Nine

THE BUTTERFLIES IN her stomach were fluttering their wings nonstop. And could she blame them for doing so? That pretty much summed up her entire mood since leaving La Strega 's study. In one word: fluttery.

Because she was now Mrs. Ezio Marchetti.

Me! Wife! Ezio!

She closed her eyes even as she continued brushing her still-wet hair, her mood rather dreamy as she recollected how the rest of the day went. When they had finished signing the contracts La Strega had presented to them, Ezio had stunned her by suddenly pulling her into his arms and kissing her breathless.

Afterwards, he had whispered into her ear, 'From now on, you are mine to protect and cherish.'

Just remembering those words had Cat wanting to squeal like the world's most besotted schoolgirl.

Oh, who would have thought someone like Ezio Marchetti could be so, so romantic?

She and Ezio had to part ways after that, but they had reconnected during dinner, and her husband had held her hand under the table the entire time.

It still had her mind reeling whenever she thought about it, and Cat eventually had to pause in brushing her hair when her fingers started shaking.

Thank You, God.

Because she knew, after everything she had gone through since losing her parents, she knew that there was nothing about life which wasn't under His control. And He always had a reason, for all the bad things that broke her heart...and the good things that stole her breath away.

Thank You.

Because right now, He felt real more than ever. And He was a God who rewarded those who believed in His existence. Always.

Cat set her brush down on the dresser when she was satisfied at the way her locks rested softly against her shoulders. She padded barefoot to the full-length mirror in her bedroom, and despite already warning herself not to be distracted—-

Mm...

She was once again Christine in her mind, and her body began to sway, her feet moving gently from one side to another. She slowly spun around, ready to once again waltz with the curtains like they were her partner in a waltz, but when she opened her eyes, she found herself staring straight into a pair of dark eyes that gleamed brightly in amusement.

Aaaaaaaah!

She stumbled back and promptly lost her balance in her shock, but before she could fall to the ground, Erik—-no, the Phantom—-no, focus, Cat, it's your husband who now has you in his arms!

Ezio gently guided her back to her feet, but his arm remained around her waist.

"I d-didn't even hear you get in."

"I would not be much of a spy if you did."

"And...you're not supposed to be here!"

Her husband raised a brow. "I'm not?"

"You know why." They might be married, but they had also signed a contract that required them to keep their relationship a secret.

"Don't you want me to be here?"

The question caught her off guard, and Cat squirmed in her feet. "It's not that..."

"No one saw me come in. And no one will see me slip out if that's what you want."

Oh, how deviously unfair he was being, to make it her choice like that!

"Is it?"

Must he really make her say the words?

He started to step back, and panic flared, along with heartfelt words that involuntarily tumbled past her lips.

"Don't go."

And the moment she said the words, she saw his gaze gleam, and she realized that was what he had wanted all along.

Her complete surrender.

And it made her want to take the words back.

"Do you remember what I promised you this morning?"

Or not.

"What I'll do...once I'm your husband?"

"Yes," Cat whispered.

"Then...shall I keep my word?"

Oh, need he ask?!

His lips curved ever so slightly. "Sì, piccolina ."

Oh, that purr.

Her whole world burned at the sound of it.

"I need you to say exactly what you want, so there's no confusion."

A part of her wished she had the strength to resist temptation.

But because being close to him alone had already set her on fire—-

"Please," she choked out. "Please touch me."

"With what?"

"Your mouth."

"Just my mouth?"

"And your f-fingers."

"And what else?"

She stared up at him accusingly, but this only made his dark gaze gleam more brightly.

"Give me the words, wife. "

So, so deviously unfair.

"How else have I promised to pleasure you?"

The moment he called her that, that was it for her, and she heard herself say, "Please pleasure me with your c-cock."

She ended up gasping right after, with her husband suddenly sweeping her up in his arms.

"As you command, piccolina ."

The sudden roughness of his voice, and oh, the thickness of his accent—-these were all the clues she had just before his mouth found hers in a kiss so, so deep and hot it unleashed a violent storm of sensations that swept away all logical and rational thought.

One moment she was still in his arms, the next moment they were already in her bed, and she was on her back, and he was looming over her.

She could only stare as he pulled his shirt over his head, and she could feel her whole body blush when the rest of his clothes followed, and she had her first sight of his manhood.

It jutted up proudly under her gaze, and the length and size of it had her gulping hard. She knew how these things worked, naturally. But she also knew she was just five foot two, and he was, what? Six-four? Six-five? Wasn't there a J-drama about a married couple unable to—-

"Stop thinking."

Oh, it was that growl again.

And that command.

And yes, absolutely , she thought dazedly as her husband calmly reached for the neckline of her nightgown...before ripping it into halves.

Definitely can't think after that.

His mouth closed over one nipple, and it was like being struck by a bolt of lightning.

Can't. Think. At. All.

And when he began suckling on her nipple, and so fiercely and passionately—-

Aaaaaah .

She forgot about the need to keep quiet and to keep things a secret.

She forgot about everything because he told her to stop thinking, and she definitely wasn't thinking.

All she wanted, no—-all she needed right now was to writhe and moan.

Oh, how she wanted to moan!

But her husband thankfully still had the presence of mind to cover her mouth with his hand.

Ezio, Ezio, Ezio.

Her head tossed restlessly from one side to another, and when he finally reached the wet and aching mound between her legs, her pleasure reached agonizingly new heights—-

Aaaaaaaah!

This time, Ezio had her sucking desperately on his fingers just to keep her from screaming the house down.

Because oh, the way he was now running his tongue over her folds was driving her out of her mind!

Too much, too much, too much.

Her body began to thrash.

So, so good!

But just as she was about to reach the peak, it was then she felt him positioning himself between her legs, and...

Ezio.

She cried his name out just as his mouth covered hers, at the very same moment that he entered her and took her virginity with one forceful thrust.

Ezio, my love.

It was all she could think about as he began to move inside of her.

Oh, my love.

Her nails raked his back as his thrusts became more forceful.

My love, my love, my love.

She wrapped her legs around his waist as he thrust into her, harder, deeper, and faster than ever. And she didn't know how to explain it, but there was this one thrust that hit her at such a perfect angle—-

Aaaaaaah.

She shattered around him with another cry against his lips, and as her body shuddered under the forceful waves of her orgasm—-

Oh, Ezio.

She dimly heard her husband growl as he, too, started to cum and fill her with his seed.

Please love me, too.