by Penelope Sky
When the doctors discharged me from the hospital, I was relieved to get out of bed and on my feet again. I didn’t feel like a man lying there, helpless with tubes and wires hooked up to my body.
When both of my feet hit the tile floor, I finally stood up straight and took a deep breath. The last thing I remembered from that night was snapping someone’s neck before I fell to my knees and collapsed.
Vanessa watched me warily, like I might tip over and fall once more. There was nothing she could do to catch me, not when I would crush all of her bones with my weight. “Are you alright?”
The pain was still in my shoulder, but that would be there for a while. “Yes.” I took her hand in mine, feeling her warm and soft fingers. I gripped them tightly, to make sure they were real. For the last three months, all I’d been holding was booze. “Let’s go.”
We left the hospital room and moved into the waiting room, where her entire family was gathered. Her parents were there, along with her aunt and uncle. My favorite Barsetti was there—Carmen. Carter was there too, a man I hadn’t interacted with much. They all stared at me, but this time, it wasn’t with hatred and disgust.
It was with gratitude and respect.
Crow stepped forward first. “You look like you’re in good shape.”
“I’ve been shot before. No big deal.” I had multiple scars on my body from all the places I’d been pierced with a bullet. My tattoo artist usually covered them up again so they weren’t so visible. Now I had a new mark on my shoulder that needed to be covered once it was healed.
Crow didn’t react to my words, even though anyone else would have been disturbed by that information. “Is there anything we can do for you? How about we give you a ride to your place?”
“I’ll drive him,” Vanessa said. “I’ll be taking care of him for a while. When he’s feeling better, we’ll head back to Florence to see how Conway is doing.”
I had the strength to make it to Florence now, and I certainly didn’t need her to take care of me. But all I wanted was to be alone with her, to finally drop the walls that I projected and be open with the woman I loved. I wanted to feel her with my hands, kiss her naked body everywhere, make love to her the way I fantasized about. I just wanted my woman, my baby. I put my life on the line to save the people she loved. Now it was my turn to be rewarded. And all I wanted was this woman in my bed, buck naked with her legs spread. She was mine now. I owned her, and it was my right to enjoy her. When I was fulfilled, I would let her visit her family again.
Not a moment sooner.
Crow hugged Vanessa first and kissed her on the forehead. “See you soon, tesoro. Love you.”
“Love you too,” she whispered.
Crow moved to me next, and instead of ignoring me the way he used to, he shook my hand, looked me in the eye, and said, “Let me know if you need anything, Griffin.” He placed his hand on my shoulder and gave me a gentle pat, the way he did with Conway.
Words didn’t come from my throat the way I wanted them to. All I did was nod.
Pearl hugged her daughter next then came up to me. It was the first time I’d seen her since everything happened. She hadn’t come into my room to visit me. Everyone watched her as she faced me, the silence surrounding us. Then, unexpectedly, she started to cry.
I’d never been comfortable around crying women, so I didn’t know what to do. Vanessa hardly ever did it, thankfully. I avoided Pearl’s gaze, feeling intrusive for looking at her during her despair.
Then she moved into my chest and hugged me.
Hugged me.
I’d never even gotten a handshake from anyone, let alone a hug. I stood there awkwardly as she clung to me, and it took me a few seconds to return the affection. My large arms surrounded her, feeling her petiteness.
Vanessa smiled as she watched her mother sob against me.
“You saved my son,” Pearl said into my chest. “You saved my husband…my brother…my daughter. Thank you so much.” She stayed in place, pouring her heart out to me.
I patted her back, still feeling ill at ease touching her like this.
“I wanted to visit you in your room, but I was still too upset…and now I’m even worse.” She pulled away and looked up at me, tears streaming down her cheeks and ruining her mascara. “My family means everything to me. If I lost them…any of them…I would lose myself. Because of you, I get to sleep with my husband beside me. Thank you, Griffin. I’m so sorry for the way I—”
“I accept your apology, Mrs. Barsetti. And you’re welcome.” I gave her a pat on the back before I pulled away, distancing myself from her. Her emotional turmoil was more than I could stand. Vanessa spoke highly of her mother, saying she was the strongest person she’d ever met. It was unlike her to cry, so seeing the tears made the situation even more profound. “What I want more than anything is to move forward and start over.”
Pearl rubbed her eyes with her fingertips, wiping away her smeared mascara in the process. “Of course. You’re a very brave man, and I feel better knowing my daughter has you. I know you would do anything for her.”
Those words meant a lot to me because it was all I ever wanted, to prove to her family I was the best man to take care of her. I’d said those words to her father many times, but they always bounced back at me. “I would, as I would for all of you.”
The Barsettis stared back at me, all tense and touched by what I said.
“You’re welcome to join us whenever you want,” Pearl said. “Our home is always open to you.”
It was a relief to feel welcome for once, to feel the universal acceptance of the Barsetti family. They didn’t just welcome me because they had to, but because they genuinely cared for me now. I felt like a friend—for the first time. Whenever I had been at the winery or anywhere on their property, they’d constantly watched me like a hawk. I’d said a few words to Carmen, and Cane had acted like I’d tried to rape her. Now I’d finally earned the acceptance of them all…which was all I ever wanted. “Thank you, Mrs. Barsetti.”
Guns and ammunition were still on the coffee table where I’d left them. A half-drunk glass of scotch was there too, and the condensation from the liquid had made a ring on the wood because it’d been sitting there for so long. The lights were still on because I’d abandoned everything before I left to save Conway.
Vanessa stepped inside and surveyed the room, searching for the changes that had occurred over the past three months. But she wouldn’t find any because nothing was different. I hadn’t changed anything, not even the room where she kept her art supplies. I’d been too pathetic to throw anything away.
I came up behind her, staring at her small frame in my living room. She was in a blue summer dress, her olive skin looking delicious in the color. Her arms were by her sides, and her breathing was quiet.
I approached her slowly, my hands slightly shaking from the moment I was about to embrace. For the last three months, I had sat in this apartment alone, drinking scotch and trying to forget about the woman who made me so happy. I thought I would never see her again, let alone in this very apartment.
Now she stood in front of me, beautiful as ever.
I stopped when my chest hit her back. My hands gripped the backs of her arms, feeling the pulse under the callused pads of my fingertips. My hands constricted around her, holding her tighter than I meant to. My desperation to squeeze her came from longing, not from rage. I needed to feel her intimately to understand she was really there.
She was there with me.
I rested my forehead against the back of her head, my face surrounded by her dark hair. I recognized her scent, the same smell that smothered my sheets. It reminded me of winter, of the blissful months I’d kept her warm in that small apartment. It reminded me of the moments I tried to fight, the moments when I fell so hard for her no matter how much I worked to resist it. This woman changed me, turned me from a monster into a heartfelt man. I still had rage, but that rage now only flamed when I thought she was in danger…or w
hen someone she loved was in danger.
She was the first person to bring me to tears, the first woman to break my heart. I remembered the sensation because it felt so strange. Every breath burned my lungs. My throat ached because it seemed like it was on fire. My eyes were coated with a sheen of moisture. It happened so fast and with such profoundness, I wasn’t even sure what was happening.
Only Vanessa could bring me to my knees.
Only Vanessa could make me feel loved.
Only Vanessa could make love as hard as I fought.
Only Vanessa could bring tears to my eyes.
The sound of my own breaths was audible to my ears because they slowly increased, growing deeper and harder. I could hear hers too, listen to them rise as the intensity between us turned into a raging storm. My hands never left her arms, keeping her against me. I let my chest expand into her back, felt her push back against me as her lungs filled with air.
Her breaths reached a breaking point, and that’s when she started to cry.
It was quiet, barely audible. It was only apparent because of the way her breathing turned irregular. Soon, her whimpers filled my quiet apartment. She’d never been the kind of woman to cry, not even under the threat of death, but she was coming apart—piece by piece.
My hands released her arms, and I secured my arms over her chest, my thick limbs covering her completely with the girth of two tree trunks. I pulled her against me, trapping her in place so she couldn’t run.
She used to be my prisoner. And now, she was my prisoner again.
This time, she would never get away.
My hold on her was too tight. Even if she wanted to leave, I would never allow it.
She gripped my arms with her hands. “I missed you so much…” She turned her head slightly, showing me her cheek. Tears ran from her eyes all the way to her chin. Her perfect makeup started to run. “It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t eat…I couldn’t do anything. I didn’t care about anything. Life was just…a meaningless blur. I tried to argue with my father to get him to change his mind. When it was no use, it was even more painful.”
I didn’t need to know how much she’d suffered. I knew this woman loved me completely, loved me for all the good and the bad. She accepted me exactly as I was, seeing the best in me during my worst times. Walking away from her was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I never really moved on with my life because it was too difficult. She loved me the way I loved her, so she didn’t need to tell me how hard the last three months had been.
I already knew.
“And now I can feel you.” She gripped my arms tighter. “I can feel your strong heartbeat again. I can smell your scent. I’m standing in the very place where I saved your life. This apartment was home to me…and here I am again. It’s true, but I feel like someone is going to take it away from me at any moment.”
Nothing could come between us, not ever again. If someone tried to pull her away from me, I would just hold on tighter. “Never.” I moved my face into her neck, feeling her thudding pulse right against my mouth. “Your family owes me for all eternity. There was only one thing I asked for, one thing they had to hand over. That prize is in my arms now. I own you more than I ever did. You’re irrevocably and permanently mine. Forever.” I forced my arms to relax so I wouldn’t crush her under my hold. I wanted her so much that I didn’t care if I hurt her a little in the process. My lips brushed against her neck then the shell of her ear. I’d kissed her in the hospital, but I didn’t get to take my time, to treasure the feel of her lips. Her tears mingled with mine then, and while the moment was euphoric, I wanted more.
“I want you to own me…forever.” She slowly circled in my arms, turning until she faced me, one teardrop stuck to her cheek. Her wet eyes reflected the light from the ceiling, making it seem like there were stars in her gaze. She stared up at me, her hands moving over my t-shirt as they migrated to my chest. She licked her lips, tasting the salt of her own tears.
My hands cupped her face, and I stared into her eyes, my chest rising and falling with the deep breaths I took. Her hair was caught in my fingertips, her smell mixed with mine. All I wanted to do was enjoy the happiness I’d finally earned, but I had to pause and treasure the moment. It was a moment I would never forget, a moment I would still recall as an old man.
Her hands moved over my wrists, and she gripped them, her plump lips waiting for my kiss.
I could have swept her off her feet the second we were in the door. I could have carried her to my bed and shoved myself inside her without even taking off her dress. But instead of rushing into the moment of bliss, I wanted to take my time. I wanted to make it last, to give it a chance to heal both of our broken hearts.
My forehead moved to hers, and I closed my eyes for a brief moment before I finally kissed her.
Finally enjoyed her.
The second our lips touched, I felt that old spark. I felt the heat between our mouths, the steady burn from the fire in both of our bellies. Her kiss was exactly the same as I remembered, delicious and sexy. She kissed me slowly, feeling my lips in between hers before she allowed me to grip her bottom lip between my teeth. Our breathing filled the room, evolving from emotional to desperate.
Our mouths moved faster, and I cradled her face in my hands, moving closer into her body as our passion rekindled. As if this woman had never left, my desire for her was paramount. She was my fantasy, but I didn’t just want her because of the way she made me hard. I wanted her because of the way she softened my heart.
She rose on her tiptoes to kiss me more easily, so she could have more of my mouth. She gripped my shoulders for balance, and as old tears dripped down her face, I tasted the salt on my tongue.
I hadn’t kissed her like this in so long.
I wasn’t even sure if it was real.
My hands gripped her slender waist, and I lifted her up effortlessly. I pulled her leg around my waist, anchoring her to me as I carried her down the hallway and to my bedroom. The pain in my shoulder didn’t hurt me at all, not when my mind was focused on the beautiful woman in my arms.
My feet tapped against the hardwood floor, and our heavy breathing filled the narrow hallway. She kissed me harder as I carried her to bed, excited to feel me sink between her legs just the way I used to every single morning and night.
I moved to the bed and pressed her back into the mattress, my lips never leaving hers. I’d slept in this bed alone since she left, never having any visitors to fight the loneliness. The only company I ever had was my hand—and that wasn’t as good as the real thing.
My hand moved up her dress until I touched her thong. Soft and lacy, it was just as I remembered before I even looked at them. This one was black, one of my favorite pairs. I pulled it over her luscious ass and down her gorgeous legs.
I was hard just from touching her panties, from undressing her so I could enjoy her. She was a present that I got to open, and instead of seeing the gift right away, I took my time. I pulled her dress off next, revealing more of that beautiful olive skin. Dark and unblemished, her smooth skin was sweet like honey. When I got it off, I visualized the gorgeous curves I used to enjoy every night. With perky tits, a slender stomach, and endless curves, she was exactly as I remembered. She’d lost some weight, but that didn’t distract me from the obvious beauty underneath me.
My lips ached to kiss her everywhere, to pleasure my tongue with her taste. It’d been so long since I’d had a woman, since I’d been buried between a beautiful woman’s legs. An eternity had passed, and looking at her tested my resolve. My mouth immediately went to the valley of her tits, and I dragged my tongue everywhere, tasting her exquisite flesh. I devoured her tits aggressively, kissing those womanly curves and sucking the nipples until they were raw.
She writhed underneath me, digging her nails through my t-shirt and moaning like she’d never been touched before. Her fingers moved into the back of my hair, and she shoved each boob into my mo
uth, like she couldn’t get enough of me fast enough. Her excitement matched mine, and she squeezed my hips with her thighs. “Griffin…god.” I wasn’t even inside her yet, and she was about to come from my mouth.
My lips trailed down her stomach until I reached the apex of her thighs. With the same enthusiasm, she pulled my face between her legs and pressed into me, her head rolling back with ecstasy.
I ate her pussy with vigor, having missed her unique taste. Her arousal continued to pool between her legs, and she didn’t need my wetness at all, but I wanted her anyway. I wanted to claim every inch of her, to erase anyone else she had been with since I’d been gone. I circled her clit a few times, making her spine shiver and her words emerge as a whimper. I wanted to make her come, to make her call out my name, but my cock wanted to feel her squeeze around me as she exploded.
The second my mouth was gone, she viciously yanked my shirt over my head. She clawed at it with her nails, scratching my skin in the process. She moved for my jeans next, her hands shaking in her impatience to get me naked. She finally pushed them down along with my boxers.
She stared at my cock without shame, looking at it like it was the most arousing thing she’d ever seen. She licked her lips then moaned, moaned like he was already buried inside her. “God…get inside me.” She pulled me on top of her and widened her legs to give my hips the room they needed.
I knew she wanted me, but I’d never seen her look at me quite like that. After putting my weight on my hands and positioning myself against her, I pointed the swollen head of my cock at her opening and pushed.
So fucking wet.
And tight.
It was so tight I had to push slowly so I could sink inside her.
We didn’t have the conversation about where we’d been and if we’d been tested. It didn’t seem like it mattered right now because nothing was going to stop us from being together.
She clawed at my chest as she felt me squeeze through her soft flesh. “Yes…yes…yes.” She looked up at me, her mouth open from moaning right in my face. “Jesus Christ…yes.” She’d missed my cock as much as I missed giving it to her.
