Chapter 23
CHAPTER
TWENTY-THREE
ALYONA
The warmth of the pool cradles me, my limbs splayed out like a starfish, as I float beneath the dusky Mediterranean sky.
Leo had to take a call a few hours ago, and he still hasn’t reappeared on deck.
I’m trying not to think about what it means, but deep inside I know—he’s getting closer to finding who is after me.
Our time floating in paradise is coming to an end.
The realization brings a dull ache to my chest. But what did I expect?
That I could spend all this time with him and not have those long-buried feelings roar to life again?
Silly me. There’s no such thing as casual sex where Leo is concerned.
We couldn’t keep it casual the first time, and it sure doesn’t feel very casual now. Which is a problem.
As the saying should go, break my heart once, shame on you. Break it twice, shame on me.
Wrapped up in my thoughts, it takes me a minute to catch Leo’s powerful figure standing at the edge of the pool, the setting sun casting a golden aura around him. As usual, the sight of him takes my breath away.
Lord help me, I’m a simp for this man.
“How’s the water?” Leo asks, toes curling over the edge.
I take a moment to drink him in. His short hair is disheveled, like he’s been constantly running his hands through it. “Perfect. Why don’t you come in and see for yourself.”
He rips off his clothes and dives into the water grazing my arm. “Leo,” I yelp, “You got me wet.” I laugh when I realize how stupid that sounds because yeah, I’m already wet. Now I’m just … wetter.
“I plan on getting you really, really wet tonight.” His arms encircle my waist, and my legs instinctively coil around his hips.
Our bodies fit so well together, like ivy winding around a tree trunk.
His breath warms my neck as his hands glide up my body.
I can’t help it. I lean into his touch, savoring the feeling of being wrapped up in his arms.
His hand reaches out and gently brushes away a droplet of water from my cheek. “What’s up, Aly-cat?”
“Seriously, haven’t we put that name to bed?” I tease. He chuckles, guiding me to the edge of the pool. With surprising ease, he lifts me onto the ledge, our eyes meeting at a rare level. “You tell me what’s up,” I say. “Seems like something’s on your mind.”
He heaves a sigh, using the heel of his hand to swipe his dripping hair back. “I’ve got a solid lead on whoever’s after you.”
“Oh.” I had anticipated this moment, but still, the revelation hits me like a lead anchor, directly in the chest.
“The situation’s about to get more dangerous.
” The crease between his brows deepens, as he reaches out to cradle my face, his fingertips delicately grazing my skin.
“I promise you, butterfly, I will keep you safe no matter what. I won’t rest until I find the pizda who’s been tormenting you.
They will pay for every sleepless night, every moment of fear they’ve caused you. ”
My breath catches in my throat while I fight to keep a neutral expression.
“Aly, say something. Talk to me, baby.” He swallows hard, the quiet intensity of his voice speaking louder than any of his words.
“I’m fine,” I assure him, swallowing down the knot of emotion forming in my throat. “It’s a lot to take in, but I’m fine.”
Still cradling my face, he leans in and kisses me so tenderly, with so much emotion biting at the edges, it’s clear that I’m not the only one falling here.
We’re both standing on the edge of a cliff, one we’ve tumbled down before, and we need to back the fuck up before we make the same mistakes again.
Leaning away from his touch, I break contact, needing space to think clearly. “Who is it? Who is after me?”
He drops his hands and lowers his body back into the pool. “I don’t know for sure, but it seems a Croatian arms dealer named Marko Horvat is involved.”
“Do you think this is about Yulian? Or my connection to the bratva?”
A shadow crosses his face, like he’s spent a long time considering that possibility.
“Anything is possible. It’ll make a hell of a lot more sense soon.
Tomorrow we head to Croatia so I can question Horvat …
we’ll part ways there.” The lines of his face are etched with grim unhappiness as he looks towards the dusky horizon.
My throat tightens. This is it for us. It’s what I wanted, but also not what I wanted at all. Because now that I’m faced with our end, it hurts more than I’d imagined. The possibility of a future has finally eclipsed the hurt of the past, but …
No, I can’t allow myself to think of another way. We made a deal, and it’s not like Leo has ever questioned our end date. In fact, this is probably what he wants.
I take a deep breath, steeling myself for whatever comes next. “If tonight is our last night together, let’s make it count,” I murmur. Slipping back into the pool, I swim towards him.
His lips form a faint, melancholic smile. “Funny you should say that. I gave the crew the night off.”
“You did?”
“I did.”
I lose my bikini top, flinging it out of the pool, followed by the bottoms. I dance around him in the water, loving the way his eyes track my movements like a predator waiting for the right time to pounce.
“Fuck, butterfly, I don’t know where to start with you,” he rasps.
My core clenches as he bridges the distance between us.
His hand disappears beneath the water to gently part my thighs, running a finger between my folds.
His eyes, a sexy smolder. “This fucking pussy,” he says, and his breath grazes over my ear, sending a shiver down my spine.
“How am I ever going to live without it?”
I don’t answer because what is there to say? Instead, I weave my fingers through his hair, pulling him towards me, desperate to hold onto this moment a little longer. I want to get lost in him, in the here and now, and ignore what comes next.
"Take me to our room," I say. Despite the storm brewing inside of me, my voice is steady. I need tonight to mean something. I need him to take me fully so there's no doubt I'm his, even if we can't be together.
With a nod, he hauls himself out of the pool, water sluicing off his muscular body.
Reaching down, he scoops me up in his arms. My body feels cool from the night air against his warm, wet skin.
He kicks the door to our stateroom open with his foot and sets me down carefully on the plush bed. But I have other ideas.
"Lie back on the bed," I say, taking charge. "Hands behind your head, no touching."
Surprise flickers in his eyes, quickly replaced by hot anticipation. He does as I say, lying back, his impressive cock already standing tall, daring me to take control. I scramble to my knees beside him, giving him a show. Jutting out my breasts, my nipples stand at attention.
The smoldering look he gives me makes my skin hum with desire. I feel confident and bold—not the virgin I once was—but his equal.
Tracing my way down his hard body, my tongue softly paves a path from his chest, down his chiseled abs, until I reach my destination.
His dick stands at attention for me, and I give it a gentle kiss, admiring the glint of his cock piercing, before wrapping my hand around his balls.
His eyes slip closed, and he grunts his pleasure as I lightly tug and cup them in my palm.
“Are you still trying to kill me?” he chokes out, as I continue to gently knead him, mesmerized at the way his dick hardens from me playing with his balls alone.
“Nah,” I whisper. “Gave that up a while ago. It was clear you weren’t going down that easily.” I grin up at him, remembering the day I woke up angry and confused on the yacht. It feels like a lifetime ago.
My hand sweeps upwards, and I palm his thick length as he groans like he might be in pain.
As I slowly jerk him, a single bead of moisture clings to the head like a diamond beckoning me forward.
My tongue flickers tentatively over the tip before taking his crown into my mouth, circling the piercing with my tongue.
It must feel pretty damn good judging by the way he throws his head back and the muscles in his chest ripple with strain.
This is the power I craved, the ability to make him squirm in pleasure.
“Don’t play with me, butterfly. I don’t have that much control right now, and the sight of you on your knees for me is too much, too fucking hot.” To drive his point home, he arches his back, pushing his hips up so I am forced to take him deeper.
He continues to rock his hips, slipping his shaft deeper between my lips until I feel his piercing hit the back of my throat.
My eyes widen at the intrusion, but I’m hungry for him, so I force my throat to relax around his girth, dragging in breaths through my nose.
I swallow, my throat muscles hugging him before I pull back, and run my lips down the side of his hard cock.
He’s losing control; I feel it in the way his body trembles with need. All for me. It’s a huge turn-on, and my body reacts in kind, slickness dripping down my legs. All I can do is press my thighs together, desperate for relief.
“Such an eager mouth,” he rasps. “But that pussy is dripping for me—I can smell you from here. Let me give you some relief. I know you’re dying for it.”
I am absolutely dying for it. As if he can sense my weakness, he lifts me up, turning me around so my pussy is above his face and his hard length is bobbing in front of my mouth.
“What are you doing?” I cry, but a response isn’t necessary. Not when his fingers are already spreading me wide, opening me so he can drink his fill.