22. Chapter 22 - Diego
“Are you mad?” I ask hesitantly, as we walk hand in hand through the hotel lobby.
Madison was awfully quiet the whole ride here. That damn phone had been going off every two seconds as she crafted a response to each message almost immediately. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t glance over to see who she was texting. She was going back and forth between her sister Mikayla and Lexi.
Women. Always debriefing.
Her beautiful face finally looks up at me as we navigate the lively crowd by the downstairs bar. There isn’t any sign of disappointment or anger.
Thank fuck.
I hit the button for the elevator, the ring around it lights up red. She raises my hand and places it over her shoulder, leaning into me. Her warmth immediately wraps around me like a heated blanket. With it comes a wave of comfort and peace.
That’s what my little butterfly does to me. She is the eye of all my storms. A place where I can protect her. A place where any enemy will deal with my wrath before ever taking away her light. If she chooses to stay, she’ll always remain safe.
“I was at first. I was fuming, Diego. But then, when my dad showed his approval, showed how much he respected the two of us…all that anger fizzled out and was replaced by relief.”
The elevator arrives. I guide us inside, still keeping her tucked tightly against me. The doors close, filling the space with a quiet hum as we ascend the few floors to the top presidential suite.
“Do you think we’ll still have the same chemistry now that I’m not your dirty little secret?” I goad.
Inertia sets in as we reach the top floor. She plucks the key card from my hand and dances down the short hallway to our suite.
“I don’t know,” she sing-songs. “Let’s find out…”
God, this woman. I chase after her, laughing and smiling as she holds the door open for me. Is this what happiness, genuine happiness feels like? Cause if it is, I want this feeling to last forever. I want to keep that beautiful smile on my wife’s face for the rest of our lives.
Madison spins on her heel and stops dead in her tracks. Candles are lit throughout the space, bringing a coziness to the room. The gas fireplace only adds to the warmth and charm. Her booted feet carry her to the bedroom, where a king-sized bed sits central and the jacuzzi tub in the corner is filled to the brim with rose petals and bubbles. Delicate fingers trace the soft cotton sheets where an ice bucket with champagne and a tray of chocolate covered fruit sits at the edge.
I come up behind her to wrap my arms around her center, then gather her hair to one side and place kisses along her neck. She tilts her head, granting me better access while melting into me.
“I didn’t know you did romance…” she sighs her approval.
“I don’t. I hope this isn’t cliché as fuck…but I’m trying here, Mariposita .”
Spinning around in my arms, she circles her own around my back. Her head tilts back as her eyes ignite with sparks of amber. “ It’s perfect. Thank you,” she whispers as her eyes drop down to my lips.
I lower my head until our noses and foreheads touch. Her breathing increases as her breasts press up against my chest.
“You deserve far more than I can give you. But damn, baby. Hearing your father’s approval of me made me feel a tiny bit worthy of your love.”
“Diego…how could you ever think you don’t deserve me? You’ve helped mold the best version of me. That’s like saying the chef who created all these amazing recipes doesn’t deserve the credit. Doesn’t deserve the praise or the Michelin stars. You don’t have to keep trying to earn my love. I’ve told you once and I’ll tell you again… I love you, Ocean Eyes. I loved you when you were my dirty little secret, my captor, and my salvation, and I love you now. I. Love. You .” Her pointer finger presses into my peck to get her point across.
I bow my head, unable to stare into those intense eyes of hers. Her father’s warning has been circling my brain the whole ride here. Am I doing what’s best for her? What if that day comes again? Will I be able to hurt her? Either way, I’m fucked. Her father would end me.
And I’d welcome it.
I never want to hurt my little butterfly again. Shame hits me like a punch to the jaw.
Madison curls her index finger under my chin, lifting it until my watery eyes meet hers. “Don’t. Don’t doubt us now when I finally have you without any restrictions. To be perfectly clear, it was never about the rush of no one knowing. Or the rush of our relationship being reckless. Or even the knowledge there was an end date. I want you. And more than want, I need you, Diego. Being in Arizona, there wasn’t a day I didn’t think about you. About what we could have been if we had only a little more time and a little less chaos.”
I extend my hand to sweep around the room. “Is this what you imagined? Sweet, romantic gestures like this?” I let out a pathetic laugh, feeling like a fool for setting this up. It is cliché as fuck. But I wanted her to see a version of a normal relationship. Someone gentle and extravagant with their love language. Big gestures and sappy shit. Most of all, I wanted her to see what would have been if I wasn’t the man I am.
“I already told you. I thought I wanted normal . Simple . You want to know what I’ve really been craving?”
Her ringless left hand grips my sweater and her lips slam against mine. It shocks me and takes me a second to respond. Her lips are fierce, her tongue sliding against my bottom lip, demanding entry. The pinch of her stitches sends a shock of electricity, like a neuron, rushing through me, reminding me of what she’s endured to remain at my side.
My little fighter.
At that moment, something inside my soul clicks into place. My eyes slam open, staring at my own reflection through her amber woven eyes. She is everything I have ever needed. All the parts of me I was running from, all the parts I never knew I was missing until I had her in my arms. She is my vulnerability, my weakness.
Men in my line of work don’t need weakness. They certainly don’t do vulnerability. I don’t give a flying fuck. Her arrival into my life was exactly when it was supposed to be.
Right on time.
Not a minute late.
We had to go through all of the trials we did for our relationship to grow and blossom the way it did. For us to discover ourselves together and apart. And here we are, back together. Her father, the hitman for the Italian mafia, gave me his blessing.
This beautiful, breathtaking woman has given me all of her by choosing me. And here I am just wasting fucking time…
My mouth drops open as my hands grip both sides of her face. I devour her, careful of her stitches as I show her how much I fucking love and adore her. I pour every feeling running through me into this kiss. Madison moans her response at my shared receptivity and enthusiasm.
She wanted crazy , but her fine ass is going to have to wait on that. We’ll have plenty of time for crazy, downright filthy sex. That’s my forte.
Tonight, I’m going to be completely vulnerable, completely open, and give her slow. For every minute she is in my arms, I will worship her. Savor her. Take my time on her. Leaving no part of her body unmarked by my lips, my fingers…my tongue.
I tug her sweater over her head and toss it to the side. The pads of my fingers trace up her spine, leaving goosebumps springing in their wake as they work the closure on her bra. When the clasps are undone, I lower her bra straps down her arms until it drops to the floor.
Gorgeous perky breasts greet me. I want to twirl my tongue around them, suck and bite—but I don’t. Lowering myself down to one knee, I place her foot on top of it. Her hands land on my shoulders to steady herself. I remove her Ugg boot, and then her sock before swapping feet and doing the same. Those black yoga pants are next to go. I hook my thumbs into the waistband on each hip and lower them excruciatingly slowly, until they are at her ankles .
Fuck, she isn’t wearing any panties. My cock swells and throbs as it presses against the zipper of my jeans.
She steps out of one pant leg and I take the time to grip her thigh, raising it up. I start from her toes, kissing the pad of each one, moving to the inside of her ankle and up her calf. I run my lips and hands up until I reach the apex of her thighs.
It takes everything in me not to bite the inside of her thigh.
Not to push my nose into the soft curls at the top of her slit and inhale before plunging my tongue into her wet cunt.
Instead, I lick her bikini line and drop her leg back down. My tongue skims across her stomach and over to the other side. It continues its pursuit down her bikini line again and over her inner thigh as my fingers grip her calf, pulling it up and kissing my way down to her ankle and toes. When I tug her pants out of the way and add them to the rest of the pile, she whispers my name.
“Diego.” It’s a gentle plea.
Rising to stand, I bring her face back to mine. Our lips crash as I claim them. My fingers twine into her hair as I walk her backwards towards the jacuzzi tub. When we reach the two small steps to enter, I break the kiss, feeling breathless and euphoric. A smirk carves my face as I point to the tub.
“In.”
“So bossy.” She rolls her eyes.
My cock swells even more. I want nothing more than to fuck the ever-loving shit out of her. I know that’s exactly what she wants me to do.
But again, I refrain.
In no time, I’m naked, adding my clothes to the growing pile before laying towels out in front of the gas fireplace. That’s next . For now, I saunter over to the bed and grab the bottle of champagne. Fuck the glasses . We won’t be needing them.
She leans forward, making room for me to slide in behind her. I press a kiss to both her shoulders before placing one over the small butterfly tattoo. Madison hums her approval as she closes her eyes and leans back against me.
Pressing both thumbs to the cork, I pop the champagne, sending it flying across the room. Madison jerks forward out of fright, causing some of the water to slosh over the edge. Her head tilts as she peers up at me giggling and biting her lower lip.
“Gets me every time. Even when I’m prepared for it.” Her giggles continue, filling me with adoration.
I press another kiss to her temple, unable to keep my lips off her. Knowing I need to slow it down, I take a swig of champagne. The bubbles burst across my tongue like Pop Rocks. I tilt Madison's chin up.
“Open,” I command, unable to ease that side of me completely.
Her jaw releases, as she forms an O with her lips. I tilt the bottle, letting a small stream flow into her mouth, before replacing my own over hers and whispering against her lips, “Now swallow.”
The black of her pupils expand as they stare up into my own.
“Good girl. Would you like some more?”
She nods her head, her eyes glowing with the reflection of the candles surrounding the tub.
I tilt her head back against my chest and grip her jaw. She opens immediately. Tilting the bottle again, I pour more into her mouth until it overflows and she’s forced to gulp it down. Her neck works under my fingers that are pressed there. The excess drips down her chin and over her neck before disappearing into the water.
I drop a kiss to her lips before taking another swig. Then my head is lowering into the crook of her neck, lapping up the rest from her skin. Lowering the bottle to the steps with one hand, my other releases her neck as it trails down over the swell of her right breast. Cupping it in my palm, my thumb circles the pink bud. My left hand catches up, repeating the process. Sinking them both beneath the bubbles and rose petals, one claims her hip, while the other dives between her legs.
“Yes,” Maddy purrs.
“You’re going to come on my fingers, Mariposita . And then I am going to clean you up before I slide my cock inside you by that fireplace.” She shivers in approval against me.
As my fingers part her lips and find their way inside, she is already moaning my name. Her head rests against my shoulder as her hips move, gyrating against my hand and cock pressed against her ass cheeks. Water sloshes over the rim of the tub as we increase our momentum.
Her walls clench around my fingers as I work them in and out of her. I grip her hip, holding her to me and preventing her from sliding down the tub.
My teeth graze her neck over her tattoo. “You are mine, Mariposita ,” I growl. “I take care of what’s mine. Now, come for me, beautiful.”
Those trembling muscular thighs press together as her back arches against me. A melody of screams and moans ring out around us. Her orgasm detonates through her, her body melting back into me as the water levels out. The feel of her heart thundering steadily against my chest has me pulling her closer to me and wrapping my arms around her sated frame.
Mine .