15. Theá
Chapter fifteen
Theá
I jump so high I’m surprised my skin isn’t left in a pile on Antonio’s bed. The purple item falls from my hands and rolls to the centre of the room, condoms scattering around it.
Antonio stands in the doorway, observing me. He’s wearing a crisp white shirt that’s unbuttoned enough to reveal a gold chain, with the sleeves rolled up to just below his elbows. His forearms bulge as he crosses them over his chest.
“You’re back,” I say, staring at him wide-eyed.
“And you’re snooping.”
I swallow as he walks closer. He picks the purple thing up as he moves to finally stand before me.
“Were you looking for something in particular, tesoro ?”
There’s that stupid nickname again; it sounds equal parts enduring and condescending.
I shake my head, and a frown forms on his features instantly.
“Use your words.”
Dear God.
“N-no.”
“Are you sure? Because if you’re spying on behalf of your daddy, I’ll put you on the first flight back.” He grips my wrist, and I flinch at the sudden contact.
“Yes, I’m sure. You’re not interesting enough to spy on, anyway.” I try to struggle out of his grip, but there’s no point.
“Hmm, but something must’ve interested you enough for you to want to go through my things.”
“What is that?” I ask, looking down at the object. My curiosity and the heat of his touch is becoming too much for me.
His eyes widen in surprise. He probably wasn’t expecting me to switch back to the purple object in his hand.
“This?” He holds it up in between our faces.
“Yes.”
His tongue darts out and swipes along his bottom lip before his eyes shift up to the ceiling. Whatever demons he’s battling in his head seem to be winning just by the way he sighs.
“What do you think it is, Theresa?” He switches back to my full name.
It’s my turn to falter as his gaze sinks into mine. I want to cave at the intense way he stares at me. It’s like he’s peering into my soul, ready to snatch it away.
“Well,” I start and drop my gaze to the floor, “I’m assuming something you use during sex, purely based on the number of condoms scattered around us right now.” I meet his eyes once again.
They have an air of mischief to them now. A little glint of humour, too.
“Your dirty little romance books never mentioned a vibrator?” He raises a brow. My mouth falls open and my eyes drop to the sex toy between us.
“Oh,” I say, struggling to find the words. “I didn’t think it would look like this.”
“They come in a lot of different sizes and shapes,” he says casually, as if talking about chairs or some other random household item. “This one is a more…realistic option.”
I nod absent-mindedly as I observe not only the shape of the object, but also the size. “How does it work?”
“No. We’re not doing that,” he says so quickly that I nearly jump.
In an instant, he’s bending down to gather the condoms. “I just came back to get my phone charger; I have to get back to work.”
“What? Why not? You were all but threatening me this morning that I belong to you, and now when I ask you to show me how a sex toy works, you’re running away,” I fire back, partially embarrassed, but more so annoyed at the sting of rejection his words carried.
He’s back in front of me a split second later, towering over me, forcing me to look up at him. He’s so close I can feel his body heat radiating off of him through the thin, flimsy fabric of this stupid chemise.
“I’m not running away; it’s a stupid sex toy, you can Google how it works. I’m surprised you haven’t done that before, anyway. If I show you, it’s going to be an interactive lesson, and I don’t think you’re ready for that yet.”
“Try me.” I stick my chin up higher, and he pokes the inside of his cheek with his tongue.
“Don’t provoke me, tesoro . You’ll regret it.”
“I think you’re just scared.” I poke his chest just below where the shirt falls open. “After all, it’s just a stupid sex toy.”
A loud vibration fills the air, and not even a second later, I can feel it against the skin of my thigh. I fight the urge to gasp at the strange sensation.
“Do you know what happens when you poke a bear too many times, tesoro ?” he whispers next to my ear as he places a firm hand on my waist.
“You get honey?” I say, a grin spreading onto my lips as I meet his eyes.
“They bite,” he corrects me. He trails the vibrator from my outer thigh to my inner, and suddenly, the sensations heighten due to the sensitivity of the area.
“And because you poked too many times when you start begging me to fuck you,” he says, dragging it higher and higher, inching closer to my core, “I won’t be listening.”
The next thing I know I’m slumping forward as the vibrator makes contact with my clit through my panties. My hands grip his arms, nails digging into his biceps as the vibrations rip through me.
“This, tesoro , is how a vibrator works. Can I stop our lesson now? Or would you like to learn more?” he asks.
I press my forehead into his shoulder as I try to make sense of what he just said while also experiencing–what I can only explain as sheer euphoria–for the first time.
“Guess that’s the end of the lesson,” he says, pulling it back. I reach and grab his arm, trying to return the vibrator to its previous spot, but he strains against my grip.
“No,” I cry out.
“No? Then answer me when I ask you a question.”
“More…please.”
“See, that wasn’t that hard now, was it?” He returns it, and I nearly cry out as it makes contact with my clit again.
“So, back to our lesson,” he says casually, his hand around my waist still holding me up despite my legs feeling like mush. “It has a few different settings, too, depending on what you like. I think we should find out what you like, shouldn’t we, tesoro ?”
I nod eagerly as I look up at him with pleading eyes, but his expression is completely apathetic, as if he isn’t making a scene out of my romance books come to life.
The vibrations increase in speed, and a strangled moan leaves my lips. I drop my head to his shoulder again, grinding against the purple toy.
“Hmm, clearly you like this setting. How about one higher?”
“F-fuck, Antonio. I like that one.”
“I can tell. You’re soaking my hand through your underwear,” he says, and it sounds condescending, but also almost needy. I don’t even have time to process the embarrassment I know I should be feeling because the next thing I know, the vibrations cut to a slow, torturous pace. One that cuts my orgasm seconds before it is about to crash through me.
“Why?” I whine out.
“Oops, another setting. Clearly, you don’t like this one—but I think I do,” he says. My eyes flash to his face where a devilish smirk is plastered.
“Antonio, I need more.”
“Huh? More? More what?”
“Fuck, more anything, I was so close,” I cry, tears prickling in my eyes as desperation claws at my throat.
“If you want it so badly, then beg for it, tesoro .”
I frown, my mouth agape as I contemplate my next move. Begging is far beyond me, far beyond any level I would ever stoop to for a man, but my God, the euphoria I felt for that split second could make it all worth it.
The hand that was previously wrapped around my waist reaches down and pulls my underwear to the side, allowing the vibrator to finally meet my naked skin, but with its current pace, it does nothing more than increase my desperation.
“Please, Antonio. Please let me come.” I grab onto his shoulders and meet his eyes.
I watch as all the light leaves those pretty green balls and is replaced with the darkest gaze I’ve ever seen. It feels primal and animalistic. I almost wonder if he’s going to torture me forever, but then the vibrations kick up, and I’m left whimpering into his chest.
“You sound so pretty when you’re a whimpering mess, and even prettier when you beg. Come for me, tesoro.”
I’m so close, that earlier feeling of pure bliss slowly pulsing through my veins, and his words just add to the euphoric feeling. But I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t offer just the slightest bit of sass back.
“Say please,” I say against his neck as I suck down on the skin gently. I’m worried he may strip my pleasure away from me entirely, but he surprises me as his next works leave his lips in a whisper.
“Please come for me, Theá.”
That’s when every ounce of pleasure that has built up suddenly comes crashing over me in a warm wave. Antonio Vitale surrounds me at that moment, not only physically, but his clean scent of lavender and jasmine invades my senses, completely overthrowing my common sense.
“You always listen so well, pretty girl.” he praises me as he rubs small circles into my waist, allowing me to return back to the land of the living.
“I have to go,” he says after a few minutes.
“What?” I raise my head.
“I just came back to get my charger, not to give you a sex-ed lesson.” He smirks as he slowly lowers me until I’m sitting on the bed.
“I’ll be back in a few hours.” He kisses the top of my head. “You may want to take it easy until then.”
He walks to the door before stopping and turning to face me. “Theresa?” I look up and meet his eyes. “If I find you snooping again, I promise I won’t be as gentle.” Then he walks out.
Gentle? That was gentle ? My legs feel like jelly, and I wonder if I’ll even be able to stand after this.
If this was gentle, what would his rough look like? I bite my lip at the thought and flop back on his bed.
The shrill ring of my phone cuts through the air, and I’m ripped from my little euphoric bubble.
“ Bonjour, mon frère ,” I answer the call.
“ Bonjour ? I haven’t heard you speak French in years, are you okay?” Pierre asks.
“Peachy, how are you doing?”
“Peachy? Theá, does Antonio have a gun to your head right now? Say Mom’s name if he does.”
“Don’t you dare bring her into this. But no, he doesn't. I just woke up in a really good mood.” I lay down again and stared up at the ceiling.
“Did you guys…you know?”
“Fuck, Pierre, I don’t ask you about your sex life,” I say, bile suddenly rushing up my throat. The moment in Antonio’s room is finally ruined, so I decide now is the best time to make my exit.
“That sounds more like you, Theá. God, I was starting to worry.” He sighs.
“I hope you’ve been working on what we discussed,” I say, hoping he’ll know what I’m referring to since I can’t be too sure that no one is listening to us. “I overheard Antonio and his cousin discussing something this morning, and it looks like they’re up to something, too.”
“Unsurprising, even Father is counting on him to pull some stunt to get out. And we will, too.”
“What?” I stop as I reach my door.
“I can’t tell you too much right now, Theá, for your safety, but just know I am working on it. You just have to be ready to go at any second, so don’t get too comfortable.”
Comfortable.
“Of course not. But it has to be all of us, Pierre, not just me. I can’t do this if Noelle has to stay with him when I’m gone.”
“I know, Theá. I’ve got her covered, don’t worry. Just be ready,” he reiterates.
“I am.” It’s not a lie. I’ve never been more ready for anything in my life. I’ve wanted out from the day I could understand what was going on. And Antonio is going to be the perfect distraction to help me do it.