by J. L. Drake
The bed moved under his weight as he got in. The comforter shifted and then I felt his heat next to me. We both stayed silent, unmoving. Only our slow breathing filled the room. I placed a hand over my chest, trying to calm my pounding heart, hoping he didn’t hear it.
Then he moved closer. My heart stuttered as I waited for his next move. I bit on my lips when I felt his arm around me.
Alessio pulled me into his body until my back was against his front, tangling his heavy legs with mine as his arm curved almost fully around my body.
“Alessio,” I whispered, my heart going wild in my chest.
He brought his face next to mine and I felt his lips at my temple. When he said nothing and his breath evened out, I placed my hand over his, which was wrapped around my stomach.
“Alessio?”
His arm tightened around me and he gave me a powerful squeeze. “Sleep,” he ordered, his voice soft even with his demanding tone. My hand pressed hard against his as I contemplated what just happened.
“Ayla, stop thinking so hard. Sleep.”
At his words, I sighed and relaxed, settling into his body.
And that was how I fell asleep. With Alessio wrapped around me like a vine, his lips on my temple, and our hands entwined together.
***
A week later
It had been three weeks since I cut myself and my last nightmare. I was supposed to remove my stitches a few days ago but Sam said it was better to keep them in for a little longer to make sure the cut was sealed properly.
So much happened in those weeks.
My relationship with Alessio was growing stronger each day. His patience and gentleness sang to my heart. He was considerate and never pushed for more.
My feelings for him was indescribable, and Maddie was on cloud nine.
I finally understood what she meant when she said her ship was sailing. Shaking my head, I smiled. She was so silly but the greatest friend and sister anyone could ever ask for. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be here, happy.
Looking up at the clock, I said, “Almost time. He told me to see him before lunch.”
“Want me to come with you?”
“Of course. I’m expecting you to,” I replied, putting the cut vegetables in the bowl next to me.
“What about Alessio?” she asked.
“He said he is busy,” I muttered.
I heard her sigh beside me, making me look up.
“Artur has been pretty busy lately too. Something is wrong with the clubs, from what I’ve heard.”
I nodded and wiped my hand in my apron. “Alessio has been a little stressed out. Always lost in his thoughts. I tried to get him to talk to me but he said he didn’t want to worry me about his problems.”
Maddie shook her head with an exasperated sigh. “Artur said the same thing. Men.” She washed her hands. “Let’s go.”
Sam was already waiting for us in his office. He gave us a small smile as we settled in.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“I’m great,” I said.
“Any nightmares?”
Shaking my head, I presented him my arm as he got his stuff ready. “No. No more nightmares.”
He nodded and took my arm in his hand. “Good. Are you taking your medicines on time?” This time, he looked at Maddie.
She nodded and placed a hand on my shoulders. “I give her the medicines on time. It’s all good.”
“If you feel a little uneasy with my removing the stitches, just avert your gaze. I’ll be done in no time,” Sam suggested.
“Okay,” I said, looking away.
While Sam worked on getting my stitches out, Maddie talked. Sam even joined sometimes, making some random jokes. I didn’t even realize when he was done until he said so.
“Done,” Sam said, leaning back and pushing his chair away. I looked down at my arms.
They were free of the stitches but not from the scars. From where the stitches used to be, there was a faint pink line.
Sam noticed me looking. “It’s going to take some time for the scars to fade away.”
The words made my heart ache. He might have been talking about the scars on my arms but the words meant more to me.
It would take some time for my scars to fade. My physical scars and my emotional scars. I didn’t know how long it was going to take for me to be rid of them.
I was finally living a life but the scars ran too deep. Sometimes, I wondered, would I ever forget and move on fully?
“Cocoa butter is a great way to help. I would suggest you apply it on your scars every day or two. Depends on you. I will prescribe you a tube of scar-fading cream. That might help,” Sam said.
I nodded. “Okay. Thank you.”
“But it will take some time. Even years,” he added.
“I know,” I replied, finally looking up. Sending him a smile, I continued, “At least they will fade, right? Even if it takes years.”
Maddie’s hand tightened on my shoulder.
“That’s the spirit,” Sam said.
“Your scars are your strength,” Maddie added and I looked up at her. “They show what you have been through and that you are still here, fighting. They are a part of you.”
“You’re going to make me cry,” I joked lightly even though her words meant everything.
But then another voice was added to the mix. This time I did cry.
“And it shows that you are stronger now.”
I looked up through tear-filled eyes to see Alessio standing in the doorway.
He sent me one of his beautiful smiles and he walked into the room. “I’m sorry I’m late. I was held back at the last minute.”
“It’s okay,” I said as he stopped in front of me. He leaned down and gave me a quick peck on the lips before straightening up.
“Everything good?” he asked.
“Perfect,” I replied.
“Well. We are done here.” Sam cleared his throat. Maddie gave me another squeeze and then let go of me.
“I’ll see you later,” she said with a wink before leaving.
Alessio wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me into his body. He placed a kiss on my forehead before turning to Sam. “Thank you,” he said. Sam nodded and Alessio led me out of the room.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Good. I’m glad the stitches are out. They were very annoying and itched a lot.”
Alessio laughed and kissed me as I pouted. “I know. You have been complaining about them for days.”
When he pulled away, I didn’t like it. Leaning on my toes, I brought my lips to his and kissed him. It was quick and then I pulled away. “You are such a tease,” Alessio growled, his arm tightening around me in almost a bruising grip.
A small giggle escaped past my lips at his words and I shrugged. Placing a hand on his chest, I looked up at his shining blue eyes. “You were gone before I woke up this morning,” I said.
Alessio nodded solemnly. “I had to take care of some things. You looked too peaceful while sleeping, I didn’t want to wake you up.”
“I missed you.”
My admission was a surprise to both of us. His eyes flared dangerously and I trembled in his embrace. “Well, fuck,” he whispered harshly before slamming his lips on mine.
He pushed me against the wall, his lips devouring mine. I absorbed his kisses hungrily, like I was starving for him. His hands delved into my hair and he grasped it tight in his fist, tilting my head back.
My fingers dug in his shoulders and I moaned when he sucked at my tongue, kissing me deeper. His kisses were rough and hard, as if he was claiming me.
And then suddenly, he wasn’t in my arms anymore.
He pulled away harshly and took several steps away, his breathing hard, his eyes glittering with need. “If we don’t stop now, I won’t be able to stop later. And we are in the hallway,” he said.
“Okay,” I replied.
“I’ll see you for lunch,” Alessio s
aid, his eyes showing his desperate hunger for me yet he held himself back. For me. All for me. Everything he had done so far…was for me.
I nodded speechlessly and he quickly swiveled around, walking away. When he was out of sight, I sank against the wall and wrapped my arms around my middle, holding myself together.
I knew what Alessio wanted. It was clear in his eyes and every time he looked at me. He held himself back, waiting for me to make the next move. His need for me grew stronger each day. I saw it every time he lost control.
But I wasn’t sure if I was ready.
Chapter 46
When I heard the shower turn off, I let out a sigh of relief and closed my book, turning toward the door as I waited for him to come out.
It had been almost half an hour and he was still inside.
He stopped in his tracks when he saw me on the couch. “You aren’t in bed yet,” he mumbled, drying his hair with the towel. “Are you not sleepy?”
I shook my head and looked down at the book on my lap. “I wanted to finish the book before going to sleep. And I’m not that sleepy.”
“Hmm.” Alessio threw the towel on the plush bench in front of the bed, before sitting down on the bed, facing me.
“How many pages do you have left?” he asked.
Opening the book, I checked and then shrugged before looking back at him. “Thirty-two pages. I have two chapters left.”
“Go ahead then. Read it and then we’ll go to sleep.”
“Are you going to stare at me like that while I read?” I teased with a small laugh.
“Is that a problem, kitten?”
“It’s a little creepy.”
“I like looking at you. I find that I can’t take my eyes off you when we are in the same room.”
I smiled, looking down at my book. I had to read every paragraph twice, because I didn’t understand what I was reading.
My mind…my body was hyper-aware of Alessio’s stares. With each minute, my body heated under his penetrating gaze.
When I finally finished the book, I snapped it shut, leaning against the sofa.
“Done?” Alessio questioned. I nodded and closed my eyes.
But I felt him moving closer and closer, until I felt him right in front of me. His heat made my heart flip and I licked my lips nervously as my eyes fluttered open.
“You are so beautiful, do you know that?” he whispered, leaning forward to touch my lips. He rubbed his thumb over it and then moved to my cheeks, trailing his finger upward. My eyes opened to stare into his.
“Stand up,” he ordered softly. My body trembled as I did to his bidding. So many feelings…foreign feelings coursed through my body as I stood up in front of him.
“These lips, I will never grow tired of kissing them,” he continued, his lips just inches away from mine.
“Please.” I didn’t know what I begged for. All I knew was that I needed him. And he understood.
Alessio brought his lips to mine and kissed me gently, sweetly. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close to his body and my hands instinctively went to his chest, making contact with his skin.
He kissed me while I explored every inch of his naked skin, my hands moving up his chest to his shoulders and then down his biceps and the length of his arms.
The more I touched him, the harder and deeper his kisses became. Our tongues danced together, in perfect harmony. We kissed each other like we had been kissing those same lips for years. We touched like our bodies were accustomed to each other.
His hold on me tightened and he pulled me deeper into his body until I was completely plastered against him. Our bodies molded together. We fit as if we were meant to be.
I could feel his heart beating hard, and I smiled against his kisses. Our hearts danced as if they had recognized their mate.
With that thought in my mind, I melted in Alessio’s embrace and welcomed his kisses. I was nervous but I wasn’t scared. Not of Alessio.
He continued to kiss me with the same fervor. He bit, sucked, nibbled, and kissed my lips.
He was claiming me.
His hands moved down my body until they were at the end of my nightgown and he slowly pulled the hem upward, stopping mid-thigh. Alessio slightly pulled away and I moaned at the loss of him.
“Ayla, this is the time to say no. If we continue now, I don’t think I will be able to stop. I need you too much,” he whispered.
I stared at him through hazy eyes and brought a hand up to his cheek. He rubbed against my palm and I saw a small smile appear on his lips, his dimple popping, making its appearance. My fingers caressed the indent in his cheek.
Finding the courage inside of me, I looked into his eyes and whispered back, voicing my own need. “I don’t want you to stop.”
Alessio’s eyes widened in surprise and then he smiled. His hands continued to move upward with my nightgown but he didn’t remove it. Instead he stared into my eyes, asking for permission.
I found it endearing that he was being so sweet, gentle, and considerate. When I gave him a nod, he didn’t waste any time. In a blink of an eye, my nightgown was off and he dropped it to the floor beside us.
The cold air kissed my bare skin and I trembled under Alessio’s intense gaze. “So fucking beautiful,” he muttered, taking a step closer. He brought his hand to my back and I felt his fingers on the latch of my bra. His hands trembled against me. It was shocking to see Alessio just as nervous.
When he unlatched my bra, he slowly removed the cups from my breasts, pulling it away from my body and letting it fall on the ground at our feet. As soon as I was bare, I tried to hide myself.
“No. Don’t hide yourself from me,” he chastised gently. Alessio brought his hands up and carefully pulled my arms away. My heart clutched and I swallowed hard against the ball of nervousness.
When I saw his eyes flare in satisfaction as he took in my naked body, my courage was back. I felt powerful. I felt desired and beautiful under his gaze.
Alessio leaned down and kissed me again. His kisses were a mixture of possessiveness and gentleness. Without breaking our kiss, he walked me toward the bed until the back of my legs hit the mattress.
He pulled back, his fingers tightening around my hips. “Lay down,” he ordered gruffly, his voice laced with desire. I did as I was told and laid in the middle of the bed in nothing but just my black panties.
Alessio stared down at me, his gaze filled with lust.
I was no stranger to lust for I had looked into lustful eyes for seven years. Alberto had looked at me like a man determined to own me, to rip me of my identity until I was only his whore. He wanted to possess me…mind, body, and soul.
But the way Alessio looked at me, it was different. I could see the lust there but I also saw the gentleness. His gaze was soft as he took me in. He looked at me as if I was his everything.
He looked at me as if I was the only one he could see.
His stares told me everything I needed to know.
He cared. I wasn’t just a toy or someone to be owned. I wasn’t a whore in his eyes. Alessio looked at me like I was a precious jewel, someone to cherish and love.
And I soaked it up, holding this moment close to my heart, savoring every look, every touch, every beautiful whisper. My heart ached in a good way.
His eyes still on me, he quickly pulled his sweatpants and boxers down, standing completely naked before me.
He was already hard.
I ducked my head shyly, feeling my cheeks flame at the sight. Alessio chuckled and then I felt the bed dip as he joined me. He cupped my jaw.
“So sweet,” he whispered before taking my lips again. Alessio tugged me onto my side so I was facing him.
As he continued to kiss me, I felt his hands moving over my body until they stopped on my breasts. My nipples hardened as though begging for his touch. I wanted him. My need for him just as powerful and overwhelming as his for me.
My body was hypersensitive of his every touch as he trailed
a finger over the swell of my breast and then circled my puckered nipple.
I hummed against his lips. He nibbled his way down my jaw to my ear, all the while playing with my nipples. He masterfully toyed with them, driving me crazy as my moans filled the room.
I fidgeted restlessly under his hands, my head falling backward, giving him better access to my neck. He grazed his teeth over the curve of my neck, finding my sweet sensitive spot that elicited another moan from me.
I shivered against his lips, my hands going up as I delved my fingers into his hair.
His lips continued downward, leaving a hot damp trail over my skin. He kissed over my collarbone, and then he stopped right over a rigid nipple.
Alessio blew over the tip and my fingers tightened around his hair in anticipation. He licked the puckered tip of my nipple and I gasped, arching my back as I pushed my breast into him, demanding more.
He wrapped his lips around my nipple and sucked hard. I moaned loud, my nails dragging over his scalp. He licked, sucked, and teased, driving me crazy with each movement of his tongue over my nipple.
“Alessio…”
And then he moved to the other nipple, giving it the same attention. I was already wet and I quivered against him, pressing my thighs together.
Releasing my nipple with a pop, he gave it a last lick before shifting himself on his elbows. Alessio rolled on top of me, balancing himself on his elbows so that his weight wouldn’t crush me.
He brought a hand up to my throat and slowly dragged a finger down to my stomach. He drew small circles around my belly button and I shivered and moaned against his touch.
“You have the softest skin. So beautiful,” he whispered. And then his lips were following the same path as his fingers. In no time he had my panties off and I was completely bare to him.
Alessio used his hands to spread my thighs, positioning himself between them as he continued to trail kisses down my breasts and then my stomach. When he didn’t stop and continued down there, my eyes flared in surprise and my head snapped up.
“Alessio. No. What are you doing?”
He chuckled low and pressed a hand on my stomach. “Lay down, Ayla. Let me show you how it’s done.”
