Chapter 16
Maximo
Then she started cutting up my suits, as if she’s completely unhinged. What the fuck is she thinking?
My teeth grind as I get closer to her location. She’s in the garage doing who knows what with those bottles of vodka and matches. Anger vibrates through my tense muscles. My beautiful fiancée is going to pay for this—for all of it. But not with money. Oh no, this is personal.
If she wants to act like a petulant child, I’m going to punish her like one. The good, old-fashioned way with my belt strap.
Apparently, I promised her too soon that I’d never put a mark on her body, that I’d never hurt her—especially in anger.
These past few days she’s brought me to my breaking point.
Reasoning doesn’t work when it comes to her, so we’re going to have to try another form of communication.
One where her ass will be sore for a week.
If that doesn’t deter her from acting out, then I’ll have to escalate yet again. But I’ll cross that bridge when, and if, we come to it.
My driver races into the garage and that’s when I spot her. She’s over by my Pininfarina Battista sports car, dousing the interior in liquor, before she tosses the empty bottles into the front seat.
“Stop right here!” I’m out of the car before it’s fully come to a halt. Then I’m running toward Elena, my heart in my throat.
She takes a few steps back from the expensive car. Her dark auburn hair glows even redder as she strikes a match, the flame flickering between her fingers. When she tosses it, everything seems to happen in slow motion.
The tiny flame hurls through the air, threatening to extinguish. The light flutters in and out.
It lands inside the car.
The entire garage shakes with a boom.
I reach her just as my sports car goes up in a fireball that licks the ceiling and spreads out. Wrapping my arm around her small frame, I haul her backwards, away from the wreckage and down to the ground. I shield her body with mine against the blaze.
Pinning her beneath me, adrenaline pumping through my blood, I glare into her round grey eyes. “What the fuck are you doing?” I practically scream in her face, my self-control slipping way too much. Fists clenched on either side of her head, I grind my teeth.
The fear in her gaze melts away, replaced by that fire I so enjoy rousing in her—usually. She pushes against my chest but I don’t budge. She’s not getting away. Not after what she’s done.
“You want to marry me?” She struggles in futility. “Then this is what you have to live with! I’ll destroy everything you have until you let me go. That’s a promise. I swear it on my life.”
Settling more of my weight onto her, I say, “You think I give a fuck about a bottle of expensive booze, or my suits, or that fucking car?”
She blinks, twice. Her gaze searches my face, confusion creases her brow. “Yes, of course, I thought—”
“You could have gotten yourself killed. For fuck’s sake!” I snarl at her. “Don’t ever put yourself in danger like that again.”
“I-I—”
Furious, and relieved that she’s alive and unscathed, I slam my mouth down on hers.
She stiffens beneath me as I channel my fear and rage into this kiss.
This isn’t gentle like the first time. She could have gotten herself hurt, bruised, or even burned.
My tongue sweeps against the seam of her lips until she relents and lets me in with a soft groan.
She tastes like strawberries and expensive liquor. My kind of heaven.
Her touch burns across my skin as her palms glide up my chest to my neck, where her fingers tangle in my wavy hair. Elena grips hard and tugs, but she’s not trying to pull me off. No, she’s tugging me closer. She wants me. Craves me as much as I need her.
Fuck, yes.
I cup her face as she moans into my mouth. Our tongues slide against each other, tasting and teasing. I suck her bottom lip between my teeth. Elena gasps.
“If you wanted attention, cara mia, all you had to do was ask.” Slipping my hand beneath her shirt, I cup her breast and she moans into my mouth.
I pluck her pebbled nipple before skimming down her smooth, warm skin to the front of her leggings.
She undulates her hips as I dip my fingers beneath the waistband. Her pussy’s hot and wet.
My fingers delve into her heat, then circle her clit in slow, teasing strokes. She whimpers, the sound music to my ears. I plunder her mouth as I work her nub, and her body submits to me. She’s like putty in my hands. Why can’t she always be this agreeable?
My hard cock strains against my trousers, but I ignore it. This is all about her and her pleasure. To show her that I’m capable of giving her what her body needs, without demanding anything in return.
I slip one finger into her sweet cunt, and groan at how tight she is.
I know for a fact she never had a lover in Italy, but I wasn’t sure about before that time, when she lived here with her family.
I’m pretty sure she’s a virgin. Not that it matters to me, she’s perfect just as she is, virgin or not.
Adding a second finger, I pump them against her g-spot while my thumb flicks her clit. She writhes beneath me. Her little gasps and moans make me unbearably hard.
Then her thighs quiver, and her pussy milks my fingers. Cazzo. I stroke her as she unravels, kissing her lips, her jaw, the tip of her nose. I’ve never seen a more beautiful sight than when Elena comes in my arms. I’ll give this to her every single day if she’ll let me.
I bring my fingers to my lips and suck them clean. Delicious. She watches me beneath her lashes, cheeks flaming a deep crimson.
As much as I’d like to devour her right here, right now, I pull back. The first time I take my wife will not be on a dirty garage floor. Nor will I be fucking pissed off at her for putting her life in danger.
Gazing down at her, I take in her swollen lips and dilated pupils. Gorgeous.
She recovers far too quickly. Next time will have to be two or three orgasms before I let her go.
“I-I mean what I said. I won’t stop fighting you until you set me free.” Her gaze flits between my eyes and my lips. “That orgasm changes nothing.”
It changes everything, sweetheart.
“Fight me all you want, cara mia, but I’m never letting you go.
Destroy whatever you want. Just know there will be consequences for your actions, punishments.
If you think you can take them, then give me your best shot, bella.
Give it all to me.” I hover over her lips, so close I can taste her breath.
“But if you ever put your life in danger like that again, I’ll chain you to my bed and throw away the key. Do you understand me?”
She swallows hard. The fire in her stormy eyes blazes with defiance.
“You’re all words and no bite, Maximo.”
“Is that what you think?” Ducking my head, I kiss her neck, then suck the soft skin between my teeth. She turns her face away to give me better access. A moan escapes her lips. My girl’s insatiable.
I suck harder before releasing her flesh and licking at the reddish-purple mark I left behind. A smirk tugs at my lips. Possessiveness cascades through me in a rush and goes straight to my painfully hard dick.
Reluctantly, I ease off of her and stand, drawing her up with me. I stare at the smoldering ruins of my favorite car. Heaving a sigh, I glance at Elena. “The next time you go on a destructive rampage, I’ll bend you over my knees and spank you. You’ve been warned.”
This time, she seems to believe me. Her cheeks brighten to a cherry red and she refuses to meet my gaze.
When she remains silent, apparently out of words, I take her arm and we get into the elevator.
Tension hums between us on the ride up to the penthouse.
I’d like nothing more than to pin her against the wall and fuck her into submission.
But I promised myself I’d do this right.
Marriage first. My cock will have to wait.
She’s the only one for me. My future, my forever. I will put a wedding band on her finger before I fuck my wife.
Cazzo. It’s going to be a very long seven weeks.