Chapter Twelve

Aurelia

Ipace the length of Mattia's suite at Rafe's, my heart pounding. Fear sits in my stomach like a lead weight, threatening to drag me under. Everyone is downstairs, plotting and planning how to rescue my mother and kill Brio, but Mattia pulled me away so we could talk. They make it sound so easy, but I can't help but worry about the danger waiting.

I know what kind of man Brio is. He's a dangerous animal, capable of so much destruction.

"Come here, little mouse," Mattia murmurs, his commanding voice sending shivers down my spine. He steps up behind me as I stare out the window at the lush backyard. Unlike the cold, imposing mansion, the property outside is beautiful, serene even.

He wraps his arms around me, pulling me up against the hard wall of his chest. His chin settles against my shoulder.

I lean into him, sighing softly.

"I have something for you," he says, holding his hand out in front of me.

I glance down, tears welling in my eyes when he uncurls his fingers to reveal my ring resting on his palm.

"Mattia, I…" I spin to face him, my voice trembling with emotion.

He studies my face with a tenderness that only makes the guilt twist tighter around my heart.

"Shh," he whispers, pressing his finger to my lips, silencing my chaotic thoughts. "I know, little mouse. I know."

"You don't," I cry softly, pressing my face into his shirt. "You really don't."

He wraps his arms around me, holding me tightly, as if he can protect me from my own mind.

"I wanted Rafe to punish you, Mattia," I confess, feeling so small and pathetic even saying it out loud. "I…I wanted you to hurt like I did." The words pour from me, burning like acid. I came here because I wanted to beat him to the punch and own the narrative. "If you were going to tell Rafe that I was a monster after his baby and take everything from me, I wanted to take something from you, too."

"Topolina," Mattia murmurs, his voice heavy with empathy and understanding.

"I wanted you to feel even a tenth of the pain I felt listening to you on that phone today. It didn't matter if Rafe believed me or not. I was so angry and so hurt. I just wanted you to hurt, too. You broke my heart, so I wanted to break yours." I shudder, ashamed of my own vindictiveness. How messed up is that? "Except Rafe did punish you, and I hated every minute of it, Mattia. I wanted it to be me who Rafe hit, me on my knees, not you."

"You thought I betrayed you, Aurelia." He brushes his thumb across my bottom lip. "I don't blame you for being angry. I fucking hate myself for hurting you."

"No!" I cry, the need to absolve him of that burning through me. "I don't want that, Mattia. You didn't do anything wrong. I just…" My voice falters as I shake my head. "I should have trusted you."

"Little mouse," he chuckles softly, pressing his forehead to mine—a rare moment of vulnerability from the usually unflappable consigliere. "Anyone would have doubted after hearing what you heard. You did nothing wrong."

"I feel like I did," I mumble, unable to meet his gaze. "I feel like a jerk."

"And I feel like a fucking asshole." He tips my face up, our gazes tangling as his lips find mine. "So I guess we're a pair, aren't we?"

"I guess we are," I murmur against his lips, allowing myself to let go of the guilt and surrender to the way I feel about this man. I love him so much I can't breathe through it. At the end of the day, that's what matters. It's the only thing that matters.

He kisses me, the kiss growing more intense with each passing second. I press my body against his, aching for more. Always for more.

"Mattia," I moan, arching against him as his lips sear a trail of fire along my throat. "Make me forget again."

"Here?" he asks. "Now?"

"Anywhere," I whisper, reaching for his zipper. "Always."

His steel-gray eyes lock with mine, burning with so much heat I feel like I'm standing on the edge of a cliff, about to plunge off the side into an abyss of pure wicked ecstasy.

He slips his hand between our bodies.

I groan as fingers slip beneath the waistband of my pants and then into my panties. Heat flares in his eyes when he feels how wet I am for him.

He fucks me with his fingers, toying with me until I'm whimpering and pleading for more.

"Mattia, please," I beg. "Please."

He spins me suddenly, bending me over the side of the bed. Cool air kisses my skin as he yanks my pants and panties down. Fabric shifts as he undoes his pants.

"Brace yourself," he growls, his voice dripping with lust and command.

I bury my face in the comforter, screaming into it as he impales me on his hard cock, holding me in place with one hand on my shoulder. It's a delicious mix of pain and pleasure.

"God, you're so fucking tight," he groans, his grip on my shoulder tightening.

He fucks me like a demon, pounding into me again and again and again.

I surrender myself completely to him, shattering around him, thrown from one orgasm into the next.

He doesn't stop. He just keeps going, fucking me as if this is his purpose in life, as if I'm the only thing that exists to him.

My knees buckle, but he hauls me up, tossing me onto the bed. His body pins me to it, his lips at my ear. "Have you forgotten yet, little mouse? Am I the only thing you remember? Am I all that exists to you?" He drives into me again. And then again.

"Tell me, cara mia. Are you mine?"

"Yes! Yes!" I sob. "I'm yours, Mattia."

"Then tell me you love me and come on my cock again like a good little mouse, Aurelia."

I do. God, I do. I shatter around him, coming so hard I lose track of everything. But somehow, I manage to say the words, to give him what he wants. "I love you," I gasp. "I love you, Mattia."

He groans, pressing his face against my throat as his cock jerks and he spills into me. "And I'll never stop loving you, cara mia," he whispers. "Never."

We lay like that for several long moments, catching our breath before voices from below drift up and reality creeps in. My heart clenches, fear gripping me like a fist around my throat.

"Promise me something," I plead, reaching for his hand.

"Anything," he vows.

"Promise me that you're coming back to me tonight. No matter what, promise me that you'll come back to me."

"Little mouse," he whispers, flipping me over. He stares down at me, his expression somehow gentle and fierce at once. "Do you really believe that I'll allow anything to keep me away from you?"

"I…"

"Never, Aurelia." He presses his lips to mine, sealing his vow. But even then, my heart trembles with fear.

"I'm scared," I confess, my voice cracking with emotion.

"I know you are." His hand tightens around mine. "But we'll face this together, like we always have."

"Promise me again," I beg, tears welling in my eyes.

"I promise, Aurelia," he murmurs, cradling me in his arms. "I will always come back to you."

I cling to his words like a lifeline, praying to every God that might be listening that he's able to keep his promise. Because if he can't, I don't know how I'm supposed to survive it.