Chapter 19
19
LUCIANO POV
I stand behind Aurora, close enough that my breath stirs her hair, but not quite touching. The anticipation crackles between us like electricity.
“ Ti amo ,” she whispers, and the Italian on her lips breaks something loose inside me. All these months of careful control, of holding back...
“You’re still holding back,” she says over her shoulder. “Even now, you touch me like I might break.”
The observation hits too close to home. “There are things I want...” The words feel dangerous in my mouth. “Things I’ve been hesitant to show you.”
“Because you think I’m fragile?”
I trace her jawline, feeling her pulse jump under my touch. “Because once I let go of that control, Aurora, there’s no going back. And I need you to be sure.”
“Are you sure about this?” I keep my voice low, controlled, though need courses through me. My fingers ghost over her shoulder, barely making contact.
“Yes.” Her eyes meet mine in the window’s reflection. “I trust you.”
The words settle something inside me, and I feel authority settling over me like a cloak. When I speak again, my voice carries a different weight. “Then we need to establish the rules.” My hand slides to her neck, firm but gentle. “Your safe word?”
“Red for stop,” she breathes, letting her head fall back against my shoulder. “Yellow for slow down.”
“Good girl.” I feel her shiver at the praise, and it feeds something primal inside me. “And if you can’t speak?”
“Two taps,” she demonstrates against my thigh, and my grip tightens slightly.
My approval radiates through my touch. “Remember—you’re in control here, Aurora. One word from you, and we stop. No questions asked.”
The sight of her reflection—vulnerable yet strong, surrendering yet somehow still fierce—makes my blood burn. Mine to protect. Mine to possess.
Her complete trust is more intoxicating than any power I’ve ever held.
“Close your eyes,” I command softly, testing the waters of her surrender. She complies instantly, and pride mingles with desire. “Good girl. Keep them closed.”
I move to stand before her, cupping her face. “Do you know what you do to me, Aurora? The mighty Salvatore princess, surrendering her control...” My thumb traces her lower lip. “But only to me.”
“Only you,” she whispers, and the words feed something possessive inside me.
“Put your hands behind your back.” My voice drops lower as she obeys. “I’m going to touch you now. You don’t move unless I say so. Understand?”
Her breath catches. “Yes.”
“Yes, what?” I let authority color my tone.
“Yes... Sir.” The word falls from her lips like a prayer.
“Perfect.” I reward her with a gentle caress. “Remember your safe words. I want to hear you use them if anything becomes too much.”
A slight nod, her pulse racing under my fingers. I’ve commanded armies of men, controlled vast territories, but nothing compares to the power of her willing submission. This fierce, independent woman who challenges everyone... choosing to surrender to me.
I trail the silk tie across her shoulders, down her spine, relishing in her shiver of anticipation. “I’m going to bind your hands now. Color?”
“Green,” she breathes.
The silk wraps around her wrists, a sensual caress and a reminder of my control. I turn her to face the window, the city lights painting her skin in a golden glow.
I select a leather flogger from the chest at the foot of our bed, the tails soft and supple in my hand. “I’m going to mark you now,” I tell her, tracing the flogger down her spine. “I’m going to leave my claim on your skin. Color?”
“Green,” she says, her voice trembling with anticipation. “So green.”
The first strike is gentle, a mere whisper of leather against skin. She gasps, her back arching. I build the intensity slowly, each strike a little harder than the last. Her soft moans tell me she’s floating in that space between pain and pleasure, her body responding to each strike with increasing arousal.
“That’s it, baby,” I encourage her. “Let the pleasure wash away the pain.”
Soon, her skin is pink and flushed, criss-crossed with the marks of my claim. The way she moves, seeking more contact, tells me she’s ready for more.
I pause, setting the flogger aside. Moving to stand in front of her, my fingers thread through her hair. “On your knees,” I command softly.
She sinks down gracefully, her bound hands resting at the small of her back. The sight of her like this—marked by my hand, willingly submitting—makes my blood burn.
“Open your mouth,” I instruct, guiding myself to her lips. “Take me deep, Aurora. Let me feel your throat.”
She complies eagerly, her mouth hot and wet around me. Her moan vibrates through me as she takes me deeper, and I can see how much this affects her—the submission, the slight edge of pain from her marked skin, the pleasure of serving me—it all combines to drive her higher.
I grip her hair tighter, controlling her movements. “Look at me,” I command.
Her eyes meet mine, glazed with that perfect mixture of submission and desire..
“Perfect,” I praise her. “You’re perfect like this, surrendering everything to me.”
Her thighs press together, seeking friction, and I can see how wet she is, how much this exchange of power arouses her. The combination of pain and pleasure, of serving and being served, has pushed her into that transcendent space where everything narrows down to sensation and submission.
After a few intense minutes, I reluctantly pull away from her mouth. She looks up at me, her lips swollen and glistening, her eyes heavy with desire. The marks on her skin have settled into a pleasant burn, evident in the way she shifts slightly, seeking the sensation.
“Stand up,” I tell her, helping her to her feet. “You did so well, taking both the pain and the pleasure. Now, it’s time for your reward.”
I unclasp her bra, letting it fall to the floor. Her nipples are hard peaks, sensitive from the heightened state of arousal the flogging brought her to. I cup her breasts in my hands, feeling their weight.
“These are mine,” I growl, pinching her nipples between my fingers. The mix of sharp pain and pleasure makes her gasp, her head falling back against my shoulder. “Your pleasure belongs to me.”
“Yes,” she breathes, pressing back against me. “Yours. Always yours.”
I spin her around, claiming her mouth in a bruising kiss. Walking her backwards until her knees hit the bed, I tumble her down onto the mattress. Her heated skin meets the cool sheets, drawing a soft moan from her lips.
I cover her body with mine, settling between her thighs. The heat of her through the thin fabric of her panties tests my control. Her hips rock against me, desperate for release.
“Please,” she begs, her voice thick with need. “Please, I need you.”
“Shh,” I soothe her, pressing a kiss to her throat. “I know exactly what you need.”
I hook my fingers in her panties, dragging them down her legs. The evidence of her arousal coats her thighs, proving how much the mix of submission and sensation has affected her.
“So wet for me,” I murmur, trailing my fingers through her folds. “The pain makes everything more intense, doesn’t it? Makes you crave my touch even more.”
She cries out as I circle her clit, her hips bucking into my touch. I slide two fingers inside her, groaning at how tight and wet she is.
“You feel incredible,” I tell her, pumping my fingers in and out. “Like you were made for this. Made for me.”
“I was,” she gasps, her inner muscles fluttering around my fingers. “I was made for you, Luciano. For everything you give me.”
I curl my fingers, finding that spot inside her that makes her see stars. Her whole body arches, the movement making her gasp as it pulls at her sensitized skin. The dual sensations push her over the edge, and she comes with a cry of my name, her body shaking with the force of her orgasm.
I withdraw my fingers, bringing them to my mouth to taste her essence. She watches through hooded eyes, her chest heaving, skin flushed from both arousal and our earlier play.
“You taste divine,” I murmur, holding her gaze. “But I want more. I want to watch you fall apart again, feel how sensitive you are now.”
I settle between her thighs, draping her legs over my shoulders. Her marked skin is warm against my palms as I grip her hips. “Remember, Aurora,” I say softly, pressing a kiss to her inner thigh. “This is about your pleasure. About showing you how beautiful you are when you surrender everything to me.”
She’s trembling now, her hands still bound behind her back, making her arch slightly. The position must pull at her skin, adding another layer of sensation. When I finally reach her center, I pause, looking up at her.
“Let me hear you,” I encourage. “Don’t hold back. Show me how much you love everything I give you—the pain, the pleasure, all of it.”
With that, I lean in, savoring her taste as her cries fill the room. Her thighs tremble against my shoulders as I work her higher, each lick and suck intensified by her heightened state. When she comes again, it’s with a keening cry that echoes off the walls.
Finally, I shed my clothes, covering her body with mine. The heat of her skin against my chest makes me groan. “I love you,” I tell her, my voice raw with emotion. “Love how much you trust me, how perfectly you submit to me.”
“I love you too,” she whispers, eyes shining. “Now please, make me yours completely.”
I slide into her, a groan rumbling up from my chest at the perfect way she sheathes me. Her inner muscles flutter around me, still sensitive from her previous orgasms. My strokes are long and deep, angling to hit that spot inside her that makes her clutch at my shoulders, even if she can’t now.
“The way you feel right now,” I growl against her throat, “so sensitive, marked by me inside and out...” I reach between us to circle her clit. “Come for me one more time. Come on my cock, Aurora.”
She shatters with a scream, her body clenching around me like a vice. The sight of her coming undone, knowing I’ve pushed her to this point of complete surrender, sends me over the edge. I follow her into oblivion, spilling myself inside her with a shout of her name.
I collapse beside her, gathering her into my arms. “Color?” I ask softly.
“Green,” she murmurs, nuzzling into my chest. “So green.”
I reach for the bottle of water on the nightstand, helping her take small sips. I run my hands over her body, checking for any discomfort or injury.
“I’m okay,” she assures me. “Better than okay. That was... incredible.”
I carry her to the bathroom, setting her gently on the counter. I run a warm bath, adding her favorite lavender oil. I take my time washing her, my hands skimming over the marks I’ve left on her skin. I clean between her thighs with soft strokes, mindful of her sensitivity.
I reach for the bottle of soothing aloe vera gel I keep nearby, squeezing a generous amount into my palm. I warm it between my hands before gently massaging it into the reddened skin of her back and buttocks, where the flogger left its marks.
“Is this okay?” I ask softly, my touch light and careful. “Let me know if anything hurts.”
“It feels good,” she murmurs, her voice languid and content. “Soothing.”
I take my time, ensuring every mark is tended to, the gel helping to cool and calm her skin. As I work, I press soft kisses to her shoulders, her neck, her temple, murmuring words of praise and affection.
“You were amazing tonight,” I tell her, my voice filled with wonder. “The way you trusted me, the way you let go... it was incredible.”
She turns her head to look at me, her eyes soft and brimming with emotion. “I love you,” she whispers. “I’ve never felt so safe, so cherished.”
My heart clenches at her words, and I lean in to capture her lips in a tender kiss. “I love you, too. More than anything.”
When I’ve finished applying the gel, I help her out of the tub, wrapping her in a large, fluffy towel. I take another towel and gently pat her skin dry, taking special care with the areas where I’ve applied the gel.
Once she’s dry, I scoop her up in my arms, carrying her back to the bedroom. I retrieve her favorite lavender-scented lotion, warming it between my palms before massaging it into her skin, starting with her feet and working my way up. By the time I finish, she’s practically purring with contentment.
I help her into a soft, oversized t-shirt, then tuck her under the covers. Sliding in beside her, I immediately gather her into my arms. She comes willingly, nestling her head against my chest, her arm draping across my waist.
“Thank you,” she murmurs, her voice already heavy with impending sleep. “For taking such good care of me.”
“Always,” I promise, tightening my hold on her. “You’re my everything, Aurora. Taking care of you will always be my priority.”
She hums happily, burrowing even closer. Within moments, her breathing evens out, her body going slack with sleep. I lay awake a while longer, simply marveling at the incredible woman in my arms and feeling profoundly grateful for the trust she’s given me. Tonight was intense, a major step in our journey together. And as I finally allow myself to drift off, it’s with a heart full of love and a soul at peace.