Chapter 2
CARMELA
The pulsing beat of music reverberates through me as I weave through my brother’s crowded club. Sophia is close behind me, her hand clasped in mine so we won’t get separated in the throng of sweaty, gyrating bodies.
“I need a drink!” I shout over the music, tilting my head toward the bar. Sophia nods in agreement, her dark curls bouncing. We push our way through, finally emerging at the long, polished bar.
I flag down the bartender, a cute guy with a sleeve of colorful tattoos. “Two vodka sodas, please!”
As I wait for our drinks, I let my eyes wander over the club, taking in the flashing lights and the sea of faces. I need to get laid tonight. As of tomorrow, I’ll be fucking engaged to some Mafia jerk. Sophia is unaware, since I didn’t want to ruin tonight.
My eyes snag on a possible target. Tall, with broad shoulders stretching the fabric of his black shirt. His arms are covered in intricate tattoos, the designs snaking up to disappear beneath his sleeves.
I’m so busy ogling this gorgeous stranger that I don’t notice the bartender sliding our drinks across the bartop.
“Your drinks are ready,” the bartender says, pulling my attention away from tall, tattooed, and gorgeous. I reach for them just as the mystery man steps up to the bar. As I turn back around, I manage to knock my drink right into him and spill it all down his front.
“What the hell?” he snaps, glaring at me. Up close, he is even more devastatingly handsome, with chiseled features and piercing blue eyes.
“Oh my god, I’m so sorry!” I grab a handful of napkins, pressing them against his damp shirt. He catches my wrist, his fingers easily encircling it.
“I got it,” he says gruffly, taking the napkins from me.
“Let me buy you a drink,” I offer, feeling my cheeks heat. “It’s the least I can do.”
He studies me for a long moment, his gaze intense. Finally, he gives a curt nod. “Whiskey, neat.”
I signal the bartender and place the order as well as ordering another vodka for myself, sneaking a glance at the man from beneath my lashes. He is still watching me, his expression unreadable.
“I’m Carmela, by the way,” I say, offering my hand. “Carmela Bianchi.”
Something flickers in his eyes at my last name, there and gone too quickly for me to decipher, as if he recognizes it. Odd. He takes my hand in a firm grip. “Silvo.”
I can’t help but smile at Silvo’s grumpy demeanor.
There is something about his brooding intensity that I find irresistible.
Not to mention, he’s gorgeous. His face is all sharp angles—high cheekbones, a strong jawline covered in dark stubble.
His eyes are a piercing blue, framed by thick, dark lashes.
He has this intense way of looking at me, as if he can see right through me.
“So, Silvo,” I say, leaning against the bar. “What brings you out tonight?”
He takes a sip of his whiskey, his gaze never leaving mine. “Just needed to blow off some steam.”
“Rough day?” I ask, my fingers playing with the stem of my glass.
He shrugs, the motion pulling his shirt taut across his muscular chest. “You could say that.”
I bite my lip, trying to think of a way to keep the conversation going since he doesn’t seem like much of a talker. “Well, you’ve come to the right place. Nothing like loud music and overpriced drinks to take your mind off things, right?”
He huffs out a laugh, the sound sending a shiver down my spine. “I guess.”
I take a sip of my drink, the vodka burning pleasantly as it slides down my throat. “So, what do you do, Silvo? When you’re not brooding in clubs, that is.”
His jaw clenches, and for a moment I think he isn’t going to answer. “I work in the family business,” he says finally, his tone making it clear that is all he is going to say on the matter.
I raise an eyebrow, intrigued. “Sounds mysterious. I like a man with secrets.”
He leans in closer, his breath hot against my ear. “Trust me. My secrets are the kind you don’t want to know.”
A thrill runs through me at his proximity and the danger that radiates off him in waves. I know I should heed his warning, walk away before I get in too deep. But I have never been good at doing what I should.
“Maybe I like a little danger,” I whisper, holding his gaze.
His hand comes up to brush a strand of hair from my face. “You don’t know what you’re asking for.”
“So show me,” I challenge, my heart hammering in my chest.
For a long moment, he stares at me, his expression unreadable. Then, he downs the rest of his whiskey in one swallow and sets the glass down on the bar with a clink, as if he’s made a decision.
“Let’s get out of here,” he suggests.
I don’t hesitate, downing my drink and grabbing my purse. Sophia’s eyes are on me as I follow Silvo toward the exit, and I glance back at her. She hesitates, then gives me a reluctant thumbs up like she knows she won’t stop me.
I smile before following the God of a man out of my brother’s club. No one stops me—no one ever does at Gio’s club. This is reckless. Exactly what I need.
The moment we slide into the back of the taxi, I can feel the sexual tension crackling between us like a live wire. Silvo’s large frame takes up most of the space, his muscular thigh pressing against mine. I try to ignore the heat that rushes through me at the contact.
He gives the driver an address, no doubt his place. As the car pulls away from the curb, I turn to Silvo with a bright smile. “So, where are you from? I detect a bit of an accent.”
He grunts, his stare fixed out the window. “Italy. Originally.”
“Really? My family is Italian too! What part are you from?” I ask, determined to draw him out of his shell.
“Sicily,” he says, clearly not in the mood for small talk.
I refuse to be deterred by his grumpiness. “I’ve always wanted to visit Sicily. I hear it’s beautiful. The food, the history, the architecture...”
“It’s a place like any other,” he interrupts, his tone brusque. “Nothing special.”
I frown, taken aback by his dismissiveness. “Well, I think it sounds magical. Maybe you could show me around sometime, give me a local’s perspective.”
He finally turns to look at me, his blue eyes intense. “I don’t do tours, sweetheart.”
The endearment, spoken in his deep, gravelly voice, does things to me I can’t explain. I lick my suddenly dry lips, watching as his gaze drops to follow the movement.
“That’s a shame,” I say, leaning in closer. “I bet you’d be an excellent guide.”
His expression darkens, his hand coming to rest on my thigh. “I can think of better things to do with you than sightsee.” His fingers trace patterns on my skin through the thin fabric of my dress.
My breath catches in my throat, desire pooling hot and heavy in my belly. “Is that so?” I manage.
He leans in, his lips brushing the shell of my ear. “Yes, I’d definitely make it worth your while.”
A shiver runs down my spine, my eyes fluttering closed as his hand slides higher, skimming the sensitive skin of my inner thigh. “Silvo...”
Just then, the taxi pulls to a stop outside the Ritz Hotel. Either he’s visiting, or he prefers hotels to home for hookups. Silvo pulls back, the sudden loss of his touch leaving me aching and wanting. He smirks, clearly aware of the effect he has on me.
“This is our stop,” he says. “Coming?”
He pays the driver, and we step out onto the sidewalk. The night air is cool against my flushed skin as he takes my hand, leading me into the opulent lobby. My heart races with anticipation. I barely know this man, and yet here I am, following him to his hotel room like some kind of wanton hussy.
But I can’t help myself. There is something about him, a magnetic pull that I’m helpless to resist. As we step into the elevator, Silvo pulls me against him, his strong arms encircling my waist.
“You sure about this, Carmela?” he asks, his lips brushing my temple. “Last chance to back out.”
I tilt my head back to meet his gaze, my hands sliding up his muscular chest. “I’m not going anywhere,” I reply, rising up on my toes to brush my lips against his.
He groans, his grip on my hips tightening as he deepens the kiss. I melt against him, my fingers tangling in his dark hair as his tongue sweeps into my mouth. By the time the elevator dings and the doors slide open, I’m breathless and weak in the knees.
Silvo leads me down the hall to his room, his hand never leaving the small of my back. He swipes the key card and pushes open the door, ushering me inside. The room is spacious and elegantly appointed, but I barely have a chance to take it in before Silvo is on me.
He walks me backward until my legs hit the bed, and I fall back onto the plush comforter, pulling him down with me. His body is hard and heavy above me, his hands roaming my curves as he kisses me deeply.
I arch into him, my own hands exploring the planes of his back, the coiled strength of his muscles. I want him with a desperation that frightens me, a need that consumes me.
“Silvo.” I take a sharp inhale as his lips trail down my neck, his teeth grazing my pulse point. “Please...”
He lifts his head to look at me, his blue eyes dark with desire. “Please what, sweetheart?” he asks, his voice a low rumble that I feel all the way to my core.
I swallow hard, my fingers digging into his shoulders. “I want you,” I whisper, holding his gaze. “All of you.”
He stares at me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, with a growl, he claims my mouth once more, his hands making quick work of my dress, dragging it up and off. I surrender, losing myself in the fervour of his kiss, the heat of his skin against mine.
I gasp as Silvo’s hands roam my body, leaving trails of fire in their wake. For a moment, I feel a flicker of self-consciousness, but it is quickly extinguished by the hunger in his gaze as he drinks me in.
“God, you’re beautiful.” His touch skims up my sides to cup my breasts. I arch into him, a moan escaping my lips as his thumbs brush over my nipples.
He lowers his head, trailing kisses down my neck and chest until he reaches my breasts. He takes one nipple into his mouth, sucking and nipping until I am writhing beneath him, my fingers tangled in his hair.
“Silvo, please,” I beg, my hips rocking against his. “I need you.”
He lifts his head, his gaze dark with desire. “Patience,” he says, his hands sliding down my body to grip my thighs and slowly peel my panties off. “I’m going to take my time with you.”
And he does. His mouth and hands explore every inch of my skin, leaving me trembling and desperate for more. When he finally settles between my thighs, his breath hot against my most sensitive flesh, I think I might combust from the anticipation.
But then his mouth is on my pussy, his tongue delving into my folds, and I lose all coherent thought. I cry out, my back arching off the bed as he licks and sucks, his fingers joining the assault until I am teetering on the edge of oblivion.
“That’s it, baby,” he breathes against my skin. “Let go for me.”
And I do, shattering apart with a cry of his name, my body shuddering with the force of my release. Silvo pushes me through it, his touch gentling as I slowly come down from the high.
He crawls back up my body, his lips finding mine in a searing kiss. I can taste myself on his tongue, and it only reignites my desire. I reach for him, desperate to feel his skin against mine, but he catches my wrists, pinning them above my head.
“Not so fast,” Silvo rumbles, his grip on my wrists tight but not painful. “I’m not done with you yet.”
I shiver at the promise in his voice, anticipation coiling low in my belly. “What are you going to do to me?” I whisper.
He gives me a wolfish grin, his eyes glinting dangerously in the low light. “Everything you’ve ever imagined, and then some.”
He releases my wrists and quickly strips off his shirt, shedding the rest of his clothes. A sharp inhale catches in my throat when I see his cock. Thick, veined, and dripping with precum.
He climbs back onto the bed and lifts my hips, spreading my legs wide. I flush under the intensity of his gaze because I’m exposed, vulnerable, but also incredibly turned on. “Such a pretty pussy,” he mutters.
With one powerful thrust, he is inside me, filling me up in the most delicious way. I cry out, arching up to meet him as he begins to move.
His pace is unhurried but forceful, each roll of his hips stoking the pleasure inside me higher and higher. My hands roam the hard planes of his chest, nails digging into the inked skin as I urge him on wordlessly.
“That’s it, sweetheart,” he growls, his own hands gripping my hips hard enough to bruise. “Take it.”
I wrap my legs around his waist, changing the angle so he hits that spot deep inside that makes me see stars. My climax is building fast, my body tensing as the pleasure mounts.
“Silvo,” I gasp, teetering on the edge. “I’m close...”
His pace increases, his powerful body working mine relentlessly towards ecstasy. “Come for me, Carmela,” he commands. “Now.”
That is all it takes to send me flying over the precipice with a sharp cry. My vision whites out, distantly aware of Silvo following me over with a low groan.
As I slowly float back down to earth, I become aware of Silvo’s weight still pressing me into the mattress. His breath is hot against my neck, his heart thundering against my chest. I stroke his sweat-slicked back lazily, utterly spent and satisfied.
After a long moment, he lifts his head to look down at me, a satisfied smirk playing about his lips. “Told you I’d make it worth your while.”
I laugh breathlessly, swatting his shoulder. “Don’t get cocky. I’m not that easy to impress.”
His grin widens, turning wolfish once more. “Is that a challenge?”
Before I can respond, he rolls us over so I am straddling his waist. His hands come up to grip my hips possessively as he regards me with smoldering eyes.
“Round two?” he suggests, one brow arched.
I bite my lip, feeling him already stirring back to life inside me. I grind my hips against him experimentally, drawing a hiss from his lips.
“Bring it on,” I purr, leaning down to kiss him. If one round with Silvo is mind-blowing, I can’t wait to see what he will do with an encore.
As his hands slide up to cup my breasts, kneading insistently, I have a feeling I am in for a long night.
But I find I don’t mind one bit. In fact, I hope it never ends.
Reality sucks, and I’ll spend as long as possible ignoring it wrapped up in a fantasy with one of the most gorgeous men I’ve ever met.