Chapter 10 Mauro
Chapter ten
Mauro
Exhaustion weighs heavily on my shoulders as I enter my house. It’s past midnight, so I quietly shut the door behind me, not wanting to startle Alina if she’s still awake.
Who would have ever thought I would be sharing my house with someone? And that someone would be my wife? Certainly not me.
I kick off my boots and hang up my jacket by the door before making my way through the entryway and up the stairs.
All I want to do is stand under scalding hot water and then climb into bed, not waking until my damn alarm goes off.
After spending the afternoon on a tedious virtual meeting with our newest allies in Montana, where Vin and Alex discussed costs and profits while Leo and I stood off to the side, presenting a united front for the camera, I had a lengthy training session with our recently recruited guards.
I spent hours testing their coordination, speed, and strength to weed out the weakest in the group.
Some impressed me while others were either sent home or given a second chance to try again at the next round of training later this week, where Vin will make the final say of who stays and who goes.
He’s been recruiting more guards than usual, wanting us prepared at all times for whatever comes our way.
Can’t say I blame him, knowing what’s occurred here over the years and how many hits are continually put out on us.
My fingers knead the back of my neck as I approach the end of the hallway, the guest room door on my right stopping me in my tracks.
Should I check in on her and make sure she’s okay?
I rub my jaw while staring at the door, half expecting to see through it.
Fuck it. I take a step toward the door and wrap my fingers around the handle, but then I hesitate.
I can’t just barge into her room like a goddamn caveman.
Gently, I tap my knuckles against the wood.
Silence.
I wait a moment and then do it again.
More silence.
I sigh. She’s probably in a deep sleep, and I’m being a jackass by standing here trying to wake her.
Combing my fingers through my hair, I turn and twist the handle of my own door, pushing it open.
My fingers tug on the back of my collar, and I yank off my T-shirt, tossing it on the bed right on top of…
Oh, fuck.
Alina is sound asleep…on my bed.
I blink a few times, wondering if I’m hallucinating.
But each time I open my eyes, she’s still there, illuminated by the glow of the moon high in the night sky.
Her dark strands of hair are sprawled around her, and the covers are pulled up to her chest—one arm resting over her stomach and the other by her side. Her soft lips are slightly parted and… My lips curve up as the faintest snore is heard.
Shaking my head, I drag a hand down my face. Why is she in here when I had the guest room across the hall all set up for her? Did she not like something about that room? Was she scared to be alone?
Or did those two idiots leave her suitcases in here, leading her to assume this is where I expected her to sleep, unaware that there was a room specifically for her just across the hall? They’re running doubles tomorrow.
But as my eyes drift over her bare shoulders, with only a thin strap from her nightgown visible, I find myself wondering if, instead of punishing those two, I should actually be thanking them.
I step forward and, like a fucking creep, stare down at her. Without a doubt, she’s the most beautiful woman my eyes have ever had the privilege of seeing.
Flawless in every sense of the word.
So breathtakingly perfect, it feels like a crime for someone like me to be in her presence.
On impulse, I reach out, but stop myself, dropping my hand to my side, not wanting to taint her beauty with my touch.
Shaking my head, I carefully grab my T-shirt, walk around the bed, and head into the bathroom, making a beeline for the shower. The warmth does little to soothe my aching muscles, which are currently coiled tightly from this new predicament I find myself in.
Images of Alina flash before my eyes, and without a second thought, my fist wraps tightly around my hard cock. With one hand pressed against the tiled wall, I use my other hand to thrust into it.
Fantasies play out in my mind, sending me into a heated spiral.
I envision Alina on her back…
On her knees…
I wonder what she might taste like…
What she might sound like when her tight pussy flutters around my cock as she comes…
A groan echoes against the walls as my movements quicken, the sudden rush of pleasure building inside me.
My balls tighten right before the orgasm roars through me, instantly sending a swarm of relief through my taut body.
A rope of white liquid coats the tiled floor as I release every ounce of desire stored inside me.
By the time I finish, I find myself panting hard with my head bowed down as I come to my senses.
Feeling slightly eased but nowhere near fully satisfied.
Not when every part of me yearns to claim the woman sprawled on my bed in every imaginable way.
After turning off the water, I quickly grab a towel to dry off. Once I change into my usual nighttime attire of boxer briefs, I take a deep breath and enter my room.
With every step bringing me closer to the bed, her scent envelops me, teasing me with something I can’t have.
Carefully, I pull back the covers, and as gently as my unusually large body allows, I slip beneath them.
I intertwine my hands over the blanket, resting them on my stomach as I stare up at the ceiling.
What did I do to deserve this kind of sick punishment?
Just as I attempt to close my eyes, Alina stirs in her sleep and turns toward me. Her slender hand reaches out, resting gently against my chest, her lips just inches from the side of my neck, and her warm breath brushes over my skin.
“Mauro…” she breathes, causing every muscle in my body to freeze.
Is she awake?
I glance over to see her eyes tightly closed, and her breathing has returned to an even pace.
She’s sound asleep.
Yet…she said my name.
Is she… Is she dreaming about me?
The thought instantly ignites a fire in my belly, my cock hardening with desire for her.
Suddenly, Alina’s leg slides over mine, the softness of her thigh rubbing against me until she finally settles beside me.
It’s official: I’m in hell, and there’s no way I’m getting any sleep tonight.
“Did someone get out of the wrong side of the bed?” Alex asks, plopping himself down on the seat beside mine. “You look like you haven’t slept in days.”
I huff. Speak for yourself.
I turn toward the window as the engine roars beneath us. My fingers grip my leather armrests with force as the plane dips lower, the land beneath us appearing closer with each passing second. I know flying is the quickest way to get to where we need to be, but… Fuck, I hate it.
I hate being confined in a small space, strapped to an engine that determines your fate.
I hate turbulence.
I hate taking off.
I hate landing.
I fucking hate all of it.
“I’m guessing he didn’t get a wink, seeing that his new bride moved in yesterday.” Vin stretches out on the sofa across from me with a sly grin.
He’s not wrong.
Just not for the reason he thinks.
I flip him off right before a glass of whiskey appears before me in Leo’s outstretched hand, which I eagerly accept. He knows how much I despise flying, and I appreciate the gesture.
“You look like you didn’t get any sleep either,” Vin remarks, staring at Alex.
Alex lifts his glasses and rubs his eyes. “Clara had me up most of the night.”
“I thought you had a nanny?” Vin arches a brow.
Alex sighs. “Had to let her go. Caught her ignoring Clara when she was crying in her crib. She called it the ‘cry it out method.’” He shakes his head. “Mom’s watching her now. I’ll have to reach out to the agency tomorrow about finding a replacement.”
“Are you sure you can handle today’s task?” Vin asks, eyeing him with skepticism.
Alex nods, sitting up straight. “I’m fine.”
“Good.” Vin scratches his jaw. “Because this is an important mission that we can’t afford to lose. A lot is riding on this besides just us taking down our enemies.”
“I know,” Alex responds, typing on his iPad. “I’ve been keeping an eye on the docks all day. There hasn’t been any movement in hours. Maybe there…” He pauses. “Shit.”
“What?” Vin leans forward.
Alex shows us his screen. “Looks like the brothers didn’t trust their men to do the job for them.”
I lean forward, inspecting the surveillance footage of the docks, noting nothing out of the ordinary…until I see them. I point at the two men in question, knowing this just created a problem.
“Goddammit,” Vin hisses, dragging his fingers through his hair.
“When did Kazimir and Luka start handling the shipments?” Leo questions.
Vin rubs a hand over his jaw. “I got a text from my informant this morning that things were tense and that the brothers have been taking extra precautions.” He waves a frustrated hand at the screen. “This is probably their way of ensuring the women aren’t intercepted.”
“Is this going to be an issue?” Leo asks, resting his elbows on his knees.
Vin takes a moment to think before saying, “No. This changes nothing.” His index finger taps on his thigh. “If they end up in our way, we kill them. Capisce? It’s what our end goal is, anyway.”
The three of us nod in agreement.
The plane jolts, and I go back to gripping my chair.
“We are making our final approach,” the pilot announces. “Please sit tight as the winds are making for a less than smooth landing, but we will be on the ground in just a few minutes.”
After one of the worst fucking landings I’ve ever experienced, I exit the plane, taking each step down on shaky legs. Once I hit the pavement, I let out a deep breath.
Alex approaches me. “You okay?”
I want the pilot fucking fired.