Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15

A lexandra

“You can’t run, little girl. I will find you. You fucked with the wrong people.”

No. No. He couldn’t find me. He would kill me. I ran and stopped, repeating the cycle. The forest was dark, the air so humid that perspiration was dripping from my face, stinging my eyes. I had to get away. How had the monster found me?

I dared take another fifty steps, tripping over a pile of debris.

His laugh floated through the air, the crunching sound of the thugs’ boots coming from everywhere. They were all around, ready to capture me. What was I going to do?

I had to think.

Hide.

If I could find a place to stay hidden for a little while, the bastard would eventually grow bored. Yet he’d heard my single muffled moan as I’d tumbled to the ground. I had to change directions. When I did, the trees thinned out just enough that the full moon could easily find its way streaming through the trees.

I was more cautious, my leg hurting like a son of a bitch from scrapes and bruises. But I kept on. Night sounds were enough to terrify me, crickets and frogs singing as if for their master. I had to ignore. Ignore. Ignore!

“Don’t you know what happens to bad girls who see things they shouldn’t have?” His laugh was even more ominous, as if he already knew the outcome.

It wasn’t looking good for me.

My throat was strangled as I zigged and zagged, forced to plant my hand against a tree so I could rest for a second.

The bark of the tree didn’t feel right. I jerked my hand away, blinking several times. A scream built in my throat, but I squelched it. It was a man’s… head and it had been spiked to a tree. Blood was running down and I’d…

Oh, God. The moment I turned, racing forward, I was met with similar gruesome sights.

I was powerless to keep quiet, more horrified than I’d been in my entire life. A tiny scream erupted and I knew I was done for. The monster would kill me. Just like he’d slaughtered all these people.

This was a killing field.

“I’m coming for you, little bitch of a princess. Didn’t you realize I knew who you were?”

I backed away, trying to avoid looking at any of the trees. But the horror continued. Suddenly, there were decapitated heads rolling toward me, hundreds of them.

I let off a bloodcurdling scream.

“Whoa. Whoa, little one. You were just having a nightmare.”

“No!” I jerked up, hitting a brick wall, or that’s what it felt like. “No. No. No. Let me go, you bastard. You will not kill me.”

The images continued to roll just like the mutilated heads. I was sick, so nauseous I knew I’d throw up.

“Listen to me. Alexandra, it’s Nico. You were having a dream. A nightmare. Nothing more.”

His voice, his deep and soothing voice drifted over me like the softest blanket against my naked skin. I tried to think, to drift from the fog. The images began to fade and I was able to take a deep breath.

“A dream?” I asked, but I sensed he was right. Nico. He was my protector. He was here. He was…

Every action so gentle, he used his knuckles under my chin to lift my head, the streaming moonlight creating the most beautiful hue of pearlescent blue around him. “It was just a nightmare. I think your selection of movies might have had something to do with it. I’d stick with comedies if I were you.”

He was trying to be lighthearted after all we’d been through. After all I’d been through. I was able to laugh slightly, although I knew and he knew it was fake. “I’m sorry.” When I was tired, the soft side of me, the gushy girl showed her colors. I wasn’t proud of it, but exhaustion also produced tears. Which was ridiculous. I was a big girl. Dreams couldn’t hurt me.

“Don’t worry. I will never allow anything to happen to you,” Nico said. Still with a comforting tone in his voice. Still as sexy as I’d admitted from minute one. I wanted to be angry with him, but I couldn’t. “Hey. No reason for tears.” He wiped them away with his thumb, bringing the thick digit to his mouth and sucking the salty beads off.

It was perhaps the most intimate action I’d seen in a very long time, including in movies. And it touched me greatly.

I wished the light were greater, so that I could clearly see his gorgeous face. The nightmare had seemed so real, as if the monster could reach out and touch me even here in this protected environment. My rational mind, the one who’d pushed me into becoming a doctor knew better. That didn’t mean I wasn’t still terrified. Of the dark. Of the future. Of…

Him.

“I’m sorry. For everything.”

He seemed confused. “Why are you sorry? There’s nothing to be sorry for.”

“Interrupting your life. Calling you. Acting ridiculous. I know I’m in danger. I just… I’ve never been through something this horrible, even if I was almost mugged once.”

I sensed hearing I’d been mugged brought out the possessive side of him. “Well, I’m not going to lie, things might become dicey, but for now, you have nothing to worry about. I suggest you try and get some sleep. Tomorrow I’ll do what I can to make everything more… normal.” His laugh was strange, as if he knew there could be nothing ‘normal’ in the life we’d been born into. I didn’t have any idea why my father had been murdered. No one seemed to know, including Nico, but the nagging feeling it had something or everything to do with what was happening now refused to leave my mind.

When he tried to stand, I gripped his hand. “Don’t go. Please. Don’t go.”

The terrified girl inside wanted to insist the reason I’d been so bold was nothing more than the nightmare lingering. But the woman who’d been awakened to passion knew otherwise. My request was completely wrong, out of character for me, and sinful.

But honestly? I no longer cared.

Nico hesitated, searching my eyes in the dense shadows. I could feel it as much as I could the heat resonating from his body. When he pulled away, moving to a standing position, I thought my passionate plea would go unheeded. He’d made it pretty clear before he had no intention of crossing the forbidden line again.

A full five seconds passed, maybe ten. I was holding my breath. The yin and yang of the emotions was tearing me apart.

When he ripped off his fresh tee shirt from the neck, tossing it halfway across the room, I switched to sucking in and holding my breath. So far, we’d been in shadows and ominous surroundings. Even in the beauty and comfort of this room, there was nothing different. Were we meant to be cloaked in darkness? I had no answer to this question more than any other.

I could tell he’d kicked off his shoes and while I couldn’t see his eyes, I felt them crawling all over me as he reached for his belt. He was purposely taking his time. In my mind, he was using the extra seconds to debate what good could come out of this.

What he didn’t know about me was that I wasn’t the kind of woman to take anything lying down. So to speak, or in this case, literally. The act of throwing back the covers brought a slight grin to his face. His chiseled jaw allowed me to see every tiny shift in his expression.

His earlier kisses had presented his three-day stubble. I doubted he’d shaved since receiving my frantic call. Honestly? It added to the dangerous aura that trailed behind him everywhere he went. I moved onto my knees, doing nothing more than swaying my hips back and forth slowly. Evenly.

The strangled sound of his breathing was a sweet reward in a world where I doubted I’d receive but so many. I wasn’t some sexpot. I had no idea how to seduce a man. Sure, I could figure it out to some point, but that didn’t mean I was an expert.

Not my thing.

Until I met him.

Maybe the absence of light allowed me to feel courage in an area where I’d never had any. As he unzipped his trousers, I pulled off my pajama top slowly, sliding it down my chest before pitching it aside. When I reached to jerk off my ponytail holder, he growled.

“Leave it. That’s mine.”

I would never have recognized his voice had he not been standing in front of me.

“Touch your breasts.” His firm command was made with the same voice, only a touch darker if that was even possible.

I did as I was told, immediately feeling awkward. I could never be a stripper or a harlot. I had no natural moves of any kind. I’d been the awkward kid, gangly at first with dreaded braces. Yes, I’d changed physically, but I was still that girl others called ‘steel mouth’ in bullying banter.

Perhaps he sensed I felt awkward and he cocked his head. “You are beautiful. Show me you know.”

I knew no one ever ignored his commands and I certainly had no ability to do so. As he lowered his trousers past his carved hips, I cupped my breasts, trying to continue undulating my hips. Watching him undress was a powerful aphrodisiac, allowing me to feel freer, sexier.

He shifted from foot to foot in a surprising move, perhaps trying to educate me that subtle was just as provocative as crazy moves like being on a stripper pole. Although around him, I could see doing something so wild and crazy.

With his trousers and underwear removed, I was certain he’d advance, but he folded his arms, staring down at me with utter darkness surrounding him and it had nothing to do with the lack of light. He was telling me in no uncertain terms unless I obeyed him, the pleasure would be kept out of my reach.

An interesting incentive and one that worked. I closed my eyes, pretending I heard my favorite dance tune. The slight chance in my mindset allowed the girl inside to become unleashed to some degree. I could easily shift my hips back and forth to the make-believe music, caressing and squeezing my breasts at the same time.

“Pinch your nipples for me. Twist and stretch. Prepare them for my mouth.”

Every command was more provocative than the one before.

I did as I was told, the pain instant but oh-so delicious and adding to the hard throbbing in my pussy. Within seconds, my nipples were ultra-sensitive, but I continued pinching and plucking them as required.

His breathing was even more labored and I suddenly felt it cascading across my face and down my chest. I was tingling all over, shimmers of prickles appeared on my arms and dancing down my stomach. No man had ever turned me on as much as Nico had. Just his way of roughing me up and toning me down was intense, but this was something special. But perhaps something that would likely never occur again.

One taste hadn’t been enough. I’d seen it on his face when I’d placed the plate of food on his desk. His expression could be read easily. He’d wanted to rake his arm across the surface, placing me in the center for another feast.

I’d shuddered all the way to the second floor.

I wasn’t certain what he had planned or how long I could take the teasing. The need to reach out and touch him, to wrap one arm around his neck and pull him closer was almost all I could think about. The electricity was different tonight. It was almost as if he had a handle on the fiery current, able to control it and Mother Nature at the same time.

The heat of his body became even more oppressive, the crazed longing sparking a flurry of vibrant colors floating inside my closed eyelids.

“Look at me, piccolo fiore speciale . Yes, you are my special little flower. A perfect specimen on a spring day, a bud opening up to the warm sun.”

He had a way of speaking that was enthralling, even hypnotizing.

I adored every moment of his accent, the way his scalding breath skipped across my jaw. As I’d done before, I obeyed him without question, almost ready to jerk out of position to turn on a light. Yet I knew better. This moment and in this house, he was in complete control. Everything about the intensity of our building passion was special. It was something I’d never forget.

He cupped both sides of my face, the forceful rub of his thumbs jarring to my skin. The action was completely possessive, highlighting his need for me. I gripped his wrists, savoring the human contact more than I should.

The whispers dripping from his mouth were husky, sexual, and entirely in Italian; the words were so sweet yet a telling of his hunger. He became more aggressive, stretching me on my knees to the point my back ached. He was holding me in place, another reminder. A telling of what he wanted.

All of me.

Excitement tore through me, keeping my muscles tingling and my entire body quivering. I gathered more than just a whiff of my desire, my inner thighs almost slick with my juice. He lowered his head until our lips were almost touching, but held off, squeezing my face even harder. He wasn’t trying to hurt me. This was about accepting what we’d become.

What he’d become.

I continued to be as breathless as he was. He had to be experiencing pain from the way I was digging my nails into his wrists. If so, I would never know it. He was far too masculine and in charge. When he licked around my mouth, I was shocked how gentle the move was. Somehow, I had a feeling it was the last tender moment I would feel.

As the man captured my mouth, holding our lips in place, he rubbed the palm of his hand down my back. I thought he’d cup my bottom to pull me closer, but as usual, I was wrong. He had no patience left nor did he want to fight with my boy short pajama bottoms. He simply grabbed a handful and ripped them from my body.

I yelped into the kiss, but he’d slipped his hand to the back of my neck, squeezing even more possessively than before. The rush of adrenaline and hunger was colliding much like our lips were crushed together. No air space.

As soon as he swept his tongue inside, I twisted mine around his, which forced him to growl all over again. He had a way of pushing my buttons as well. But I was going to remind him I was a player in all of this as often as possible.

I was losing patience myself, rubbing the flats of my hands against his shoulders and over them, digging my nails into his neck with one hand. He responded by finally yanking my body closer, grinding his hips against mine. The friction was incredible, almost as much as the man.

Energy rushed through me and I clawed at his back, gyrating my hips against his several times.

We were two wild animals, but more sophisticated in our actions than in the forest. There we’d been allowed, nature encouraging our primal beings. Here, we were in a comfortable room, provided with all the creature comforts in the world. Maybe this would last longer than an explosion of emotions.

He kept me crushed to him as the kiss entered an entirely new phase, our bodies working together. The meshing of our souls felt inevitable, which was ridiculous because that would mean our hearts would collide. That wasn’t going to happen.

The intimacy we shared, the powerful sense of need, was overwhelming. We roamed our hands over each other’s back. We shifted back and forth in time to a silent music, as if we both knew the beat. The moment was magical.

Very slowly, he used the power of his upper thighs to slowly lower me to the soft pillows, unfurling my legs immediately.

Nico pushed up from the bed, his hands planted on either side of me. He was highlighting the full power of his strength, staying aloft. Our lips never lost contact, his tongue freely sweeping through my mouth as if exploring. I was more lightheaded than I’d been even lying down, sucking in breath from his lungs and giving it back in strangled moans.

The fact no man had ever kissed me this passionately remained in the forefront of my mind. I was so lost in the moment I hadn’t realized he’d opened my legs, his tangling with mine. But the moment I felt his cock pressing against my wetness, I shuddered to my core. He was going to fuck me. This wasn’t just about a mystery man or a one-night stand. This was about something I couldn’t put my finger on.

Maybe I would never be able to. Maybe I didn’t care.

He broke the kiss, but that didn’t stop his moment of taking full control. His growl was back to being primal as he raked his teeth from one side of my jaw to the other. There was nothing he wouldn’t do to me as evidenced by his hard bite on my lower lip.

The single drop of blood was coppery in taste, salty yet not repulsive. He wasted no time, breathing hard as he bit down on my chin, even shaking his head like an animal would do when the beast had captured its prey.

But he kept going, exploring and teasing with his tongue and lips. I wanted nothing more than to touch him, but I fisted the sheets, digging my heels into the softness as I tossed my head back and forth. Everything was ticklish and full of heat. I could easily see him doing this for hours.

Panting, I bit down on my lower lip myself to keep from screaming. I didn’t think anyone was in the house, but I also didn’t want soldiers bursting into the room. Talk about humiliating.

I never would have believed such a ruthless and dangerous man could be so passionate, even romantic in his actions, but that’s exactly the way I felt. He was amazing in the way he touched and kissed me, pressing his lips down gently then forcefully. The dynamics were amazing.

Writhing seemed to be all I could do around him, trying to keep some sense of my sanity. He made it tough, so much so I couldn’t stop moaning, much like he couldn’t seem to stop growling. The entire moment was worth capturing for a future memory. Why was it that I suddenly felt like giggling?

He continued his travels, moving to my stomach where he rimmed my belly button before moving from one hip to the other. He was now sucking, keeping the goosebumps covering my body electrified.

As he shifted to my legs, both tensed involuntarily. I continued digging my heels into the bedding, tossing my head back and forth. All he was doing was lightly pressing his lips against my skin, but the moment he did, the world lit up with crazy jolts of electricity. I could see it, taste it, feel the energy as if neon was blasting in the room.

Breathless, I was suddenly laughing nervously. I’d never been this open for a man. It didn’t matter there were shadows to hide me, to protect the girl hurt by cheapness and booze with other men, unwanted touches almost turning into something more aggressive. Nico was different.

He was… magnificent.

The fact he continued taking his time, wrapping one hand around my calf and pulling my stiff leg off the sheets was almost too much.

“Relax, my little flower. You’re mine. Under my protection. Full of the same desire.”

He wasn’t lying there.

I tried to do what he asked, taking one deep breath after another. I could finally feel the tension lessening as he caressed my foot with one hand. I was shocked how relaxed I became so quickly. His kisses traveled further down, kissing the top of my foot. If he sucked on my toes, all bets were off. That was too… Nope.

He didn’t, growling as if forced to let go. He shifted his body weight and I almost taunted him by moving away, but with one slap of his hand on my other leg, I could tell he knew what I was thinking.

What special traits didn’t the man have? He seemed to know me far too well while I barely knew him at all.

With his prowess and command, he helped me slip back into the special moment of nirvana within seconds, exploring my other foot this time, slowly sucking, licking, and kissing along the inside of my leg.

I was a bit more relaxed, wicked visions floating in front of my mind. I could only imagine how he handled making love. If that’s what we were going to be doing. Not just fucking. I couldn’t tell with him. While I didn’t want to think was that this was just an act, I certainly couldn’t be certain.

But it didn’t matter. As of now I was his.