36. Dario
36
Dario
“ W ould you like the pendant gift-wrapped, sir?” The petite brunette’s eyes slid down my chest as she asked the question. She’d been giving me heart-eyes ever since I walked in. Frankly, her behavior was highly unprofessional, but I’d ignored it until now.
“Yes, please. It’s for my girlfriend.” I threw the girl a bland smile as her shoulders drooped in disappointment. While she made a show of gift-wrapping my purchase, I wandered off to look at the watches.
Five minutes later, my gift box was ready. I whipped out the card I rarely used and paid. Blowing a ton of money on expensive jewelry wasn’t my thing, but Thea deserved this.
My dad’s lawyer had emailed me this morning to say he’d found a buyer for our family property. Once the sale went through, I’d be a million Euros richer. That money, as well as the funds Dad had apparently saved in a Swiss bank account in my name, ensured I wouldn’t need to work for a while.
I had planned to pick up some work from Declan. He’d made it clear I was welcome to join his business if I wanted. I had the sort of skills he paid well for. But after due consideration, I’d decided it wasn’t an option.
For better or worse, I needed to stay with Thea. I’d abandoned her once; I wasn’t about to make the same mistake twice.
She’d messaged me earlier asking where I was, but I hadn’t replied. After walking out of the store, I pulled my phone from my pocket to open up the messaging app, but soon got derailed by the notifications flooding in from X.
Scottish playboy proposes to sex tape star!
Landon Rothmore locks down lover!
I clicked on a link just as I strolled inside the hotel foyer. A selfie of Landon grinning with a wide-eyed Thea appeared. There were two rings on her finger, which made no sense. By the time I stepped out of the elevator and into the penthouse suite, I was still confused.
The guys lounged around on the sofas while the TV played in the background. I’d expected to walk into utter carnage, but everyone seemed suspiciously calm.
“Why is Thea engaged to the Scottish stronzo ?”
Cassian rolled his eyes.
“Because Kyril proposed first. Naturally, Landon had to go one better. He thinks that because it’s all over the internet, his proposal holds more weight.”
“He has a point,” I conceded. The bratva wouldn’t believe Thea was Kyril’s fiancée if her engagement to another man was public knowledge.
“If it’s not all over X, it never happened.” Landon grinned smugly.
“I fucking proposed first, so if you think that cancels me out, you’re deluded,” Kyril said, stabbing at his phone screen. It was obvious this argument would run for a while.
“Where’s Thea?”
“In her bedroom talking to Eden.” Milo looked exhausted. I wondered if he’d slept at all. Every time I saw him the poor bastard sat glued to a screen.
I slipped my shoes off and padded into her bedroom. The moment she spotted me, she exhaled with relief.
“Gotta go, Eden. Bye!”
“Is she OK?” The pink-haired girl irritated me, but I couldn’t deny how useful she’d been, thanks to her family connections. And the fact she’d killed Torrance elevated her in my esteem, too. Not many girls could have done what she did.
“Yes, she’s fine,” she snapped crossly. “Where have you been and why didn’t you reply to my message?”
She caught me looking at the two rings on her finger, and blushed.
“About those…” I cut her off.
“I already know, and it’s OK. I understand Kyril’s motivation. Landon’s still a dick, though.” She nodded in agreement. “I didn’t reply because I was busy buying this for you.” I pulled out the gift box and her eyes widened.
“Dar… my finger isn’t big enough for a third ring…”
“It’s not a ring.”
Did she look disappointed? It seemed that way. “ Bella , I’d marry you in a heartbeat, just like we planned all those years ago, but if the baby is Kyril’s, he needs to make you his wife or you’ll never be safe.”
“Not sure I’ll ever be safe while my father is out there still breathing, and also while Marku has his people hunting for me, but whatever.”
“We’ll deal with Marku. I promise. But first, I’d like you to have this.”
I passed her the box and watched as she carefully unwrapped the ribbons and paper to reveal a gold pendant of a butterfly, encrusted with diamonds and rubies, her birthstone.
“Dar, it’s beautiful!” Her eyes shone with tears.
“I bought you a similar one the night we were supposed to meet, but when… when we didn’t, I threw it away.” The shame of how I’d treated her spilled over again and I had to look away.
“Dar, it’s OK. That’s all in the past now.” Her hand reached out and stroked my cheek. But it didn’t matter how many times she said she’d forgiven me; I couldn’t forgive myself. However, this wasn’t about me.
“I know you loved butterflies when you were a kid, so this is a token of my love for you. I can’t marry you, obviously, but there won’t ever be anyone else. There never has been, Thea. Only you.”
“It’s beautiful.” Like her . I unclasped the pendant and hung it around her slender neck. The gold glowed against her skin; the delicate butterfly nestled in the deep valley between her breasts.
Why had I pushed her away for so long? It made no sense. She’d always been mine. If only I’d seen sense all those years ago, I could have had her all to myself. Adult me wanted to kick the ass of teenage me because now I had to share her with those idiots out there.
I sighed as she gazed up at me.
“Thank you,” she murmured in a husky voice. “Three gifts all in one day. I’m not sure how I feel about that. And it’s not even my birthday!”
“You deserve gifts every day, cara .”
“Just as well Cassian’s loaded then,” she joked.
“I’m not badly off. Whatever I have is yours.”
She waved her hand dismissively. “I don’t care about money as long as Ver is safe and we don’t have mob hitmen after us.”
“Once Marku has been taken care of, we can relax.”
“And Lucian? He’s still a threat. Especially now he knows Cassian has cut ties with him.” She frowned. “Cassian thinks Lucian is done for, but if he’s anything like my father, he’ll have backup plans in place. Hell, he’s probably already on his way to fucking Panama by now.”
“You might be right, but at least Cassian’s mother is safe. Without her as leverage, Lucian has far fewer options on the table. And now his reputation is trashed he’ll struggle to run his illegal businesses without attracting scrutiny. My guess is he’ll leave the country and set up somewhere without an extradition treaty, like Dubai. He probably has billions stashed away. The Gulf States are ideal for someone like him. He gets to rub shoulders with all the other criminals while living a life of luxury.” I tugged her closer. “But I don’t want to talk about Lucian right now.”
“That’s good, ‘cause I’m tired of talking.” She fell back onto the bed, pulling me with her. My lips found hers, and I groaned when she pressed her tongue into my mouth, teasing me with a promise of so much more.
It had been too long. Too few hours of her and me. I was desperate for her, the press of her soft breasts against my chest, her hot, tight little body wrapped around me.
She moaned when my hand found her breast. Her tits had grown and there was a soft curve to her belly. Teenage Thea had been leaner, but I found I liked this new, softer version. Her curves complimented my hard edges beautifully. Like she had been made for me.
I pushed her sweater up and latched onto her tit, sucking hard. Part of me wished it was my baby she carried, but it was OK. I’d love her baby as much as if it were my child. And protect him or her with my life.
“Please, Dar,” she moaned, arching her back as I switched my attention to her other breast while dipping my fingers inside her pants.
“What do you need, cara ?”
“I need you, Dar, inside me.”
“Soon,” I promised. I wanted to taste her first. Feel her come on my tongue.
Ignoring her protests, I slid down the bed, yanking off her pants. The thin scrap of silk she wore did nothing to hide her wet, swollen pussy from my heated gaze. She tried to close her legs, but I forced them apart.
“You can’t hide from me, cara .” Soft, sweet moans filled the room as I swiped my tongue down her slit, drinking her in like the finest wine. The pastries we’d bought early this morning lay untouched in the kitchen, but the only thing I was hungry for right now was Thea’s pussy.
She writhed against me, desperate for release. My cock pressed against my jeans. Hard and aching. I needed to be inside her, feel her squeeze me tight, find my release while she screamed with ecstasy.
Knowing the others could probably hear her moan added to my pleasure. I wanted them to hear her come, knowing it was me, not them. I was surprised none of them had burst in yet. Landon had no shame about butting in when someone else fucked Thea. The idiot seemed to find it amusing.
I almost hoped he did burst in because then he’d see how much she loved my touch. How much she wanted my cock.
“Fuck, Dar!” she cried, her whole body going rigid before she fell apart. I yanked my jeans’ zipper down to release my poor, aching cock, and pressed inside her. She was so damn tight.
“Yes, fuck me. I need you to fuck me!” Her legs clamped around my waist as I sat up, pulling her with me. It was uncomfortable with my jeans still on, but I was too desperate to have her to waste time removing them.
My fingers dug into her fleshy ass as she undulated on my lap, sliding up and down my cock. I was close. So close. Her mouth found mine, and as I buried myself in her, I finally lost control, thrusting hard and fast, chasing my pleasure.
The murmur of the television, the sound of planes flying overhead, and the distant rumble of thunder faded.
There was only her.
My love.
“ Ti amo ,” I groaned as I spilled inside her.