27. Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Six
Elise
My body feels good. Warmth spreads from between my legs, awakening the rest of my body as it settles over me. I release a soft moan, trying to shift in bed, when I feel hands gripping my thighs. I slowly open my eyes, and it’s pitch black in our bedroom, but I know instantly who has made himself comfortable between my legs.
I release a soft gasp as sleep has yet to push itself out of my brain fully. All I know is that my body feels good, and I want it to continue. My inner walls are slick with my arousal as they clench on their own, wanting more than just the warmth that circles my entrance.
“Ah,” I moan aloud, my hands flying to Luca’s hair as he continues to lick between my folds. His tongue flattens against my clit, and as if sensing my thoughts, he pushes a finger inside of me, barely easing the ache beginning to build inside of me.
“It’s been so long since I had you, Elise,” he murmurs as he places a kiss on the inside of my thigh. His tongue leaves a warm trail as he finds his way back to my sex, his hot mouth closing over me. I arch my back as pleasure cascades over me, and I shudder in his arms.
Luca slowly finds his way up my body, leaving a trail of kisses along my thighs, torso, between my breasts, and onto my throat. He gently pulls my skin between his teeth, waiting until he’s coaxed an audible moan from my lips to press his to mine. I taste myself on his tongue, and as he deepens the kiss, my arousal only spikes as his tongue tangles with mine.
My body takes on a mind of its own as my arms wrap around his neck, pulling him flush with me. I feel his hot erection pressing against my stomach as his hand drifts to my thigh, his shaft rubbing against my sex, coating himself with my arousal. I moan softly as he continues to rub himself against my clit, my hips thrusting in desperation for release.
Finally, I feel Luca’s cock pressing against my entrance. He slowly enters me, making me feel every inch as I take him in, breaking our kiss so that I can moan my pleasure aloud. Luca takes the opportunity to lick over my pulse, and I wrap my legs around him as we become flush with one another.
He slowly pulls out of me, thrusting back inside with more intensity than before, forcing a cry from my lips.
“I missed your body so much,” he groans.
Luca’s shaft stretches me as he continues to plunge in and out of me, finding the perfect rhythm to keep me on the edge of release.
“I enjoy you like this…soft and ready for me,” he murmurs.
He rolls his hips, his cock brushing deeper inside of me. My nails dig into his back as he grips my ass, holding me tight as he thrusts, stroking me to higher heights until, finally, my body comes apart.
I moan, grinding my hips against him as my orgasm washes over me at a delightfully slow pace. My inner walls clench his thrusting shaft, pulsing with pleasure until I feel him grunt, shuddering against me. He spills his release inside of me, his thrusts growing shallow as we find release together.
Our labored breathing fills the silence, and Luca kisses me once again, his tongue thrusting deep into my mouth. When Luca pulls away, instead of giving me a smart remark or threatening me, he pulls me silently on top of his chest, his hands gently stroking my hair. He doesn’t speak as we lie together.
And I allow my body to fall back into its slumber, content to leave my minds wanderings to the morning.
I’ve never seen Luca be kind to anyone. The only exception has been his father and Nicolai or Romelo on occasion. But as I came down the steps this morning, I caught him in the yard with my brother once again. This time, however, it wasn’t to reprimand him. He’s teaching him. And I’ve been glued to the bar, watching ever since.
Luca has an expression of patience as he shows him how to properly shear the new bushes that have been planted. Warmth washes over me as I notice Luca’s hands. The same hands that woke me up in the middle of the night for pleasure. I don’t know what’s come over Luca in the past few days or what’s changed, but he has shifted his intentions not only with my brother’s future but with me.
He seems calmer these days.
Enzo carefully watches Luca, taking in everything he says to him. I can’t help but wonder why Luca decided to keep him around instead of hiding him from me. It’s as if he’s dangling my brother’s life before me. He has to know that I know. But he won’t acknowledge it. It feels like an open secret between us. And I don’t know if I should approach it or leave it where it is.
I tense when I hear something I haven’t heard in a long time. Luca’s laughter. It isn’t laced with cruelty or existent at the expense of someone’s life. His eyes are closed, his head tilted toward the sun as he smiles, making my heart beat slightly faster as I take in the sight.
Once Luca feels Enzo is up to the task, he hands him the shears before making his way to the house.
“Shit,” I whisper to myself. I’ve been standing here, watching them. I quickly move about the kitchen, placing a coffee cup under the machine, biting back my sigh of relief as Luca enters at the same time the coffee begins to brew.
I keep my back to him, not wanting him to know what I’ve been doing. I try to keep my breathing steady as he approaches, pulling me flush against him. His lips find my throat, and his scent fills my senses. He smells like himself and grass, the warmth of his body comforting as he mumbles against my skin.
“You slept in this morning,” he murmurs.
“Yes,” I whisper.
I hate the way my body reacts to him. But after last night, it’s as if my mind has been reset, my body remembering how Luca’s hands have always given me the pleasure I seek.
“I have something I want to talk to you about,” he says, placing me on high alert.
He slowly turns me around to face him, his gray eyes roaming over me as he watches for any signs that he shouldn’t continue.
“But I need to know that you can handle it,” he says.
My stomach twists as he continues to watch me, warning me with his cryptic choice of words.
“Okay…,” I murmur.
We both jump as a door slams, and rushed footsteps round the corner. Romelo enters the room, a panicked look on his usually stoic features.
“We have a problem,” he says.
Luca barely gives him a chance to respond as he pulls him through the back door, closing it behind them. I shift so that I can see them better through the glass. Luca’s expression shifts to irritation the longer he listens. He crosses his arms over his chest, saying something to Romelo, his expression growing more murderous by the second. As Romelo responds, Luca loses his last shred of control.
He moves out of my line of sight, but I know exactly where he is going. He’s going for Enzo.
“Shit!” I hiss to myself.
I run to the living room, snatching the first book I can find as I come up with a shitty plan before making my way back to the back of the house. I pull open the back door with the “intention” of reading a book by the pool today, hoping to interrupt Luca with whatever he’s doing, but instead, I come face to face with Luca.
I crash right into him, dropping the book.
“I—I’m sorry,” I say hastily.
Luca doesn’t respond. He watches me momentarily before slowly lowering himself to pick up the book. He releases a soft laugh as he rises, handing it off to me, his eyes barely clinging to sanity.
“I have to leave to take care of something,” he says, handing me the book.
I slowly take it from him, my fingers shaking as I grip it.
“Okay,” I whisper.
Luca pulls me into him, placing a soft kiss on my forehead. He starts walking away, pausing as he remembers something.
“Don’t bother the kid.”
I nod once again, showing him that I understand. He brushes past me, making his way into the house. I wait a few seconds, following him, but by the time I reach the front door, Luca is already speeding out of the driveway. I release a breath, staring at his departure.
Something involving Enzo has happened, and Luca is not happy about it.
As I come down from the morning’s excitement, it takes me a moment to realize how anxious I am. So, I go back to the kitchen with the intention of pouring myself a glass of water. I notice movement in the yard, my eyes widening when I see Enzo.
His back is to me as he works, but he turns his head slightly to hastily wipe his eyes. My chest squeezes at the sight. And I can no longer fight my curiosity about what has happened. I grab a water bottle from the fridge, ignoring the fear in my stomach as I blatantly ignore Luca’s command.
As I pull open the door, I am met by Romelo. He turns to face me, his emotionless expression unnerving.
“Can I help you, Mrs. Pasquino?” he asks.
I bite the inside of my cheek. Luca knows. He knows that I know. And he wants me nowhere near my brother, especially now. And he won’t risk me being home alone with him.
“I was just giving him some water,” I say, holding out the bottle.
Romelo takes it from me, eyeing me carefully.
“I’m sure he will appreciate it,” he says.
Disappointment hits me at my lack of power in my home. I shift my attention to Enzo one last time, my chest squeezing. I don’t know what’s going to happen to him. But Luca has ensured I remain far from it.
I release a breath, shifting my attention to Romelo.
“I’m sure he will,” I say.
Being married to Luca has presented me with a level of anxiety I never thought possible. He has yet to return home. The sun has begun its descent, and I am all alone in the estate with Luca’s men to keep me company as they make sure I don’t have contact with my brother. This isn’t the first time Luca has abruptly left without telling me what’s happening. But with everything going on between our families and my brother’s sudden appearance, the more Luca leaves, the more nervous I become.
By the time Luca comes back, I am seconds from falling asleep on the couch, and the sun has disappeared entirely, casting our home in darkness other than the glow of the TV. I hear his slow, deliberate footsteps as he comes to find me, and I pull in a deep breath as he enters the living room, standing from the couch to greet him. But my words hitch in my throat as I take in his drenched form.
I furrow my brow in confusion. It’s hard to tell what he’s soaked in since most of the lights are off in the house, and the only illumination comes from the TV. But he remains where he is, watching me with an eerie expression as I slowly approach.
“Luca? Are you okay?” I ask softly.
He doesn’t respond; his focus is entirely on me as I approach. His breathing is slow and steady, and as I come to stand in front of him, I slowly reach for his face, curious as to what could possibly have his hair sticking to him.
“Luca—”
I tense as the metallic stench of blood hits my nose. Before I can pull away, Luca’s hand lashes out, and he pulls me flush against him, the blood covering him oozing into my wrist from his tight grip.
I struggle, my panic hitching in my throat as I try not to scream—not to set him off as he nuzzles his nose in my neck. He is obviously not himself right now. He’s in bloodlust.
“You are so beautiful,” he murmurs.
His hand presses against my cheek, and I swallow my scream as blood presses between his palm and my skin. But the shock gives me just enough energy to rip myself from his grip, stumbling back until I hit the back of the couch, flipping over it.
I cry out, scrambling to my knees before looking at my hands. The blood, though thick, is old. It can’t be Luca’s. He wouldn’t be standing here looking at me if it were. Which means it belonged to more than one person who is more than likely dead as my husband stands before me, a grin on his lips.
He lowers himself to his knees, his hand reaching for my ankle. I look around in a panic, praying that some of his men are near to stop this, but I see no one. So, I try to diffuse the situation.
“Luca, listen to me—ah!” I cry out as he pulls me by my ankle, dragging me so that I am trapped beneath his bloodied body. The blood from his shirt seeps into mine as he pushes my hair from my face, his lips finding mine.
“I just want to love you,” he murmurs against my lips.
My heart beats rapidly when I feel his erection pressing against me, his tongue pushing into my mouth.
“You’re not yourself right now!” I cry out, pulling my face away from his.
But he grips my face between his hands, roughly holding me as he studies my panicked expression.
“I will protect you, Elise. Always. I won’t let them get you,” he murmurs. He once again goes for my throat, his tongue licking over my pulse as his cheek smears more blood against mine, and I can no longer try to diffuse the situation.
I scream.
“Stop! Luca, stop!” I shriek, struggling beneath him.
But he places his hand against my mouth, the smell of blood filling my senses and activating my gag reflexes. I vomit all over Luca’s hand. He cringes, his expression shifting to disgust as he pulls away from me, and I take the opportunity to kick him off of me. My foot lands perfectly on his chest, and I hear him cry out as I take off out of the living room.
“Elise!” I hear him call after me as the stairs come into view.
I am inches from reaching the bottom steps when Luca collides with me, his steely grip holding me captive as he pulls me away from the stairs.
“Let me go!” I scream, my legs flailing as I try to break free.
Whatever Luca left to do must have been something bloodier than anything he’s ever done before. I’ve never seen him like this. Not even when his father was shot dead in front of him. He’s gone completely insane.
I break free from Luca’s grasp, whipping around to face him. His face is set in anger as he glares at me.
“You don’t run from me! You are my wife! You don’t know what I have done to keep you alive!” he shouts.
Before he can get anything else out, he is tackled. Nicolai and Romelo both wrestle with Luca, trying to calm him as I back away. But his eyes are set on me in a murderous rage. I notice Nicolai is covered in blood as well, obviously having accompanied Luca to whatever massacre they attended this afternoon.
“Run! Go lock yourself in a room—”
They continue to struggle, but Luca is skilled. His elbow comes up, cracking Nicolai in the face, his eyebrow splitting causing blood to pour down his face.
“Fuck, Luca!” Nicolai shouts.
But he isn’t listening. He’s after me.
“Don’t you dare!” Luca growls out, but I am up the stairs before he can finish his sentence. I run into one of the guest rooms, locking the door before I frantically pull whatever furniture I can in front of it. And as I collapse in exhaustion, my hands trembling as I hold my hair out of my face, I scream.
“Fuck!”
I beat my fists against the floor as hard as I can, letting my frustration out. I am stuck here—stuck in this life, stuck with a man who kills to survive. A person my father signed me off to for the sake of the boy my husband is now keeping on a leash. I am married to this twisted man. And there is nothing I can do to change him.