34. Ezra

Chapter thirty-four

Ezra

After she insists on stitching my shoulder, I carry her from the stitch room in the new mansion to the bathroom upstairs.

The pain in my chest sharpens, digging into my ribs as I set her down in the bathtub. Sweat dots my forehead.

I grit my teeth and push through the pain, dipping the towel into the warm water and gently dabbing against her lips as she flinches. But it’s nothing compared to the relief of having her in my arms, safe.

My breathing steadies as I focus on the way she clings to me and the warmth of her small body pressed against mine.

As I clean her up, my thoughts keep drifting back to what happened earlier today— Antonio. My jaw clenches with frustration.

How had I missed it? Another mole hiding in plain sight.

The delays with our shipment, Frank gathering sufficient evidence against me—that was all Antonio. He must have been the one who tipped off Matteo about my deal with Enzo, that’s how he was able to dig his claws into him. My blood boils as the pieces fall into place.

“Are you okay?” Raven's voice breaks through the anger clouding my mind.

I shake my head, and as I clean her arm, I find the marks on her wrist already darkening into purple bruises. They remind me of her condition in the video Matteo sent, and my rage flares again.

“If Matteo and his minions weren’t already dead, I would’ve tortured and given them ten times the treatment they gave you till they begged me to end their miserable lives,” I grind out.

Raven cups my face, a ghostly smile on her face. “I'm alright, baby.”

The past twenty-four hours have been tedious, and while I left Elio to ‘clean up’ Matteo’s mansion, I brought Raven home.

Once I finish wiping away the grime from her skin, I pick her up and walk to the bedroom, nudging the door open with my shoulder and kicking it shut behind me once we’re inside. Carefully, I lower her onto the bed, and for a moment, I just stand there, taking her in.

The bruises on her wrists, the exhaustion in her eyes—it guts me to see her like this. But even in her battered state, with her hair a wild mess around her face, she’s breathtaking.

Sitting beside her, my hand trembles slightly as I brush a strand of hair from her face. Her skin is soft beneath my fingertips, and she leans into my touch, her eyes fluttering closed for a second. My heart aches at how much I love her, how much I need her.

“Ezra,” she whispers, her voice hoarse. “I—”

But I stop her, pressing my index finger to her lips. “Stop feeling guilty.” I cup her cheeks, my thumb brushing across her face. “I know that’s what’s still eating at you. I see it in your eyes. But if anyone’s guilty, it’s me. I forced you to make that choice.”

“Ezra…” she trails off, resting her hand on my shoulder, sorrow flickering in her gaze.

I tear my eyes away, staring at the floor. “I didn’t realize soon enough that maybe all of this… my world… might be too much for you…”

This time, she places her finger against my lips. I lift my gaze to meet hers, and her lips curve upwards slowly.

Finally meeting her eyes, a surge of warmth and affection floods through me. I can feel the pure love radiating from her, and it overwhelms my senses.

I can’t hold back anymore. With a single tug, I pull her to me, crushing my lips hard against hers. The kiss is rough, desperate— an apology in the only way I know how to express it. Her lips are soft against mine, moving in sync with my rhythm. I groan, bringing my hands into her hair before pulling her closer.

Her fingers clutch at my shirt, and I feel her body relax into mine. When I pull away, my forehead resting against hers, we’re both breathless, hearts pounding loudly.

“I love you, Raven,” I whisper, “I’ve loved you since the moment I met you.”

Indeed, that quiet, shy girl at the party captivated me in a way I couldn’t shake, her soft presence lingering in my mind long after the night ended.

Her eyes search mine, and for a moment, fear claws at me. What if she doesn’t feel the same anymore? But then she smiles, that soft, beautiful smile that never fails to make my heart ache.

“I love you, too,” she whispers, her voice faltering with emotion. “I think I always have… even when I thought it was Stockholm syndrome at first,” she laughs. My heart tugs as it echoes through the room, light and carefree.

I chuckle, the tension between us dissolving as I soak in her happiness. My chest warms as I lean in to kiss her again, slower this time, pouring everything I feel into the moment.

Her hands slide up my chest, over my shoulders, and then they tug at my shirt. I lift my arms, pulling it over my head.

My skin prickles under her touch, and I feel her tremble slightly beneath me. We part only long enough for me to strip away the rest of my clothes, and then I climb into the bed, kneeling on either side of her.

She reaches up, her fingertips tracing the contour of the bandage around my wound, her touch featherlight. Her eyes drift to mine, but she doesn’t speak. Instead, her hands travel down slowly, wrapping themselves around my already erect cock.

I groan at the firm and deliberate stroking of her hand up and down my shaft. She looks up at me with those dark, trusting eyes that make my heart race.

I pause, my hand resting on her cheek, my thumb brushing over her plump lips. “You good?” My voice comes out rough as I glance briefly at her stomach.

She nods, but her eyes glance down to the bandage across my chest and then to my arm. “I should be asking you that.”

Her concern tugs at something deep inside me, and that’s all the reassurance I need. I lean down, kissing her again, softly this time. My hands move over the curves of her upper body until they find her breasts and cup them.

“ Dio, sei perfetta (God, you’re perfect),” I groan, against her lips, at the feel of her perky breasts in my calloused palms.

Breaking the kiss, I hold her gaze for a second before placing a light kiss on her jaw. I glance up just in time to see her eyelids flutter close, a moan escaping her lips. I place another kiss on her neck, slowly trailing a path down to the spot in between her breasts.

I move lower, teasing her left breast with my lips, pulling the nipple in my mouth. The instant my tongue brushes against it, her back arches, urging me on.

“Ezra.” Her voice, breathless and filled with need, makes me dizzy. Her hands tangle in my hair, pulling me closer.

I give the same attention to her other breast, savoring the way her body responds to me, kissing all the way down to her belly button. A groan escapes my lips as I take her in, my dick jumping in anticipation. My body aches with a deep, primal hunger, but I don't rush.

Instead, I spread her legs apart and settle between them, feeling the heat radiating off her. The tension between us burns like wildfire.

I want to savor the feeling of touching her. I want this time to be different. This isn’t just sex anymore, like how it was all these past years ?void of any emotion or attachment. For the first time in as long as I can remember, I am feeling love. And I need her to feel my love for her… I need her to know how much she means to me.

I lean down again, trailing kisses along her inner thigh, inching closer to her core. The sound of her moans grows louder as I tease her, my lips barely grazing the wetness between her legs.

“Ezra!” she gasps, the desperation in her voice driving me crazy.

The need to be buried deep inside her overwhelms me. I pull my mouth away as I lift myself up and position myself at her entrance. The tip of my cock brushes against her wetness, sending me over the edge.

“Take me…” she breathes, her gaze locking onto mine, filled with longing.

I don’t waste another second. Slowly, I feed my dick into her, and we both let out a gasp at the sensation.

“Raven,” I grunt, biting my lip as the wave of pleasure overwhelms me.

My focus is on her face, feeling satisfaction when her eyes flutter shut, and her lips part slightly. A mix of whimpers and gasps escape her lips as my dick finally buries fully inside her pussy.

“Move, Ezra,” she urges softly, her voice a breathy whisper. “Please…”

I can’t deny her. With a slow, deliberate thrust, I pull back and slide back in, feeling the hotness of her pussy wrap around me as I fill her completely. Her whimpers and gasps are the only sounds I hear as I set a steady rhythm, each movement drawing more pleasure from her.

Her eyelids flutter shut as her hands slide up to grab her breasts, causing a growl to reverberate through me.

“More, Ezra,” she whispers, her voice thick with desire. “Faster.”

Her plea sends me spiraling. My pace quickens, my hips slamming into hers as her moans grow louder, filling the room. Her hips rise to meet mine, her hands gripping the sheets in a desperate attempt to ground herself.

I reach forward, cupping her breasts, squeezing them firmly as her body moves in sync with mine.

“Move those hips for me, bambina (baby),” I growl, my voice thick with need.

“Yes, just like that,” she moans. “Fuck, don’t stop.”

“Ezra,” she gasps my name, her breath hitching as she arches into me. My body trembles, the pressure starting to build up inside of me when she reaches up and locks her fingers at the back of my neck.

“I’m so close!” she moans, her voice breaking as she tilts her head back.

“Let go, Raven,” I groan, increasing my pace, my control slipping with each thrust.

“Oh, fuck!” she cries out, her release hitting her hard as she pushes her chest forward.

Her walls tighten around me, her body shuddering beneath me as she lets go. I can feel her pulse around my cock while I keep slamming into her. Her release hits me hard, bringing me to orgasm. With one final wild thrust, I bury myself inside her, her body milking me for all I’ve got.

“Shit.” A strained grunt slips from my lips as the last of my release spills inside her.

Collapsing beside her, exhaustion weighs down on me. The ache in my chest and shoulder flares, but I ignore it, drawing her close to me. Her skin is warm against mine, her breath soft, and for a while, we stay like that, wrapped in each other’s arms.

Slowly, the tension in my muscles begins to fade, replaced by a quiet calm. Her breathing slows, rhythmic and steady, and I press my forehead gently to hers.

“I love you,” I whisper, again, because I need her to know it. I need her to feel it.

She smiles, her hand resting on the uninjured part of my chest, just below where my heart beats beneath the surface. “I love you, too.”

We lay there in silence, my hand rubbing light circles over the soft skin of her stomach. I turn my head to watch her— her brows furrow slightly, and her lips press into a thin line like she’s weighing her words before she speaks.

She clears her throat, her voice barely above a whisper. “Ezra.” I feel a flutter of unease at the tone of her words.

I’m tense. “Yeah?” I reply, trying to keep my voice steady, though the knot in my gut tightens.

She takes a shaky breath, her eyes flicking away from mine before settling back. “I... I think I still need to leave,” she whispers, the weight of her words hanging heavily in the air. My heart sinks at the statement. But I thought…

“Leave?” I echo, my throat suddenly going dry. “Why?” That’s the only thing I can mutter as my gut tightens. I’ve only just gotten her back and she wants to leave already?

She shifts, sitting up slightly and I follow. “For the sake of our baby,” she explains, her voice trembling. “I can’t stay here, Ezra. The chaos, the danger… the mafia... it’s not fit for a child to grow up in.”

Her words hit harder than expected. A sharp pain explodes inside me, threatening to break me apart.

I release a breath, grabbing her hand as if that could keep her here, keep her from slipping away. “I can protect you both. I swear I’ll keep you safe,” I insist, desperation creeping into my voice.

The thought of her and our unborn child being out there without me feels like a nightmare I can’t wake up from.

But she shakes her head, her expression resolute yet filled with sadness. “I don’t want to be part of this world anymore. I want our child to have a chance at a normal life, Ezra. If it’s a choice between you and the mafia, I have to choose what’s best for the baby.”

The words cut deep, each one a dagger twisting in my chest. I understand her reasoning, but it doesn’t lessen the hurt. The thought of losing her feels unbearable.

I reach out, taking her hands in mine, feeling the softness of her skin against my rough palms. “I can’t imagine my life without you,” I admit, my voice thick with emotion. “I love you, Raven. I–I don’t want you to lea...”

“Ezra…” her voice breaks slightly as she shakes her head, and I see the pain in her eyes. “We need to think about this baby’s future.”

The silence that follows is suffocating. The last thing I want is to push her away. I want to beg her to stay, but I know the truth in her words.

I swallow hard, my voice barely a whisper, “If you need to go… I won’t stop you.” The words taste bitter, but I mean them. “But I’ll always be here for you and our baby. I’ll do anything to keep you both safe.”

Tears well up in her eyes, and before they can fall, I wipe them away with my thumb, trying to hold myself together as best as I can.

“I’ll always love you, Ezra,” she says, with certainty, her voice trembling.

As the reality of her truly leaving sinks in, I pull her closer. Wrapping my arms around her, I bury my face in her hair, not wanting to let her go…

Not yet…

Not ever.