Chapter 16
SIXTEEN
Damiano
I wouldn't need to be a mind reader to know Violetta is disappointed with how we got married. It's not just because I am not the man she would have chosen to be her groom. She deserved to have the things other brides do, a spectacle to match the magnificence of our surroundings.
It was impossible to miss her awe as she walked into the Sala Rossa.
The room is designed to create a sense of occasion but against its splendor, in her ordinary clothes, she was cast adrift.
I chose the venue as a display of my wealth and power.
I kept Violetta in the dark about what was happening to show her I control her life now.
My intention was to make a point but I'm the one who learned a lesson. This woman will stand by my side for the rest of our lives. If I want her to be my queen, I need to treat her like one.
She should have had a designer dress, flowers, a cake. She should have been able to invite her family and friends. If I was a better man I'd have considered all of that before the wedding, but I wanted to get her name on the marriage certificate with as little fuss as possible.
"Is there anyone you need to tell about our marriage?" I address her back as she stares out of the window. "Your mother, perhaps?"
Violetta turns. "I will at some point."
"You aren't close?"
"Not really. I mean, we love each other, but since I left home it hasn't been the same."
I don't probe. If she wanted to tell me more, she would.
"We'll go to see my mother this weekend."
Suddenly interested in the conversation again, Violetta comes to join me on the sofa.
"Your mother lives in Rome, right?"
"A little outside of the city. She prefers the quiet of the countryside these days."
At some point before we visit I'll have to explain to her about my mother's fragile condition and how she came to be that way, but our wedding night is not the time.
"And you have another brother?"
"Gabriele," I confirm. As usual when I say his name, a pang of longing hits me squarely in the chest. "He lives in Rome."
"Will we visit him also?"
I shake my head. "My brother's not the most sociable."
Thankfully, Violetta leaves it at that. She gestures toward the platter of food on the table.
"It was nice of Lina to do this."
"It's her job."
"Still, she went to some effort and it's a shame to let it go to waste."
"I'll message Tomasz." Taking my phone from my pocket, I open my messaging app. "He can take the rest down to the guards."
"That's generous of you."
I nod. "It isn't the sort of gesture I'd usually make. They'll think you're turning me soft."
Violetta laughs. "I doubt it."
When I've sent the message, I get up from my seat and hold a hand out to Violetta.
"Shall we go upstairs?" Tonight I want to give her a choice in what we do. I owe it to her after that sham of a wedding.
She shakes her head. "Not yet. I'd like to... uh, could we go for a swim?"
The tentative way she asks is adorable.
"You want to swim?"
"Yes, I like the pool. It's relaxing. I thought we could..." Her voice trails off, no doubt thinking I'm about to disappoint her.
"Yes, let's swim."
Taking her hand, I lead her toward the pool, which is housed in an addition to the original palazzo.
"It's been too long since I last used the pool," I tell her as we walk along the corridors.
"So how do you keep those muscles in shape?"
"You noticed my muscles?" I tease.
"It's hard not to. Do you go to a gym?"
As we walk through the double doors into the pool area, I'm hit immediately by the smell of chlorine. It's not unpleasant, exactly, but it's not my favorite scent.
"There's a gym through there." I point to a door at the side of the room.
Violetta's surprised expression tells me she hasn't found it on her explorations of the house.
My staff have reported that she loves to wander from room to room, discovering new places to sit with an espresso or to read a book.
"Ah, I assumed that was a storage room or something."
"No, it's a fully equipped gym. There's a sauna through there too."
"Do your men use it?"
I raise my eyebrows. "The sauna?"
"No, the gym."
"They have their own in the guardhouse."
"Oh, wow. It doesn't look that big."
"It's not on the surface."
Violetta's eyes widen. "It goes underground?"
"Yes. Even I couldn't get past the city planners to build a bigger structure above ground, but they allowed us to dig down."
"Wow, and here I was thinking you were all powerful."
"Nope. It's the Pope, Signora Lombardi at city hall, and then me."
Violetta laughs, an unguarded sound I could get used to. I'll need to make the effort to ensure we have moments like this.
"I believe Lina keeps spare swimsuits in the changing area," I tell Violetta as she starts unbuttoning her blouse.
"Who needs a swimsuit?"
She strips down to her white lace bra and panties, then dives gracefully into the pool. By the time I remove my clothing, she's halfway back from her first length. I dive in and reach for her, but she ducks.
"Can we just swim for a bit?" she asks.
Clearly she needs to blow off steam, because she powers through several laps. I take less hurried strokes, letting the warm water soothe my tense muscles. After a while, I get out and sit at the edge of the pool, kicking my legs in the water.
"Given up already?" Violetta asks as she comes to a stop beside me.
In answer, I reach into the pool and splash water in her face. She shakes it off.
"I didn't realize you were such a great swimmer," I tell her.
"There's a lot we don't know about each other." Her tone holds a touch of regret. She lets the thought hang for a moment and then smiles. "I was on my school's swim team. I won gold in the regionals when I was fifteen. Our PE teacher bought us all pizza and ice cream."
And that right there typifies the difference between us. While she was out enjoying her sporting achievements and eating junk food with her peers, I'd already killed my first man and was learning all the skills required to head a mafia organization.
As I imagine a carefree Violetta celebrating her victory, guilt at drawing her into my world assails me once more. For a moment I almost express my regret. I don’t. Men like me don’t apologize for our actions. We just try to ensure the damage we cause is worth something in the end.
Kicking off from the side of the pool, Violetta swims away again.
My phone bleeps with an incoming message.
I watch Violetta for a minute, admiring her perfect form, before going to check my phone.
It's a message from Elio telling me he informed Violetta's grandfather of our marriage as I asked him to.
It seems Ricci wants to see us before agreeing a deal with Lorenzo.
Damn. I don't know how Violetta will feel about meeting him for the first time.
"Something wrong?"
She comes up beside me. I hadn't heard her getting out of the pool, which is unlike me. Usually I'm more vigilant.
"Your grandfather wants to see us before he sells the land to Lorenzo."
"Okay." Violetta's easy agreement surprises me.
"You want to meet him?"
She shrugs as if it's no big deal, but I know it can't be that simple. This man could have eased her mother's financial burden at any time and chose instead to watch his granddaughter grow up from the sidelines.
"Then we'll go tomorrow." I look for a reaction, some sign of uncertainty or a desire to backtrack, but she just nods. "That's settled then. Are you done with your swim?"
"Yes." She shivers and I go to fetch two white robes from the hooks on the wall.
Violetta allows me to help her put hers on. While she ties a loose knot in her belt, I put my robe on but leave it open.
"Look at us," Violetta says with a giggle. She flaps her arms around inside the sleeves that are a little too long for her. "We're like big fluffy snowmen."
"Snowmen aren't fluffy."
"Spoilsport!" She playfully swats my chest. I like this side of her. "You know what I mean... oh!" She shrieks as I sweep her up into my arms.
"What are you doing, Signore Volante?" she asks.
"Taking you to bed, Signora Volante." There's nothing I can do about the dismal wedding ceremony now, but I can give her the wedding night she deserves. "I'm going to make you forget every man that came before me."
Violetta settles in my arms as I carry her through the house and up the main staircase. When we reach our bedroom, I set her down on her feet and untie the belt at her waist.
"You like unwrapping me," she says.
"I do. You should only ever wear clothes I can free you from easily."
Opening the robe wide, I take in the sight of her in soaking wet bra and panties. Her rosy nipples peek through the lace and the panties cling to her beautifully bare pussy. I push the thick cotton robe off her shoulders, letting it drop to the floor.
Her eyes remain locked on mine as I remove my own robe and strip off my wet boxer shorts.
I step forward and reach around to unhook Violetta's bra.
I press against her so she feels the stiffness of my erection.
Then I remove her bra and slowly draw her panties down her legs, dropping to my knees as I lower them to the floor.
When Violetta steps out of her panties, I stay where I am.
"Spread your legs," I instruct her.
Eyes glistening in anticipation, she doesn't hesitate.
Widening her stance, she gives me an incredible view of her most intimate flesh.
I get to work immediately, burying my head between her thighs.
I lap at her, gathering her juices on my tongue.
My touch is light at first, to tease a response from her.
The desperate whimper she emits is just what I was hoping for.
Holding her folds open, I lick harder along her entire length.
Violetta grabs my shoulders to brace herself as I torment her with my mouth.
Her clit pulses, needing attention, so I wrap my lips around it and suck.
When I experiment by grazing the tender bud with my teeth, Violetta cries out in bliss and digs her nails into my shoulders. I do it again and again.
As the sounds she makes become increasingly frantic, I press closer and push my tongue an inch or two inside of her. She moans deeply, so I slide my tongue back and forth, fucking her at a leisurely pace.
"Damiano!" My name is both a curse and a prayer on her lips. "Please."
Though she tastes of chlorine from the pool, there's something else beneath it, her natural sweetness. I lap at her like a man emerging from the desert after too long without water. I slide a hand up to curve around her breast, knowing she enjoys it when I play with her nipples.
The rosy peaks are impossibly stiff. I massage her breast for a moment, then twist her nipple between two fingers. The effect is instant. Violetta's hips buck, pushing her delicious pussy hard against my face. Her body trembles and she screams my name.
As my volpina's legs give out, I catch her and carefully lower her to the floor. I tamp down the urge to flip her over and take her like I own her. I want to make love to her first.
Crawling between her outstretched thighs, I position my hardened length at her entrance and push inside her slowly, feeling the aftershocks of her orgasm as a tantalizing vibration that shoots straight to my balls.
I fuck her slowly, with shallow strokes.
Propping myself up on my elbows, I keep our bodies close and watch her face.
I love the micro expressions that form on her delicate features as she absorbs every bit of pleasure I give her.
Learning what she likes, I listen to the hitch of her breath, the way her fingers curl against my chest. I note every detail.
Thrusting into her, I lower my head and kiss her until her pussy clenches once more and she comes with a shuddering sigh, my mouth catching her gasp of pleasure. I withdraw from her quivering body and flip us over so she's on top of me.
"Your turn to fuck me, volpina."
On hearing the pet name, Violetta smiles darkly.
She pushes herself up and slowly lowers herself onto my cock, sinking down one inch at a time.
Even with flushed cheeks and wild, damp hair, she's breathtaking.
She rocks her hips, moving them in circles as she raises herself up and down, finding a rhythm she likes.
Her hands rest lightly on my chest. I thrust my hips to meet hers and she drops her head back as she moans.
Sitting up, I cradle her close, enjoying how warm and soft her body is against mine. I help her move up and down as she takes her pleasure from me. Her technique lacks finesse and I experience a surge of satisfaction when I realize she may not have done this before.
"That's it," I encourage her. "Let your pussy swallow my cock."
The look of raw desire in her eyes as she drops her head to meet my gaze almost makes me come on the spot. I guide her hips as her movement becomes erratic. She's panting now as the pressure grows more intense.
As she's about to come, I lift her off me, drop her onto the floor and pull her up onto her hands and knees. Unable to hold back a moment longer, I let loose the beast inside me and fuck her with a ruthlessness that borders on violence.
"More!" she urges when I think I'm going too hard. "Please, Damiano, fuck me harder."
With a palm between her shoulder blades, I push her down to the floor and give her what she asked for. Writhing beneath me, she scrabbles at the carpet with her fingers, searching for something to hold onto.
When her climax comes, it's explosive. She screams as her pussy clamps down hard on me, milking my cock as I give her every last drop of my seed. I topple onto the floor and pull her into my arms.
As she slowly gets her breathing under control, I stroke her head. She places her hand on my chest and I glance down at her wedding rings, cool against my skin. A surge of possessiveness washes over me. She's mine. Every last inch of her.