Chapter 9

Maty

The bullet casing sits on my desk, gleaming dully under the fluorescent lights of my office. I can’t stop staring at it, my stomach burning with fear.

It’s been three days since I found it on my doorstep, and I’m not anywhere near even close to figuring out who sent it or what they want. All I know is that someone from my past has caught up with me, and they’re not fucking around.

I should tell Alessio. He could help me get to the bottom of this. But every time I try, the words stay stuck in my throat.

How can I bring back my sordid past without losing his respect? Without tainting the way he looks at me, like I’m something precious and good?

No, I can’t. I’ll handle this on my own, like I always do. Even if the very thought makes my blood run cold.

I’m startled out of my dark thoughts by a knock at my door. I hastily shove the bullet casing into my desk drawer, my heart pounding as I call out a shaky “Come in!”

It’s Ava, Alessio’s assistant. She gives me a quick, professional smile as she hands me a garment bag.

“Mr. DeLuca asked me to deliver this to you,” she says. “He’ll be by to pick you up at seven.”

I blink at her, not understanding. “Pick me up? For what?”

“The gala tonight,” she says patiently,like she’s talking to someone particularly slow. “For the children’s hospital? He said you’d be his date.”

I’m sure my jaw is on the floor. Alessio wants me to be his date? To a high-profile charity event, where I’ll be on his arm in front of the entire town?

It’s a statement, a claiming. He’s announcing to the world that I’m his… what, exactly? His plaything of the moment? His girlfriend?

The thought sends a thrill of excitement through me, but it’s quickly followed by a sinking sense of dread. Because this means something. Something I’m not sure I’m ready to face. We’ve been at this dance for five years.

But it’s not like I can refuse. So I simply nod, my grip tight on the garment bag.

“I’ll be ready.”

Ava nods, already typing away on her tablet as she exits my office. I sink into my chair, my knees suddenly weak.

* * *

I barely recognize the woman staring back at me from the full-length mirror in my bedroom. The dress Alessio sent me is a masterpiece, a sleek sheath of midnight blue silk that hugs my curves like a lover’s caress and looks fabulous on my skintone. My hair is swept up in a sleek bun, exposing the line of my neck. A pair of strappy silver heels and drop earrings complete the look.

I look like someone’s fantasy, a million miles away from the casual, nerdy hacker I’ve always been. But beneath the gloss and the glam, my stomach is tied up in knots.

It’s not just playing dress-up that has me on edge. It’s Alessio. It’s the way he makes me feel, the way he looks at me like he wants to eat me whole. Like he already owns me, body and soul.

A knock at my door jolts me out of my spiraling thoughts. I take a deep, steadying breath and go answer.

Alessio is waiting on the other side, looking like fucking sin incarnate in a perfectly tailored tuxedo. His blue eyes rake over me from head to toe, dark and hungry.

“Christ, Maty,” he murmurs, voice low and rough.

He trails off, apparently at a loss for words. I feel a flush creeping up my neck, my skin prickling with awareness.

His jaw tightens as he offers me his arm. “Shall we?”

I nod, not trusting my voice. The heat of his body bleeds through the thin fabric of my dress as he escorts me down to the waiting car, his hand resting possessively on the small of my back.

* * *

The gala is all clinking champagne glasses and glittering diamonds. Alessio keeps me close to his side as we navigate the crowd, his arm around my waist a silent declaration of ownership.

I can feel all eyes on us, hears the whispers, sense the speculative looks. The infamous Alessio DeLuca, with a mystery woman on his arm? Must be the juiciest gossip to hit the social scene in a while by the way they’re staring.

Alessio’s expression is as cold as always. But I can also feel he’s on high alert, scanning the room for any hint of a threat.

And then I see her. A stunning brunette in a slinky red dress, her lips curved in a sultry smile as she sways towards us. I recognize her from the tabloids - Valentina something, some heiress with a reputation for leaving a trail of broken hearts behind her.

“Alessio, darling,” she purrs, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “It’s been too long.”

I feel Alessio stiffen, his grip tightening on my waist. “Valentina,” he greets her coolly. “Didn’t expect to see you here.”

She laughs, a throaty, seductive sound. “You know me, love. I never miss a good party.”

Her eyes slide to me, assessing and dismissive. “And who is this?”

I stiffen at her condescending tone, but before I can snap back at the bitch, Alessio interject.

“This is Maty,” he says, infusing his voice with pride. “My girlfriend.”

I nearly choke on my champagne. Fucking girlfriend?! Say what, now?!

Valentina’s perfectly plucked eyebrows shoot up. “Girlfriend,” she repeats, her voice dripping with disdain. “How… cute.”

Alessio’s smile is pure ice. “Yeah, isn’t it? Now if you’ll excuse us, I promised Maty a spin on the dance floor.”

He whisks me away before she can respond, his hand hot and possessive on my back. And I let him maneuver us away.

“Girlfriend?” I hiss, as he pulls me into his strong arms. “What the hell was that for?”

His eyes stare down at me, unreadable. “Would you have rather I introduced you as my employee? Or the woman I’m trying not to fuck? Or wait, no, as my pretend date?”

I glare up at him, my cheeks burning with irritation and embarrassment. “You didn’t have to introduce me as anything! You could have just…”

I trail off, realizing how childish I sound. Alessio’s expression softens, his hand coming up to cup my cheek.

“Maty,” he murmurs, his voice low and intimate. “After all this time, if you think for one second I’m ashamed of you, or that I want to hide you away like some dirty little secret… you don’t fucking know me at all.”

I swallow hard, my throat tight. “Then what am I to you, Alessio? What is this thing between us?”

He’s silent for a long beat, eyes searching mine. When he finally speaks, his voice is rough.

“You’re mine,” he says simply. “The only person who matters in my goddamn life, the only one I want. And if I have to shout it from the roofs for this whole fucking town to know, I damn well will.”

I stare up at him, my heart in my throat. I can feel the truth of his words, the raw honesty in his gaze. And suddenly, the rest of the world fades away - the glittering ballroom, the swirling dancers, the curious stares.

There’s only him, only us. His body against mine, his hands on my skin, his eyes burning into mine.

“Alessio,” I whisper, my voice cracking. “I…”

But before I can get the words out, he’s kissing me. Right there in the middle of the dance floor, in front of everyone. His mouth hot and demanding on mine, his tongue diving deep to claim me.

I melt into him, my fingers tangling in his hair as he fucking devours me. I can taste the hunger on his tongue, the fierce need. It matches my own, a wildfire burning out of control.

By the time Alessio lifts his head, we’re both breathing hard. Every eye in the room fixed on us.

But he doesn’t seem to care. His eyes are locked on mine, dark with promise.

“Let’s get out of here,” he murmurs, his voice a low rumble that sends shivers down my spine. “I need to get you alone. Now.”

I can only nod, my heart pounding as he laces his strong fingers through mine and leads me out. My mind is racing, my body thrumming with anticipation.

This is it. The moment everything changes, the point of no return. And as Alessio helps me into his waiting car, his hands already roaming hungrily over my curves… I don’t hesitate for a second.

For better or worse, come hell or high water… I’m his. Utterly, completely. And there’s nothing in the world that can fucking change that.

* * *

Alessio

She’s a fucking vision.

From the moment I saw her in that dress, her deep brown skin glowing and gorgeous eyes sparkling, I knew I was fucking doomed. Every man in the room wanted her. Wanted to touch her, taste her, take her away from me.

But they can’t. She’s fucking mine, even if she doesn’t fully accept it yet.

I couldn’t keep my hands off her as we moved through the crowd, my fingers digging into the soft flesh of her waist. She felt so damn right in my arms, like she was made to be there. Like she was always meant to be mine.

And then fucking Valentina had to go and open her fucking mouth, dripping poison with every word. I saw the way Maty flinched, the doubt and insecurity creeping into her eyes. I wanted to wrap my hands around that spiteful bitch’s throat and squeeze until she turned blue.

But I didn’t. Instead, I claimed Maty in the only way that mattered. In front of everyone, I made it clear she belongs to me. That anyone who so much as looks at her wrong will answer to the fury of the DeLucas.

Let them talk. Let them gossip, speculate and scheme. None of it matters. The only thing that matters is the woman in my arms, the woman I can’t fucking breathe without.

I had to get her out of there, had to get my hands on her before I lost my fucking mind. The way she looked at me on that dance floor, with her juicy lips parted and her caramel eyes hazy with want… I nearly took her right then and there, in front of everyone.

But I didn’t. I waited until we were alone, until I had her pressed up against the wall of my penthouse, my body caging hers. And then I kissed her, with every ounce of pent-up hunger and desperate need.

She opens for me like a fucking flower, her tongue tangling with mine as she arches into my touch. I can feel the heat of her through the thin silk of her dress, the way her hard nipples peak against my chest. I want to rip the fabric away, put my mouth on every inch of her soft skin until she’s writhing and begging.

But I force myself to slow down, to savor her. My hands skim over her curves, learning her lines and hollows. She’s so fucking soft, so responsive. Every touch, every kiss draws a breathy little moan from her swollen lips, like I’m playing her body in perfect harmony.

“Please,” she gasps, her nails digging into my skin. “Alessio, I need…”

“I know, baby,” I soothe her, even though my control barely hangs by a thread. “I got you. Gonna give you everything you need.”

I sweep her into my arms and carry her to my bedroom, laying her on the crisp white sheets. She looks up at me, eyes dark with desire and something else, something that makes my chest ache.

She whimpers, her voice raw and pleading, “please, Alessio…”

A savage emotion rips through me at her words. She’s giving herself to me, body and soul. Offering me everything I’ve ever wanted, ever craved.

And I take it. I take her, with a ferocity that borders on feral. I worship every inch of her, my hands and mouth mapping her curves until she’s shaking and incoherent with pleasure. Licking at the tender skin behind her knees, I hook her legs over my shoulders, then work my way up to her pussy. She’s hot, wet, and fucking delicious. I lap at her long and deep, suck on her folds, tongue her entrance, graze her clit with my teeth, my large hands filled with the round globes of her full ass. And then, when she’s shaking and trembling, fucking begging, I lower her to the mattress, pull out my dick and rub the head along the length of her dripping slit. Up and down, from her asshole to her clit. Swirling around each hole, driving us both fucking nuts. When I know neither one of us can stand this amazing torture anymore, I bury myself deep inside my girl, her slick heat gripping me like a vice.

Maty cries out, her back bowing as I fill her. I have to grit my teeth against the urge to rut into her like an animal, to take and take until there’s nothing left. But I hold back, determined to make this good for her.

For long, drugging minutes I stroke into her, angling my hips to hit that spot inside her that makes her keen and thrash. She meets me thrust for thrust, her body molding to mine like we were made to fit together.

I roll my hips, rubbing the pad of my calloused thumb to push away the hood of her clit and she shatters in my arms, my name on her lips like a prayer… I follow her over the edge, emptying myself inside her in long, shuddering pulses. Claiming her, branding her. Making her mine in the most primal way possible. Filling her to the brim. Wet sounds filling the room, skin slapping against skin, blending with my hoarse cries and Maty’s keens. The smell of sex and our mixed scents making me dizzy.

After, I gather her boneless, sated body in my arms, pressing kisses to her damp temples. She curls into me, her head on my chest and her leg thrown over mine. Like she can’t bear to have an inch of space between us.

I know the feeling.

This fucking woman, this brilliant, infuriating, captivating woman… she’s burrowed into my heart, into my very soul. She’s the chink in my armor, the weakness that could bring my whole empire crashing down.

And I can’t find it in me to care.

* * *

Maty

I wake up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, and when I return, he catches me before I can slide back into the bed. I melt into Alessio, my fingers tangling in his silky hair as he devours me. The heat of his mouth, the velvet rasp of his tongue against mine - it’s intoxicating, overwhelming in the best possible way. I can taste a hint of Cuban tobacco. But beneath, there’s something richer and darker. Something that is pure, undiluted Alessio DeLuca.

It calls to me on a bone-deep level, awakening nerve endings I didn’t even know existed. Every drag of his lips, every nip of his teeth sends sparks of electricity scattering across my skin, firing up the low ache building at my core.

“Alessio,” I manage to gasp as he trails delicious open-mouthed kisses along the column of my throat. “Please…”

I can feel the curve of his smile against my fevered skin, smug and devastating. “Please what, love?” he murmurs, his voice a low rumble that vibrates through me like a caress. “Tell me what you need.”

“You,” I breathe, dragging his mouth back to mine. “I fucking need your cock.”

With a low growl, he walks me backwards until my shoulders hit the floor-to-ceiling windows. The glass is shockingly cool against my overheated flesh, a delicious counterpoint to the furnace of Alessio’s body pinning me in place.

I shudder as his clever fingers caress my sensitized skin, devouring me with his ravenous gaze.

Alessio’s eyes blaze as they rake over me, his pupils blown wide with hunger and desire.

“Christ, look at you,” he rasps, one large palm cupping my breast, his thumb circling my nipple.

I arch into his touch with a needy whimper, my tits pebbling painfully. He circles the straining peaks with the pads of his fingers before pinching just hard enough to get me to the edge of pain and pleasure.

My head falls back on a throaty moan, my nails digging into his massive shoulders.

I need to feel him, skin to skin. Need to map the rigid planes and angles of his magnificent body with my hands, my mouth.

He indulges me for a moment before batting my hands away. He’s bare before me, acres of olive skin and sculpted muscle that I long to explore again with my tongue.

But he doesn’t give me the chance. With a grace that shouldn’t be possible for a man his size, he drops to his knees, those broad shoulders nudging my trembling thighs apart.

“I wanna taste you again, Maty. Wanna feel you come apart on my tongue.”

I can only whimper as he lifts one of my legs over his shoulder, turning his head to press hot, open-mouthed kisses along the sensitive inner skin of my thigh. He’s so close to where I’m throbbing for him, my need a wild, desperate thing.

“Alessio…” I keen, my fingers sinking into his hair. “Don’t tease. I can’t…I need…”

“Shh, I got you, little one,” he soothes, his stubble rasping deliciously against my aching flesh. “Trust me.”

And then his mouth is on me and I see stars.

He starts with a long, slow lick through my slick folds, humming in masculine appreciation as my flavor bursts across his tongue. It’s filthy and erotic and so intimate that I nearly come apart from that first touch alone. Fuck, he’s good at this.

But I know he’s just getting started. He explores me with lips and teeth and tongue, alternating feather-light flicks with broad, flat strokes that have me keening his name like a prayer. When he seals his mouth around my throbbing clit and sucks, I nearly jump off the floor, my spine bowing.

“Fuck, yes, right there, baby!” I babble mindlessly, my grip on his hair probably painful. “Don’t stop, Alessio, please don’t stop!”

He doesn’t. He works me tirelessly, his lips and tongue wreaking blissful havoc as he stokes me higher and higher. I’m vaguely aware that I’m being too loud, my cries echoing off the walls of his glass penthouse. But I can’t bring myself to worry.

All that matters is his mouth on me, in me. The expert curl of his fingers as he slides first one, then two inside my clenching pussy, crooking them perfectly to reach that spot that has me going blind.

He plays my body like a fucking artist, every touch feeding the inferno that’s raging through my veins. Tension grows tighter and tighter at the base of my spine, my thighs beginning to tremble and quake where they’re draped over his broad shoulders.

“That’s it, sweetheart,” Alessio urges roughly as he feels me reaching the edge. “Let go for me. I wanna feel you.”

It’s his words as much as his touch that send me flying. I shatter with a raw scream, my body convulsing wildly as my orgasm crashes through me in wave after brutal wave. Alessio works me through it with amazing lips, tongue and fingers, wringing out every last aftershock until I collapse back against the window, boneless and spent.

Then he kisses his way back up my trembling body. When he finally reaches my mouth, I can taste myself on his tongue, tangy and faintly sweet. It makes me clench with renewed hunger, my abused pussy sparking back to life.

“Alessio,” I manage to rasp, my throat raw from my cries. “Want your dick again, baby…”

He smiles against my lips, a filthy promise. “Nothing would give me greater pleasure, sweetheart.”

And then he’s lifting me effortlessly, banding one steely arm under my ass as he hitches my thighs around his hips. I can feel the thick length of him nudging at my entrance, so fucking hot.

“Hold on,” he commands, voice low and dark with need.

I barely have time to link my arms around his corded neck before he’s driving in, pushing himself to the hilt in one smooth, powerful stroke.

I cry out at the sudden invasion, my back arching as he stretches and fills me almost to the point of pain. He’s so fucking big, so thick and long, the fit of him is almost too much. Especially after how he pounded me last night.

But then he starts to move, and any discomfort is lost in a haze of building pleasure. He takes me right there against the window for all of the world to see, the glass fogging with our heat as he thrusts in and out of my wet cunt.

“Fuck, Maty,” he grits out between clenched teeth as he feels me flutter around him. “You’re so fucking tight. Fucking perfect. You were fucking made for me. Fucking made to take my cock.”

“Yes,” I whine shamelessly, my head lolling back against the window as I give myself over to the pleasure of his thrusts. “Only yours, Alessio. Always…ah!…always yours!”

My admission seems to unleash something primal in him, a claiming ferocity that has him slamming into me with renewed force. One hand slides between our straining bodies to find my swollen, aching clit, circling it with a clever thumb as he changes the angle of his hips to grind against that secret spot deep inside.

The combined stimulation is my undoing. I come with a high, breathless scream, my inner muscles tightening on him as I shake in his arms. Distantly, I feel his own release crash through him, his rhythm faltering as he pulses deep inside me with a guttural shout of my name.

For a long, suspended moment, there is nothing but the sound of our labored breathing and the frantic pounding of our hearts where my chest is fused to his. Then, slowly, he carries me over to the bed, with our bodies still joined.

He lays me down on the Egyptian cotton sheets with a tenderness that brings a sting to my eyes, his expression soft and wondering as he brushes a sweat-damp curl off my forehead.

“That was…” I begin, my voice hoarse and thready.

“Incredible,” he finishes roughly, pressing his forehead to mine. “Earth-shattering. Un-fucking-believable.”

I laugh, giddy and drunk on pleasure. “Yeah. All of that.”

Alessio smiles, slow and satisfied. “And we’re just getting started, sweetheart,” he promises, the words dark with intent. “I’m gonna take you every way I’ve ever dreamed of. In every room of this house, on every available surface. Until you can’t sit or stand without feeling me, without remembering who you belong to.”

I shudder at the dark promise in his words, heat already beginning to pool low in my belly despite my spent state. He’s gonna be the fucking death of me.

And as he shifts us onto our sides and claims my mouth in a passionate kiss, I think to myself that there are much worse fates than being claimed by Alessio fucking DeLuca.