14. Vincenzo
Vincenzo
Chapter 14
The cool night air does nothing to soothe the heat in my veins. What a fool I was.
Of course she ran. I had gone too far, moved too fast. My hunger for her had made me lose sight of what it was she might have wanted.
The party drags on indoors but I stand outside, contemplating my actions. I should not have kissed her. Not here, not now. She wasn't ready. I knew better, damn it. But one look into those eyes, one touch of her soft skin, and all reason fled.
I pace the length of my garden, my footsteps soft on the grass. The party continues behind me, the revelry grating on my fraying nerves. How can I make this right? I have to find her. Apologize. Beg her forgiveness if need be.
Guilt twists my gut as I remember the panic that had flashed across her face. I never want to see that look in her eyes again. Not because of me.
Camela, where are you? I need you to know that I'm sorry. That I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you. That you are everything to me.
My hands curl into fists at my sides. I should have protected her, not scared her away. What kind of man am I?
I must get my men on her heels, to find her and request an audience. I don’t want to lose this thing we share, but more importantly, I don’t want her living in fear of me.
I must apologize and right whatever wrong I did that made her flee in the manner she did.
Just then, the sound of an approaching car breaks through the silence. I freeze in my tracks, pulse quickening. The party’s almost winding down. I’m not expecting any guests.
Could it be…?
Headlights cut through the darkness, illuminating the winding path. The car emerges into view, sleek and black, gliding to a stop near the front entrance.
My breath catches in my throat as the driver's side door opens. A figure emerges, tall and slim in that gorgeous georgette sequined silver gown that clings to every curve.
Her hair tumbles over her shoulders in waves as she turns to glance over her shoulder at the mansion, eyes hooded.
It is her. Camela has returned.
I release a shaky breath, nearly sagging in relief. She’s come back to me.
“Camela,” I scream out her name, without second thought, watching with hope and apprehension as she turns to me. Her lips are pressed in a firm line, but there is a vulnerability in her eyes that tells me she’s afraid.
What is she thinking? What brought her back? Why is she still afraid?
She pauses in my line of sight, her eyes widening in surprise at noticing me standing in the gardens she left me at, her expression softening.
I open my mouth, but no words come out. What could I possibly say that could make up for my rushing things?
Camela approaches until she stands directly before me. I search her face, looking for any sign of the fear I well deserve. But all I see is a quiet tenderness.
"I shouldn't have run away," she says softly. "We have things to discuss, you and I."
"Camela..." My voice rasps with emotion. "I'm so sorry. For everything."
She lifts a hand, her fingertips grazing my cheek. "Hush. You have nothing to apologize for.”
“Oh, but I do,” I say, with vehement anger. “It was I that turned you away. That kiss, perhaps I was too forward.”
She frowns, contemplating my words. Then, to my surprise, she shakes her head. “It is not you who needs to apologize, Vincenzo. You see, it is I who owes you an explanation and perhaps, an apology.”
My heart swells, warmth flooding through me. She isn't leaving. She’s here to give us another chance.
“Tell me, Camela.” I gently hold her shoulders to encourage her to talk further.
Camela pulls back to search my face. "There's something you should know about me, Vincenzo. About my past."
I stroke her cheek, sensing her unease. "You can tell me anything."
She takes a deep breath. "I … I just left a bad relationship. My ex...he …continued to threaten me, even after I left him. Feeling something real with you - it scared me. I panicked." Her eyes shine with emotion. "I'm so sorry for running away like that. I didn't mean to hurt you."
The thought of anyone hurting Camela makes me see red. "Where is he?" I bite out. "Tell me his name, and I will make sure he never bothers you again."
"No, Vincenzo." She grasps my face between her hands. "I don't want any more violence. I just want to move on from that part of my life. I want to try what it means to be close to someone, perhaps with..." her voice falters here. “With you?”
I exhale sharply, wrestling my anger under control. She’s right - she deserves peace now, not more pain. Besides, after her last words, I can’t hold on to anger anymore, just hope.
"Camela." I lean down and press my forehead to hers. "You will never have to suffer at the hands of another man again. I swear it."
She smiles tremulously. "You swear it?”
“You’re safe with me now. Thank you for coming back.”
I mean every word. No one will ever hurt her again. Not while I’m by her side.
Camela curls into me with a contented sigh, and I hold her close, stroking her hair. We stand together in the cool night, the mansion glowing behind us, all the riches in the world mine to give her.
But she needs only one thing from me. The same thing I need from her.
A safe place to land.
"He was a bad man," I say quietly. "And you deserved so much better, tesoro. But the past is behind us now. This is our future - building new memories and a life with no shadows, no pain, no fear." I press a kiss to her temple.
She looks up at me, her eyes shining. "That's all I've ever wanted."
At this very moment, all I want to do is hold her in my arms and tilt back her lips for my taking. But knowing what I know now, I wish to take it slower. I want to give her a little taste of what life together can look like and how very good it can be.
“Well, in that case,” I say, breaking out into a grin and stepping back from her, offering her a hand in exchange. “Let us forget all that’s happened and have a good time. What do you say?”
“Yes, please,” she gushes, a flush of color on her cheeks.
And just like that, we’ve wiped the slate clean.
With Camela’s hand in mine, we head back inside, not caring who sees us or what they think. She’s mine now, and I want the world to know it.
We move through the crowd, a sea of curious eyes following our progress. But I? I only have eyes for her.
We end our walk in the grand ballroom, alive with music and dancing. "Would you like to dance?" I ask, already guiding her into my arms.
She smiles, nestling closer. "I'd love to."
We move together smoothly as if we've been dancing partners for years. The live orchestra plays a Chopin waltz, the notes swirling around us like stardust.
After a few songs, I steer her toward the banquet hall. "Are you hungry?"
"Starving," she admits.
The long table is laden with delicacies - oysters on ice, truffles, aged prosciutto, wheels of cheese, decadent pastries and chocolates.
Camela's eyes grow wide. "This is incredible!"
"It’s quite something, isn’t it?" I admire the table, filling a plate for her. She savors each bite, closing her eyes in bliss. Watching her enjoy the feast gives me more pleasure than eating it myself.
"From the two I’ve attended, your parties are like living inside a dream," she says softly. "One I never want to wake from."
I brush a stray crumb from the corner of her mouth. "Then don't. We can throw one every night."
She catches my hand, her gaze meeting mine. “I never knew you’ve found access to a real money tree.”
I burst out laughing, not expecting such wit. “How about I show you where it grows?” I jest, enjoying the spark in her eyes.
Camela chuckles, a sound like music to my ears. “Lead the way.”
With a playful twirl, I guide her out of the ballroom and through the mansion's chandelier-lit corridors. Finally, we arrive at a set of intricately carved double doors that lead to my private art gallery.
Paintings from the Renaissance masters line the walls - Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli.
She wanders slowly through the gallery, gazing at each work with awe. "This collection is priceless."
"Not as priceless as that money tree I told you about," I say, coming up behind her.
“True,” she accedes. “Better you keep it a secret before someone steals it from right under your nose.”
“Oh, thank the stars,” I pretend to wipe off some sweat. “I was worried you might actually wish to see it.”
Her peals of laughter are enchanting. I wrap my arms around her waist, nuzzling her neck. The scent of her skin and hair drives me mad with want.
She leans back against me with a sigh. "We seem to be quite alone here."
"We are." My lips graze the curve of her shoulder, tasting salt and perfume. "No one will disturb us."
She turns in my embrace, eyes dark with a desire that mirrors my own. "Then what are you waiting for?"
I need no further invitation. This is her telling me she’s okay with me proceeding towards what I want.
I savor this moment—our first real kiss. My eyes wander down her full-apple cheeks towards her beautifully bowed lips, which are so serious yet so delicate. They shine at me, beckoning me in.
Slowly, I lean in and take her lips in mine, ever-so-gently. A soft heat begins to burn where I kiss her, and the next thing I know, she parts her lips, and I’m hungry for more. I place my arms at her waist to bring her closer, sealing her mouth with mine.
I kiss her with a hunger that consumes us both, our passion as timeless as the masterpieces surrounding us.
Our kisses grow softer, deeper, and then violent again. It’s a pattern, a dance neither one of us wants to end. I hold her close, stroking her hair and back as we exchange whispered secrets between lingering kisses in the dimly lit gallery.
"Ever since we met, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you," I confess. "Your smile, your eyes, the sound of your laughter...you have bewitched me, Camela."
"And you have captivated me," she murmurs. "I never believed I could feel this way about anyone." She sighs, nestling closer against me. "With you, I can be with hope. You make me feel...cherished."
"Because you are cherished." I tilt her chin up, gazing into her eyes. "You’re a fine woman, and many a man would fight to have you.”
Camela rises up on her toes, winding her arms around my neck to pull me down into another kiss. She breaks away momentarily and whispers three words that have desire shooting up my legs: “Where’s your bedroom?”
Without a second thought, I take her hand and begin to run. “Vincenzo,” she laughs, her voice echoing through the hallways. I turn back and laugh with her, running faster.
We reach the end of the hallway, where heavy double doors loom before us. With a swift motion, I push them open, revealing my bedroom bathed in moonlight and filtering through the windows.
The room is my sanctuary, with rich fabrics, a large reading chair, a soft velvet bed, and heavy air with the scent of sandalwood.
Camela steps inside, her eyes sweeping over the room, taking in every detail. She turns to me, a playful glint in her eyes as she takes a step closer. "Impressive, Vincenzo," she teases.
“It’s going to look even more impressive with you naked in it,” I groan out my desire. I kick close, my hands finding her waist as I push her up against the wall to our right.
I place her hands above her head and hold them there with one hand, the other tracing down her collarbone. Her chest heaves, her breasts like flowing water through the deep cut of that silver gown that’s bound to be my end.
“However much I love to see you in this,” I say breathily and clutch onto her fabric around the waist, “I’m afraid it must go.”
Camela looks up at me, her eyes blazing with desire. "Then what are you waiting for?" she challenges her voice husky with anticipation.
She pulls her hands away from my grip and runs her fingers through my hair, pulling me in for another searing kiss that ignites a fire between us.
I tear at the fastenings of her dress, shredding the delicate chiffon in my haste to bare her skin. She arches against me with a throaty moan, her fingers raking down my back as our tongues dance in a primal rhythm.
The ruined dress pools around her feet. Clad only in black lace panties and a silk bra, she is a vision of sinful loveliness that stirs my blood. The moonlight bathes her in a silvery glow, and any imperfection, not that she has any, is hidden away in the pale light.
All I see are her beautiful round breasts, waiting to be bared naked. Her waist, small and curving inwards, leads to large, wide hips that could make a man salivate. I need to see more of her.
I push forward and grab the strap of her bra, lifting it and letting it slap against her skin. She gasps, looking surprised. With a devilish grin, I place one hand behind her back and unhook it in one go.
Needing more, fast, I rip off the bra and throw it across the room. Her breasts are perfect, like two smooth, ripe peaches beneath the moonlight. I can't help but run my hands all over them, feeling the softness and weight in my hands.
They are perfect, full and round, tipped with dark, hard nipples. I lean in and take one into my mouth, sucking gently before moving to the other. She moans, arching into me, her hands now finding their way to my shirt.
She's undoing my buttons, her fingers skilled and knowing. She moves down to my trousers. I'm suddenly naked, standing before her, hard and ready.
Camela's breath hitches as I continue to tease her nipples with my fingers. She presses her body closer to me, grinding into my hardening erection. "Touch me, Vincenzo," she whispers, her voice thick with desire. "Make love to me."
“Not right now,” I say, with an urgency that lets her know what I must do.
I grab her waist and flip her around to face the wall, my hands gliding down the ridges of her back, resting on the soft, dewy mounts of her ass. My fingers trace the curve, spreading out, coaxing her closer to me.
She sighs, her breath hitching as my hands travel down her thighs slowly, purposefully. I can feel her heart pounding, her anticipation and desire matching my own.
With a soft growl, I sink to my knees, my hands gliding up her thighs once more. Just before the parting of her legs, I squeeze her inner thighs gently. She gasps at my force, shivering as my fingers brush the hem of her panties. "Vincenzo..." she whispers, her voice tense.
I look up to see her head turned down, meeting her eyes in the mirror, her reflection flickering softly in the moonlight. Her eyes are full of desire, her lips swollen and parted, begging for my touch. I can't resist any longer.
With a swift move, I tug down her panties, releasing her from the last shred of her modesty. They remain pooled at her feet, her hands clutching at the wall before her.
“Part your legs, tesoro,” I tell her.
She extends her legs to either side of me, opening herself up to me. Her pussy, sheathed with the softest, lightest curtain of thread-like hair, begs for my touch. I groan, feeling the heat between my legs, but now’s not the time.
I lift my head up and gently take a finger to slide it over the length of her pussy. She shudders at my touch. I can feel her wetness on my finger and push it inside her, feeling her tightness. She gasps, her body shaking in response to my invasion.
"Vincenzo," she moans, her voice soft, vulnerable, and filled with longing.
I curve my finger inside her and begin to tap at her walls, using my thumb to flick against her clit. She moans and arches her back, pushing her pussy harder against my hand. Her eyes are closed, her face twisted in pleasure.
I can see and feel her body responding, her muscles tightening and releasing, her juices flowing freely onto my hand. She's so wet, so responsive, and all I can think of is how much I want to be inside her.
"Please, Vincenzo," she begs, her voice trembling with need. "Fuck me."
I remove my finger from her pussy and stand up, turning her around to face me again. I’m about to reach for her to carry her to the bed when she steps back.
To my surprise, she drops to her knees, grabbing my erection. She looks up at me, her eyes smoldering with desire and takes me into her mouth.
I groan, my hands hesitating between holding onto the wall and tangling in her hair. Her, I want her. And so, I twine my fingers in her hair as she takes me deeper.
My cock hits the back of her throat, and the soft choking sounds she makes are like music to my ears. My entire body is on fire, and it takes everything in me not to slam deeper into her.
While this pleasure is maddening, I’ll never let it reach a point that causes her pain.
“Oh, Camela,” I moan as she flicks her tongue on the vein beneath my cock, sending jolts of electricity down my spine. Her mouth is warm and wet, her tongue stroking me in a way that makes me feel as if I'm melting.
I close my eyes, savoring the sensation as she sucks me deeper into her mouth. My hands tightened in her hair, and I wanted to possess her completely.
But I hold back, conscious of her comfort. "Camela," I groan, my voice ragged. “Stop, or I’ll cum.”
She doesn’t stop. She continues, her mouth moving up and down my shaft with a steady rhythm, her tongue flicking against me in a way that has me gasping for breath.
My body is trembling, on the edge of release, but I can't allow myself to give in. Not yet. I need to be inside her, to feel her around me, to hear her sighs of pleasure.
With all the self-restraint I possess, I gently twist my hands around her hair and pull her away from my cock. Her mouth is still wide open, the juices dripping down from the side of her lip.
Her face is hungry, mirroring mine. I lift her up by her shoulders and carry her to the bed, gently throwing her on it, her breasts jiggling.
"God, do you have any idea how salacious you are,” I growl and jump on after her.
She lies beneath me, and in rushed motions, I part her legs, positioning myself between them. She closes her eyes just as I push into her. The sensation of becoming one with her was intoxicating.
I thrust deeper, feeling her body clench around me, and she moans my name.
"Harder, Vincenzo. Harder, please,” she clutches at the sheets beneath her. I begin to pound her, my body slamming against hers. Her moans become more desperate, her hips bucking to meet my thrusts.
My hands grip her waist, pulling her tighter against me as I drive into her, my body on fire with desire.
The bed shakes with our ragged lovemaking.
I kiss down her neck, my lips brushing against her skin, my body sliding against hers with each powerful thrust. My fingers dig into her hips, my breath hot against her skin as I ram into her over and over again.
Sweat beads down my forehead, and her body responds to each thrust, her muscles clenching around me.
“Oh, Vincenzo,” she moans. “I’m about to cum. I swear, I’m about to cum.”
I position a cushion just beneath her ass, lifting her hips for me a little, so I can feel my balls slap against her clit. My cock now hits upwards, and she shrieks with sheer pleasure.
“Oh my god, Vincenzo,” she cries out loud, her eyes closed with blissful pleasure. “Oh my god.”
Her entire body begins to tremble, and I know in just a few seconds, she’ll cum. I keep up the pace and dig my fingers into her thighs, not wanting to ruin a single thing, to make an error at all.
I keep slamming into her, skin against skin, and her wet pussy drenches my cock.
She clenches her pussy against me, her legs now trembling. The tremble spreads through her body, and my cock begins to feel like it’ll explode just in time as everything around me fades away in light of the pleasure threatening to erupt like a volcano.
“Vincenzo, I’m cumming,” she moans, her hips bucking off the bed, her head slamming deeper into the pillow, her hands still clutching the sheets.
I watch her hungrily as my eyes go dark for a second, and stars collide behind them as sheer, pure, weakening pleasure seeps through me just as her pussy erupts into convulsing patterns around my cock.
I hear her sigh and relax just as I spill into her.