25. Tuomo
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Tuomo
S he is fighting and kicking underneath me. I squeeze my knees together trying to give her less movement. Desperate to calm her down. The blankets are knotted over her, and she is only making it worse for herself. She screams again against my hand, and I am forced to push harder over her mouth. This is turning me on. I could rip her panties off and thrust into her right now. She doesn’t stand a chance against me. I close my eyes for a second, not letting her go.
“Stop.” I growl, not wanting to lose control of myself and hurt her. She knew I was outside, she knew I was here. Why the fuck is she acting so terrified? She kicks again and scratches her nails across my arm.
“Nerissa, stop.” I say with threat in my voice.
Finally, she freezes, she stops kicking. In fact, she stops moving all together.
In the heavy silence that falls over the room I can feel her pulse beating fast against my hand. Her body is shaking beneath me.
“It’s me, for crying out loud.” I sigh heavily. “I’m going to take my hand off your mouth now. Are you going to keep quiet?” she nods, her eyes locked onto me.
I lift my hand. Even in the dark I can see the red outline of where my fingers were locked onto her face.
She doesn’t move, and she doesn’t make a sound.
I sit up, still kneeling over her, but not needing to use the weight of my body to keep her quiet anymore. Her breathing is still heavy and sharp. Each breath she takes is loud, breaking the silence.
“Are you ok?” I ask after giving her a moment.
She nods.
I climb off her, even though I don’t want to. I take a seat in the armchair again, rubbing my hands over my face.
“I thought you knew I was here.” I sigh.
She sits up, scrambling back against the headboard and pulling the blankets up over herself to hide her legs. I wish she hadn’t. I could pull the blanket away, but I won’t. I need to give her a moment.
“I - I saw you outside.” She mutters.
“I’m going to make you some tea.” I say, standing up, moving so I don’t startle her again.
She leans over and flicks on the row of fairy lights that are hanging across the corner of her room. Soft warm light fills the space, and it soothes away some of the tension.
“I’m sorry.” I say, running my hand through my hair. “I didn’t mean to give you a fright.”
“It’s ok.” She says, not looking at me. She is busy trying to straighten the knotted blanket.
I pull two mugs out of her kitchen cupboard and filled the kettle, turning it on.
Then I watch her while I wait for it to boil.
She’s up now, remaking her bed, hurrying as though she has tension she needs to shake off. She bends over to pull the blankets straight and the t-shirt slips up over her ass. I snarl. She is teasing me. She is doing that on purpose.
But I can see that’s not true. She’s too stressed to be thinking about that right now.
She sits back down on the bed and crosses her legs, placing a pillow on her lap as though it will comfort her. A shield between me and her body.
The pillow wouldn’t help anything if I decided not to behave. But if it makes her feel better it really doesn’t matter.
The kettle clicks and I put hot water over the tea bags, watching them bleed ochre, red into the water like a strange dance.
I splash a little milk into each mug and a spoon of sugar, then carry them both back to the armchair, sitting down. She takes the mug from me and sips it, testing the heat.
“Are you sure you’re ok?” I ask, wondering if I hurt her.
“I’m alright.” She says, touching her fingertips against her lips.
I grab her jaw and turn her face towards me. The red mark is still there. A tinge of guilt and a surge of lust hits me at the same time. I love to see my mark on her. But I don’t want to cause her pain she doesn’t enjoy.
I lean back in the chair.
“Why were you watching me?” She asks, her eyes piercing into me.
“Because I needed to make sure you were ok. I haven’t heard from you today.”
“You could have messaged me.”
“Why didn’t you do anything when you saw me outside your window?” I turn the question back onto her.
She bites her lips and sighs. “I - I don’t know.”
“Hayley was here earlier. What did you guys talk about?”
“Life. Work. Things I’m worried about.” She shrugs.
“What are you worried about, Nerissa?”
She takes another sip of tea and then puts the mug down on her bedside table.
“Everything.” She huffs, throwing her hands in the air.
I shake my head. “Didn’t I tell you that as long as you are with me there is nothing, I won’t do for you?”
“And I told you I don’t believe in fairytales.” She pulls her mouth to the side.
A chuckle falls from my lips. “Sweet girl, this isn’t a fairytale. I am very real, and I am sitting right here - and I will do anything for you.”
She squints at me, and I can see her thoughts fluttering across her eyes. She wants to believe me, but something is holding her back.
“Talk to me.” I say, reaching out and touching her leg.
“I don’t know why everyone is turning down my applications to work at their law firms. I don’t know what to do with my life if the thing I studied becomes useless because no one will hire me.”
“I can talk to some people I work with and get you a job if that will make you happy.”
“I don’t want someone to give me a job just because of your influence. I want to earn it for myself.” She sighs. “What happens when you get bored with me and walk away - what happens to me then? I get sacked.”
“Get bored with you? Are you crazy? It’s been seven years since I met you and not a single day has gone by when I haven’t wanted you. Why would that change, little bird?”
I put my tea down and sit on the bed next to her. Wrapping my arms around her waist I pull her against me. The pillow falls from her lap, and she leans into me, letting me hold her. Her heart is calmer now. I can still feel the steady rhythm of it against my body, but she is no longer afraid of me. I stroke my hand down her back, letting my fingers thread through her hair.
“Nerissa, whatever challenges life throws at us - I want to face them together. I want us to be together.”
“But you come from such a different world to me. Our lives are not the same. You never have to worry about money or whether you’ll be ok in the future.”
“And when you are with me, you won’t have to worry about that either.”
She wiggles in my arms so that she can lift her head and look up at me. Her hazel eyes look dark green in the soft light. As beautiful as ever. I place my finger beneath her chin, then lean down to kiss her. Her lips are warm against mine and as soon as my mouth locks over hers I want her all over again.
I pull her onto my lap, wrapping her legs around my hips.
She moans, moving over me, rocking against me.
Running my hands up her thighs I savor the sweet taste of tea in her mouth.
Cupping her ass cheeks in my hands I pull her harder against my cock.
Suddenly her apartment door opens and three dark figures rush in. I throw her off me, onto the bed, standing up to create a blockage between whoever they are and her. I will die fighting to protect her. No one touches her but me.
Nerissa isn’t screaming this time, but I can hear her sharp squeal of surprise and the way her breath catches in her throat.
“Stay behind me.” I snarl.
She scampers off the bed and ducks behind it.
The figures step closer and to my absolute shock I see my brothers staring at me.
“What the fuck?” I stammer, standing up straight, relaxing, but not having even the slightest clue what the hell is going on.
“Tuomo.” Masaccio says, glaring at me. Rufino’s fists are clenched at his side. He doesn’t seem to know if he’s here to fight or not. “Who is that girl?” Masaccio asks, lifting his chin and gesturing towards Nerissa.
“She is none of your concern.” I reply with force. I don’t need them knowing who she is. If they find out, there will be all hell to pay because I will have to explain it all to my father.
“She very much is our concern because I’m damned sure she is the reason you’ve been acting so weird.”
“Just leave it alone, brother.” I warn him, taking a step towards him. All three of them step close to me and I’m in trouble.