Chapter 21

twenty-one

GIOVANNI

My hands found the sides of Kitania’s thighs, stroking up and down. Her words landed directly in the center of my chest, giving me fuckin’ life. It was the first time I’d ever heard her say she wanted me so blatantly.

My fingers flexed against the soft cotton of her pajamas as I struggled to hold on to my self-control.

“Dolcezza…” I rasped out a warning, even as my body sang in approval, reveling in the warmth of her pressed so intimately against me.

“What does that mean?” she whispered, and her sweet breath fanned over my face from how close she was. “Dolcezza?”

I hummed happily at the lilt she’d spun onto the word. “It means ‘sweetness’ in Italian. A fitting pet name, don’t you think?”

The apples of her cheeks darkened to a dusky pink. Those eyes, the cool blue of a cloudless summer evening, bore into mine with an intensity that stole my breath. “You all have nicknames for me. Perhaps I’ll come up with some for each of you,” she murmured, her fingers distracting the fuck out of me as they wandered up and over my buzzed hair. The sharp nails scraped lightly over my head, and I groaned. “Maybe I should call you G,” she wondered aloud.

“For Gio?” I barely had two brain cells to rub together, so entranced by what she was doing to me.

The little vixen scratched those nails down the back of my neck. Fuckin’ hell.

“No,” she mused with a smile. “For ‘ god .’”

Christ , she had no idea how much I liked that. “You think I’m a god?”

“You’re as close to a god on earth as I’ve ever seen.”

A purr rumbled to life in my chest. All for her. “I’m going to kiss you now,” I murmured, voice rough with my barely contained need. How I’d lasted this long was a goddamn miracle.

“Good,” Kitania whispered, her breath warm against my lips. “I-I want you to.”

That little hitch made me pause and search her eyes. There was desire there, but also a flicker of something else. Apprehension? It was enough to make me freeze. I’d never do something she wasn’t ready for.

“Are you… sure?” It would kill me to pull away, but I’d fucking do it.

“Yes.” Her answer was resolute, but that hint of uncertainty lingered.

“What is it, sweetness?” I asked, my thumbs tracing soothing circles on her outer thighs.

She bit her lip, her gaze dropping. “I-I’ve never been kissed.”

I went positively still. “You’ve never been kissed?”

Kitania shyly looked away, her fingers fidgeting with the neckline of my shirt. “I’m not a virgin. You know that,” she whispered. “That was stolen from me.”

A growl tore from my throat because ‘stolen’ was too innocent a word for what Kitania had been through. The ugly truth is that she’d been raped. Repeatedly. Held hostage and abused day after fucking day. And the thought of it made white hot rage burn through my veins.

But right now wasn’t the time to get angry. Not when my sweet little Omega was bravely perched on my lap, sharing her past with me. Trusting me with a piece of herself she’d never given to anyone before.

“And sex?” Her voice trembled. “I-It’s always been painful and degrading. I know it’s not supposed to be that way. That sex and intimacy are integral parts of a loving relationship. I’ve read enough romance books to understand what it should be like, and I... I want that, Gio.”

Her eyes met mine, brimming with unshed tears. “I know I’m damaged and maybe I have no right to ask you to accept me as I am, but fuck, I—”

I couldn’t take it anymore. I crushed my lips to hers, devouring her mouth, pouring everything I felt into that kiss. My hands cupped her face with a gentleness I wasn’t known for, holding her as though she were the most precious thing in the world. Because she was.

Kitania gasped against my mouth, her body tensing for a moment before melting into me. Her fingers curled into the back of my neck, clinging to me as if I was her lifeline. I traced the seam of her lips with my tongue, coaxing them open, desperate to taste her.

When she parted for me, allowing me entrance, I groaned. She tasted like nectar, sweet and fresh. I explored her mouth slowly, savoring every moment, every sensation. This wasn’t just a kiss. This was a fucking declaration.

Unable to help myself, I deepened the kiss. My large, calloused hands reached up to cradle her face between my palms. I drank down each gasp and mewl she made, which only fueled me on.

It didn’t take long for her to get the hang of it, her tongue tentatively delving past my lips to tangle with mine, to duel. And then it was my turn to groan.

All her lush curves were pressed close, and I couldn’t help my hands from wandering to her ass, dragging her until she was plastered against me. Everything about this kiss was a sensual assault, and I left no inch of her mouth unexplored. She whimpered with every swirl of my tongue, every gentle scrape of my teeth across her plush bottom lip as I staked my claim.

Panting, breathing raggedly, I smiled against her lips as something dawned through the drugging haze.

Kitania froze, pulling back to look into my eyes. Her gaze was questioning, uncertain.

“What?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“I think that’s the first time I’ve heard you curse,” I said, my thumb tracing the gentle curve of her jaw.

She huffed, a little crease forming between her brows. “I swear. Sometimes.”

The indignation in her tone was fucking adorable. I couldn’t resist teasing her further. “Say it again.”

“What?” Confusion flickered across her face.

“Say fuck,” I challenged, my voice dropping low.

Kitania flushed, her cheeks turning that delicious shade of pink. She squirmed, sending a jolt of heat straight through me.

“This is silly,” she mumbled, averting her gaze.

I tightened my grip on her hips, holding her in place. “Say it, Dolcezza.” I let a hint of Alpha authority bleed into my tone, adding to the demand, and it made her attention snap back to me.

I watched as her pupils dilated, those ice-blue eyes darkening with desire. She licked her lips, and I had to stifle a groan.

“Fuck,” she breathed, the word coming out soft and airy.

Goddamn. That single curse, uttered in that innocent voice, went straight to my dick. I was hard before, but I turned into granite in an instant, so stiff it was almost painful.

“Again,” I growled, my control slipping.

Kitania’s breath hitched. “Fuck,” she repeated, a little louder this time.

I claimed her mouth once more, swallowing her gasp. My hands slid up her back, tangling in her hair, as I devoured her. Small fists gripped my shirt as she melted against me.

When we finally broke apart, we were both panting. My Omega’s lips were swollen and rosy, her eyes bright, dark hair mused. She looked thoroughly kissed, and fuck if that didn’t do things to me.

“Was that… okay?” she asked with a slight tremble.

I captured her chin, forcing her to hold my gaze, to see every ounce of truth. “That was perfect, Dolcezza. You’re perfect.”

The flicker of doubt that crossed her face brought back everything she’d said earlier.

We were both breathing heavily, our chests heaving in tandem. “You are not damaged,” I promised fiercely. “There’s not one single part of you that’s broken or lacking in some way.”

Her gaze held a whirlwind of emotions, each one surfacing only to be replaced by another. “Gio,” she whispered.

I captured her lips again, softer this time. “Nothing you’ve been through defines you,” I murmured. “You’re strong.” I grazed my mouth over the spot behind her ear. “You’re brave.” I placed a kiss along her neck. “You’re everything .” I nipped the crux of her shoulder where I wanted to sink my teeth into someday—longing to mark her with my bite. To claim her as my Omega.

Kitania’s hands slid over my shoulders, one palm coming to rest over my heart. Her vivid blue eyes captured me, confident and sure. “Show me,” she breathed. “Show me how it’s supposed to be.”

My cock jumped, straining against the confines of my jeans. But this wasn’t about me. This was about her. About proving to my mate that she deserved pleasure. Deserved to be worshiped.

I trailed kisses along her jaw and down the other side of her throat, exploring which spots made her gasp. She tilted her head back, giving me better access, a soft moan escaping her lips.

“Giovanni,” she whimpered, and her body innately arched into mine.

I gripped her hips, stilling her movements. “Easy, sweetness,” I murmured against her skin. “We’ve got all night. I’m going to take my time with you.”

Kitania shuddered in my arms, her temperature rising, her scent spiking with arousal. It was intoxicating, filling my lungs, making my head spin. I wanted to drown in her, to lose myself completely.

But as I slid my hands under her shirt, feeling the smooth expanse of her back, she tensed. It was subtle, barely noticeable, but I felt it. I pulled back immediately, searching her face.

“We don’t have to do anything you’re not ready for,” I said, my voice hoarse with restrained desire. “We can stop anytime.”

She shook her head, frustration creasing her brow. “I want this. I want you. It’s just… I don’t know how to…” Sighing deeply, she tried again. “What if I can’t… get there ? I never have before and I’m scared I’ll disappoint you.”

“Shh,” I soothed, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. “You could never disappoint me. Anything we do together is a fucking gift. There’s no rush, no pressure.”

My mate nodded. “I don’t want you to stop.”

“Alright, sweetness. If you’ll let me, I’d love nothing more than to learn your body. To find exactly what you like, to bring you as much pleasure as possible. But whether or not you come, all that matters is that you feel good and enjoy yourself.”

Kitania relaxed slightly. But as she shifted in my lap, her core ground against my erection, and I couldn’t hold back a moan. Her eyes widened, a mix of surprise and arousal darkening those blue depths.

“Is that... because of me?” she whispered.

I chuckled roughly. “Fuck yes, it’s because of you. Do you have any idea what you do to me? I grabbed her sides, giving her time to stop me before I dragged her down, thrusting up to meet her. I let her feel the drag of me against her pajama-clad pussy.

Her cheeks were on fire, a shy smile tugging at her lips. She rocked her hips experimentally, drawing another groan from me. “I like knowing I turn you on,” she admitted. “It makes me feel…” Kitania bit her lip.

“Feel what, sweetness?”

“Powerful.” Her gaze flicked to mine and widened like she’d surprised herself with that admission.

“Good. Because you are. You’re probably just figuring this out, but you’re the only one who can rule such savage men with nothing but a word. All you have to do is ask, and we’ll come running.”

“I don’t need you to run right now…” She chewed on her lip, grinding down on me on her own this time. “I need you to… to touch me,” she demanded softly.

I growled, a surge of arousal mixing with my possessive pride at her newfound confidence. “As you wish, Dolcezza,” I rumbled, my large palms sliding up from her hips, the fabric of her camisole a mere whisper against my rough, calloused hands. Her gasp was music to my ears as I explored the soft skin beneath, relishing in the way she shivered under my touch.

She arched into me as I caressed the curve of her waist and the swell of her ribs before tracing my fingertips along the underside of her breasts. Fuck me. She wasn’t wearing a bra, and her nipples hardened to peaks under the fabric. Teasing me.

Her breath hitched, gaze molten as she nodded, giving me her consent. I dared to explore further, cupping her tits, their fullness fitting perfectly in my hands. In tandem, I swiped my thumbs over those pert nipples, reveling in her sharp inhale.

Against the delicate skin of her throat, I murmured, “Look at how you react to me. So responsive. Every inch of you is fucking perfect.”

The melodic little whimper she released spurred me on; her head fell back as I nuzzled and nipped along the line of her pulse. Feeling emboldened by her response, I brushed my thumbs over the peaks of her breasts again, thrusting up against her core to give her some extra friction at the same time.

“Gio…” she mewled, squirming in my lap.

“I’ve got you, sweetness,” I reassured with a deep purr. “Just let yourself feel.”