Chapter 23

Maria

Passion.

It was something I never thought would be a part of my life. I was a little too gangly when I was younger, a little too brash to be considered a seductress. I'd never thought that having a relationship was that significant, sex not nearly as important as it had been for the girls I went to school with.

I'd been called names as a kid, four eyes and nerd just two of the milder ones, my glasses part of the reason, my high IQ something to be made fun of. I'd gotten used to those who enjoyed watching me squirm until I no longer allowed them to find a single second's worth of satisfaction in their hateful comments. The moment I'd done that, all my tormenters had moved on to someone else.

Thank God before we'd fallen into financial despair, my mother had insisted I have eye surgery to correct the issues.

Partially because of that and also because my mother had worked so hard just to put a roof over our heads, I'd never dressed in fancy clothes, and didn't attend my prom. And I'd been okay with that.

Or so I'd thought.

But as the flickering lights of the candle highlighted the warm glow of appreciation on Daniel's face as he stood only inches away from me, I was taken aback by how much I realized I'd missed over the years. The look on his face was so intense that my breath was stripped away, my mind fuzzy from enjoying the heated way he raked his gaze down from my face, his nostrils flaring.

He'd remained in the same position after we'd played with Zorro, tiring him out enough I'd cradled the furry baby in my arms, carrying him to the foot of the bed. Daniel was just staring at me, taking several deep breaths. Enjoying having a new puppy together while sharing drinks then making dinner without hired help was one of the best things that had happened to me in as long as I could remember.

Now we were behind closed doors in our bedroom, sharing a moment of intimacy that I hadn't wanted just a couple of days before. It was as if we were really meant to be together, both doing nothing more than taking our time as we indulged in the heated round of passion.

He brushed the tips of his fingers down my cheek, his chest rising and falling as if exerting an incredible amount of energy. I couldn't blink let alone take my eyes off him yet was trying to keep from being so nervous around him. He was such a powerful force, a man to be reckoned with, but on this night, he was nothing more than a man trying to make his wife happy.

"Sei la donna più bella del mondo intero e di tutta la mia," he muttered.

While I wasn't entirely certain what he'd said, I couldn't ask for fear of giving myself away.

"In case you were wondering, I said you are the most beautiful woman in the entire world and all mine." As he slipped his hand around the back of my neck, pulling me closer, a flash of light tore across my field of vision.

"Grazie, mio bel marito."

Thank you, my handsome husband.

At least the words flowed easily, the sentiment real and his smile could light up the room. After the puppy made a slight sound, we both looked over to see Zorro rolling onto his back. It was impossible not to giggle like a kid at the moment.

"I love to hear you laugh as much as I desire hearing you scream my name in satisfaction." He didn't waste any additional time, yanking off my shirt and tossing it aside. When he cupped my breasts, rubbing his thumbs across my lace-covered nipples, I took a scattered but very deep breath.

I did the same with him, ignoring the dark blood staining his sleeves, and the specks on his chest as I unbuttoned his shirt, peeling away the edges when I was finished.

"Is there something you want, my wife?"

"Maybe." I pushed the material over his shoulders, allowing gravity to take it to the floor. When I planted my hands on his bare chest, a wave of electricity swept through me, igniting my core. I was still amazed how explosive we were together, our needs matching far too well. He knew my body better than I'd thought any man ever would, taking his time to indulge my pleasures while ignoring his needs.

Somehow, I had a feeling that wouldn't last, the urgency I felt increasing with every passing second.

"Then you'll need to tell me exactly what you desire."

"Everything."

"Not good enough."

He slipped both bra straps down at the same time, pulling my arms free before reaching around to my back, deftly unfastening it. When he held the pink lace out to the side, he issued a series of deep and throaty growls.

"I told you," I teased.

"Tell me now or you won't be given a choice."

When I reached for his belt, I couldn't help myself, rubbing my fingers back and forth across the smooth grains of leather. "Make love to me."

"Mmm… To start with."

Over the next few minutes, I fell into the roar of need and desire that was threatening to consume us, basking in his sweet caresses. For a man who was used to taking what he wanted, his tenderness was a blessing, a gift that I wasn't certain he'd provide but every so often. However, it was exactly what I needed, or maybe it was what we both longed to have if only for one night.

His eyes never left mine until he cupped my naked breasts, pinching both nipples between his thumbs and forefingers. The moment I whimpered from the slice of pain, his upper lip curled, his smirk sexier than before. Very slowly, so much so I didn't see him move, he lowered his head, nipping and sucking first one hardened bud then the other.

I wrapped both arms around his head, pulling him as close as possible. This was far more intimate than anything we'd shared up to this point. That added to the deep throbbing between my legs, the wild storm of heat building in my core. If we weren't careful, we'd both combust.

After finally managing to work my fingers again, doing my best to ignore the dazzling sensations, I tugged on his button and zipper. A moan escaped my lips the moment I wrapped my hand around his thick cock. When he growled before issuing a heady sucking noise, I laughed nervously.

"Is there something you want?" I whispered.

"Everything."

"Not good enough."

"You're being very naughty."

"Which is exactly what you want." I tore at his trousers, yanking them down his hips. The way he laughed was so heartfelt, a joy to hear.

But he grabbed my arms, shaking his head then pushing me down on the bed, immediately planting his hands on either side of me. "You seem to think you're suddenly in charge. That will never happen."

I couldn't help but laugh, but the man still made me nervous. When I rose onto my elbows, he dropped his head, barely brushing his lips across mine before pulling away. He took his time undressing, tugging one shoe off then the other, not caring that his pants had fallen to his knees.

He was forcing me to watch and hunger as he teased me the way that I'd done to him. I hadn't realized how long his dark eyelashes were until he closed his eyes, rubbing his flexed fingers down his chest to his groin. Using one hand, he wrapped his fingers around his throbbing, blood-engorged shaft, driving the other between his legs to squeeze his balls.

Every move he made was far too enticing. I couldn't help but to lick my lips, the scent of his aftershave mixed with his crazy level of testosterone exciting every one of my senses. I still couldn't believe the kind of power he had over me.

The teasing continued as he stroked his cock for a full minute, twisting his hand several times. Every sound we made was ripped with longing, the heat in the room more explosive than ever. The moment he finally removed his trousers, I couldn't stop myself from issuing an intense whimper. There was something so special not only about the moment of feeling free, but also because of the closeness we were building.

Adopting a puppy from the local shelter was the last thing I would have ever imagined the man doing. He didn't seem the type even though he'd been so amazing with the horses. I was still thrown, mesmerized more than I'd believed possible and the sight of him completely naked awakened the last of the darkness I'd fought so hard to ignore.

I wanted to this man fully and without reservation.

That still scared me but not nearly as much as the thought of losing him to an act of violence. When he was finished tormenting me, he turned his full attention back to my half naked body. He ripped at my shoes, allowing them to fly across the room. I stifled a laugh, shocked the puppy didn't move an inch, even snoring slightly.

What was it they said about animals? That they knew good people from bad. I'd stored that in the back of my mind and it had certainly come in handy in dealing with the man I'd married.

As he slipped the dense jeans down my legs, I could read every tiny bit of what he was going to do to me.

Lick me.

Bite me.

Feast on me.

Fuck me.

And dear God, I was breathless with wonderment.

I sensed he was finished taking his time, through with trying to allow me to see the romantic side of him. When he dropped to his knees, he instantly bent my legs, pushing them wide open. And as with everything else about the man, every action he took deliberate, he breathed across my smooth pussy before burying his head into my wetness.

"Oh, God." My moans were instantaneous, my mind spun to a crazy level. It didn't matter how many times he'd feasted on me, I was thrown by how intense the vibrations were, feeling like I was floating on air. I clamped my fingers around the comforter, digging my heels into the bed at the same time.

I could handle the man licking me for hours, or so I liked to think. Moans kept erupting from my throat as I tossed my head from side to side, my animalistic sounds matching his guttural ones. The way he was feasting on me tonight was as if this was his last meal before being executed, determined to derive as much pleasure and juice as possible.

Shuddering, I pressed my hand across my lips, shocked how much my body was shaking. The moment continued to be incredible, prickles dancing up and down my skin. When the puppy finally moved, placing his head on my shoulder, it seemed like the most natural thing in the world.

It was crazy, the moment entirely too normal, the word not supposed to be in my vocabulary any longer. My toes were curled the moment he drove several fingers into my tight channel. I was pushed into another blissful moment, doing everything I could not to jerk up from the bed and disturb Zorro.

A smile remained on my face as Daniel's actions became more vigorous. He was masterful at everything he did, this delicious and sinful moment no exception. There was no holding back the powerful moment, a climax erupting from almost out of nowhere. It was as if the greatest shock of current had gone through me, my heart thudding more rapidly than ever, everything around me foggy.

The puppy huffed in my face, barely opening his eyes before moving to the top of the bed in likely disgust. I bit back a laugh, but I could tell the sound annoyed my husband and he dragged his tongue up and down the length of my pussy with such ferocity that I was pitched into another ravaging orgasm almost instantly.

"Yes. Yes. Yes!"

He dug his fingers into my inner thighs, holding me in place as I thrashed on the bed. But as soon as I came down from the intense euphoria, he rose to his full height, licking his lips before crawling onto the bed. "I'm going to fuck you now."

"What about making love?" As he positioned me more in the center of the bed, I couldn't help running my fingers down his chest. There was something so demanding about the way he looked at me, the building heat scintillating.

"Call it what you want, baby, but I need to have my cock deep inside of you." The moment I wrapped one hand around the base of his shaft, guiding the tip to my slickened folds, he thrust the entire length inside.

"Oh. My." I lolled my head to the side and swung my arms over his shoulders, tangling both sets of fingers into his hair. I also wrapped both legs around his, squeezing my knees against his thighs.

He grinned, issuing a tsking sound. "Remember what I told you. I'm in charge of this household."

"You just think you are." As I purred like a kitty, he bit down on my lower lip, already developing a smooth rhythm as he fucked me.

We never blinked, both of us searching the other's soul as he took his time bringing me more pleasure than I knew existed.

I was lost in the sweet moment more than I'd been before, his usual hard fucking something I almost missed. I knew his usual rough actions would return, his needs more intense than could be satisfied with the romance we were sharing, and I tried not to take it for granted. Just seeing the joy and desire in his eyes was enough to spin my breath out of control.

This was such a defining moment, a solid shift into being a couple, developing a real relationship that I almost felt guilty. But I reminded myself why I was doing this. Did that make any level of deception right or okay in my book? Well, no, but I also wanted to live.

Somehow, I had no doubt Leonardo would be dispatched to carry out the threat Maria had issued if I so much as made a wrong move or said the incorrect thing. Even as I shifted the ugly thought away, tears formed in my eyes.

Before I realized what was happening, they slipped down both sides of my cheeks, rolling ever so slowly to the bed.

Daniel slowed his actions, lowering his head. When he gathered both beads with his tongue before they had a chance to stain the bedding, I sucked in my breath.

He remained closer, rubbing his fingers across my forehead. "I never want you to cry, la mia bellissima moglie."

Every word he said, calling me his beautiful wife, was so heartfelt and at that moment I allowed myself to truly become his wife, to hold the vows I'd spoken in fury as ones I'd keep for the rest of my life.

And in those few moments as he eased my arms over my head, clasping our fingers together, plunging deep and hard into me, I knew I wasn't just falling in love with him. I was already there.

He whispered sweet nothings in Italian, so many words I couldn't understand, but I could feel the sentiment.

When he issued a single command, I obeyed it without hesitation.

"Come with me, my sweet wife. Come with me."

There was nothing like the feel of the way his body tensed, his cock throbbing so deeply inside I was certain he'd hit my womb. As he filled me with his seed, I sensed his armor was falling.

That was the moment I was certain I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him.

It was also the one when my instinct told me it would never be allowed to happen.

As he'd told me once before, betrayal was punishable by death.