27. Kaz
“Cansomeone explain what the hell just happened?” Ermanno’s voice booms, silencing the room.
I’m just as unhappy about this situation as he is. The charity ball was supposed to be secure, unless Ermanno is involved in some business that Mattia is unaware of. We had strict security measures, with guards at every entrance and exit. This event was invitation-only.
“It might have been the Russians,” Ermanno’s consigliere suggests.
No, it wasn’t the Russians. I’m standing here, surprised by the attack, just like Ermanno. The plan was to destroy Ermanno’s empire from the inside, step by step, brick by brick. But sometimes, I wonder if it would be easier to put a bullet in his head right now. I’ll handle Mattia, my uncle, and Vanya. Dragging this out for so long seems pointless. Dead is dead, and he won’t care about his legacy from the depths of hell.
“Why would the Russians target us? We have no business with them,” I interject, observing their reactions.
“Mattia is right,” Ermanno responds too quickly, fidgeting with his hands. “They have no reason to go after us.”
They do have a reason. It started with an affair gone wrong. My muscles tense, and it takes every ounce of self-control to stand in the same room as my father’s killer and do nothing about it. I have met with him before, just the two of us. I can handle this, but my mind is elsewhere. Seeing Fiona earlier fucked me up in a way I wasn’t expecting, and now I can’t think of anything other than Caelia. Ermanno’s problems are not my concern. There may be a traitor among his ranks, someone who allowed unauthorized access.
The only reason I’m interested in finding the culprit is because they put Caelia’s life in danger, and I have no fucking clue where she is. Domenico knows what to do in situations like this. That’s my only consolation.
“Look into this,” Ermanno commands, his words directed at no one. “And make sure no one outside this room is given any information about what happened.”
I will investigate this, but not tonight—not personally, anyway. I need to find Caelia and ensure her safety. The men exit the room, leaving only Ermanno and me. This could be the perfect opportunity to kill him, but it’s too soon.
“First the shipments, and now this.”
“Why does Tommaso believe it’s the Russians?”
“He doesn’t know what the fuck he’s talking about.”
I’m not where I am because people can sell me lies. But Ermanno won’t share any information about this with Mattia. I will have to uncover the truth on my own. There are so many secrets and lies. It’s fucking exhausting.
“Do you need anything else, father?” I inquire, biting my tongue until it draws blood.
“No, son. We’ll meet tomorrow. Are you all right?”
Ermanno studies my disheveled appearance. Whoever was responsible did a lousy job. The bullet barely grazed my arm. I nod and leave his office. The dead bodies have been removed, but the bloodstains remain on the floor. All the guests have departed, leaving behind a press nightmare. I don’t see anyone around. Thankfully, my car is parked at the back, and the keys are in the driver’s seat. I leave behind the mess of this evening, calling Domenico. He doesn’t answer. I clench the steering wheel, thinking of the consequences of what I’m about to do. My mind isn’t clear enough to consider all the angles as my father would expect, but I call Dmitri and request that he looks into this. I want no stone left unturned.
I’m not heading to the mansion. I gave Domenico specific instructions if anything like this ever happened. In case of a threat against the Benedetti family, he will take Caelia to my penthouse. It”s a place no one knows about, and we’re the only two people who have access to it.
“Where the fuck is she?” I demand as the elevator doors open, not waiting to catch sight of him first. He emerges from the kitchen, holding a cup. “And where is your phone? I called you.”
“She’s safe. And my battery died,” he responds.
“Is this your first day on the job, Domenico? For fuck’s sake,” I mutter.
“Sir, wait,” he says, stopping me as I head toward the stairs.
“What now?”
He looks uncomfortable as he stares at me for a moment.
“You might want to know that she was worried about you. She wanted to go back inside and find you.”
Something shifted between us on the dance floor. I felt it deep in my soul—how she looked at me, surrendering herself in my arms yet still resisting. She’s in denial. I’m in denial. I’m unsure how long we can continue this dance before confronting the truth. I know she wants to leave. She’s working on it. And I know her well enough to understand that she is determined. She will find a way to escape me if I don’t reveal the truth soon enough. Domenico deems this information necessary enough to share. It doesn’t matter if she was willing to risk her life to find me; if she intends to leave me in the end, it’s irrelevant.
I find Caelia sleeping in the middle of the bed, still dressed in her evening gown. She lies on her stomach with one leg bent and her hands tucked under the pillow. I undress slowly, aware of how much she hates it when I fuck her with my clothes on. Oh, and I’m going to fuck her. I’m going to own her pussy for the rest of my life. I step on the bed between her legs, sneaking my hands under her dress. Her body is soft and inviting; her curves mold into my hands. Removing her hair, I place a kiss on her shoulder blades as I draw small circles on her clit with my thumb. Even in her sleep, her body reacts to my touch. I wait until her body provides me with all the lube I need. I stroke my cock a couple of times and thrust inside her in one swift motion that sends her body deeper into the mattress. Leaning on my elbows, I slide in and out of her, my lips finding her neck.
I never knew what addiction felt like until I met her. There’s no rehab for this. I’ll carry this feeling with me to the grave.
She stirs as I palm her breast.
“Don’t be afraid, Wildfire. It’s only me,” I say, realizing that she might panic given her past experiences.
“Mattia?”
“Don’t say my name,” I beg her. “Not tonight.”
It might sound weird to her, but she doesn’t ask why. And like the good girl she is, she spreads her legs wider, allowing me to fuck her deeper. She clings to my arms, arching her back. I remove the sleeves of her dress, focusing on kissing her rather than thrusting my hips. She frees her arms, tilting her head. My hand finds its way to her throat, gently resting there, craving the sensation of her racing pulse. I’m going to fuck her so hard that she will forget Mattia’s name. But not tonight. I can’t. Tonight all I can do is take it slow, feeling her pussy stretching around my cock, bathing in every sound she makes, and marking her skin with my tongue. I need to see her. To feel her closer. I slip out of her, turning her on her back. There’s not much light in the room, but I feel her staring at me. I’m the fool. She owns me, not the other way around. I undress her further before positioning myself on top, claiming her mouth as I enter her again. She moans into my mouth, her nails digging into my back.
We’ve done this before. I’ve done this. She did this, although unwillingly. And tonight, for the first time in my life, I allow myself to lose myself entirely in someone else. She cups my face in her delicate hands, forcing me to look at her. Not that I could look anywhere else. She wants to say something but changes her mind. Instead, she takes a deep breath and kisses me again. Her legs wrap around my waist, keeping me close. I barely move as she clings to me, her body melding perfectly with mine. I lose track of time and everything else happening outside this bedroom. As I grip her waist and roll onto my back, placing her on top of me, all I can see and think about is her.
Caelia places her hands on my chest, moving her hips slowly. I fist her hair, bringing her mouth back to mine. I know she can be much louder than she is tonight, just as I can be rougher. She takes what she needs from me, and I willingly give it. My hands explore every inch of her body as she moves at a leisurely pace, my cock throbbing deep within her. She kisses me as she comes. She continues kissing me long after that. My release leaves me utterly spent.
But I can”t let go of her from my arms.