23. Tomas
23
TOMAS
I didn’t like the people I worked with in Valencia. Nobody stood up for me when Alonzo d’Este decided to make me his punching bag; they were all happy his attention was redirected away from them.
That’s not the case in Venice. I’ve been here for five years, and I genuinely like the people I work with. Antonio is a really good boss, always calm and in control of his emotions. Dante, the second-in-command, is cut from the same cloth. Leo, the mafia enforcer, is loyal to a fault. He would give you the shirt off his back if he thought you needed it. Joao, our assassin, is always quick with a joke. Daniel, who is a shark of a lawyer, is impossible to ruffle. Valentina used to keep to herself and was only brought in on special projects, but she’s been playing a larger role in the organization since she married Dante.
I care about my team. I would take a bullet for any of them, and they would do the same for me.
And yet, I’ve never told them about Estela. The wound cut too deep. The only person who knows is Leo, and that mostly happened by accident. Shortly after I joined Antonio’s organization, the two of us found ourselves in a bar after a messy day of work. Long story short: we both got very drunk and spilled our secrets. Leo confessed that he felt responsible for the death of his wife, and to distract him from the excruciating guilt he felt, I told him the real reason I left Spain and moved to Italy.
But today, I bared my soul to Alina without a thought. I told her about the most painful, shameful thing that happened to me, and funnily enough, the memory of Estela didn’t hurt. Not even a little. That episode is firmly in the past.
And in the present, there’s Alina.
I wouldn’t have regretted it the morning after.
She wanted me. I could see the invitation in her eyes and hear it in her voice, and fuck, I was tempted. So tempted. It hurt me to walk away. Every nerve in my body strained toward Alina. Every atom wanted to take a step toward her, hurry her up the stairs, rip off her clothes, and kiss my way down her body. It took superhuman control to walk away.
But she needs rest.
Alina has my emotions all tangled up. I’m torn between wanting to fuck her hard and wanting to put ointment on her cut. I want to smack her ass, and I want to hunt down the person responsible for the bruise on her face.
For the last five years, my relationships with women have been about sex. About getting my physical needs met and nothing else. I don’t date; I break things off before anyone can get involved. I hook up at Casanova and don’t bring them home, so there’s no room for misunderstandings. I don’t buy flowers, and I don’t bring presents. I’m not the nurturing kind.
But when it comes to Alina Zuccaro, I’m tearing up all the rules.
“Hi there.” The American woman who comes up to the membership desk is one of the gym’s regulars. She’s in here every day, sparring with her friend. “I have a problem I’m hoping you can help me with.”
Her Italian is hesitant, so I switch to English. “Of course.” It’s noon, and there’s still no sign of Alina. I don’t care; it’s Sunday, and I don’t have anything to do with my day except grade a stack of accounting quizzes for my cover job. “What’s the problem?”
She gives me a relieved smile. “It’s my membership,” she says in English. “I think I’ve been billed twice a month for the last three months?”
I look into it, and yes, it’s more of Simon Groff’s fuckery. This reminds me that I still have to track down his crooked bookkeeper. “Give me a few minutes to straighten this out. If you want, I can take care of it while you’re working out.”
She gives me a flirtatious smile. “That’s okay, I’m in no hurry. My name is Sara. You look really familiar, by the way. Have I seen you before?”
“Tomas. I’m Alina’s new partner. I was here all of last week, so maybe that’s why?”
“No, not at the gym. Have we met somewhere else?” Her forehead furrows, and then her expression clears. “I’ve seen you at Casanova.”
Now that she mentions it, I have seen her at the club. “Are you allowed to talk about it?” I quip. “You know the rules. What happens in Casanova stays in Casanova.”
She looks around with exaggerated fear. “But the terrifying Liam Callahan isn’t here,” she says, referring to the club manager. “And what Liam doesn’t know can’t hurt him. So, what made you buy Simon out? Are you an MMA fighter?”
“From time to time.”
“Really? That’s not the impression I got from Alina.”
“Did she tell you I faint at the sight of blood?”
Sara laughs. “Something like that. She said you’re the type who’d run for a Band-Aid when you got a paper cut.”
I laugh. “Of course she did. Do you want your Visa charges refunded or the American Express?”
“The Amex, please.”
“Okay.” I finish cleaning the mess up and make sure the refund goes through. “Sorry about that.”
“It’s no problem.” She gives me an arch glance. “I was looking for an excuse to talk to you anyway.”
Sara is more subtle than Maria, but once again, I’m not interested. I’m about to open my mouth and tell her that when Alina comes up to us, a travel mug of coffee in her hand. She’s wearing a black crop top and a pair of pink shorts, and her hair is in its usual high ponytail. “Tomas,” she says, her voice bright and cheerful, setting the mug down on the counter and lacing her arm in mine. “You’re here already. How energetic. I thought I kept you up really late last night.”
Well, well, what do you know. Alina’s jealous.
A devilish urge seizes me. “You did, dolcezza,” I say with a wink. “But, as you already know, I recover quickly.”
Her cheeks turn red. Sara’s eyes are wide as she looks at Alina and then at me. “Umm, I had no idea the two of you were together,” she says awkwardly, transferring her weight from one foot to another. “Tomas was just helping me with a double-billing issue.”
“Of course,” Alina says sweetly. “Tomas, can I see you in my office when you’re done?”
“We’re done,” Sara says hastily. “And look, River’s here. I better go.”
She darts off. I follow Alina to the small office. When we’re there, I shut the door behind me and turn to her with a wicked smile. “I’ve never been fought over by two women. It’s very… enjoyable. ”
She glares at me. “Don’t flatter yourself,” she snaps. “I wasn’t fighting over you. I was just helping you keep the interactions with our members professional.”
I push her against the door and press my body into hers. “Is that what you were doing?” I murmur into her ear, nibbling her earlobe.
“What are you doing?” she gasps.
“Isn’t it obvious? I’m showing you how energetic I can be.”
And then I claim her mouth in a searing kiss.
I kissed Alina last night in Ciro Del Barba’s warehouse, but I had to remember that I was surrounded by a roomful of watching eyes. Today, nothing is holding me back. I wrap my fingers around her ponytail and tilt her head up, pressing kiss after drugging kiss on her soft lips.
I’ve wanted to do this from the moment I first laid eyes on her. She tastes like coffee and toothpaste and a sweetness that’s all Alina. I dive into that heady sweetness over and over, my heart hammering in my chest, my cock so hard for her that it hurts.
After a brief surprised gasp, she parts her lips and kisses me back, her arms wrapping around me, her tongue slipping into my mouth with a hint of shyness that melts my heart and makes me pause.
With the greatest difficulty, I pull back. “Tell me to stop,” I rasp. “Tell me to stop, and I will.”
Her cognac-tinted eyes are liquid pools of desire, and a man could drown in their depths. “No,” she whispers, her grip tightening on my waist, tugging me closer. “Kiss me again.”
Fuck, yes. My self-control snaps. I capture her lips again, grabbing her left hand and holding it above her head. I squeeze her breast through her sexy crop top and push my knee between her legs, and like a good girl, she spreads them wider for me. “I wanted to do this last night.” I stroke my thumb over her nipple. “I wanted to tear that stupid Groff’s T-shirt off your body. Push down your leggings. I wanted to pin you down and fuck you hard.”
I pinch her nipple, and she writhes against me in response, moaning loudly into my mouth. My cock goes even harder at the sound. If she keeps this up, I’m going to come in my pants like an out-of-control teenager. “No, no,” I chide sternly. “This won’t do, dolcezza, this won’t do at all. We can’t disturb the members, can we?” I give her a wicked grin. “You need to keep quiet.”
She glares at me. “Your sudden concern for the members is touching,” she says. “I’m sure Sara will appreciate it. What were the two of you talking about?”
I pinch her nipple harder. “Sara again,” I tease, trailing kisses over the side of her neck. “I didn’t think you were the jealous type, Alina. This is very illuminating.” I tug that crop top up, pull down the cups of her sports bra, and feast my gaze on her lush breasts and swollen dark-rose nipples.
Fuck, she’s irresistible. I capture an engorged tip between my teeth, and she sucks in a breath. “Tell me more.”
“Your imagination is working overtime,” she pants. “I’m not jealous of Sara.”
“Liar.” I squeeze her firm breast again and bite down on her nipple, just a little, and she whimpers in her throat. “Too loud, dolcezza. It looks like I need to gag you. Open your mouth.”
Her eyes flash fire at me, but her lips obediently fall open. Fuck me, this is every fantasy of mine come to life. Alina is all fight and ferocity, and underneath, she’s as eager to play these games as I am.
And it’s taking every bit of willpower I possess not to shove her down on the floor and take her hard.
“Such a good girl,” I breathe into her ear. “Keep your hand where it is; that’s my good girl.” I push two fingers into her mouth, pressing them against her tongue. “You’re going to keep quiet for me, aren’t you?”
A small smile curls her lips, and she sucks my fingers deep. Oh, fuck, yes. Her tongue slides delicately over me, her head bobbing over my fingers as if she were imagining that it was my cock instead, and it’s the sweetest torture. I groan out loud, and her smile widens into a smirk. “Shh,” she mumbles around her makeshift gag. “Someone might hear.”
“Brat,” I accuse. I pull my wet fingers from her mouth and pinch her tightly beaded nipples again. They seem to swell even more as the cold from the air-conditioner hits her sensitized, wet nubs. “I should spank you for that.” I search her expression to see how she reacts to that suggestion, and fuck me, she’s on board. “You want to get spanked, dolcezza?” My cock is going to explode. “Such a naughty girl. If I push my fingers into your pretty little cunt, will I find you wet?”
She doesn’t answer, but her face tells me everything I need to know. My pulse pounds like I’m in a fight. Adrenaline shoots through me, and my entire body feels like it’s buzzing with arousal. I slip my hand between the waistband of her shorts and slide two fingers into her. She’s so wet, so ready. Her muscles grip me tight, and she’s so fucking hot that I can’t breathe. “Oh, fuck, yes,” I growl. “I like this reaction.”
“Stop gloating,” she replies, pushing her hips forward. Her gaze locks on my crotch, where the outline of my erection is clearly visible underneath my pants. “I’m not the only one enjoying this, am I?”
I need more . I tug her shorts down impatiently past her hips. Her panties follow a moment later. She kicks them off, and my throat goes dry. I wrap my fingers around her right ankle and lift her foot on the closest office chair. She’s so beautiful. Her ponytail is coming undone, and her lips are swollen from my kisses. In this position, her back braced against the door, one leg on the floor, and another propped on the chair, she’s spread open for me, her nipples hard and her cunt swollen, wet, and ready.
She’s a meal laid out for my pleasure, and I intend to feast.
I kneel in front of her. “Don’t make a noise,” I remind her sternly.
“Or what?”
“Or I’ll punish you.” I glide my hand up her legs and spank her soft inner thigh. She sucks in a sharp breath and clenches her eyes shut, but she doesn’t pull away. My little hurricane likes being punished. “I’ll spank you until your ass is red, and then I’ll tie you up, find the vibrator on your nightstand, and use it on you until you can’t come anymore. Until you’re begging me to stop.”
Her cheeks turn pink. “You saw my vibrator that day, didn’t you?”
I laugh softly. “I saw your vibrator,” I confirm. “I pictured you using it. I jerked off in the shower to that image.”
I spank her again, and an expression of intense pleasure washes over her face. God, she’s glorious. I can’t wait another second. I move closer to her, so close I can feel every breath she takes. I run my fingertips through her folds, and she jerks, a shiver running through her body. “Keep your legs spread for me, dolcezza.” I have to taste her. I bend my head and lick her, swiping my tongue through her folds, and she gasps, her thighs trembling, and pulls my head closer for more. “Hold still, and I’ll tell you what Sara and I were talking about.”
“Fuck you,” she replies heatedly, but she doesn’t move away.
I chuckle and circle my tongue over her engorged clit. She sucks in a breath. “Tomas,” she whimpers. “Please…”
“Please what, dolcezza?” I tease. I kiss her pussy lips, more teasing than contact, and she whimpers in protest. “Sara and I were talking about Casanova. She recognized me from there.”
She stiffens and starts to close her legs. “Casanova, the sex club?”
“You’ve heard of it? Have you been?” I’m more curious than I’m prepared to acknowledge. And when I picture her flirting with someone there, kissing them, scening with them… There’s a hot ball of something in my gut that feels a lot like possessiveness.
I put my hands on her thighs to keep her spread for me. “Did I tell you that you could move?”
“If you think I’m going to stand here and listen to you gush about Sara?—”
What the fuck? “Look at me,” I growl. “I’m on my knees in the middle of your office, feasting on your beautiful cunt, my cock so hard I think I’m going to come in my pants like a teenager. Do I look like I’m interested in Sara?” I push a finger into her, and her muscles grip me tight. “The only woman I’m interested in is you.”
“Oh.” The tension in her shoulders drains away. “Okay then.”
I increase my pressure on her clit, and she bites her lip to keep from crying out loud. My gut clenches. I can’t think straight around her. All the blood in my body has pooled to my cock. I feel light-headed, and it’s not from the lack of sleep. I’m dizzy with anticipation.
I attack her like I’m starving.
And only she can satiate this bone-deep hunger.
Every time my tongue flicks her clit, her entire body jerks like she’s touched a live wire. “You didn’t answer my question,” I say, adding a second finger inside her and feeling her muscles stretch to accommodate me. “Have you been to Casanova?”
“Of course not.” She sounds breathless. “Do I look like I have thousands of euros to spend on a sex club membership? I’ve heard people talk about it in hushed whispers.”
I lift my head off her clit for just a second. “Have they made you wildly curious?” I’d love to take her to the club. Reserve a private room for just the two of us. The things I want to do with her there… My imagination throws up one carnal image after another, and it’s almost too much to bear. “Because I’m a member, and I can bring guests.”
She whimpers, her hand over her mouth covering the sounds. She’s close to the edge, her body trembling as her orgasm nears. “Of course you’re a member,” she says, every muscle taut. “Tomas Aguilar, international man of mystery. By day, you’re a cat-owning accounting professor, and by night, an MMA champion fighter who is a member of Venice’s most exclusive sex club. Oh, and you work for the mafia. Do you ever wake up and forget which persona to adopt?”
“I contain multitudes.” I add a third finger, sucking her clit between my teeth at the same time, and the dam bursts.
“Yes,” she exhales, throwing her head back. “Yes, please, fuck, yes.” Her body tenses, and her muscles tighten and quiver around my fingers as she comes. I keep licking through the quivers, through the aftershocks. Alina is like a drug, and I’m powerless to resist. I keep licking until she pushes me away and slumps to the floor next to me.
I pull her into my lap. My mind is churning, a dozen emotions struggling for dominance. I want Alina. I’m greedy for her. Now that I’ve had a taste, I can’t let go.
So many words dance at the tip of my tongue. There are so many things I want to say to her. But everything is a little raw, and at least right now, Casanova seems like the safest topic of conversation. “So, do you want to go?”
She twists around and stares into my eyes. “To Casanova? That sounds like a terrible, reckless idea.”
“It probably is.” She hasn’t pulled away. Hasn’t shut me down. “Want to go anyway? See what the hype is about?”
“When?” She wets her lower lip with her tongue, and my cock throbs in response.
“Friday night.”
That maddening tongue sweeps over her lush lower lip again. I wait for her answer, my hand clenched tight into a fist. I’m a hair’s breadth away from losing all semblance of control. From pulling out my cock and thrusting deep into her, right here, on the floor of her office, uncaring that the gym is filled with members, and nobody is staffing the front desk.
She wriggles her round ass over my cock, teasing me, the little brat. “Okay.”
I grip her hips, holding her still. “It’s a date.”
“Onto more important things—” she begins before a knock on the office door interrupts us. “Ali,” a woman’s voice calls out. “Are you there?”