Chapter Forty-four
Vida
I barely feel anything as Ciro carries me out of the house and into the car. My legs are still numb and my back hurts. I can hear his heartbeat, as I rest my ear against his chest, and ragged breaths as he walks. I know the feeling, I’m still trying to breathe properly myself. After what I’d just experienced with him, there is no way I would be okay again.
I can tell he’s still in pain, but I’m far too shaken to even care about the wounds they had inflicted on him down in that hellhole. All I can think about is him inside of me, and how I need him so desperately, more than I’ve ever needed to breathe. My skin still burns from his touch, and even though we are still recovering from all the intensity, I still want more of him.
As he settles me into the car, the softness of the leather touches my back, bringing me out of my thoughts as I turn to face him with questions buzzing in my head.
“Do you know?” I ask, my voice feeling strange, like for a moment, I’ve forgotten how to speak actual words and not just moans. “Why Lucia did this?”
Ciro’s jaw tightens before he finally meets my gaze.
“Lucia . . .” he hesitates, searching for the right words. “She took things too far. She let her emotions cloud her judgement.”
“But, I mean, how would she come up with a plan so elaborate? Plus the men, where did she get all those men?” I continue, staring at him like I’m looking for more answers than he’s giving me.
His gaze flickers, but he masks it quickly before he replies.
“I don’t know, little chaos. We’ll figure it out later. Right now, I need to take care of you.”
I smile at him, deciding not to push him any further. There is something about his answer and the way his eyes shifted that doesn’t sit right with me. I can tell he’s hiding something, or at least is too tired to go into details about it.
“You’re the one with the wounds, Ciro,” I giggle at him.
“And you’re the one getting fucked again soon,” he blurts out, making me speechless and . . . excited.
We’re barely out of the car before one of the staff rushes to Ciro, eyes wide, taking in the dried blood on his face and skin and the makeshift bandage covering his bullet wound.
“Boss, please, let me . . .”
“No,” he cuts in. “My wife comes first.”
He walks straight into the house without moving his gaze, carrying me upstairs like I’m the one who was shot and who’s friend with benefits almost beat me to death.
He places me gently on the edge of the bed with his eyes never leaving mine. He really needs to stop staring at me like that, it isn’t helping the hormones he’s awakened inside of me.
“Stay here,” he orders softly, brushing a lock of hair behind my ear. “Let me get someone to check you out.”
I grab his wrist as he turns to leave, stopping him before he can take another step.
“Ciro, I’m fine. You’re the one who’s hurt.” I chuckle.
I still can’t find a way to wrap my head around how light I feel with him now. This man hated me once upon a time. Now? I don’t recognize him.
“Little chaos,” he says, his face now inches away from mine, and his hot breath kissing my skin as he continues. “I can’t rest until I know you’re okay.”
I swallow the knot that’s formed in my throat and nod in agreement.
“Words, baby, use your words,” he orders as he smiles at me, knowing fully well what he’s doing.
“Okay, I’ll get checked,” I finally say.
Ciro sits on the edge of the bed after we both get checked and are finally left alone. I move towards him, sitting beside him. His muscles stiffen under my touch as I reach for the clean towels to help him clean off more.
“Can I take them off?” I ask as I clean his face and look into his eyes. His brown eyes.
“It’s daytime, little chaos, I . . .”
“Please?” I smile, cutting him off mid protest.
“Anything for you, baby girl,” he says softly with a smile, getting his contacts box and cleaning his fingers. As he takes out the second contact and faces me, I can’t help but notice how incredibly beautiful he is. God, he’s everything I thought I didn’t need.
“I am sorry,” he says, his blue eyes piercing my browns.
“You don’t have to apologize,” I say softly, the words slipping out before I can even blink away from his gaze.
“I want to give you a calmer life,” he starts, the vulnerability in his voice nearly taking my breath away.
“I’m choosing you, and if that comes with a little bit of a craziness, then so be it,” I tell him, cupping his face with my hands.
Ciro’s eyes darken, and for a moment, I think he might argue. But instead, he just looks at me, really looks at me, like he’s seeing something I’m not sure he’s ever really seen before.
“I . . .” he pauses, almost like he’s contemplating his next words. “I won’t exist in a world without you, little chaos.”
“You won’t have to,” I whisper, the words slipping out with an honesty I didn’t know I was capable of.
His hands slowly touch my cheeks, sending waves of anticipation through my body. His breath hitches and before I can process another thought, his lips are on mine. The kiss isn’t gentle or soft like I expect. It’s filled with desperate hunger and need. A need that almost feels more urgent than the need to stay alive.
His hands grab my hips, pulling me onto his lap. I straddle him as his hands roam my body, finding my back and pressing me against him. I can feel every inch of him against me, begging to be free from his pants and the wetness in between my legs matches his yearning.
“Baby,” he groans against my lips, his fingers pinching my nipple hard.
“Please, Ciro, I need you,” I beg, my hands working quickly to remove his hard length from his clothes.
“Fuck,” he groans as I grind my wetness over his cock.
“Don’t play with me, baby,” he warns just before his mouth seals over my breast.
I want to! I want to tease him till he can’t take it anymore. So why am I the one feeling played?
“Ciro,” I moan, arching my back as his mouth licks, sucks, and bites my nipple.
“Put me inside you and fucking ride me,” he orders and as if on command, his dick slips into me with so much ease, I’m almost embarrassed to be so wet.
“Look how wet you are, baby. Your juices are gushing out of that slutty cunt,” he smirks, grabbing my chin and pulling me into a violent kiss.
He doesn’t stop, one hand guiding me as I bounce on him and the other holding my face still as his lips stop every attempt at bringing air into my lungs.
“Oh yes, yes, yes, yes!” I scream as I moan, unable to think of any other word that isn’t that.
“Come on my dick for me, little chaos. Paint me with your cum,” he says, his filthy words only making the inevitable happen faster.
The wet, slurping sounds of him moving inside me echo through the room, each thrust growing louder and utterly addictive, making something inside me go off as I feel myself come undone over him.
“That’s a good girl, baby. Taint me, little chaos” he mumbles into my neck, holding me while my trembling continues.
“Fuck,” I curse, holding onto him like my life depends on it, and honestly, at this moment, I think it does.
“You and that brooding bastard are getting close,” Carmela teases as she dances to the music that thumps through the speakers in her room.
It’s her birthday and that means an extra happy Carmela.
“Isn’t that how married people are? Close?” I laugh, applying some gel to the edges of my hair.
“Of course, I almost forgot you two were married,” she says as she adjusts her tight red dress in front of the mirror. I smile back, even though the anticipation in my chest is growing. The last time we went to the club, I was kidnapped and drugged, but still . . . no pressure. It’s their birthdays and if this is where they want to go, then I can do this for them.
I glance at my reflection, fixing my hair one last time. I love the brown dress I’d decided to wear tonight. With slim straps that show off more skin, and the way the fabric pushes my breasts forward, showing the perfect amount of cleavage, I feel hot.
“Ready?” Carmela asks.
“You look amazing!” I gush, complimenting her as she does a little spin.
“And that brown and nude mix on your lips? Ciro will drool at the sight of you,” she says, making me laugh as we exit the room.
We head to the club, Carmela’s laughter ringing through the air as we enter. Ciro had called earlier to say he’d meet us later because he had some work thing to do. I’d really wanted to spend more time with him today, but the birthday boy said this couldn’t wait and that he’d make it up to me later. I can’t wait for later.
After a few shots with Franchesco and Carmela, she finally drags us to the dance floor, jumping and laughing as she lets loose. The beat of the music immediately consumes us, the alcohol helping us lose ourselves to the beat. I find myself laughing as I dance with Carmela, truly enjoying the night, the light feeling the alcohol brings, and the feeling of being free.
As I move my hips to the rhythm of the song, I feel a presence slide up behind me. Someone brushes their body against my back and wraps their hands around my waist.
Before I can even turn to see who it is, I look up to find Ciro pushing the stranger to the side. Once the guy’s hands are off of me he grabs my wrist and yanks me away from the crowd with surprising force.
My heart races at the sudden change, and a mix of confusion and anger boils inside of me. I didn’t ask the guy to touch me. I hadn’t been talking to anyone besides our little group. I didn’t do anything wrong and now he’s just dragging me out of here without even saying anything or listening to me explain? God, I hate this man and how he thinks he can do whatever he damn pleases.
“What the hell, Ciro?” I snap, trying to free my arm from his grip. “Where are we going?”
“Shut up!” Is all he says as he pushes through the crowd.
As we exit the club, the cool air hits my skin, wading with the heat that radiates off of him. He doesn’t stop until we’re at his car. I open my mouth to protest, not wanting to leave Carmela and our friends yet, but he opens the door and throws me inside without a second thought before I can say anything.
Talk about déjà vu.
“What the hell is your problem?” I snap again, looking up at him as he slams the door shut and walks around to the driver’s side.
His hands grip the wheel tightly as he starts the car, his knuckles white from the tension.
“You don’t get it, do you?” His voice is low. “You belong to me.”
“I was only dancing for Christ sake! I didn’t ask him to touch me and I’m not some property,” I cut in, my voice tight.
He chuckles darkly as his eyes turn to me for a split second before returning to the road. “Yes, yes you are, little chaos. You’re my fucking property.”
I can’t understand him, and I hate that I even try to. One minute you’d think he has a working brain, and the next, he’s a freaking starfish, and an arrogant one at that.
“Fuck you, Ciro,” I grit out. “I am not some toy!”
Hurt radiates through me that he thinks of me as freaking property.
“You had a different way of showing that when you begged me to come inside your pussy.”
What! This . . . this . . . this bastard!
“Stop the car!” I yell. I don’t care if we’re in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by only trees on his damn birthday, I can’t stand his arrogance anymore.
“Stop!” I roar, and before the car comes to a halt, I’m climbing out and walking far away from him!
No matter how much I try to tell myself he’s bluffing, I can’t help but keep running. The cold night air stings my skin, but I don’t care. My legs burn as I run, my dress catching on thorns as branches snap under my feet. I refuse to look back, not needing to see him to know he’s coming for me.
One minute, baby. Or I will fuck you until your attitude is fixed.
His threat rings in my ears as my heart races in my chest. Ciro doesn’t make empty threats, but I’m stubborn enough to test him, even though I now see how stupid that is.
The woods are endless, but it doesn’t matter. I have no plan except to keep running until I find the edge of the forest, or, by some miracle, a cab that will take me far away from him.
A laugh bubbles in my chest as I slow down, my hand resting against a tree. He isn’t behind me. I’ve won. There’s no way he’ll chase me after seeing how determined I am to get away from him.
Just as I reach to grab my phone from my bag, I hear the sound of leaves crunching nearby.
“You doubt my addiction to you, little chaos.” Before I can even react, I feel his strong arms yank me back. I scream, thrashing against his iron grip, but his body presses me into the rough bark of a tree, pinning me in place and holding me still.
“Your stubbornness turns me the fuck on, baby,” he growls, his hot breath caressing my cheek.
“Let me go!” I protest, kicking out, but he just laughs low in his chest.
“I will, once I keep my promise about fixing this attitude.”
His hand slides down my body, shoving my dress up until it hangs around my hips. His fingers graze my bare thighs before ripping my panties down in one sharp tug.
“Such a brat,” he groans. “Look how your body is begging to be touched, fucked, and ruined.”
I open my mouth to say something, but his fingers thrust inside me, both thick and merciless, curving exactly where they know I can’t resist. My head drops back against the tree as a broken sound escapes my lips.
“See?” he rasps, pumping his fingers harder and faster. “You’re soaking wet, little chaos. Tell me, is it the chase that gets you off? Or is it the fact you know you’re my dirty little obsession?”
“Ciro . . .” I gasp, barely able to catch my breath as my hips buck against his hand.
He pulls his fingers out, leaving me empty and trembling, only to grip my jaw and force me to meet his burning gaze.
“Say it,” he demands. “Say you’re mine.”
He holds my gaze as he slowly slides the two fingers coated in my juices into his mouth, making sure the sight of him doing so has me burning hot enough with need and desire to yield.
I bite my lip, his actions making the heat between my legs beg for relief. “I am an obsession.”
His eyes darken and the next thing I know, he’s unbuckling his belt, and shoving his pants down just enough to free himself. He grabs his hard cock, precum shining at the tip of it as he lifts one of my thighs to hook around his hip and positions himself against my entrance.
“Then I’ll make and show you.”
With one hard thrust, he’s inside me, stretching me so wide that I cry out. The bark of the tree bites into my back, but fuck, I don’t care. He doesn’t stop, doesn’t let me adjust, just keeps slamming into me over and over until the air is knocked out of my lungs.
“Fuck, Ciro,” I moan, the violent thrusts making my nipples beg for his mouth.
“You feel that?” he grunts as he drives deeper into me. “That’s what happens when you piss me off.”
Thrust. “You.”
Thrust. “Are.”
Thrust. “My.”
Thrust, thrust.
“Obsession.” He pauses, holding me tight as he rams into me deeper, deep enough I feel pain that slowly turns to need.
His hand slides up, gripping my throat just tight enough to make my pulse race.
“But it’s also what happens when I love you,” he growls, biting my ear before sucking the lobe.
Did he just say he loves me?
“Please,” my mouth begs, too unbothered by whatever emotion I’m feeling that isn’t me craving more of him.
“You don’t get to run from me, baby. Not ever.”
The words push me over the edge. My body tightens around him, dragging him deeper, as the filthy wet sounds of his thrusts fill the forest.
“That’s it,” he hisses, his hips snapping harder and faster. “Scream for me. Stop holding it back.”
I have nothing to be stubborn about. I can’t pretend anymore. Fuck! He’s right, I am his; his property, toy, person, addiction. Whatever it is, I’m it for him, and fuck, does that turn me on even more!
I shatter around him, my cries echoing through the trees. But he doesn’t stop, his pace becoming even more brutal each time I scream for him to come inside me.
“You want me to fill you up?” he asks, and I don’t even need to think about it to know what I want.
“Please, please, Ciro. Fill me up, please,” I beg and moan, his thrusts forcing his dick to hit places I didn’t think I’d ever feel him reach.
“I own you, Vida,” he growls, his teeth sinking into my shoulder as his thrusts turn erratic. “Every fucking inch of you belongs to me.”
“You own me,” I agree, feeling myself come undone again.
“Come with me, baby. Come for me. Come on me,” he orders, his voice turning primal as he reaches his peak and with a deep groan, he comes, his cock pulsing inside me as he slams into me one last time.
For a moment, neither of us move. The only sounds I can hear are our ragged breaths and the further sounds of animals running around. Then, his lips brush my ear, soft and possessive, with a slick long lick of my neck.
“Next time you run, make it harder for me,” he whispers. “I like the hunt, but love the reward more.”