CHAPTER TWENTY
STEFANO
She rose up and sank back down, setting a slow, torturous pace that had me gripping the couch cushions to keep from thrusting up into her. Her hands rested on my chest, her nails digging in slightly as she rode me, her head thrown back, her breasts bouncing with each movement.
“Fuck, Sienna,” I groaned, watching her take her pleasure from my body. “You’re so beautiful. So perfect.”
She smiled down at me, a knowing, wicked smile that made my cock pulse inside her. She leaned forward, pressing her breasts against my chest as she kissed me, deep and hungry. Her tongue danced with mine, driving me wild.
“I love you,” I whispered against her mouth. “I love you so fucking much.”
“I love you too, Beast,” she replied, her movements becoming more urgent, more desperate. “Now stop talking and fuck me.”
Who was I to deny my queen? I gripped her hips and thrust up, meeting her movements, driving deeper into her wet heat. Our bodies moved together in perfect sync, finding that rhythm we’d perfected over months together.
The sound of skin slapping against skin filled the room, mixed with our moans and whispered endearments. I felt her tightening around me, felt her body preparing for another release.
I slipped a hand between us, finding her clit and rubbing it in tight circles, wanting to feel her come apart on my cock.
“That’s it, baby,” I urged her. “Come on my cock. Let me feel you.”
Her back arched, a cry tearing from her throat as she came, her pussy clenching around me so tightly I couldn‘t hold back anymore. I thrust up one more time, burying myself deep inside her as my orgasm crashed over me, wave after wave of pleasure so intense it bordered on pain.
She collapsed against my chest, both of us breathing hard, sweat slicking our skin where we were pressed together. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her close, savoring the weight of her on top of me, the feel of her heartbeat against my chest.
“You keep distracting me from treating your wounds,” she murmured against my neck, her breath hot against my skin.
I laughed, the sound rumbling from deep in my chest. “I’ll let you finish later. I promise.”
She lifted her head, her eyes meeting mine, serious despite the afterglow still evident on her face. “I meant what I said, Stefano. I’ve got you. Whatever happens, whatever comes our way, we face it together. No more solo missions. No more shutting each other out. Together.”
I cupped her face in my hands, my heart so full it felt like it might burst. “Together,” I agreed, sealing the promise with a kiss.
We weren’t perfect. We were both damaged, both carrying scars both visible and hidden.
But we were learning, growing, finding our way through the darkness to something better, something stronger.
And as long as we had each other, as long as we faced our demons together instead of apart, I knew we could overcome anything.
Even ourselves.
That night, we fucked two more times before showering and going to bed together.
In our bed. In our bedroom. I held my Sienna close that night, her back pressed against my chest, my arm draped over her waist, holding her secure.
The weight of her body against mine, the scent of her skin, the sound of her breathing, it grounded me in ways I couldn’t begin to explain.
For a man who’d lived most of his life in darkness, she was the only light I’d ever known.
The only peace I’d ever found. I thanked God for this woman who had brought meaning into my world of violence and death.
The next morning, I woke up before her. I always did.
My eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the dim light filtering through the curtains.
But the moment they were open, I was already listening for any sounds that were out of place, any noises that could signal something was wrong.
Years of surviving in a world that wanted me dead had hardened my senses, sharpened them to a deadly point.
The house was quiet. No creaking floorboards. No whispered voices. No clicks of weapons being assembled. Nothing but the gentle hum of the air conditioning and Sienna’s soft breathing beside me.
The next thing I did was check on her. It was a habit, one I couldn’t break even if I wanted to.
I sat up and stared down at her. She’d fallen asleep snuggled up against me, her body seeking mine even in unconsciousness.
During the night, she’d gotten hot and rolled away from me.
Despite the air being on, she was sprawled out, one leg tangled in the sheets, the other sticking out of it.
She’d fallen asleep without putting her bonnet on.
Now, her hair was in disarray, curls going in every direction across the pillow.
She was going to have a fit about it when she woke up.
But I thought she looked adorable. Fierce, deadly Sienna Keys, sprawled out in my bed with her hair a mess and her lips slightly parted as she breathed.
I let my gaze linger for a moment, just watching her.
The bruise on her forehead from yesterday’s car crash had darkened overnight, the purplish mark stark against her brown skin.
My jaw tightened at the sight, a fresh wave of anger washing over me at the thought of anyone hurting her.
But we’d deal with that. Together. As we’d promised.
She stirred under my gaze anyway, as if she could feel my eyes on her, sense my thoughts about her even in sleep. Her brows pulled together slightly before her eyes opened, landing on me immediately. Sharp. Alert. Even half-asleep, my Beauty was always aware of her surroundings.
She yawned and stretched, her naked body greeting me as the sheet slipped further down. My cock hardened instantly, always ready for her, always wanting her.
“You’re staring again,” she muttered, her voice rough from sleep and all the screaming she’d done last night.
I didn’t look away. I never would. “How can I not stare when I have a goddess in bed with me?”
Her lips twitched, fighting against a smile she didn’t want to give me so easily. “Such a smooth talker,” she drawled, her eyes traveling over my bare chest before meeting my gaze again.
I leaned down and kissed her lips, tasting the morning on her tongue as she opened for me. “Good morning, beautiful.”
“Good morning, Beast.” She pushed herself up, stretching slightly before dragging a hand through her hair. Her fingers caught in the tangles, and she winced. “I forgot to put on my damn bonnet,” she complained.
“Do you want me to go get it for you?” I asked, already halfway out of bed.
She shook her head as she smoothed her hair back, trying to tame the wild curls with just her hands. “But you can go and get my laptop from my office. I want to show you something,” she told me.
Naked, I rose from the bed and padded across the floor. The air was cool against my skin as I walked to her office. I grabbed her laptop from her desk and returned to the bedroom, placing it on the bed in front of her.
“I got a message from one of my friends,” she told me as she opened the laptop and entered her code, her fingers flying over the keys. She then logged onto the dark net, navigating it with an ease that came from years of experience. “This is Irish mafia related.”
I scooted closer to stare at her screen, my body tensing at the mention of the Irish mafia. Those fuckers had been hunting my Sienna for too long. “What does it say?”
“My friend Natalie sent me a message,” she explained, pulling up what looked like an encrypted file. “The Irish mafia may have found me. They’ve raised the bounty.”
My blood turned to ice. “How much?”
“One million,” she said, her voice steady despite the implications. “And they want me alive.”
I gritted my teeth, rage burning through my veins. Those fuckers were determined to get their hands on Sienna. Not happening. Not while I still drew breath.
“According to my friend, the Irish mafia may already know where I am,” Sienna continued, her eyes meeting mine. “I think that’s why Daniel Abeli has been watching Eve and me. He tried to do it under the radar, not wanting you and Enzo to find out.”
“If it weren’t for Rome’s software, we wouldn’t have found out,” I stated, running a hand through my hair as I processed this new information.
“The Abeli family is rich,” I told her, thoughts racing.
“Daniel doesn’t need the money unless he’s trying to make a name for himself in the streets and is using this to do it. Either way, he’s as good as dead.”
I paused, another thought occurring to me. “But I wonder how he found out that you were the one the Irish mafia is looking for?”
Sienna shrugged, her bare shoulder catching the morning light. “Money talks. I guess he and his team did their research, and the intel led back to me.”
“I need to know what the hell Daniel knows,” I said, already formulating a plan.
“I’ll get Rome involved. I‘ll have him hack into Abeli’s devices.
Phones, accounts, whatever he’s using. I’m sure it won’t take long for us to find out if he’s in contact with the O’Callaghans and learn what they have planned.
I don’t want to rush the Abeli estate and spook him. ”
“Yeah,” she agreed, her eyes sharpening with that deadly intelligence that had kept her alive all these years. “We have to be smart about this. We may only have one chance to take them all down. We can’t mess this up.”
I reached over to the nightstand and grabbed my phone.
“I’ll have Terzo reach out to Rome and let him know what we need.
And I’ll also have him look into Daniel Abeli.
” I typed out a quick message to my cousin, outlining what we needed.
“We took out Daniel’s men, but we didn’t leave evidence that would lead to us.
But, considering what he had going on, we are the most likely culprits.
We may have to frame one of his other enemies to throw them off. ”
“Sounds like a plan,” she told me, leaning back against the headboard, watching me.
As I texted Terzo, I said, “I don’t expect you to stay home for your safety. But when you go to Tower D tomorrow…”
“Oh, I’m not fired, boss?” she joked, smiling at me, though there was a hint of challenge in her eyes.
I winced, remembering my idiotic decision to fire her. “I’m sorry about that.”
“You lucky I didn’t go burn that bitch down,” she told me, her smile turning mischievous.
“What’s with you and Eve always wanting to burn something down, you little pyromancers?” I asked, shaking my head.
She burst out laughing, the sound filling the room with light. “I’m pretty sure that’s not a word,” she told me, leaning over to look at my phone screen as I finished the text to Terzo.
Just as I pulled her close, my phone rang. I glanced at the screen. Terzo. The man had impeccable timing, as always, impeccably bad.