VITTORIO'S MISTRESS

by Kimberley Reeves

  What an idiot she was for being so upset. After all, she was the one who’d pushed him away and made sure his ego was good and bruised so he wouldn’t attempt to see her. She told herself it was for the best, that everything would go back to normal as long as he stayed away, and then she’d be able to get off the emotional roller coaster she’d been riding ever since that first encounter in the park last week. But no matter how hard she tried to drive him from her mind, he was always with her.

  Tuesday’s trip to the park was no different than the day before, and when the rest of the week passed with no sign of him, Paige finally had to accept that he’d taken her at her word and believed she didn’t want anything to do with him. How disheartening it was to know that in successfully banishing Dante from her life, she’d also sentenced herself to a life without love.

  She might have been able to convince herself that she’d find someone else one day if she hadn’t run into Dante again. It was even possible she might have settled for a man who was a good companion to share her life with and been content with that, but not now. She’d survive because she had to for Daniella’s sake, but in her heart Paige knew there was only one man she would ever love and if she couldn’t have him, she didn’t want anybody.

  By the following Friday she’d regained enough of her equilibrium to stop staring at every dark haired man that entered the park in the hopes that it was Dante. She even managed to stay focused while she read to the children then gathered her courage and took a stroll towards the duck pond while her assistant handed out the snacks. Her footsteps faltered for a moment when she reached the path but she shook off the despair that suddenly engulfed her and forced herself to keep walking.

  She passed the spot where Dante had pulled her into the woods but kept her gaze straight ahead. Somehow she had to put all the memories she had of him to rest and get on with her life. Was it possible to forget someone that was a part of you? Probably not, but she had to try. Daniella needed a mother who filled her life with joy, not someone who moped around in a deep, dark depression.

  Paige lifted her chin determinedly and headed back towards the park. She could do this; one day at a time.

  ***

  Dante watched her from the boardroom window, just as he’d watched her every day for the past two weeks. He’d scrutinized every move she made, every backward glance, every nervous gesture, waiting for the evidence he needed that she believed he was gone for good. A slow smile spread across his face when he saw her emerge from the path with her head held high and a purposeful stride to her walk. It was time to make his move.

  He’d spent a great deal of time contriving a plan that would force her to accept his proposal to become his mistress and he had no doubt she’d be mad as a hornet at first. But once she got used to the idea and discovered he wasn’t going to drag her off to bed every time they were together, she’d settle down. He’d take his time putting her at ease and wait until Paige dropped her guard long enough for him to wheedle his way into her heart. Only then would he take her to bed.

  He’d take her to the small island that was jointly owned by him and his brothers and spend an entire weekend in one of the beach houses that were scattered around the island. There, he’d lavish Paige with attention and make love to her as he never had before, drawing her in deeper and deeper until she was so consumed by her love for him that she’d do anything he asked. That’s when he would strike back at her for all the pain she’d caused him.

  Dante strolled back to his office, ignoring the pang of guilt for what he was planning to do. What reason did he have for feeling guilty? He wasn’t the one who’d run out on their relationship, Paige had, so why should he be the only one to suffer? He ducked into his office just long enough to retrieve the papers from his desk that he’d amassed over the past three weeks then told his personal assistant he was leaving for the day.

  The papers he held were paramount to making his plan work because in them was the leverage he needed to convince Paige she had no choice but to become his mistress.

  Chapter 5

  Paige pushed the door open and walked into the empty house. Although she didn’t begrudge her parents the weekends Daniella spent with them once a month, she hated how quiet and lonely the place seemed without her vivacious daughter. A quick glance at the clock told her it was well past nine o’clock. She’d stayed at her parent’s house much longer than she should have. Again. The fact that Daniella had no reservations about being left behind was comforting but it didn’t completely eliminate the separation anxiety Paige suffered from the minute she got into her car and drove away.

  She’d just finished taking a shower and was towel drying her hair when she heard the doorbell ring. Assuming it was Chantel stopping by to borrow a dress or skirt as she often did before going out to party with her other friends, Paige pulled on her robe and hurried down the stairs. Out of habit she flipped the switch on the porch light then put her eye up to the peek hole in the door but the bulb must have blown because she couldn’t see anything but dark shadows.

  “Chantel?” She called through the door.

  “No,” a male voice responded from the other side, “but rumor has it we look a lot alike.”

  Paige laughed as she opened the door to Chantel’s twin brother. “What a nasty rumor,” she teased, “everyone knows you’re much prettier than Chantel.”

  Marc stepped inside and gave her a lopsided grin. “Aw shucks ma’am, you’re making me blush.”

  “You should be blushing…with shame, that is. She conned you into coming over here to beg for my red heels again, didn’t she?”

  “Hell no,” his grin broadened, “those spiky heels are for me, the matching belt and lacy shawl are for Chantel.”

  Paige crossed her arms. “If you weren’t so damn cute I’d send you back without them.”

  “Which is why she sent me to fetch them for her.”

  “All right, I’ll run up and get them but tell that sister of yours that I’d better not find one scuff mark on my shoes or I’ll take it out of her hide.”

  “Got it,” Marc saluted her. “Where’s the rodent, is she in bed already?”

  “She’s spending the weekend with my parents.”

  “So why aren’t you tripping the light fantastic with us tonight?”

  “Because I like to wallow in my loneliness the first night Daniella is away,” she told him as she headed for the stairs. “I might be up for it tomorrow night if you all go out again.” She returned a few minutes later with a small cloth bag containing all the items Chantel requested. “I put the pair of earrings and bracelet in there she usually scams from me when she borrows the shoes so you won’t have to make a second trip.”

  “You’re the best, Pager.”

  Paige handed him the bag along with a withering glare. “When are you going to stop calling me that awful nickname?”

  “Never,” he laughed. “I get too much pleasure out of annoying my baby sister.”

  “I’m not your sister, though I wish I was sometimes so I’d have the same privilege Chantel has.”

  “What’s that, bossing me around?”

  “No, giving you a good hard kick in the rear end when you annoy me.”

  Marc opened the door and Paige followed him out onto the porch. “You want me to change that bulb before I go?”

  “I’ll take care of it in the morning.”

  He leaned down and dropped a brotherly kiss on her cheek. “Don’t forget we have a date tomorrow night.”

  Paige stood on the porch until he’d gotten his car and backed out of the driveway then waved good-bye, though she wasn’t sure he could even see her since she’d pulled the door closed behind her out of habit, leaving her in total darkness. She turned to go inside when a soft rustling in one corner of the porch sent a mild jolt of fear rippling through her. It’s just a squirrel she told herself then let out a startled squeak when one very large shadow separated itself from the others and moved towards her.

  “I
s that him,” a familiar male voice growled.

  “Holy hell,” Paige clutched the label of her robe, “you scared me half to death.”

  Dante towered over her, consumed with jealousy. “Is that the man you have been seeing, the one you were considering sleeping with?”

  “That’s none of your business,” she replied stiffly. “What are you doing lurking around on my porch anyway?”

  “I was not lurking,” he bit out. “I came to see you and noticed the car in the driveway so I decided to wait out here until your guest left.”

  “You have no right to interfere with my life,” she snapped. “What if I’d invited him to spend the night? Would you have stayed out here until morning or were you planning on breaking down my door and challenging him to a duel?”

  “Do not push me, cara,” his deep voice vibrated with anger, “I am dangerously close to carrying you inside and proving just who it is you belong to.”

  Paige drew in an indignant breath. “I don’t belong to you, Dante.”

  “Not yet, but you will soon.”

  “Are you going to take me against my will then,” she hissed, “because that’s the only way you’ll get me to have sex with you again.”

  Dante laughed softly. “Do you honestly believe I would have to force you, mio bello?” He moved closer, laughing again when Paige backed away from him because it only enticed him to continue advancing on her until she was pinned between the wall and his body. “Tell me again,” he whispered against her lips. “Tell me how I shall have to take you against your will.”

  ****

  Paige let out a helpless whimper when his mouth crushed down on hers. Heat surged through her, so intense that it felt like her whole body was going up in flames. She grappled with her resolve to resist him for all of two seconds before anchoring her arms around his neck and surrendering to the passion Dante ignited in her. He was incredibly aroused; she could feel his throbbing erection through the thin silk material of her robe as he ground his hips into her and she moaned in response.

  Dante slipped his hand beneath her robe and found the moist spot between her thighs. “Come for me,” he said gruffly, then smiled with deep satisfaction when Paige’s body began to convulse.

  She had no will of her own, no defense against the waves of pleasure that were turning her into a quivering mass of flesh. Paige buried her face in his neck and held on for dear life as his skillful fingers triggered one explosive climax after another until he’d wrung every last ounce of moisture from her body. At least that’s what Paige thought, but she hadn’t considered what having him inside of her would do.

  Vaguely her mind registered that his hands had moved to her bottom and he was lifting her up, spreading her legs so that she could wrap them around his hips. But even then she didn’t realize he’d unzipped his jeans and shoved them down until she felt his probing heat against her opening.

  Dante thrust into her, hard and deep, filling her so completely she cried out from the sheer pleasure of it. Over and over he impaled her, each penetrating stroke taking her higher and higher until she exploded, her mind and body shattering into a million pieces as she slowly tumbled back to earth.

  Dante’s own climax was as powerful as hers, his heavy thrusts ending in one long shudder as Paige’s inner muscles clenched around him and bathed his rigid flesh in her liquid heat. He held himself inside her for several minutes as he attempted to drag air into his lungs and willed the pounding of his heart to slow down.

  He hadn’t meant for this happen, though he’d be lying if he said he regretted it. Maybe now that he’d taken the edge off the God awful ache he always carried around inside for her, he’d be able to control himself while he followed through with his plan.

  Dante let her legs slide slowly to the ground. When he was certain she could stand on her own, he yanked his jeans up and zipped the fly then gently pulled her robe back over her nakedness and cinched the silk tie around her slender waist. Her breathing had evened out, and though he couldn’t see anything but the faint outline of her face, Dante knew she was still in a bit of a daze.

  He wanted to take her back in his arms and kiss her but not in the same fierce manner he’d delivered them only moments ago. He wanted to show Paige the tender side of love making with kisses that were soft and giving, not rough and demanding. But he couldn’t afford to show any weakness, not until he had her where he wanted her. It took nerves of steel to keep the gentleness from his voice but somehow he managed to sound cold and indifferent when he finally spoke.

  “We need to talk, but tomorrow will be soon enough.”

  Dante crossed the porch to the place he’d been standing in when Paige came outside and retrieved the manila envelope he’d left sitting on one of the wicker chairs. It hadn’t taken him more than few seconds to get the envelope and turn back around but in that short period of time Paige had managed to get to the door and was trying to scramble through it before he could get to her. In three long strides he was at the door and just barely had time to stop it from closing by heaving his shoulder against the wood.

  Dante didn’t realize how hard he’d shoved back or maybe in her shaken state, Paige simply didn’t have the strength she normally would have. To his immense horror, the door struck her hard enough to send her flying back several feet where she hit the foyer wall with a loud thud before slithering to the floor. Dante’s heart leapt to his throat as he rushed across the small entranceway and scooped her up in his arms.

  Paige pummeled her balled up fists against his chest, for all the good it did. “Put me down,” she cried, “haven’t you done enough damage for one night?”

  Dante kept a firm grip despite her flailing arms and legs. “Dio, I did not mean to hurt you!” He hugged her to him, pressing his cheek to hers. “Forgive me,” he murmured, “I swear I never meant for any of this to happen. I only came to talk to you, but when I saw you with that man…dressed only in a robe and making arrangements for a date, I wanted to rip his head off.”

  All the anger suddenly went out of her. “You had no right to be jealous,” Paige said in a subdued tone, “and you had no right to do what you did to me because of it.”

  “You did not fight me,” he reminded her. “Whether you admit it to yourself or not, you wanted me as much as I wanted you.”

  “Maybe I did,” she replied dully, “but it can never happen again. Please…put me down. I want you to go now and I don’t want to see you ever again.”

  Dante’s chest squeezed. Her words hurt, her emotional withdrawal hurt, finding her with another man hurt. He hated it that she still had the power to do this to him in spite of the wall he’d so carefully built around his heart. He let her feet drop to the floor but kept her locked in his arms. Her hair was a tangled mess, her cheeks flushed, and her lips were swollen from the furious way he’d been kissing her.

  Looking into her wide, frightened eyes, his anger left him in a rush. He’d been too rough with her, and that was inexcusable but it did not deter him from the path of revenge he’d chosen. He didn’t want to hurt Paige physically, on the contrary he wanted to take her to heights she’d never known before. For that to happen, she’d have to come to him willing and that wasn’t likely to occur if she was afraid of him.

  Dante reached up and gently raked his knuckles down the side of her cheek. “I am truly sorry for hurting you when I shoved against the door, but I am not sorry for what happened on the porch. I cannot let you go, cara mia, not when you consume my every waking thought.”

  Tears filled her eyes. How could she tell him to go away when everything in her would wither and die if he did as she asked? She wasn’t sorry for happened either, at least not until he’d suddenly gone cold on her and used that horrible emotionless tone of voice. But maybe, just maybe he’d been as confused by the maelstrom of emotions assaulting him as she’d been.

  She blinked back the tears. It didn’t matter, not any of it. Whatever it was that drove him to it, whatever possessed her to surrender
to the madness, it was secondary to the little girl whose life would be turned upside down if Paige allowed this to continue.

  “You have to let me go, Dante. You have no choice.”

  “No, cara,” he said softly, “it is you that has no choice.” He let her go then and stooped to pick up the envelope he’d dropped when he’d come through the door. Dante pressed it into her shaking hands. “Read this and you will understand.”

  ****

  A sense of foreboding fell over her as she pried the envelope open and pulled out several pieces of paper. Paige scanned the pages, flipping through them one at a time before returning to the first page and reading through it more slowly. The bottom fell out of her stomach when she got to the end, not because she understood the ramifications of the documents in her hands but because she didn’t.

  She looked at him, confused and more than a little apprehensive. “Why?”