Chapter 52

52

Jeanne

He told me to come and I shattered. I wanted to shut my eyes and give in to the flickers of darkness that threatened to overwhelm me, but he held my gaze. He continued to fuck me, with his fingers in my pussy and his dick in my ass, and in that moment, I knew... My life has changed forever. No matter that our marriage may have started out fake—it doesn't feel fake. It feels intense and raw and completely overwhelming.

I watch his blue eyes turn midnight dark as he continues to fuck me through the tremors that race up my spine in the aftermath of my orgasm. He picks up the pace and crams that dick into me over and over again. Each time he bottoms out inside me, he continues to hit that melting heart of me. The one I never knew I had. The one I discovered only after he thrust himself inside me. Sparks of silver flare in his eyes and I know he is close. He curls his fingers and mine inside me, and despite the fact that I'd just orgasmed, a traitorous heat ignites low in my belly.

"I can't," I wail.

"You can and you will," he growls. He releases his hold on my hip, only to grind his heel on my already-tender clit, and electric shocks had zipped under my skin. He slid into me again, once more hitting that secret spot deep inside of me, and the orgasm detonated out from the point of contact.

He bared his teeth, the sweat glistening on his temples, eyes flashing with triumph as he snarled, "Come with me, Angel."

I was helpless as I took off, riding the current of the climax, and he followed me over the edge. I fell asleep again, and when I came to, I was alone in bed.

There was a note on his pillow saying he'd had to leave urgently for work and that Massimo would be waiting to drive me to the theater when I was ready. That bothered me, but it was already two p.m. by then. I had napped for well over an hour and was really late. I jumped into the shower, and when I walked out of the house, Massimo was waiting for me. I asked him how Olivia was, but he replied that I should check with her myself. Strange, considering he'd decided to wait at the hospital yesterday to try to see her.

Anyway, I'd already messaged Olivia directly.

I'd been so aware that it should be her, not me, on the stage today. She'd messaged back with an, 'I'm fine and a best of luck,' which had only made me feel worse. I'd asked if I could come to see her, and she'd messaged back saying she needs some space and time to recover.

"I guess that's fair enough, right?" Penny asks me now as I stretch out in the small studio attached to the changing rooms in the theater.

"It's just, it feels wrong that I'm here dancing, and she's wounded and in the hospital."

Penny's eyebrows pinch together. "Should we show up unannounced?"

"That'd just make her angrier." I bend over, touch my toes, then float my arms up and weave them from side to side. "I'm not really sure what to do."

Between my guilt over Olivia and the fact that I haven't seen Luca for a few hours, my stomach is twisted up in knots. Today is my day. The day I've been working toward my entire career. So why is there a stone in my stomach, and an anchor seems to have attached itself to my chest? If I felt any heavier, I wouldn't be able to get up there on stage and dance.

"'Are you sure you're okay?" Penny asks again.

I pause, then reach for the towel around my neck and mop my brow. "Honestly, I don't know. I have mixed feelings about going out on stage."

"If Olivia were here, she wouldn't hesitate, despite the fact that this role was originally yours."

I roll my shoulders, then bend from my waist and begin to warm up again. What Penny's saying is right. I know Olivia wouldn't have thought twice before stepping on stage today.

"This is different." I straighten. "It's not only that I have her role, but she's hurt her face. She may never perform again."

"You know that's not true. There have been other actresses with injuries or scars who've made it."

"And they have outliers. It's hard enough to get roles, and now, with an injury to her face… It's going to take her a long time to recover her confidence."

"If anyone can do that, it's Olivia. She's tougher than both of us put together."

"I wish she'd at least agree to see us." Penny slides down into a split, which she makes look so easy. She's always had a more laid-back approach to her acting career. It's what I envy about her. I wish I weren't so focused on making it. I wish I was able to broaden my attention to include my personal life… Although, since meeting Luca, it has taken much more of the center stage, I admit. It's why I wish I could see him before the show.

"Did Massimo manage to see her? Did he tell you anything about how she is?" she asks.

"When I asked him how she was, he retorted I should check with her directly."

"Hmm." She kicks out both of her legs on the floor, then bends over and grips her toes. I slide down to the floor, mirror her actions, and almost manage to touch my toes, but with a lot more effort. My hamstrings really are tense today.

"Do you think there's something between the two of them? I was so surprised when he said he was going to stay back and wait to see her."

She's right. I hadn't given it much thought at the time, given how caught up I had been in my own drama with Luca, but come to think of it, it had been strange.

"Maybe he likes her." I raise a shoulder.

"And maybe your husband is waiting to see you." Penny glances past me, a small smile on her face.

I look over my shoulder and freeze. Luca stands just inside the door to the rehearsal room. He's wearing his black suit, black silk shirt, and black tie. It reminds me of the day I met him. When he had been pushed into my cell. That was only a week ago, but if feels like so much has happened since. I'd never have guessed that I'd end up being married to him.

As if he senses my thoughts, his gaze darts down to my left hand. A scowl mars his forehead. He closes the distance between us and snatches up my hand. "Where's your ring?" he growls.

Penny glances between us.

"Uh, just remembered I have to be somewhere else, I'll see you backstage Jeanne." She leaves the room and the door shuts behind her.

In the silence that follows, he continues to glare at me. That typical brand of Luca possessiveness is written all over his face, and why do I find that so hot?

"I'm going on stage soon. I had to take off the ring to fit in with my character."

His jaw hardens.

"I'll wear it right after the show is over, okay?" I say in a soothing voice.

He brings those flashing blue eyes to my features, and whatever he sees there seems to relax his shoulders. "I'm acting crazy, I'm sorry. It seems where you're concerned, I have a hard time holding back my caveman instincts."

"And I should find it annoying but—" I shake my head "—fact is, I love it." I place my palm against his cheek. "I revel in your ownership. In your near-psychopathic overprotectiveness. I bask in your dominating tendencies, your controlling actions, your nearly obsessive need to declare to the world that I belong to you."

"You do?" His eyes gleam.

"Don't let that go to your head. It's only because I'm about to go on stage in my first lead role that I'm feeling vulnerable. That's the only reason I confessed all of that to you."

He chuckles, then wraps his thick arm around my waist and yanks me up and close to him. "You're messing me up, playing havoc with my temperament and my good intentions. I thought I knew what I wanted, but then you came along, and nothing is what it was. The most important thing in the world is you, and if something happened to you, I'd never be able to survive it."

A band tightens around my chest. "You're worried someone will take another shot at me when I'm on stage."

"You have nothing to worry about. As long as I'm alive, I'll make sure nothing and no one hurts you."

Something in his tone makes me pause. I search his features. His eyes are as clear as ever, his lips curled in that familiar smirk. There's nothing on his face that indicates he's prevaricating, but I can't get rid of the cold sensation that's gripped my heart.

"What is it?" I wind my arms about his neck. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he assures me.

"You're stressed because of the upcoming performance?"

He hesitates. "I would be lying if I said otherwise. But you're an actress. This is your passion. This is what you live for. It's only right you should perform today."

Something shadowed lurks in the recesses of his eyes, and I'd have missed it except for the fact that I'm watching him closely.

"Luca, you're scaring me."

"Don't be." He lowers his head so we share breath. He places his lips over mine, leaving a sliver of space between us. His gaze bores deeply into mine, and it's heady and arousing and confusing, all at the same time.

"What is it?" I ask again. "You're hiding something from me."

"I am." He grips me under my butt and lifts me. I lock my ankles around his waist. He leans into me and the unmistakable hard column in his crotch stabs me between my legs.

Flutters of lust spark at my nerve endings. "That's not what I'm talking about and you know it."

"That's what I meant." He brushes his lips over mine, his touch so sweet, so unlike any of our past kisses that my insides disintegrate.

"You're trying to distract me," I whisper.

"Not enough, if you're still talking." He pushes me into the wall and a sigh rises from somewhere deep inside of me. This—pinned against him, with nowhere to escape, with his presence holding me captive, his breath raising the hair on my temple, his scent teasing my senses, the heat from his body flowing around me, caressing me, pushing down on my shoulders and holding me in place… This… is where I have always wanted to be.

I raise my head at the same time that he lowers his. Our mouths fuse and our teeth clash, our tongues winding around each other, grappling with urgency. He shoves down my yoga pants, pushes aside my panties and pulls out my tampon. Before I can protest, he's tossed it aside and buried his fingers—four of them—inside me up to his knuckles. I gasp, feeling the wetness and hearing the squelch against his digits as he curls his fingers. The trembling instantly seizes me. I slide my hand between us, reaching for his waistband. I manage to undo the top button before he pulls his fingers out of me and shoves them in my mouth.

"Suck me clean. Taste yourself on me."

His gaze is fierce, his color high, as I follow his orders. I curl my tongue around his fingers, all the while grappling with his zipper. At last, I lower it, slide my fingers inside his boxers, and wrap my fingers around his big, thick length. My core clenches, and my chest hurts. Every part of me seems to be aflame with need. He pulls his fingers from my mouth and shoves my hand aside. Then he's there. The blunt tip of his cock teases my opening.

For a second, we stay there, my mouth open as I pant, his jaw hard, a nerve popping in his temple. Everything else in the room fades as I cling to him. He hauls me up so I'm balanced on his thighs. Then he's inside me.