Seventeen
Ava
Aurora’s curled up in her car seat in the back, lost in her own little world.
She’s singing random songs at the top of her lungs, and when she gets tired, she grumbles, grabs a chocolate from me, and starts humming again.
I’m lost in the view outside the window.
The Tuscan countryside in November is painted with shades of gold, orange, pale green, and the occasional streak of crimson.
A living canvas that feels like it’s mocking me for never noticing it before.
It’s kind of shameful, really. I was born in one of the most beautiful countries in the world, and yet I’ve barely seen anything outside of Rome. I spent my entire life just trying to survive. I forgot how to actually live.
I don’t think I’d ever felt true joy before this past month. Until I trusted Maxim. It’s like I had no real memories before. Just a black fog I called a life.
The heat of Maxim’s fingers on my thigh pulls me out of my haze.
I glance down. One of his hands is on the wheel, steering with that cool, unshakable calm, while the other’s slipped under my skirt.
He doesn’t even look at me, just teasing me, causing trouble.
When his hand brushes against my panties, I laugh, grab his wrist, and push it back toward him.
“Stop it, Aurora’s right there.”
This past month, we’ve been like two lions in heat.
Every morning after breakfast, Maxim drops Aurora off at the hotel with Carlo’s nanny, then drives straight back home just to fuck me in every position imaginable.
Unless he had to leave for business, he’s put his entire life on pause just to seize every moment to have me.
Not that I’m complaining. The way this man looks at me, it’s like a key unlocking a chest where I’d hidden every feminine instinct I had.
His touch melts me, reshapes me into someone I like more than who I was.
I don’t feel like time’s stealing from me anymore.
Every day with Maxim and Aurora is a gift.
I’m a young, vibrant woman, living a life of luxury.
It’s what I saw in April, the woman I used to work for, and secretly always longed for.
Now I have it all. Most importantly, I have Maxim’s absolute, ruthless protection.
He reaches out again, his hand rubbing my thigh.
“She’s in her own little world,” he mutters.
I grab his hand again, this time pulling it up and giving it a hard nip. He doesn’t even flinch, just raises an eyebrow and shoots me a crooked glance. When he turns his eyes back to the road, he nods toward the horizon.
“Look. We’re almost there.”
I follow his gaze, and at the top of the hill, where the road ends, I catch sight of an ancient castle peeking through the multicolored trees. It’s got to be centuries old.
“So you mafia men throw weddings in castles?” I ask, half-teasing.
“This place is a thousand years old,” he says. “Renovated a few years back, rented out to tourists now. Pietro held his son’s wedding here because it’s secure. If anyone tries to hit us, we can defend ourselves just fine.”
“Who’d try to hit us?”
“Other mafia families. The big ones, Giuliano and Sardini.”
He catches the worry flickering in my eyes. His fingers brush my chin, soothing me.
“Don’t worry. The last time those bastards messed with us, Carlo hit them from land and air with two armies and wiped the floor with them. Nobody dares go up against Carlo Bruni.”
***
I smooth out the last strand of my hair with the flat iron, grab a black hair tie, and pull my hair into a high ponytail.
Standing in front of the full-length mirror, I give myself a once-over.
Tonight’s the bride’s bachelorette party, and I’m damn pleased with my choice of outfit: a shiny black cocktail dress with thin straps and a hem just above the knee, paired with a long necklace that matches perfectly.
The door swings open, and Maxim steps in. He’s wearing a fitted black shirt, no tie, with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He got a haircut before the trip, and now, looking dangerously hot, he’s headed to the bachelor party at the indoor pool.
The moment he sees me, his eyes light up like always, his chest rising and falling. I don’t take the bait and sit on the bed to slip on my high heels, trying to change the subject before his hungry stare pulls me in and I miss the party altogether.
“Aurora didn’t put up a fight anymore, did she?” I ask.
She’d been whining all morning about not wanting to go anywhere near Luca, but Maxim, with a thousand sweet words and a promise of an ice cream as big as her head, finally convinced her to go play with the other kids.
He doesn’t answer. Instead, his shadow looms over me. As I fasten the straps of my heels, his hands slide under my shoulders, lifting me up and tossing me onto the bed. Before I can slip away, his weight pins me down. He leans in to kiss me, but I dodge with a laugh, squealing,
“Stop it, you’ll ruin my makeup!”
He buries his face in the crook of my neck, trailing soft kisses across my skin that tickle and make my laughter burst out even louder.
“Maxim, stop, you’ll mess up my hair!”
“Why aren’t you wearing a bra?” He murmurs against my skin as his palm settles over the curve of my breast.
“Because I didn’t feel like it!”
He lifts his head, eyebrows shooting up as he gives me that look.
Then he dips back down, pinning my head in place this time so he can claim my lips.
The heat of his mouth hits me, and my resistance crumbles.
I wrap my arms around his broad shoulders, kissing him back with a hunger that matches his.
His fingers slide under the short hem of my dress, grazing my slit through my panties with two teasing fingers.
My whole body jolts at his touch, and I press myself harder against his solid frame.
“Drink all you want, dance your ass off, but you stay away from any male strippers.”
His voice is pure sex, but the tone’s dead serious, laced with a threat. In an instant, the heat of his mouth and the caress of his hands vanish, leaving me aching. He steps back, grabs a wet wipe, and cleans my lipstick off his mouth.
I glare at him and get to my feet. Fixing my makeup under his shameless gaze, I turn back to face him.
In these heels, I almost reach his shoulder, no need to tilt my head back to look him in the eye.
I rest my hands on his chest, sliding them down over the hard lines of his abs, stopping just above that perfect V. My gaze locks on his.
“What if I feel like being a little naughty?” My hand dips lower, stroking over his pants. “Someone’s got me all worked up and sending me off to a party.”
He grabs my ass and presses me into the hard length straining against his zipper. “That someone’s gonna finish what he started right on this bed tonight, my sexy little thing.”
I nip at his earlobe. “Guess I can wait a few hours for him then.”
He squeezes my ass harder, then lands a sharp smack on it. “We’d better go before I decide to cancel the party and fuck you senseless till morning.”
***
The thumping music spills through the closed doors, echoing down the hallway. This ancient hallway must have seen countless brides and grooms over the centuries. Bricks that have witnessed promises kept and just as many broken vows, yet have no voice to tell the tales.
Two armed guards stand at the entrance to the room.
The moment they see me, they open the door, and the blast of music hits me so hard it makes my head pulse for a beat.
I step inside with a smile, scanning the room full of women drinking and dancing, looking for Emily.
From across the room, I spot her with a group of women, tossing back a shot before letting out a loud squeal.
She’s in a short red dress, her hair loose and spilling around her shoulders.
I make my way toward her, and when she sees me from across the space, that warm, bright smile spreads across her face. She reaches out a hand toward me.
“Ava, what took you so long?” She gives me a playful once-over, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “Bet Maxim couldn’t let you go, huh?”
Before I can answer, she gestures to the women beside her. “I think you remember Beatrice from the birthday party.”
I smile at the elegant woman in front of me. “Yes, it’s great to see you again.”
“You too, sweetheart,” Beatrice replies.
Emily points to the young girl next to her. “And this is Ana, Beatrice’s daughter.”
I barely get a chance to shake the hand of the girl, who can’t be older than eighteen, before Emily calls out an order to the bartender for more shots and lets out another squeal. She’s clearly in high spirits tonight. It doesn’t take long for me to catch her mood after a few shots myself.
The guest list isn’t huge, maybe fifty people, half of them older women, but the music, the alcohol, and the dancing create this rush of energy, turning the night electric. Like so many things lately, this is one of my firsts. I’ve never been to anyone’s bachelorette party before.
The door swings open, and two men in police uniforms stride in. Handsome, well-built guys who draw shrieks from the women as soon as they appear. So these must be the strippers Maxim warned me about.
Someone grabs my hand from behind. When I turn, I see a young woman, the assistant nanny for the kids. My heart drops for a second.
“Is Aurora okay?” I ask quickly.
Emily, standing close by, picks up on it and steps to my side. The girl smiles reassuringly. “She’s perfectly fine. Just being fussy, saying she wants to see her mom before bed.”
I let out a relieved breath.
“The boys aren’t giving you trouble, are they?” Emily asks.
“No, their dad checked in on them before bed. They’ve been asleep for a few minutes now,” the girl says, then turns to me. “Ines told me to let you know, but if you want to keep enjoying the party, we’ve got everything under control.”
“No, I want to see her before she sleeps. She’s been a bit cranky since this morning. Let’s go.”
Emily starts moving with me.