THE SECOND DATE
I stood in front of my full-length mirror as I stared at my reflection. The fitted red dress hugged my curves. I had gained a few pounds since the day I was found. For the first time since I’ve been back, I felt beautiful and desired. My mind wandered to what transpired in the piano room with Nico.
Why did I give into temptation by letting Nico finger fuck me? Because the moment we started playing music together, all common sense was thrown out the damn window.
But for a moment, Nico wasn’t the scary mafia boss. He was just…my Nico. I blamed the damn piano for making me lose control. But I had to continue being on task of being unpredictable with him to throw him off my plan.
A slight curve formed on my lips as I recalled the gift Nico presented me with earlier. Little did he know that I would be the conductor of our game.
BEFORE
The hot steam filled the bathroom as I stepped out of the shower, water dripping from my body, and I swiftly wrapped myself in the soft towel.
Just as I was about to dry my hair, the door creaked open, and my heart skipped a beat.
With a mischievous glint in his eyes, Nico stood there, unapologetic and sexy.
Damn him.
My gaze narrowed. “Seriously? Ever heard of knocking?”
He leaned against the doorframe, a picture of nonchalance. “Knocking is for guests. You are not a guest. Plus, this is my house.” His eyes zoomed in on my bare legs, a deliberate assessment that made my skin prickle.
I rolled my eyes, determined not to let him see I was minutes away from losing control. Again.
He tilted his head to the side, watching me. “I have a gift for you,” he said as he sauntered in.
My curiosity was piqued.
Nico’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “It’s not only for my benefit but for yours as well.” He smirked.
I raised an eyebrow. The sexual tension between us was ridiculous. My body responded to his presence alone; dampness formed between my legs, and not from the shower.
He advanced, his gaze intense, and my breath quickened. “Remove the towel,” he demanded. “I want you to bend over.”
I retreated a step. “Excuse me?”
“Remove the towel and bend your ass over.” His command intensified, a hint of possessiveness creeping into his voice. “You let me fuck you with my dick and my fingers, but you won’t bend over for me?”
“That was a mistake. One that will not be happening again.”
Lies. All lies. I wanted another night with him. His touch and kisses had helped wash away the memory of Ceaser’s hands on my body.
His nostrils flared, and his eyes narrowed. I stood my ground. He grabbed me by the neck in a blink, his grip firm yet controlled.
He pulled my face closer to his and whispered against my lips, “Are you telling me you didn’t like the way my cock felt inside you? The way you came and screamed my name said otherwise.”
“No,” I seethed.
Another lie.
A dangerous smile played on his full lips. “I’m not buying that. Now turn the fuck around, or I’ll make you.”
I leaned in and licked his lips. “I dare you.”
He spun me around and ripped the towel off my body. “Bend over,” he muttered, his hand traveling down my back.
And what did I do? My dumb ass bent over for him like a good little whore.
“Fuck, look at that ass.” His hands roamed freely, squeezing my butt cheeks. He ran his finger down my butthole, and I tensed.
“You are not sticking your dick in my ass!” I snapped, glaring at him over my shoulder.
“Not tonight, but I'll have you begging for it one day. But that day is not today.”
I scoffed. “I don’t think so. It’s my ass, and I say what I want to do with it.”
Without warning, his hand connected with my skin, a stinging slap that made me groan.
His dark chuckle made me want to smack him.
“I need you to relax,” he coaxed while rubbing my ass again and soothing the sting.
I relaxed, only to feel his long, thick skilled fingers slowly tease my core until he slipped a finger all the way in... but then a strange sensation filled me.
“What are you ? —?”
“Shh.” He kissed my right butt cheek. “I’m in control.” His lips moved over to the other cheek.
“Control of what?” I asked breathlessly while his fingers worked their magic.
“You.” His warm lips grazed my spine and he gently helped me rise to my full height.
I spun around, my naked body on full display, meeting his intense gaze.
“What did you put inside me?” I started to wiggle uncomfortably.
With a mischievous grin, he lifted a remote and pressed a button. I jerked in surprise.
“Oh, my god,” I groaned in pleasure.
“A vibrator. Like I said, I love control, and controlling you is one of my favorite hobbies.”
“Wait a minute,” I said as he approached the door. “You can’t be serious.”
“Oh, but I am. I’m doing it because I need you to trust me again.”
“By forcing me?”
Pausing at the door, he turned, his expression serious. “No. To trust that I can make you feel good again. And that only I will ever make you feel good. See you downstairs.” With a final wink, he exited the bathroom.
When I heard the door shut, my pussy vibrated, making me cry out. As fast as it started, it stopped.
“Gigi, are you even listening?” Tabi’s voice broke through the haze of my thoughts. I glanced at her in the mirror. She sat perched on the edge of my bed, concern etched on her face.
“No, I wasn’t,” I replied, my gaze still locked on the glass. I hadn’t felt the vibrator since Nico left the bathroom an hour ago and hoped he wouldn’t use it while I was with my friends.
“You look stunning, Gigi,” Mya chimed in from the other side of the room.
“Thanks,” I managed, a weary smile barely lifting the corners of my mouth.
“What’s wrong?” Tabi pressed.
“Everything,” I sighed, finally tearing my gaze away from my reflection. I turned to face my friends. “What am I doing? Am I crazy for doing this? I can’t just forget what happened.”
Tabi crossed the room to my side, her eyes softening.
“No, you’re not crazy.” She paused, her voice thick with emotion when she spoke again.
“But Nico was so broken without you. The guilt was killing him. And this isn’t me saying that it makes up for what happened, but maybe it’s a start toward healing. To move forward.”
“You don’t have to forgive him right away or at all, Gigi,” Mya said. She stepped closer and gently pulled my hair over my shoulder. “And you don’t have to go out with him tonight. The keys are in your hand. You’re in control of the car. He’s just along for the ride.”
I sighed deeply, my gaze drifting to the window. The sun hung low in the sky, casting a soft glow, while the snow slowly melted outside. Spring would soon be here, but it still felt so far away.
“Even after everything he’s done,” I murmured. “I still love him.” My heart ached as I turned to my friends, tears pooling in my eyes. “He’s my Nico.”
My darkness. My devil. My own personal hell.
Tabi and Mya both smiled with tenderness and understanding.
Nico had always had this hold over me. Even after he betrayed me, I still wanted him.
My soul ached for him, not caring about the demons he bore inside.
I wanted to be tainted by him, to be cherished by him, to be loved by him, even if it meant I’d spend eternity in hell.
It didn’t matter as long as I was with him.
“Your light overshadows his darkness,” Mya said. “You are both drawn to one another, no matter how much you fight against it. Did he fuck up? Absolutely. But?—”
“But what?” I asked.
She smiled warmly. “I’ve never seen Nico so unhinged. Not even after what his father did. That has to mean something, right?”
Did it? Uncertainty gnawed at my insides.
“He would burn the world for you, Gigi,” Tabi said, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “And honestly? I think that’s hot as hell.”
I chuckled softly at Tabi’s attempt to lighten the mood.
“He’s not like other men,” Mya added.
A light chuckle escapes my lips. “No, he’s not,” I agreed, shaking my head.
“What are you afraid of?” Tabi asked, her eyes searching mine. “Mya’s right. You’re the driver here. You can always hit the brakes and leave. No one is stopping you.”
I took a deep breath, glancing at the angel clock on the wall. “I’m afraid of giving him my heart again.”
“That’s not a bad thing, Gigi,” Tabi replied. “It just means you’re on the path to forgiving him.”
“Thank you,” I said. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”
“Probably planning Nico’s death,” Mya teased, but her expression then turned serious. “You know it’s okay to love him and hate him at the same time.”
I know , I thought. Nico’s love for me complicated everything.
“Love is messy,” Tabi said. “But what you and Nico have? Whoo.” She fanned herself with a dramatic flair. “It’s darker than Romeo and Juliet.”
Mya and I both laughed but stopped when there was a knock at the door.
“Who is it?” Mya shouted.
“It’s Miguel. Nico is requesting Gigi’s presence.”
“Tell Nico you can’t rush perfection!” Mya said.
Miguel chuckled. “Alright.”
His footsteps retreated, and Tabi pulled me into a quick hug. “Make him grovel.” When she pulled back, she said with a beaming smile, “Call us if he pisses you off. We’ll have a getaway car ready just in case,” Mya added with a wink.
After putting on the final touches, I grabbed my purse, feeling a rush of excitement, and walked to the door right when there was another knock.
I swung the door open and smiled brightly at seeing Valarie looking better than the last time I’d seen her.
“What are you doing here?” I asked excitedly, pulling her in for a hug that felt like home.
“I wanted to see you off before your big date,” she said, stepping back and rubbing her hands up and down my arms, a gesture of comfort that Mom used to do.
“How did you—” I started to ask, but she cut me off with a playful grin.
“Mya called me.”
Of course she had.
She spread my arms wide, her eyes sparkling as they roamed over my dress. “Gigi, you look absolutely stunning. Like an avenging angel.”
“Thank you,” I replied as she released my arms.