Chapter 5
five
. . .
Luca
I slam the phone down on my mahogany desk, the plastic cracking from the impact. A cold rage seizes my body as the words of the rival Ricci family's threat echo in my mind.
They dare to threaten my family, my territory. Matteo, innocent in his youth.
First this mess with Dana taking Matteo from the premises and now this.
And Dana...bellissima Dana with her soft curves and defiant eyes. Fear claws at my chest as I imagine them knowing about her.
I clench my fists, picturing their faces. No one will lay a finger on what's mine .
I storm out of my office, barking orders at my men. "Double the security detail. No one gets in or out without thorough checks. And find out how the hell the Riccis got this number!"
My pulse pounds as I stride down the hallway towards the nursery where Dana watches over Matteo. I need to see them, confirm they're unharmed with my own eyes. Shoving open the door, relief crashes over me at the sight of Dana in the floor playing with Matteo. Her green eyes widen as she takes in my thunderous expression.
She looks up at me warily and no wonder. Hell, twice now I’ve basically assaulted her and almost fucked her.
I run a hand over my face. "We need to talk. Put Matteo down for his nap, and then come to my office"
Dana rises slowly from the floor, her eyes never leaving mine. She doesn’t say a word as she moves to do as she’s told.
Less than twenty minutes later, she’s in my study.
"What's going on?" Her voice is steady but I can see the apprehension in the set of her shoulders.
I take a deep breath, trying to rein in my raging emotions. "There's been a threat."
Her hand flies to her mouth, eyes wide with fear. "Oh my God…" She glances at my nephew, happily playing with his blocks, oblivious to the danger that swirls around us.
"I'm handling it," I grit out. "No one will touch him. Or you." The words are a vow, a promise I intend to keep at all costs.
She steps closer, her scent of vanilla and something uniquely Dana invading my senses. "Mr. Romano, I..." Her hand reaches out as if to touch me, but she lets it drop.
The air between us crackles with tension, that ever-present pull that draws me to her like a moth to a flame.
But I can't allow it. Can't let her get close only to become a target.
I take a step back, hardening my expression. "I think it's best if you leave, Dana. At least until this situation is under control."
Hurt flashes across her face before indignation takes over. "Leave? I'm not going anywhere! Matteo needs me. I need..." She cuts herself off, biting her lip.
"You need what, Dana?" I demand, my voice rough with the desire I'm barely keeping in check. "What is it you need?"
She meets my gaze head-on, a flicker of defiance in her green eyes. "I need to feel safe. And believe it or not, I feel safe with you."
Her words knock the breath from my lungs. Christ, she has no idea what she does to me. How badly I want to haul her against me and claim her pretty mouth, consequences be damned.
But the consequences could be her life. And that is not a risk I'm willing to take.
I shake my head, a mirthless chuckle escaping me. "You shouldn't feel safe with me, bella. My world...it's no place for someone like you. All I'll bring you is pain and danger."
She takes a step closer, the heat of her body searing me even from a distance. "I'm not as fragile as you think. And I'm already in your world, whether you like it or not."
I curse under my breath, dragging a hand through my hair. She's right and I hate it. Hate that my life has touched hers, tainted her with its darkness.
"I can protect you better from a distance," I rasp, but even I can hear the lack of conviction in my voice.
Dana closes the remaining space between us to stand directly in front of me. She looks up at me beautifully defiant. "I don't want your protection from a distance." Her voice is low, breathy. It wraps around me like a caress, weakening my resolve.
"Dana..." It's a warning and a plea.
Her fingers curl into the lapels of my suit jacket, her grip surprisingly strong for such delicate hands. "I'm not going anywhere, Luca."
The sound of my name on her lips, so soft and yet filled with steel, is my undoing.
With a muttered oath, I wrap my arms around her waist and haul her against my chest. Her soft gasp mingles with my groan as our bodies collide. Every lush curve molds against the hard planes of my muscles.
"You don't know what you're asking for," I growl, my lips a hair's breadth from hers. "If you stay, I won't be able to keep my hands off you."
She gasps, her lips parting in surprise, and I seize the opportunity to crash my mouth against hers in a bruising kiss. The first brush of her soft lips against mine ignites a fire in my blood. I groan into her mouth as I deepen the kiss, my tongue plundering the sweet cavern of her mouth.
Dana whimpers and melts against me, her fingers tightening their grip on my lapels. I walk us backwards until her luscious backside hits my desk. With a swipe of my arm, I send the contents of the desk clattering to the floor. Then I'm lifting her by the hips and setting her on the edge, never breaking the hungry seal of our lips.
I wedge myself between her parted thighs, the heat of her core scorching me even through the layers of our clothing. My hands skim down her sides to grip her lush hips, fingers digging into the giving flesh. Dana throws her head back on a gasp as I trail open-mouthed kisses along the column of her throat, my teeth scraping against her jumping pulse.
"Luca," she pants, my name a plea and prayer on her kiss-swollen lips. The sound shoots straight to my aching cock.
I reclaim her mouth in a deep, drugging kiss as I grind myself against the apex of her thighs. She's so warm, so soft, so fucking perfect . And she's mine. All mine . The thought roars through me, primal and possessive.
Dana meets each roll of my hips with her own, her legs coming up to wrap around my waist and pull me closer. And fuck, the knowledge that this curvy goddess wants me back is almost enough to make me nut right here and now.
I can feel the damp heat of her through my slacks, and it makes me wild. I thrust against her harder, faster, chasing the release that coils tighter and tighter at the base of my spine.
"That's it, baby," I encourage her, my voice rough with lust. "Let go for me. I've got you."
She keens, a high, desperate sound, and then she's shattering in my arms. Her body goes taut and then trembles as her orgasm crashes over her. The sight of her, the feel of her clenching around me, even with clothes between us, catapults me over the edge.
I bury my face in the crook of her neck to muffle my shout as I come, my hips juddering against hers. Dana holds me through it, her fingers gentle in my hair, her lips at my temple.
As the aftershocks subside, I lift my head to look at her. Her eyes are heavy-lidded, her cheeks flushed a beautiful pink. I know I should pull away, put distance between us. But I can't seem to make myself let her go.
"Dana." Her name is gravel in my throat. "Tell me to stop. Because if you don't, I'm going to strip you bare, lay you out on this desk, and make you mine in every sense of the word.”
Dana moistens her lips, her chest heaving with each rapid breath. "No," she whispers. "I won’t tell you to stop."
Those breathy words are my undoing. A growl rumbles from my chest as I capture her mouth in a searing kiss, pouring every ounce of my desire into the melding of our lips.
My hands make quick work of the buttons on her blouse, desperation making my movements clumsy. I need to feel her skin against mine like I need air in my lungs.
Dana's hands are just as eager, tugging at my belt, my zipper. The sound of fabric tearing barely registers as I shrug out of my shirt, sending buttons flying. Her nails rake down my chest, leaving trails of fire in their wake.
"Fuck, Dana," I groan as I cup her breasts, the heavy weight of them perfect in my palms. Her nipples strain against the lacy confines of her bra, begging for my touch. I oblige, pinching and rolling the hardened peaks until she's writhing beneath me.
I've never wanted a woman the way I want her. It's a hunger that consumes me, a need that pounds through my veins with every frantic beat of my heart.
The lace of her bra gives way under my impatient hands. And then I'm feasting on the rosy peaks, drawing one into my mouth to suckle and nip. Dana arches off the desk, a throaty moan spilling from her lips. The sound only spurs me on, makes me suck harder.
I switch to the other breast, lavishing it with the same attention. I could spend hours worshipping her tits, but the throbbing ache in my cock demands more. Demands all of her.
My hand slides under her skirt, fingers brushing against the damp lace of her panties. She's fucking soaked, the evidence of her arousal coating my fingers as I nudge the flimsy fabric aside.
"Christ, you're dripping," I rasp, my voice guttural with lust. "Is this all for me, sweetheart?"
Dana nods frantically, her hips canting up in search of my touch. "Yes, Luca. Only for you."
Satisfaction and possessiveness surge through me at her breathy declaration. My fingers delve through her slick folds to find her clit. I circle the swollen nub, reveling in the way her body jumps and quivers under my touch.
"Please," she whimpers, nails biting into the flesh of my shoulders. "I need..."
"What do you need, Dana?" I demand, my fingers teasing her entrance. "Tell me."
Her head thrashes against the desk, her hips bucking restlessly. "You. I need you inside me. Please, Luca."
My control snaps at her plea. In an instant, I've shoved her skirt up around her waist and torn her panties off. The sight of her laid out before me, flushed and wanting, nearly brings me to my knees.
I free my straining erection from the confines of my slacks and position myself at her entrance, the broad head of my cock nudging against her slick folds.
Dana's breath hitches, her eyes wide and dark with desire as she looks up at me. I pause, searching her face for any sign of hesitation or doubt.
"Are you sure, baby?" I ask, my voice rough with restraint. "Once I'm inside you, there's no going back. You'll be mine completely."
Her hands come up to frame my face, her touch gentle despite the urgency thrumming between us. "I'm sure, Luca. I want this. I want you."
With a groan, I surge forward, burying myself to the hilt in her tight, wet heat. But instead of the smooth glide I'm expecting, I'm met with resistance. Dana cries out, her fingers digging into my biceps as her face contorts in pain.
Shock crashes over me as realization dawns. She's a virgin. Untouched. And I've just torn through her innocence with my selfish lust.
"Fuck, Dana," I rasp, stilling my hips with immense effort. "You're...I didn't know...I'm so sorry, baby."
Tears leak from the corners of her eyes, but she shakes her head. "Don't be sorry. I wanted it to be you. Only you." She rolls her hips tentatively, taking me even deeper.
Possessiveness roars through my veins at her words, at the knowledge that no other man has ever touched her like this. That I'm the first and only one to lay claim to her sweet body.
"Mine," I growl, pulling out slowly before thrusting back in. "You're mine now, Dana. Your perfect little cunt belongs to me. No other man will ever have you like this."
She gasps and arches into me, her channel fluttering around my invading cock. "Yes, Luca. I'm yours. Only yours."
I set a hard, driving pace, my hips slapping against the backs of her thighs with each forceful thrust. The desk creaks beneath us, the sound mingling with our harsh pants and moans.
"That's it, baby," I encourage her as I feel her start to tighten around me. "Squeeze my cock with this tight little pussy. Milk me dry."
Dana throws her head back with a keening cry, her nails raking angry red lines down my back as she comes apart. Her cunt clamps down on me like a vice, the rippling walls pushing me closer to the edge.
I grit my teeth, determined to wring every last ounce of pleasure from her quivering body. Shifting the angle of my hips, I grind against her swollen clit with each pass, prolonging her climax.
"Oh God, Luca!" She sobs, trembling violently as a second orgasm crashes over her on the heels of the first. The sensation is too much, too intense.
With a roar, I bury myself to the hilt inside her one last time and let go, spilling myself deep in her clenching heat.
I collapse on top of her, my face buried in the crook of her neck as aftershocks course through my spent body. Dana's arms come around me, holding me close as our racing hearts gradually slow.
In the aftermath of our passion, the reality of what I've done comes crashing down on me. I've taken her virginity, claimed her in the most primal way possible. And in doing so, I've irrevocably tied her to me and my dark, dangerous world.
Self-loathing rises like bile in my throat. She deserves better than this, better than me. I'm a monster, a killer. My hands are stained with blood that will never wash clean. How can I taint her purity with my filth?
Slowly, I raise myself up on my elbows to look down at her. Her eyes are closed, her lips parted and swollen from my kisses. She looks thoroughly debauched, and so fucking beautiful it makes my chest ache.
"Dana," I rasp, my voice hoarse with emotion. "Open your eyes, sweetheart."
Her lashes flutter and then lift, revealing those stunning green depths. They widen slightly as she takes in my serious expression.
"I'm so sorry," I tell her, the words inadequate but all I have. "I shouldn't have...fuck, I took advantage of you. You were a virgin and I?—"
She presses her fingers to my lips, silencing my self-recrimination. "No, Luca. You didn't take advantage. I wanted this, wanted you. I still do."
I shake my head, marveling at her capacity for forgiveness. "You don't know what you're saying. Being with me...it's not safe. The threats, the danger that surrounds me, it will consume you too."
Determination hardens her delicate features. "I'm not afraid. Whatever comes, we'll face it together. I'm not going anywhere, Luca. I'm yours now, remember?"
My heart clenches at her words, at the unwavering loyalty shining in her eyes. I don't deserve it, don't deserve her. But God help me, I'm too selfish to let her go.
"Mine," I agree roughly, lowering my head to claim her lips in a searing kiss, pouring all my fear and love and desperate need into the press of my mouth on hers.
She meets me with equal fervor, her tongue tangling with mine as she arches up into my body. And just like that, the embers of my desire flare back to life. I groan into her mouth as I feel myself hardening inside her once more.
Dana gasps as I begin to move, my hips rocking in a slow, deep rhythm. "Luca," she breathes, her hands gliding over the taut muscles of my back. "You feel so good."
A guttural groan tears from my throat at her breathy words. I pull back, nearly withdrawing completely before surging forward again, burying myself to the hilt in her tight, slick heat.
"Cazzo, you're still so tight," I rasp against the shell of her ear. "Your sweet little cunt fits me like a glove."
Dana mewls, her inner muscles fluttering around my pistoning cock. I set a deep, rolling pace, pulling out slowly only to slam back in, over and over until she's writhing beneath me.
"That's it, tesoro," I encourage her, angling my hips to hit that spot deep inside her that makes her eyes roll back. "Take what you need. Use me for your pleasure."
She does just that, her hips rising to meet my every thrust, her blunt nails digging into my shoulders. I relish the sting, the physical proof of her desire, her need for me.
I bend my head, capturing one rosy nipple between my lips. I lave the sensitive bud with my tongue before grazing it with my teeth. Dana jolts as if electrified, a high keen escaping her kiss-swollen lips.
"Luca, please," she pants, her head thrashing against the desk. "I'm so close..."
I double my efforts, suckling her nipple harder as I reach between our sweat-slicked bodies to circle her clit with my thumb.
"Come for me, amore," I command, my voice rough with strain. "Soak my cock with your sweet cream."
As if on cue, her body goes rigid, bowing up off the desk as her climax crashes over her. I muffle her scream with my mouth, swallowing down her cries of ecstasy even as my own orgasm surges through me.
I empty myself deep inside her, painting her womb with jet after jet of my seed. Merda, what if I've gotten her pregnant? My pleasure only intensifies at the thought of her belly swelling with my child.
But then I picture it—Dana, glowing and round with new life, a life we created together.
The image steals my breath even as it terrifies me.
I collapse on top of her, my face buried in the crook of her neck as we both struggle to catch our breath. Her fingers card gently through my sweat-dampened hair, soothing me.
"Ti amo, Luca," she whispers, so softly I almost think I've imagined it.
My heart stutters in my chest. She loves me. This incredible, brave, beautiful woman loves me. Me, a hardened mafioso with blood on his hands. I don't deserve her love, but I'm too much of a selfish bastard to refuse it.
I lift my head from the crook of her neck to gaze down at her. Her green eyes shine with tenderness and sincerity, stealing the air from my lungs.
"Dana," I rasp, my voice rough with emotion. "You can't...you shouldn't love me. I'm no good for you, tesoro."
She shakes her head, a sad smile curving her kiss-swollen lips. "It's too late, Luca. My heart is already yours, flaws and all. And I'm not letting you go."
My chest tightens, fear and wonder warring within me. I've never needed anyone the way I need her. Never wanted to claim someone so completely, body and soul.
"I love you too, bella," I confess as I tighten my arms around her soft curves possessively.
And I vow here and now that I will do whatever it takes to keep her safe.