her pillow. His eyes widened. “You draw?”
Sofia had to make a split-second decision whether to tell him or not. He hadn’t yet opened the book, looking at her with a question in his eyes. Hesitating briefly, she took a deep breath in and nodded. Ivo opened her sketchbook.
Chapter Five
For the third time that day, Ivo was shocked. Well, shocked isn’t exactly the right word, he thought. Staggered. Humbled. Enrapt. Sofia’s sketches were astonishing – the depth of detail, especially in the portraits, was incredible, but more than just technically brilliant, they were the most insightful pieces he had seen in a long time. When he saw the as-yet-unfinished portrait of himself, his heart twisted. She had captured him entirely. The look in his eyes was exactly how he felt when he looked at her – there was something so affirming about someone, especially someone who he loved – seeing inside him so deeply, so truthfully. He felt his eyes pickle and he gave a short laugh. “Sofia…my god.”
“Do you like it?” Sofia was gazing at him, eyes wide with anxiety.
“Like? There’s not a word strong enough for how good these are.” He looked at her. “Why on Earth didn’t you tell me? Or Desi?”
Sofia took a deep breath. “I didn’t want you to think I was taking advantage,” she said honestly. “You have both done so much for me already. I thought it would be crass to then say, ‘Oh, by the way, check out my amateur sketches.’ The portrait of you, it isn’t finished yet.” She gave a shy smile. “I’ve been working on it for weeks. Every night, I would come back here after work and think about you – like I had been all day anyhow – and just put all my feelings into bringing you to life on the paper. I’m not there yet, but it’s one of my own favorites.”
“It’s…. I’m honored, my darling, truly.” He looked through the rest of the book, taking his time over each of them. Sofia watched him, occasionally giving him some background. “You realize that you are exactly what Desi and I have been looking for? A raw, real, passion
ate talent. You’ve been painting white walls when we should have had you in the studio, working up these sketches onto canvas. What mediums do you work in?”
Sofia smiled shyly. “Watercolor, pencil, sometimes mixed media. I’ve done a few things with pen and ink. Pastels I love when I’m doing abstracts, thick chunky bands of bright colors.”
Ivo nodded. “And your influences?”
“I love Rothko, Kahlo, O’ Keefe. Hopper is a god of mine. I love his solitude. There are few contemporary artists too – a lot of them I’ve come across by accident – Kate Leplage, Simeon Verdeux, Patricia Seavers? Heard of any of them?”
“All of them, it’s my job,” he laughed and she flushed, grinning.
“Sorry, of course.”
Ivo turned a page and stopped. “Wow.” It was a pencil and watercolor she had done of the front of Desiree’s gallery – the building’s frontage still half finished, with scaffolding but Sofia had managed to infuse the artwork with all the bustle and vibrancy of its owner, and the promise of what it could be when it opened. Ivo knew immediately what he had to do.
He kissed Sofia and then rolled off the bed. “Beautiful, get dressed. We have to see someone.”
Sofia blinked, but nodded, scooching to the side of the bed and retrieving her clothes. “Okay. Where are we going?”
Ivo tapped his nose, grinning. “You’ll see, but go with it and I’ll buy you a vat of fries afterward.”
“And a vat of condoms.”
He laughed. “That would be a hell yes.”
Desiree’s eyebrows shot up when she saw them come into the gallery, hand-in-hand and giggling. “What are you two up to? Mischief, I can tell.”
Sofia slushed scarlet, and Ivo looked guilty. “Nothing. Hey, Desiree, remember we were talking about the invites to the opening?” He handed her Sofia’s sketchbook, opened at the painting of the gallery.
Desiree took it from him. “Ivo,” she said, finally, “Where on Earth did you fi…”
She looked up and glared at Sofia. “Is this you? You’ve been hiding this all along? You little minx, I could kill you.”
Ivo fell about laughing as Sofia rushed to explain herself, while Desiree glowered at them both. When she’d calmed down, she bore them both off to a wine bar down the block and ordered champagne.
“I agree, this image needs to be on the invite. You,” she pointed at Sofia, who looked a little stunned, “You have a month. I want three canvases. The alcove space? It’s yours.”
Sofia looked panicked. “Wait…no, no, come on, I’m nowhere near good enough. You’re exhibiting actual Masters for crissakes.”
Desiree looked at Ivo. “Is she finished?” She asked dryly and Ivo grinned and leaning over, kissed Sofia full on the mouth.
“Baby, I believe in you. Desi believes in you. Looks like you got your first commission.”
Sofia gaped at them as her lover and her boss toasted her with the champagne. “I think I feel sick.”
Neither of them let her off the hook.
Sofia felt stars explode in her vision, the sensation of Ivo’s cock reaming her into submission as he thrust deep inside her. “God, yes, yes, Ivo…” Her thighs were tight around his waist, her hands pinned above her head by his. Ivo’s lips were rough on hers, kissing her fiercely….and then he stopped.
“What is it, my love?” She suddenly felt scared as she saw his eyes. Not their usual green but black as night. Cold.
Ivo said nothing but slid off of her and moved to the door. He opened it and Sofia saw her step-father into the room, followed by Tamara. Ivo smiled at them. “Told you I could fuck her.”
He looked back at Sofia who rose from the bed, begging him not to leave her with them, but he walked out anyway as Tamara raised the gun and shot her in the heart at point blank range.
“Fuck!” Sofia shot up out of bed and started to shiver. Jesus, what a fucking nightmare to have now, tonight of all nights. She felt Ivo’s hand on her back.
“Are you okay, Bella?”
She nodded, giving him a rueful smile. “Sorry, bad dream.” She lay back down and he pulled her close.
“Want to talk about it?”
“Definitely not.” She pressed her lips to his. “Go back to sleep.” They were in Sofia’s bedroom at Desiree’s house. Now that she knew about the two of them, she had assumed Ivo would be there most nights and they repaid her generosity by making love quietly.
“I’ll sleep after I’ve done this,” he said, hitching her leg around his hips, sliding into her. Sofia sighed happily. For someone who had only started doing this a few days ago, she was already learning new things but the quiet moments like this, were almost her favorite times with him. So intimate, so loving.
Afterward, Ivo fell back to sleep but Sofia found herself returning to the dream. She didn’t have to be psychic to figure out what it meant. She was finally happy, deliriously happy, that she couldn’t believe they wouldn’t try to ruin it.
And as her dream told her, it wasn’t even her ex-step-father who worried her. It was Tamara. If Tamara knew Sofia was happy, she would move heaven and earth to destroy her and all because Sofia was the one person who knew Tamara’s darkest secret.
Tamara Rutland was a murderer.
Chapter Six
Tamara straddled Grant and lowered herself onto his cock. He grinned up at her as they fucked but she didn’t smile back. She was tired today, and their lovemaking had seemed like too much bother. After a few minutes, Grant’s smile faded and he lifted her off of him.
“You know what, Taryn, don’t do me any favors. I paid you for sex and some punishment, but you looking bored when my cock is inside you? Not so much.”
“My name is Tamara,” she said suddenly. Yes, she was tired. Tired of the subterfuge with her name. This, this woman who fucked for money, who beat men – and women – for money, this was who she was.
Grant shrugged. “Should I care?”
This was why she liked him. He was as much a sociopath as she was. There would be no declarations of love between them but they both knew they had a connection. A complete disregard for the feeling of other people. Grant was submissive in this room, yes, but outside of it…Tamara shivered. She could tell her was ruthless, cold, only interested in the kill. He had alluded to such before. They had a grudging respect, each seeing the psychopath inside the other.
“No reason, at all,” she said now, smirking and seeing her smile, he bent to kiss her. It was a tender kiss, more one of ownership. Tamara didn’t mind – she was paid to give the impression she was his to command, even though she was paid to torture and fuck him. She wondered if she crossed him, whether he would kill her, and curious, she asked him now. Grant’s eyes became dark and lethal.
“Without hesitation.”
It turned her on so much, she told him to get undressed again and this time, she fucked him good. “Have you ever killed a woman before?”
Grant smiled icily, his cock hard and huge inside her, his fingers gripping her hips hard. “No, just men. I want my first female kill to be something…intimate. Slow. Merciless.”
Tamara felt herself get more excited as he talked. “But you have killed before.”
“Of course.”
Damn. She came quickly, and again as he reached his peak. They had stopped using condoms a while back, Tamara having had herself sterilized a few years ago. Why the fuck would she want a screaming brat? She felt his cum pumping deep into her belly and grinned.
“That’s more like it,” Grant said, sitting up as she slid off him. Tamara felt his cum dribbling down her leg but didn’t make any move to clean it off. “Who knew murder was the key to getting you hot?”
Tamara smiled silkily at him. “So, say I wanted to hire you to torment, stalk and kill someone? Another woman?”
“What woman?”
She shrugged, not ready to give away everything right now. The plan was only starting to form in her mind. “Just a woman. Young. Beautiful. How much?”
“It depends. You want her scared shitless before I off her? That’ll cost more. A quick bullet to the head? Twenty-five thousand dollars. A drawn-out campaign, and a painful, intimate stabbing? One hundred-thousand…and I get to screw her before I kill her. Maybe while I kill her.”
Tamara laughed. “You’re a twisted fuck, and that’s why I like you.”
He pulled her to him, kissing her, his hand between her legs. He slid three fingers inside her. His other hand bunch her blonde hair and he pulled her head back roughly before grinding his mouth down on hers. “You wouldn’t want to know how sick I can be, little girl.” He kissed her throat, then flicked his tongue across it in a slashing motion. “One day…I might come for you. Watch you bleed like the bitch you are.”
Tamara’s pulse quickened but she wasn’t scared. “Tell me that often, Grant, and I’ll make you come harder than you ever have before.”
He pinched her clit hard between his thumb and forefinger, making her squeak and come again, and Grant smiled triumphantly. “Same time, next week?”
“Of course.” She kissed him lightly. “Bring your weapons with you, we’ll have some fun.”
Grant smirked. “They checked them at the door.”
“I’ll get you in.”
“Sure.”
After Grant had left, Tamara still felt wildly horny. She clipped two nipple clamps to her breasts, enjoying the pain of them, and walked out into the bar, otherwise still completely naked and still with Grant’s cum on her thighs. She felt no embarrassment about her body – she knew it was spectacular, if a little on the thin side. She went to the bar and ordered a drink, and had downed it in one gulp when she saw him watching her. The first lover she’d found here. The dark man. Her heart began to pound as he stood. He too was completely naked, his cock erect, a chunky heavy silver ring around the base of it. She noticed the thick tattoos up and down his thickly muscled arms. He easily shook off his female hangers-on, who all glared at Tamara, who couldn’t have cared less. He strode up to her and shoved his hand between her legs.
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