Chapter Five
Lorena
Thud!
The satisfying sound of the dart piercing the board hits me. A surge of gratification surges through me, a familiar thrill coursing down my spine at the precision of my aim.
“Of course, you hit the bullseye,” Mark says with an eye roll.
“Jealous much?” I reply with a laugh, watching as he sets down a tray of beers at a nearby table.
The familiar buzz of conversation and the clinking of glasses envelop me. I’m currently at a local bar I frequent. I visited the place with an old friend during my days in culinary school, who told me the place was owned by an American. When I saw they had a dart board, I became a regular customer, though it seems more like a relic than a game folks actually play.
The dartboard, adorned with its colorful rings, beckons to me from across the room. The focus, the aim, the intensity—each throw sends a thrill down to the tips of my fingers and entire body. As I raise my arm, time slows down. I release the dart with a graceful motion, and I watch it soar through the air before it hits the board again.
This bar serves as my sanctuary for releasing tension. In moments of concentration, everything else fades away, leaving just me and the dartboard.
Today, however, as I take aim, I imagine Leonardo’s face plastered all over it. Again and again, I throw the darts, wishing I could physically hit him on his stupid, ridiculously handsome face. The memory of him pouring food over my head hits me, making each throw harder than the next.
“Damn! Easy, girl,” Mark whistles as he walks past me again.
That’s when I realize I’ve been sweating, I’ve exhausted the darts in my hands, and every space on the dartboard is littered with dart pins. My face feels warm from too much heat; it’s flushed with anger and irritation, as if a small fire were burning at the back of my throat.
I think I need a drink.
With a deep sigh, I walk towards the counter. Amusement dances in Mark’s eyes as he spots me coming.
“What’s got you all riled up?” he asks.
“Just pour me something strong,” I reply, sidling onto a stool and ignoring his probing. He complies without pressing for details, sliding a shot of tequila my way.
“Thanks,” I mumble before tipping my head backward and downing it in one go.
Mark leans over the bar with that cocky smile. “You look a lot more stressed out than usual.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Are you implying that I always look stressed?”
“Whenever you come here, yes,” he says nonchalantly. “Although, you always look better when you’re done with your game, which tells me something's off today.”
A sigh escapes my lips, but I know better than to tell Mark anything. The man has been trying to hit on me for years, but I keep turning him down every time.
As if on cue, he wriggles his eyebrows at me. “You know, I can help you relieve some of that stress,” he says suggestively.
I can’t help but laugh. “You’ll have to give up at some point, Mark.”
The grin drops off his face, but the twinkle stays in his eye. “Hey, but you love my efforts, right?”
Before I can respond, a prickling sensation at the back of my neck draws my attention. I feel someone watching me. I turn around, and surely there’s someone in a black hoodie and a face cap at a far corner of the pub watching me. The hair at the back of my neck stands up. I look away, trying not to draw more attention to myself. A dreary feeling settles in my gut. Something is not right.
Leaving abruptly, I settle my tab at the cashier's desk.
“Leaving without saying goodbye?” Mark drawls, catching me on my way out.
“Later, Mark,” I reply, rolling my eyes.
Outside, the cool evening breeze blows through my hair as I exit the building, soothing my frayed nerves. Streetlights illuminate my way down the block as I head towards the bus station, checking the time on my leather wristwatch. 7:55 pm. On a normal day, I would panic because being out this late meant I wouldn’t meet up to make dinner, but today I left the estate after lunch, knowing I had the night off.
Turning into a junction, I catch sight of a figure trailing me across the street. Recognizing the tall, imposing silhouette, it’s the same person from earlier. And it’s a man.
My pulse quickens, and adrenaline surges through my veins as the figure steps forward. My blood runs cold, and I begin to run. He runs after me, his long legs eating up the space between us.
Ducking into a nearby alleyway, I think I have escaped him, only to feel his grip tighten around my wrist, pulling me towards him until I'm pinned against the wall.
“Well, well, well, if it isn't Laura… or should I say Lorena now?” The sound of his voice resonates, flooding me with relief. With a swift motion, I reach up, yanking the black hoodie from his head, revealing his familiar cascade of long, brown locks.
“Oh my God, Maximo!” I breathe.
“Hey there, baby,” he drawls, his hand snaking around my waist effortlessly. His signature grin flashes across his face. “It's been a minute, huh?”
Maximo is my on-and-off fling. But before that, he was my friend. He is the reason I’m able to live my life freely, without being tied to my past. I throw my hands around him, and I’m rewarded by the sound of his deep chuckle. His woody cologne wafts into my nostrils. I bury my face further into his chest and remain like that for a while.
“You missed me that much, huh?” he teases.
I nod shamelessly. It's been over a year since I last saw Maximo.
“What are you doing here?” I ask as he leans into me. “I thought you were somewhere in Miami.”
Unlike me, Maximo never stays in the same place for too long. It works for him since he does his cybersecurity job independently. He comes to see me occasionally, but we’ve both been so busy with life that we haven’t had time to meet in more than a year.
“I missed you,” he says, poking my cheek playfully. “I just got back yesterday, in fact, I figured I would stick around for a few weeks. I heard about your new gig. Living the dream as a live-in chef now, huh?” His smile is infectious.
“And how did you find out about that?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.
“Baby, I have eyes and ears everywhere. Plus, I swung by your place and found it empty. It didn't take much Instagram stalking to piece it together from a couple of pictures on one of the Vitale kid's feeds. Easy as pie.” Maximo is the most resourceful person I know; his knack for gathering intel while still being charming, sweet, and effortlessly handsome needs to be studied.
It's one of the reasons why I didn’t bat an eyelid when he made a move and kissed me last year. Before Maximo, I had zero experience with men. Running away at eighteen doesn't exactly give you a crash course in romance.
Maximo was my first, and when it first happened, he was gentle and caring. With him, everything felt right from the start. It was almost like he knew how to make each moment special. We’ve only had sex like three times now, minus other stuff, but every time with him, it always leaves me eagerly anticipating the next.
“I don't know much about the Vitale besides their obscenely wealthy business empire. Especially Leo, the head of the family. The guy's like a ghost online. I've had more luck getting to know the twins and the youngest daughter, but it's mostly been extravagant trips and TikTok videos.”
“Yeah, Leonardo is a tough nut to crack. I still haven't met the kids myself.”
“I see. But are you enjoying the job?”
“Yeah. The job is great, but my boss is a pain in the ass,” I hiss, annoyed that I’m even thinking about Leonardo when Maximo is right here.
“Need me to do something about it?” he asks, his overprotective side showing.
I laugh. “No. I can handle him.”
“I knew you would say that,” he chuckles. “But remember, I’m always here if you need me. Even if I’m miles away, all you need to do is give me a call or text me.”
“Got it.”
“And I need you to stay safe. You really shouldn’t be walking alone at night. What if someone saw you?” I bristle at the reminder.
“But no one did. It was just you,” I say, ignoring the dread crawling up my spine.
“I could have been anyone,” Maximo says, and I hate that he’s right.
I blow out a breath, before pressing myself against him.
“I don’t think we should be talking about things that don’t matter right now,” I say, my voice dropping to a seductive purr.
In the darkness, I see Maximo’s eyes flash with desire. A pleasant thrill runs up my body as Maximo’s hands come down to squeeze my ass.
I have been on the edge ever since I met Leo. Thankfully, Maximo is here to take that edge away. My body aches for something, anything, and I can feel the hunger in my gut building as Maximo leans down to press his lips against mine.
There is nothing soft or slow about the kiss. It feels raw, almost savage, and completely hot. In one smooth motion, he pushes me back against the alley wall, pinning my hands above my head as his tongue sweeps inside my mouth.
He bites at my lower lip, drawing it into his teeth. I moan, arching into his touch. Maximo’s hands find my breasts through the thin cotton of my dress. They skim over my clothed breasts, sending a ripple of pleasure from my toes to the top of my skull.
People are walking by us on the road and sidewalk, but they don’t seem to know what is going on in the alleyway. For a moment, I imagine Leo standing by the edge of the alleyway, watching us. The thought sends a moan out of my lips from somewhere deep in my chest.
Maximo’s erection presses against my thigh as his other hand slides under my gown.
“Look how wet you are for me,” he drawls, slipping a finger inside me.
I’m assaulted with the image of Leo cornering me on the dining table and burying his fingers deep inside me.
“Oh,” I moan as Maximo adds another finger.
My heart speeds up even faster. “Please.”
I want more. I can’t get enough air, it’s so thick and heavy between us.
Maximo groans, his thumb circling my clit as his index and middle fingers pump me. I gasp, holding onto him tightly as the pleasure from his fingers rolls throughout my body. His hips rock into mine as our mouths continue to devour each other. My stomach lurches from the intense heat of his mouth pressing against mine. I can’t stop thinking about Leo.
Suddenly, Maximo pulls away.
“What are you…”
My words trail off when he gets on his knees before me. I bury my hands in his wavy locks as he trails kisses up my thigh. His hands travel under my dress again and he pulls my pink panties down to my ankles. I step out of them and spread my legs. He then grabs my ass and gives my core one long lick.
I moan loudly at the contact, not caring if anyone can hear.
“Fuck, you taste just as good as I remember,” he says, his voice muffled by the skin of my pussy.
His tongue glides between my folds, circling me and licking over me with a sweet savor. My toes curl and my thighs fall apart wider as I grind myself against his lips. He sucks harder, and my head falls back against the wall.
“Mmm,” I moan, closing my eyes and gripping his hair tighter.
Leo’s face flashes in my head, and the image of him eating me out haunts my thoughts. I grind my hips harder onto Maximo’s mouth, imagining it’s Leo kneeling before me.
“I’m coming!” I cry, clenching down tight to his tongue as he licks deeper. His hot breath sends shivers throughout my body as he pulls his lips away from me and slides two fingers into me, pushing himself inside with a deep groan.
My body bucks off the wall, shaking as I come undone. The wet sound of his fingers moving inside me echoes in my head as my body convulses around him, shuddering in orgasmic bliss.
Maximo gets on his feet and kisses my lips again, slowly this time. I lean into him, my body limp with exhaustion.
“It’s getting late,” he says, cupping my face in his hands. “I’ll walk you to the bus station.” I nod, too tired to say anything else.
Maximo stands and stares at me as I pull my panties back in place and adjust my dress. As we both step out of the alleyway, the reminder of what just happened gnaws at my stomach.
Leo has successfully gotten under my skin, and I’m scared I might want more.