Chapter 30

CHAPTER 30

S elena

Time wasn't really relative when it came to living a lie.

And that's exactly what I was doing with Valerio.

Or maybe I should call it playing house.

Big estate. Bigger budget. Ginormous risks.

Three days until our wedding. Three little days until I was to become Mrs. Valerio Royal.

I still couldn't believe it.

Pushing the laptop away, I toyed with drinking another mug of coffee, but I'd had enough I was already wired. The day had dawned as usual with blue skies and a calm ocean. High tide was later in the day, making everything serene. I enjoyed this time of morning more than any other.

I headed toward the kitchen door, sliding it wide open to catch the morning breeze and the scent of the ocean. As I breathed in, I leaned against the doorjamb. So much had changed in such a short period of time, it also seemed as if the earth had stopped turning on its axis.

With all the crumbs Valerio had tossed out on a red carpet, the last few days had been deathly quiet. Too quiet. Eerily so. Had it given us both time to continue getting to know each other, to go through files and learn more about the business? Yes. Were we any closer to discovering the blackmail artist?

No.

He or she had gone into the darkness as well. It was like a vicious game of cat and mouse and at this point, we were the mice.

I moved to the railing, gripping the cool iron and stretching my back as I glanced at the sun just starting to shimmer across the ocean.

Feeling his presence, I tingled all over. Even my naked toes were curling and I was breathless. He'd barely slept more than a few hours at a time but after we'd succumbed to two delicious rounds of passion, he'd finally fallen asleep with his arm around me. I'd watched him for over an hour until the light had begun to peek over the horizon.

Valerio had been so deep in sleep that he hadn't realized I'd left the bed or the room, something he'd forbidden me from doing. He'd told me it was a needed caution. I'd known it was simply because he was intent on dominating me in every way.

Which I had to admit I did enjoy more than I'd cared to acknowledge.

"And how is my very bad girl on this beautiful morning?" he asked as he very lightly brushed the tips of his fingers down my arms, also cupping my shoulder with his soft lips.

"Mmm… I can't complain. And how is my sexy, arrogant, and misogynistic hunk of a man today?"

His immediate answer was biting down on my shoulder. The pain was glorious since the night had been filled with passion and not anguish. He'd been right in that I did enjoy a hint of agony with my ecstasy.

Damn the man. It always seemed he was right.

"Arrogant? Misogynistic? My, aren't we in a mood this morning? Perhaps because you disobeyed me and left our bed." He swirled his tongue around the bruised area before grinding his groin back and forth across my bottom.

He did so know how to turn a woman on first thing in the morning.

"It's not our bed until we're married."

"Oh, yes. Formalities." He continued his seductive tactics, scrunching my hair in his hand, yanking back on my head so he could capture my mouth.

Yes, I adored his dominant side more than I ever would have imagined. As he thrust his tongue inside, I did what I could to take control, sucking on it until he was the one who growled into the kiss.

After regaining control, he took his time exploring. But when he pulled back, he fisted the hem of my robe with one hand, daring to untie the sash with the other.

"You did say you wanted a huge wedding with all the bells and whistles," I breathed before dragging the tip of my tongue across my bottom lip. He tasted of spearmint, which I happened to adore.

"What does that entail on this fine day?"

"A final dress fitting and lunch with my two bridesmaids." I couldn't invent friends and he really didn't have any other than his two brothers so the numbers on both sides had equaled out nicely.

"Perhaps I'll meet you at the bridal shop." He cupped and squeezed my breast as he was rolling his finger up and down the crack of my ass. I could easily tell what the powerful man had on his mind.

I quivered, my pussy throbbing intently.

"Oh, no, you don't," I mused. "This may be a fake marriage but there still will some traditions maintained, or we will have bad luck the entire time we're forced to be hitched." I felt strangely awkward about what I'd just said, even sucking in my breath.

We were closer than a lot of couples I'd heard or read about. Even those in romance books had rough patches and we were getting along very well. Okay, I was no fool. We barely knew each other after less than three weeks or had it been four? But what I had learned I didn't just like.

I loved.

Even his often-grumpy demeanor, especially first thing in the morning, hadn't bothered me, or the way he constantly left his socks right in the middle of the bathroom floor. Like another trail of breadcrumbs.

What I adored the most was his conniving method of playing poker and chess. He was a master at leveling the playing field, which was why I'd enjoyed our banter so much.

"You seem to forget not only that I make the rules but also that you're required to follow them." As he pinched my nipple between his thumb and forefinger, he had the audacity to take a step backward, just enough to give him the perfect angle.

To crack that huge palm of his across first one side of my bottom then the other.

"Ouch. That's not fair."

He laughed and I knew exactly what he was thinking.

Life wasn't fair. No, it wasn't.

"Well, my darling, I guess you're going to learn to live with disappointment." He continued twisting my nipple, causing the most delicious wash of pain as he picked up the roughness with the spanking. What did it say about me that I'd missed his firm hand for these long days?

Maybe I was a bad girl in disguise.

Oh, who was disguising anything?

I arched my back as he peppered my bottom, the stinging sensations quickly turning into desires that only he'd been able to make me feel. This was his brand of foreplay, pushing me to my limits while reminding me that he was very much in charge.

There were no words needed but he always managed to whisper something dark and filthy into my ear as he disciplined me.

"My lusty little cupcake. I still need to cover every inch of your body in frosting."

"What flavor?" I breathed.

"Chocolate. Utter decadence."

After four additional hard cracks of his hand, I pushed back against him and he took the hint.

"But you will need to learn you are not allowed to leave our bed until I give you permission." His voice was barely audible, the tickling shudder of his hot breath against my ear thunderous.

He was just as aroused as I was, quickly pulling down the gray sweatpants I so loved since they usually hugged his carved hips. When he pressed his throbbing cock against my heated bottom, it was impossible to keep a moan from escaping my lips.

"This is just the start of a new day." He kicked my legs further apart, pulling my hips slightly away from the railing before impaling me.

For all the times I'd wanted to push him away, to keep the distance given this was nothing more than a business arrangement, he and I both knew we'd already crossed another line. Were we head over heels in love? No, but I had a feeling if we weren't careful, that's exactly where this glorious love affair was heading.

That's when we'd move into truly dangerous territory, allowing our emotions to rule instead of cooler heads. As his thick cock forced my pussy muscles to expand, I knew I didn't care about anything but this moment.

As my breath was pulled from my lungs, he allowed me to get used to the incredible feeling, the breathless wonder of our connection electrifying. When he pulled all the way out, I heard myself whimper.

"Don't worry, sunshine. I'm not done yet."

There'd been sessions of true passion, others for his need of total domination. The handcuffs and other kinky items stored in various drawers had been a treasure trove of discovery, most of which he'd used on me in the short duration.

But this was hard, rough, and sexy. It was messy and overheated, our bodies clamoring to achieve the kind of satisfaction only our coupling could provide.

I was pitched as usual into a bliss-filled wave, my pussy muscles clenching and releasing several times as he fucked me. There was nothing quite like the feel of his cock or the way he filled me completely.

Valerio seemed almost desperate with need, the force he used pitching me against the railing. I had a feeling I'd have bruises, but I'd wear them proudly. I pushed back against him, meeting every savage thrust with one of my own.

The moment was delicious and a perfect way to start my day. As usual, my body responded within seconds, my breath skipping as lights flooded the periphery of my vision and I didn't try to hold back. I couldn't if I'd wanted to. He had that kind of powerful effect on me.

When the orgasm raced up from my legs, both shaking almost violently, he dug his fingers into my hips painfully. Every plunge was harder than the one before, every sound he made only fueling the fire between us.

"Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes." My scream floated toward the dazzling sky and while I blinked to try to focus, there was no chance. Not when the pleasure was this intense.

He refused to stop even as I slid down from the rafters, my mind spinning from how we'd gotten this close this quickly.

His growl was nothing more than a low rumble and I knew within seconds he was ready to spill his seed deep inside.

And I wanted nothing more.

Both of us breathless, I squeezed as he loved for me to do and almost instantly was rewarded with his hot seed.

"Fuck. Fuck!" he roared, taking ragged breaths. Very slowly he leaned his head against my shoulder, both of us still panting.

"You are frisky this morning." I was surprised I'd found my voice so soon.

"Tell me when I'm not frisky."

I didn't want to remind him of his dark moods, as I anticipated there were more to come. "I might need to take advantage of that."

"I know you too well. You will. Which is why I'll continue to punish you. Speaking of rules. Take Tony with you today when you head to the fitting."

"I can drive myself, dear fiancé of mine. My car is here and gassed up." Although once a clunker, always a clunker, I'd refused the use of one of his ten vehicles. For now. I hadn't earned the luxury. I didn't care about presenting myself like some queen. I would maintain who and what I was.

"No today." He pulled away and I was almost sad.

Turning around, I retied my sash. "Did something happen?"

He shoved his cock into his sweatpants, adjusting them. "No, and that's the problem. Call it instinct. I have a bad feeling the shit is about to hit the fan."

He did have excellent instincts, evidenced when his phone rang.

"You had your cellphone in your pocket when you fucked me. Really?"

Grinning, he pinched my nose. "There's never a wrong time to fuck you, cupcake."

I sighed as he answered the phone. He headed toward the kitchen door, I assume to finally grab some coffee. That didn't allow me to overhear his conversation. Damn him.

Now I wanted coffee. Imagine that.

Suddenly, he stopped short before reaching the counter and every muscle in his gorgeous back stiffened. I walked closer to the doorway, trying to remain patient as he finished the call.

"Yeah, I'll be right there." When he was finished, he almost stumbled to the edge of the island, tossing his phone before gripping the two edges.

I tried to remain quiet as I walked closer, finally touching his arm. "What is it?"

He was taking strangled breaths. The moment he finally lifted his head, I was certain his eyes were misting. Instantly, I pressed one hand against my lips.

"We were right. My father was poisoned. He was… murdered."