by T. O. Smith
He gently knelt and after wrapping his arm around the back of my knees, he lifted me up against his chest, carrying me out of the room and down the stairs into the living room. Vincent was lounged back on the couch, his sock covered feet kicked up on the coffee table. He looked up as Salvatore stepped into the room with me in his arms, his eyes pained as he took in my crying form.
“Vincent, make her some tea.” Salvatore commanded as he sat on the couch with me on his lap, his arms holding me close.
Without a word, Vincent got up from the couch and walked to the kitchen. “Tell me about your dream, bellissimo.” Salvatore commanded softly.
“You were trying to protect our baby.” I choked out, swiping at my cheeks though the effort was useless. The tears just kept coming. “Pops got past your security guards, and he managed to shoot me. I begged you to protect our baby, and Pops killed you before you could.” I choked out.
"Preziosa, no one will harm you, our bambino, nor me.” He assured me gently.
I shook my head at Vincent as he held out a cup of tea to me. Salvatore sighed softly as I rested my head on his shoulder, my arms twined around his neck as my eyelids fluttered shut with the exhaustion that came with crying my eyes out.
"Dormi, mia amore.” Salvatore whispered as he pressed his lips to my forehead.
I love you, I thought, but I would never let the words slip past my lips.
✣ ✣ ✣
Salvatore’s alarm blaring woke me up the next morning. I blinked awake, groaning softly in aggravation at myself, remembering that I had begged Salvatore to let me keep my job.
Why did I make such stupid decisions when I was actually awake?
“Good morning, mia moglie." Salvatore murmured as he leaned over and pressed his lips to my forehead.
He slid out of bed, and I let my eyes run over his muscular back, taking in the beautiful way that his muscles flexed and moved as he slid out of bed. He turned to face me, and my eyes ran over his muscular arms and his broad shoulders, down to his rippling abs. I bit my lip subconsciously as my gaze roamed down to his defined V that disappeared into his low riding sweatpants.
"Amore, if you continue to look at me like that, I will fare l’amore con te.” He told me, flipping to Italian at the end, but after being with him for a while, I knew he was telling me he would make love to me.
I only shot him a small smile as I slid out of bed and padded barefoot to the bathroom, walking to the shower to turn on the water. I could feel his eyes on my bare thighs as I walked away, and my skin flushed under his gaze.
He didn’t even have to touch me anymore to turn me on.
I pulled the t-shirt over my head and slid my panties down to the floor, stepping under the hot spray of the water. Salvatore stepped in after me, and his hands slid across my hips, making my breath hitch in my throat. He slid his hands up my body, palming my tender breasts in his larger hands, making me moan softly as I leaned back into him.
I turned my head to meet his lips which molded perfectly with mine. I turned around in his arms, letting my fingers run over his skin, feeling his muscles quiver underneath my touch. He groaned and backed me up against the shower wall, his hand sliding between my thighs to slide against the most sensitive part of me.
I moaned, my breath leaving me on a gasp of shock. He pressed his thumb against my clit and circled it around, leaving me breathless and moaning, my legs barely able to hold me up.
“You’re so bagnato." Salvatore groaned into my neck as he placed hot, open-mouthed kisses to my sensitive flesh.
“Salvatore, please.” I begged him.
He easily lifted me up against the shower wall, and in one swift thrust, he was buried deep inside of me. I fell apart around him, but before I even had a chance to come completely down from the cloud he had put me on, he was moving, his hands gripping me up under my thighs as I clutched at him, trying to find something to ground me to the Earth as everything exploded around me.
.
✣ ✣ ✣
I quickly scribbled down some notes as I sat in Salvatore’s meeting with the finance department. I could feel his eyes on me, and it took everything in me not to reach up and rub my temples where a headache was beginning to form and to not stand up and stretch my sore muscles.
Salvatore was still unhappy about me working, and he wasn’t hiding it.
He was just trying to stay professional in front of his employees considering no one in the company knew we were married except for his other secretary – Miss Greenland.
“Sasha.” Salvatore commanded, making me raise my eyes up from my notepad to meet his.
“Yes, Mr. Bianchi?” I asked, arching an eyebrow at him.
“Go take a break, Sasha.” He commanded.
I could feel everyone in the room watching us curiously, questions sparking in their gazes. I clenched my jaw angrily, and I saw his jaw set as well as soon as he saw the anger spark in my eyes. He knew I was going to fight him on this.
“I’m fine, Mr. Bianchi. I do not need a break. Please, continue with the meeting.” I told him dismissively, honestly not giving a fuck anymore about professionalism.
His eyes flashed with a warning, and I saw some of the employees shuffle uncomfortably in their seats at the rising tension in the room.
“It was not a question if you needed a break, Sasha. It was a demand.” He silkily warned me.
My temper flew. I was fucking tired. I was goddamn agitated that I kept having nightmares, and I was fucking sick of his controlling demeanor.
I kicked back from the table, sending my chair rolling into the wall. I slung my papers on the floor and stormed out of the room, but not before I lifted my middle finger over my shoulder.
For any other employee, it would have been grounds for immediate termination, but I knew Salvatore held me to a completely different standard than he did normal employees.
I was his wife, after all.
By the time I got to my office, I was fucking fuming. But my anger quickly evaporated as fear filled my veins and vomit rose in my throat. Miss Greenland was sitting in my desk chair, her throat slit, her eyes staring back at me blankly - dead, lifeless.
I screamed as I scrambled back out of the room, vomit rushing up my throat.
Security instantly rushed into the hallway, one of the men quickly catching me before I tripped over my own two feet. “Oh fuck.” The other man muttered as he closed the office door and pulled his phone to his ear, speaking into it rapidly.
“I’m going to be sick.” I choked out.
I rushed over to the trash can and threw up, tears streaming down my face. “Miss Reids, the police are on their way.” The man that had been speaking on the phone spoke to me as I slid down the wall, my stomach still churning.
“Salvatore . . .” I groaned. I wanted my husband. Why hadn’t anyone called him?
“He’s not answering his phone, Miss Reids.” One of the security officers spoke.
“He’s in a meeting with the financial department.” I told them as I drew my knees up to my chest, not caring that I was in a skirt. I dropped my face into my hands as one of the security officers began talking rapidly into the phone.
“Miss Reids, do you need some water?” The other security officer asked me.
I shook my head in answer. “Fuck!” Salvatore roared as he stepped out of the stairwell. “Somebody prop this goddamn door open.” He ordered as he strode towards me.
I tried to stand up, but he only shook his head at me as he quickly leaned down and lifted me up into his arms, carrying me into his office. “Was anyone in the room when you got in there?” He asked as he gently set me on his couch.
I shook my head at him. “Empty apart from her.” I informed him, the pounding in my head only feeling that much worse.
“The security guard I had posted outside of your office door is lying dead in the stairwell.” Salvatore informed me as he filled a glass with cold water and walked back over to me with it.
My
stomach churned even more. “I’m going to get sick again.” I warned him.
He thrust a trash can in front of me right before I emptied my stomach again. He held my hair out of the way. “Pops is showing you he can still get to me if he wants to.” I warned Salvatore once I was done being sick.
“Not if I put the family’s guards on you.” He assured me. “He’ll never win, mia moglie.” Salvatore told me gently.
“Police are here.” One of the guards spoke up, interrupting us.
Salvatore nodded at him, and the NYPD Chief of Police stepped into the room. His eyes met mine, and he shook his head in disbelief, not an ounce of surprise on his face. I bristled. “Sasha Reids.” He grumbled. “Thought I was done with you four years ago.”
I scowled at him. Salvatore stood up, placing his body slightly in front of me in a protective manner. “Salvatore Bianchi.” Salvatore stated, holding out his hand, asserting his dominance in the room. “The woman you’re speaking to is my wife, Mr. Williams.”
Williams flushed red. “My apologies, Mr. Bianchi.” He apologized. “Mrs. Bianchi, I have been informed you found the body of Miss Greenland in your office, correct?”
I clenched my jaw. “Yes.” I told him. It didn’t matter what I said to him, though. In his eyes, I was already guilty of the crime.
Mr. Williams sighed. “Given your past with crime, Mrs. Bianchi, you understand that I have to bring you in under suspicion, correct?”
“Like fucking hell.” Salvatore snarled quietly. “My wife will not be going anywhere with you, Williams. I have security footage for you to view, and you’ll see that my wife was in a meeting writing notes for my meeting with the finance department when the murder took place. She came across Miss Greenland only because I sent her on a break.”
“I didn’t fucking murder her.” I snapped at Williams, feeling tears threatening to clog my throat. “For fuck’s sake, she has been the only nice person to me since I got out of fucking prison. Why in the hell would I do that to her?” I choked out, tears streaming down my face.
“I think it’s time for you to leave my presence, Williams.” Salvatore ordered, moving so he was blocking Williams’s view of me. “My security team will work with you to get you security footage.”
Salvatore stayed where he was until the door closed with a firm click behind Williams. He turned to face me, and I stood up on shaky legs, moving to him. He instantly wrapped his arms around me. “I want to go home.” I choked out. “Please, Salvatore, take me home.” I begged him.
“Your wish is my command, tesoro.” Salvatore murmured into my hair.
He then lifted me into his arms, cradling me to his chest as he strode out of his office, past all of the police officers and over to the elevator, not giving a fuck about the stares we were receiving from the rest of the staff.
T E N
I stared at the security footage with wide, shocked eyes. Salvatore rubbed my arm soothingly as he drew me closer against his side. The woman on the screen looked just like me from the back.
My stomach churned.
“I was in the meeting with you.” I choked out as I stared at the television screen in front of me in horror.
“I know, and there are witnesses, amore.” Salvatore reminded me gently. “You will not be going to prison again, preziosa.”
I subconsciously rubbed my belly, and Salvatore’s hand covered mine, squeezing my hand gently. “We will get to the bottom of this, mia bella.” Salvatore promised me.
“He fucked up by not making sure you did not have an alibi, sorella." Vincent spoke up from his position on the other couch. “He’s getting more and more angry, and it’s beginning to make him sloppy and careless.”
I ran my hands down my face. “I don’t understand why he’s going to these extreme lengths.” I admitted.
“I can probably guess at that one.” Salvatore spoke up as he gently played with a lock of my blonde hair. “You got out of prison, and you didn’t let any of them know. Then, when he finally finds you, you’re working for a Bianchi of all people.” He smiled wryly. “And then the next thing he knows, you’re sposato to me and carrying my erede.”
“Something has to be done to make them leave us all alone.” I said desperately. “I can’t handle another innocent person’s death on my hands.” I choked out, tears spilling down my cheeks again as I thought of Miss Greenland.
"Tesoro, please do not cry.” Salvatore murmured as he pulled me onto his lap.
My stomach heaved, and I jumped up from his lap, running down the hall to the bathroom. Salvatore held my hair back from my face, whispering soothing words to me in Italian as I emptied my stomach.
"Ha bisogno di riposare, fratello." Vincent spoke up from the doorway as I dropped my face into my hands, trying to make sure I wouldn’t be sick again.
"Chiama Padre. Ho bisogno che lavori mentre mi prendo un po ‘di tempo libero." Salvatore replied.
I didn’t even try to focus on their conversation. I slowly reached forward and flushed the toilet. Salvatore eased his arms under my knees and back and lifted me effortlessly into his arms. Vincent pressed a kiss to my forehead before he left the apartment. Without a word, Salvatore carried me up the stairs to our room where he gently set me on the bathroom counter.
“I just want to sleep.” I mumbled tiredly.
He pressed a tender kiss to my temple as he grabbed my toothbrush and squeezed toothpaste on it, handing it to me wordlessly. He moved away from me and walked over to our jacuzzi styled bathtub, turning the water and jets on. “I think it’s time for a relaxing bath, amore, don’t you?” He asked as I finished brushing my teeth.
He unbuttoned my blouse, and with a tender caress that left me whimpering for more of his touch, he pushed it off of my shoulders, following shortly after with my bra. He gently eased me off of the counter and he slid the zipper down on the back of my skirt, sliding it down my legs with my panty hose and my panties.
He watched me with slightly hooded eyes as I reached forward and began undoing the buttons on his white shirt, letting my knuckles graze his skin underneath. Keeping my eyes locked on his, I undid his belt buckle and his slacks, sliding them down to the floor as well.
With my hand encased in his larger one, he led me over to the tub. After stepping in, he held my hips as I stepped into the tub. He eased down onto one of the seats, and with a small smile on my lips that held a thousand sensual promises, I eased down onto his lap, straddling his legs.
“You need rest, amore.” He breathed, but he reached out despite his words and traced his fingertips around the curve of one of my breasts.
I moaned softly at his touch. “I’ve had a really shitty day, Salvatore. I just want this.” I told him quietly.
He ran his eyes over my face, his eyes searching my own. With a small sigh and a barely there smile, he gently gripped my chin and drew my lips to his, kissing me so tenderly that tears sprung to my eyes.
His hands caressed my body so gently and with so much adoration that I was merciless at his touch. I slid onto him slowly, and we made sweet love to each other, our actions speaking louder than any words could at that moment.
✣ ✣ ✣
S A L V A T O R E
I sighed softly as I looked at the Sasha’s reflection in the window as I stared out over the city. She was passed out, her lips slightly parted, one of her arms thrown carelessly over her head. The blanket was barely covering her breasts.
She was so fucking beautiful – and all mine.
I was falling so fucking hard for her, and it was terrifying the fuck out of me.
I didn’t get scared of anything, and yet I was terrified at the shit she was making me feel so effortlessly. This whole thing had started out as just a way to protect her and ensure I had a legitimate heir, but now . . . now it was so much more.
I was a workaholic, and yet, here I was, taking time off work to be here with her because I didn’t trust anyone else to take care of her, to keep her safe.
&nb
sp; She stirred slightly in her sleep, her eyebrows pulling together as she whimpered. I quickly turned around to face her, watching as her hand above her head fisted, a small ‘no’ falling past her lips.
Fuck, she was having a nightmare.
I rushed over to the bed and quickly pulled her naked, slightly sweating form into my arms as I gently coaxed her awake. She clung to me as she came awake, silent tears sliding down her cheeks as I gently held her and rocked her.
She was getting nightmares way too often now. “Did I die in this one, too?” I asked her softly.
She nodded wordlessly. My arms flexed around her. With careful movements, I laid back on the bed, holding her against me as I pulled the blankets over us. “I’m here, mia moglie. I’m not going anywhere.” I softly assured her.
I spooned her from behind, rubbing her belly as I did so until I heard her stop crying and her breathing began to even out as she fell asleep.
Ti amo, bella.
E L E V E N
S A S H A
I looked up at Salvatore’s head of security as he stood up from his chair across the room. “Sorry if I’ve dragged you away from the better parts of your job.” I told him as I looked back out the window where the rain was pelting against the glass.
“Mrs. Bianchi, it’s my honor to sit here and protect you.” He assured me.
I sighed. After what had happened at Bianchi Enterprises, Salvatore had put his foot down and ordered me to stay home under the protection of his head of security.
I hadn’t fought him on it. I knew he was relieved, but I could tell he had been worried at my lack of reaction as well.
I was just so tired of the constant fight to stay alive these days.
