20. Luna
TWENTY
LUNA
Luna didn’t know what time it was, but she was exhausted. After swimming around for a little bit, her hair was flat and wet, but surprisingly her makeup stayed intact thanks to whichever setting spray Cecilia had used.
They lay on the pool chair now, right in front of the glass window. Valerio had a towel around his waist and Luna had one held securely around her. She didn’t feel like throwing on her dress again, and the heat had been turned up to make sure she didn’t get cold. Plus, laying on Valerio’s warm body was like laying by a furnace.
His chest rose up and down under her head, and she could hear his heartbeat. It beat normally now, but earlier it had sped up.
“Valerio?” she asked, looking up at him.
“Hmm?” he replied. His eyes were closed as if he were dozing off, but his grip around her body was still as tight as ever.
“Are you sleeping?” she asked.
He opened his eyes this time. “I guess I was dozing off,” he said, his voice surprised.
“Why do you sound so shocked?” she asked him.
“I can’t sleep at night,” he told her. “I usually get work done at this time.”
“That can’t be healthy for you.” She sat up, adjusting the towel. “What keeps you up?”
He shrugged, keeping his hand on her hip. “I don’t know, a lot of things, I guess.”
“Do you do anything to help you fall asleep? Like a nighttime routine?”
He laughed. “Like what?”
“I don’t know. Maybe you should drink some tea, read before bed, something.”
“Maybe you should just sleep next to me.” He leaned into her, burying his head into her neck. She laughed. “That seems to let my mind rest.”
She pushed his head away. “Until I wake you up with all my yapping.”
“I could listen to your voice all day and night. Sounds like a melody.”
She snorted. “No, it doesn’t.”
“It does. I wouldn’t lie to you about that,” he said.
Luna rolled her eyes. “Do you really not sleep at night?” She felt worried about his health, she couldn’t help it.
“I don’t,” he said. “Most nights at least. Sometimes the exhaustion takes me out against my will.”
“How long has it been since you slept?” she asked. She ran her hand against his arm, watching as goosebumps rose on his skin.
“Since we both signed the contract,” he admitted. “That was the first night I got sleep in a long time.”
She felt a little guilty. It didn’t help that she was probably one of the things keeping him awake at night, especially when she was fighting the contract as hard as she had been.
“I’m sorry for being one of the things that kept you up,” she said.
“Don’t apologize for anything. You can help me sleep now.”
“If you weren’t with me, would your father have set you up with someone?” she asked. “I know Finn will probably get set up one day.”
He sighed. “Yes, my father brought it up at one point. Had someone picked out, but I was quick to sign another contract instead.”
“And you picked me?” she asked. She couldn’t help but feel like maybe she was the bad decision. If Cesare Vitali had picked someone for his son, it had to have been someone beautiful, smart, and most likely more understanding of her role in his life. Probably someone less stubborn.
“I would have always picked you,” he said. “You’re loud, wild, beautiful, stubborn?—”
“Is this list supposed to make me feel better?” she asked.
He grabbed her hands, pulling her against him. “You are so unapologetically you. It’s not my fault that I’ve been enthralled since I was seventeen.”
“Who knew you were so mushy?” She smirked. “Imagine if any of your men heard you speaking this way.”
“I don’t give a shit. You’re going to be my wife; you deserve the mushy side of me. Let everyone hear it.”
Her heart shouldn’t have thumped the way it did, but it seemed to betray her at this point. He said all the right things, everything she wished he wouldn’t say because it made her melt more and more. Who knew the future mafia don was such a romantic?
“So you have a mushy side, a possessive side, a violent side. Any other versions of you I should know?” she asked.
“I’m sure you’ll learn them all one day, but something tells me you might like all versions of me, even the bad ones.”
“Like the version of you that shot not one but two different men on two occasions?” she asked sarcastically. She could feel the heat creeping up her cheeks.
He nodded. “Absolutely. Maybe you don’t want to admit it to yourself yet, but I think you enjoy the side that would go to extreme lengths for you. The version of me that remains on your side no matter what,” he said, cocking his head to the side.
“And if I don’t?” she asked, trying to hide the fact she did. She felt entirely too exposed in front of him and it wasn’t because she wasn’t wearing any clothes.
“Then you’d be lying to both of us.”
She nodded her head slowly. “And if I do?”
“You should. I’ll always be on your side,” he said, running his hand up and down her back.
She looked at him, exposing her vulnerability. “You promise?” The words tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop herself. For some reason, she cared a great deal about whether or not he would always be on her side.
He wrapped his pinkie finger around hers. “I swear.”
“You’re a little too good at this romance thing.” She let out a breathless laugh, trying to lighten the intensity of the moment. As if sensing exactly what she was doing, Valerio gave her a small grin.
“It comes naturally with you.” He shifted on the chair so he was sitting up, but now his towel had ridden up, exposing his upper thigh.
That brought her a sense of satisfaction. Her hand rested on his upper thigh, testing the waters and enjoying when his muscles flexed under her hand.
“Are you sure you’ve never been with anyone else? Never touched anyone but me?” she asked him.
“Only you,” he said.
“Has anyone ever touched you?”
She felt bold enough to move her hand up, looking up at him. He swallowed harshly.
“No.”
She enjoyed that fact a little bit too much. It gave her a power she didn’t realize she could have, an edge on the fact she was his first everything, making her feel dizzy with need. She felt daring and bold.
So she asked, “Could I?”
“Oh, fuck,” he groaned out. “Only if you want to.”
“I want to,” she said, reaching for his towel and undoing it so he was exposed once again. Her eyes fell on his cock before going back to his eyes. He was completely naked, extended on the entire length of the pool chair.
Luna swallowed, already feeling the familiar heating in her core. She leaned over him, pressing her lips against his softly, but it seemed like soft and gentle weren’t in his vocabulary because his hand was tangled up in her hair, crushing her lips against his. She trailed her hand along his neck before tracing the skin of his chest. His skin lit up in goosebumps from her touch, his body immediately becoming in tune with it.
Luna pulled away slightly, placing a kiss against his jaw, then the skin of his neck, gradually making her way down. His breath hitched, letting her do whatever she wanted.
She left open-mouthed kisses along his chest, hoping that it would leave a mark on him like all the ones he left on her. She moved lower, now running her mouth over every ab that lined his stomach. He flexed when her lips moved closer to the hair that created a trail to his now obviously hard cock.
Luna looked up at him, a little grin on her face when she saw he was in pain from her teasing. “You’re going to kill me,” he groaned.
She had never touched a man before, but she had read enough books and seen enough videos to have a general idea of what to do. With that, Luna sat up, reaching her hand out to grasp him. He tensed when she wrapped it around his cock.
She needed two hands to cover the length of him, which left her feeling intimidated. There was no way he was going to fit inside her mouth. She tightened her hands, moving it up his shaft and then back down.
“Fuck,” he gasped. “Just like that, baby.”
She took that as her cue to lean down, using her tongue to lick his tip. The salty pre-cum touched her tongue and she didn’t hate the taste. She continued licking him, using his groans as an indication she was doing something right.
Then she took him into her mouth, only fitting a couple of inches, but it was enough to have him wrap his hand into her hair. She pulled back, taking in a deep breath. “Can you guide me?” she asked.
“Yes,” he said without hesitation. “Absolutely.”
Her mouth surrounded him again, but this time he lowered her head until his cock hit the back of her throat, forcing her to cough. He let up, forcing her to get some air before he did it again. She got the routine down quick, sucking when he pulled her head up and using her hand on the space her mouth couldn’t reach.
“Fuck, just like that. You’re such a good girl,” he praised.
Those words sent dopamine straight into her brain, encouraging her movements all the more. Her jaw was already becoming sore, but she forced herself to push through it for him. Every groan out of his lips, the tensing of his muscles, pushed her to send him over the edge—to watch the big bad mafia heir lose control.
He lifted his hips, thrusting into her mouth when she came back down. It pushed his cock deeper, nearly suffocating her. Saliva dripped out the sides of her mouth, tears slipped from her eyes, but he didn’t let up.
And she didn’t want him to.
Luna could tell that he enjoyed the way she choked on his cock—something about being able to own her mouth, knowing that he was the only one who would ever fuck it.
He pushed his cock deeper into her mouth, keeping her there as bead after bead of cum erupted out of him. Tears stung her eyes and her lungs burned from the lack of airflow.
“That’s it,” he moaned. “Take it all, my good girl.”
So, she did.
And finally, when he emptied himself, he pulled out. A mixture of spit and his cum dripped out of her mouth, creating a mess on his stomach and thighs.
Luna took in deep breaths, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Valerio grabbed the back of her head again, kissing her. Lack of air forced Luna to push away. He wiped the remaining tears from under her eyes.
“How was it?” she asked.
“Fucking perfect,” he told her. “Can you spend the night?”
“What time is it?”
He reached for her phone that sat beside them. “Almost three.”
Her eyes widened. “In the morning?”
“What? Do you have somewhere better to be?” he asked with a grin.
“Yeah, asleep.”
“Then let’s go,” he said, sitting up.
“Are you taking me home?”
“Do you want to go home?”
Luna nodded her head. “I didn’t intend on sleeping in a hotel room.”
“Fine,” he said with a huff. “Next time, you’ll be falling asleep beside me.”
And she was looking forward to it.
They got dressed, not bothering to fix themselves up before they were walking back to the car downstairs. Luna had dozed off during the drive and only woke up when they got to the apartment. He got out of the car and walked to the passenger side, helping her unclip the seat belt.
“We’re already here?” A loud yawn escaped her lips.
“Yes. Go back to sleep. I’ll carry you up.”
She shook her head, pushing him away. “I can walk.” Her feet touched the cold ground, only to be swept up when Valerio was carrying her once again.
“I thought we had an understanding earlier,” he told her, closing the door behind them.
Luna groaned. “I forgot about it.”
“Then I’ll add it into our contract,” he said. They made their way into the elevator. Luna’s eyes closed once again, only opening when she felt him start walking, this time to their door.
She took the key out of her purse, opening it for the two of them. When they made their way inside, he finally set her down. “Want me to tuck you in?” he asked.
She shook her head. “I think I can make it to my bed.”
He nodded. “I’ll see you on Monday.”
“Why Monday?” she asked.
“So I can drive you to school,” he told her. When he saw her opening her mouth to protest, he stopped her with a kiss. “Good night.”
She frowned but accepted it. “Good night.”
He turned to leave before stopping again. “I need to give you something before I leave.”
“What is it?” she asked, confused.
He reached into his pocket, taking out a small black box. He grabbed her hand, setting it in her grasp. Even in her drowsy state, she knew exactly what was inside of the box.
“Don’t think too much about it,” he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Good night.” He finally turned around, leaving the apartment and closing the door behind him. Luna stood there in shock, the door locking and his footsteps leaving.
She opened the box, her heart threatening to jump out of her chest when she saw the ring. Her engagement ring.
If the contract didn’t make everything feel official already, this certainly did.