“So, Red. Do you want another quickie or do you want something a little more substantial?”
She gasped and pushed him with all her might away from her and he fell on his behind. Before he could gather himself she jumped up and ran past him. She whipped the branches from the willow tree away and swung around. Her eyes shot fire at him.
“Go to hell, Gabriel Costa! I would not touch you again even if you were the last damn man on earth! Do you hear me?”
She stumbled back with each step he took forward, her violet eyes smoky in her anger.
“Pity. I do like your hands on me. However, it is not a prerequisite for me to have sex with you. Don’t worry, amore, I’ll do the touching. All you have to do, is spread your legs.”
“No! It is over! Do you hear me! It is over!”
“Oh no, Red. It has only just begun! You owe me, Baby! More than you can ever imagine! I aim to collect. With or without your cooperation!”
He caught her arms in his hands and pulled her closer to him. His eyes caressed over her face and he winced as he noticed her puffy red eyes for the first time.
“One thing counts in your favor, Red. You are a beautiful woman, even if you are so parochial.”
“I am not parochial! Let me go! I am not going to stand here and take any more of your abuse!”
He chuckled. “Now, now Red. I am a King. According to you I am not human. I decree, I am a selfish bastard and I take what I want. Where and when I want it. I have no feelings and only use people. Is that about it, Red?”
“I never said any of those things!”
“Maybe not, but you sure as hell think and believe it!”
“Don’t you dare assume to know what I think or believe!”
“Oh … is it a tendency that you seized ownership of then?”
“What do you mean?”
His eyebrows shot to heights again. “Is that not exactly what you have been doing? Do you deny, Sienna that you decided what it is I want and need out of life? What and why I should do things? All of it purely because I am Royalty! Is that how you always judge people, Sienna? On their status in life.”
“Of course not!”
He nearly shoved his face into hers and his eyes burned so heatedly the sun could not even compete.
“So why the hell do you ME?”
He shouted at her. Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to close it just as quickly. There was nothing she could say to defend herself. Everything he had said was the truth and for the first time she came to the realization how wrong she had been.
Gabriel cursed, grasped her arm in a hard strong grip and yanked her with him back to the house. She had to run to keep up with him, but she was so upset with how she had acted she did not even notice.
They entered the house from the side door and he shouted his aunt’s name the moment they got inside. He aimed in their direction as soon as she answered.
“I have to get to the office. Luca and Benito are taking Sienna to the Island. She needs to get her work done.”
His face was stern and his voice harsh and no one dared oppose him. He greeted everyone and waited impatiently for Sienna to do the same. After numerous hugs and kisses he cursed and took her hand and dragged her to the door.
“Enough. One would swear she is leaving the country. Let me know when you have finalized the wedding date, Gramps. I am sure Sophia and Sienna would love to help with the arrangements.”
They all trailed after them and waved when the car disappeared down the path. Luca drove them to the airport first and Benito and he carried the luggage to the helicopter immediately, leaving Sienna to deal with a still, very angry Gabriel. She knew him well enough already to know he would not believe an apology from her at that point, so she bit the words back. She would have to find a way to make it up to him.
“I will continue with the research immediately. I have already done quite a lot of work, so I should be able to give you a detailed framework by the end of the week. Filling in the details from there is generally easy and quick.”
“How long?”
“I should be finished within four weeks.”
“Better make that six weeks. You will probably be pulled into the wedding arrangements as soon as Sophia finds out about it. I want a report on your progress twice a week.”
Her eyes caught his and he smiled sardonically.
“You’ll be happy to know that I plan on finalizing the new project and will not be home for probably a few weeks.”
Her heart thumbed weakly inside her chest and she pulled deep breaths into her lungs. She twiddled her thumbs.
“I am sorry I chased you away from your home.”
“You should be. But again your assumption is wrong. Especially the why of it.”
She looked at him questioningly.
“Forget it, Sienna. I don’t have the strength for this now. Have a good trip. If you need anything, phone me or if you can’t get hold of me, Sophia.”
He got out of the vehicle and walked around and opened the door for her. She got out and he stepped closer against her. He took her face between his hands and kissed her hard and wildly, stirring her passions so quickly it was embarrassing.
He pushed her away and closed the door. He opened the driver’s door and looked at her with veiled eyes.
“Arrivederci, Red. Keep well.”
He got in the car and drove away.
Chapter Sixteen
Arriving back on the Island Li Gilli it did not hold the appeal it did the first time. She was hurting and just wanted to curl into a little ball and sleep so she did not have to feel the pain in her heart.
The minute they arrived she insisted Benito take her to the cottage she was originally given to stay in. The repairs on the roof have been completed a week ago and there was no excuse he could offer not to take her there.
Benito carried her bags to the main bedroom and dragged his feet leaving. He stole a glance at her where she stood on the small porch at the back of the cottage facing the swimming pool.
“Signora, are you sure you want to stay here? My King is not going to be happy about this. His instructions were explicit.”
She nodded and looked up at him with a small smile.
“I am not so sure he cares one way or the other at this point, Benito. Please do not be concerned about me. I will probably spend most days in the Library anyway.”
He cleared his throat. He noticed her sad eyes and wondered what his King did to upset his Red so much.
“I will arrange for a housekeeper to be here every day to cook and clean. She will bring all the groceries you might need with, when she arrives later today.”
“Please Benito; do not go to any trouble. I will be fine.”
“No, Signora, this time, I insist. My King will have my head already for allowing you to stay here. If I did not ensure you were well looked after, I might just be left in the street!”
“No he won’t. I will take all the blame for being here and if he dared berate you for this, you let me know.”
He smiled. Happy to see that her spirit and spunk was still there, albeit trampled behind her sadness.
Sienna went to unpack her luggage and went back downstairs to settle in the small alcove that faced the view to the castle-mansion where a desk was set up for work. She plugged her laptop in the power source and waited impatiently for it to power up. Soon she was so entrenched with the history of the Dukes of Seravalle she totally lost track of time.
She startled when her phone rang late afternoon and bit her lip when ‘Your Sexy King’ flashed on the screen. She swiped to answer and lifted the phone to her ear.
“Gabriel?”
“Why the hell must you be so obstinate in everything, Sienna? Is my home now also not good enough for you?”
She closed her eyes and sighed. She should have realized he would turn it into a fight.
“The cottage roof has been fixed, Gabriel which was the reason I could not use it before.”
/> “That was not the only reason and well you know it! I told you once you’re back home you will move into my room, Sienna! You owe me and I have no intention carting up the hill every time to collect!”
She gasped. “I will not be kept like a … like a cheap hussy, Gabriel Costa! I told you, I will not become one of your flock!”
“If that is how you do research I cringe to think what you will drench up on our lineage! Had you been one of my FLOCK, Red, you would have had me between your legs at the most twice before you were discarded! I have never taken a woman to my own bed, let alone lived with them. But I guess you are not interested in hearing that. You have as has become your norm, judged and found me guilty already!”
“Oh Gabriel! Get off your damn high horse! You have done nothing to me than demand and order me around! That is a fact! You can’t just order me to be in your bed. That is … it is … medieval … even caveman like!”
“No Red. That is the desire of a man that needs his woman. A woman whom he can’t get enough off. That wrings him dry every time he takes her and even then he wants more. That burns his skin and feeds his need, even when she is not around. Whose beauty and touch is carried in his soul every second of every day. If you for once stop being so disparaging, you would have realized it already.”
“I … you …”
She was bemused and could not get a word out, her mind in shambles. His words spinning like a yo-yo inside her head.
He sighed heavily. “I warned you the other night, Sienna. You are mine and I will not let you go. You better get used to it.”
“Gabriel …”
“I told Gramps they can move into that cottage so they have some privacy. They will arrive in two days. After the wedding the cottage will be their base for as long as they wish to stay. Don’t worry about the work. Concentrate on assisting Gramps with the wedding arrangements. Benito will move you to the house tomorrow.”
She bit her lip, realizing she had no choice but to move back to the mansion. She gripped the phone tight.
“When … will you be home?”
“Do you want me to come home, Red?”
“I …”
He sighed wearily once again. “I guess not. I’ll be home for the wedding. Arrivederci, Red.”
“Gabriel!” But he already ended the connection. “I want you to come home…” she whispered into the quiet around her.
She clutched the phone against her chest, a silly smile around her mouth as she played his words back in her mind. She never expected him to declare so much of his feelings to her. Feelings she never for once thought he might have for her. Her Gramps and Gabriel was right … she was prejudiced and disparaging … but he was a King! She was not of the status from which he should marry! No matter what they said … the people he belonged to, would expect it from him!
Gabriel made a point of phoning Sienna every day, mostly during the late afternoon. He kept the conversations short and impersonal. She missed his flirting and how he aggravated her. She missed … him.
At least with Gramps and William there she was not alone and they spent quite a lot of time together finalizing the wedding plans. Not that there was too much to arrange. It was going to be a small wedding with only her and Gabriel’s aunt and sister in attendance. Sophia however was adamant that it would still be a special day and they discussed flower arrangements, table decorations and where the ceremony would take place. Every little detail was discussed and planned in detail, with each person allocated responsibilities.
Sienna continued with her work and made substantial progress. She worked until late at night so that she was so tired she fell asleep when her head touched the pillow. Benito came to fetch her and moved her back to the house, but she was adamant and moved into her old room. He just shook his head mumbling about his King that would have his head because once again he did not follow his instructions.
Gramps invited Sienna for an early dinner on Thursday and she settled in bed after a relaxing shower. It was extremely hot and humid and her balcony doors were open allowing for the slight breeze to cool the room somewhat. She took to sleeping naked again because it was so hot. With a sigh she switched off the bedside lamp and fell asleep soon thereafter.
Sienna woke up with a start and struggled fiercely when she was lifted from her bed and held against a hard, muscled chest. Before she could scream, warm and soft lips closed over hers, kissing her briefly.
“Easy, Red. It’s only me.”
“Gabriel?”
“Yes, amore.”
“Whe … where are you taking me?”
“Where you belong and if you did as you were told, I wouldn’t have to carry you along the passage in all our naked glory.”
“Oh … no! Put me down!”
“Too late, Red. My patience has run out!”
He shouldered through her door and walked the short distance down the passage to his room. He kicked the door closed behind them and took her straight to his bed. The covers were already removed. He put her down in the center of the bed and lowered himself over her immediately.
The bedside lamp was on and she looked into his handsome face. His eyes glittered like spun gold and he searched her eyes. She drank him in and noticed his stubble beard that seemed slightly scurvy and longer than usual, adding to his dangerously attractiveness.
His voice was raspy and hoarse and she flinched at the hard look that flashed over his face before the words left his mouth.
“So Red, how do you want it? Hard and quick or slow and …”
She shook her head and tears drowned her shining violet eyes.
“Don’t! Please don’t do this!”
“What Red? Don’t do what?”
“Don’t belittle what we had like this! I know I said things I should not have and I am sorry! I …don’t know how to … tell me, Gabriel! Please tell me how to fix this!”
She stroked his chin, his stubble beard rough against her soft palm and he leaned into her hand, his eyes glowing hotter and hotter with every word she uttered.
“Kiss me, Red.”
Her one hand stroked over his side and under his arm to curl around his back, slowly caressing the muscled cords from his shoulders to his buttocks, which she realized were also bare. She continued to stroke his cheek with her fingers and slowly curled her hand around his neck to clasp his hair at the nape of his neck to pull him closer. Just before her lips covered his, she whispered against his, “I’m sorry, my love! More than I could ever say.”
Her lips covered his and she slowly stroked them back and forth over his, gently nibbling at his lower lip, stroking her tongue over the sting. She traced the seam of his lips with her tongue and opened her legs to take him deeper against her body. She licked against his lips, slowly, then harder and deeper between them with each stroke until she was inside. She took her time exploring the inner recesses of his mouth, slowly tracing his teeth, the insides of his cheeks, his palette and only when he growled softly did she tangle her tongue with his. Sweeping and twirling hers around his, gently sucking whilst she stroked her legs on either side of his. Slowly up to his thighs and down to his calves, just to repeat the same sensual path over and over, driving him insane with desire.
He drove her deeper into the matrass, his hard, fully aroused shaft pressing hard against her core and she moaned as if in pain. Gabriel could feel the rapid thumping of his heart against his chest and he forced deep breaths through his nose into his lungs. He took charge of the kiss and it became wild, savage as he desperately needed more of her. He kissed her deeply and surged deeper and deeper and Sienna opened her mouth wider and gave him all he demanded.
She moaned when his mouth left hers. “More … Gabriel … what more do I have to do?”
His eyes singed into hers, his passion darkening his amber eyes to a deep dessert sand color. He leaned back and moved from between her legs to lie down next to her, his hand curling around her thigh. She moaned at the loss of his hardness between her legs. Her
nipples were hard little nubs, desperate for his touch.
His voice was rough and passionate with his next demand. “I want you to give all of you … I want total control of your body! Touch your breasts, amore. Play with them like I always do.”
She saw the need in his eyes and even though it was something she did not feel comfortable with, her hands rose over her waist and cupped the weight of her breasts in the palms of her hands. She watched Gabriel and noticed his eyes narrowing slightly. When she flicked her fingers over the tight pointed nubs his hand on her thigh tightened.
She pushed her breast into her hands and his breath caught when she pinched and rolled them between her fingers, catching her lip between her teeth.
“Feed them to me, Baby. I need to taste them!”
Yet he did not lean down when she offered him one breast with her hand around it. The glitter in his eyes clear of his intent. She moaned and pushed up with her one hand behind her, tilting her breast upwards and against his chin. The roughness of his stubble beard against her sensitive nipple brought a deep groan from her throat. She rubbed her nipple back and forth against his chin.
“Now, Red! I want it now!”
He demanded when she delayed too long and she tipped her breast higher to push it eagerly and hard against his lips. They opened immediately and he pulled her nipple deep into his mouth and suckled hard and pulled it deeper and deeper, groaning as he suckled on her honeyed sweetness. Sienna’s head was thrown back and she mewled like an injured cat, which drove him to suck harder, nibbling on the tip. He bit down and pulled his head back, stretching her nipple and her mewl turned into a desperate keen. Her arm holding her up against him trembled with strain.
He returned to suckling gently and released her breast with a pop. “I want the other one too, Baby!”
Sienna eagerly swopped her hands and tilted her body slightly into his to offer the other to him as well. She could not stop herself from rubbing this one against his rough chin as well and he growled.
“Now, Red!”
You Owe Me, Baby Page 14
