28. Isabella
twenty-eight
Isabella
No matter how hard Salvatore tried to keep me distracted, I barely made it through lunch.
I used to love having lunch here at this same spot; I have some wonderful memories here. Thinking about it now, I realize I don’t have many bad memories at all. But those memories are based on lies I was told. Or was I kept in the dark for my own sake?
It doesn’t matter. All I believed was erased the night when my father killed my mother and he threatened to kill me if I ever left him. That night changed me. I became anxious and afraid, had panic attacks.
When I escaped and ran where my mother told me to, I found a safe place in between nuns and in the house of God. Unfortunately, not even God could help me with the monsters. Those who helped me paid the price after I left for America.
So, how not to be afraid of the monster in front of me?
Even if he didn’t speak with me at the table and his focus was on Salvatore and their deal, I knew he would speak to me, so when I excused myself to use the bathroom, I wasn’t surprised to be cornered by him. Strangely, I wasn’t afraid. I may need to thank Salvatore for that. And my father telling me he wanted to make amends was shocking, but not as shocking as his next words.
“I shouldn’t have done that. Killing your mother. She was the love of my life. She promised me forever. I let my anger and hurt take over because I couldn’t imagine life without her in it.”
“How could you kill someone you claimed to love?” I asked, hurt crushing my chest as I fought the tears.
His eyes shone, and I’m sure I saw a tear in his eye that was gone the moment he blinked. “Your mother and I vowed to each other to never leave one another, never, and she was the one who broke the promise. She knew that if she ever tried to leave me, I would kill her. No matter the reason. She was used to all my dealings and did whatever I told her. I loved her. I never took a mistress like the others. I loved her too much to do that.”
I looked at him, shocked. I never knew this.
“Still, you killed her. I saw the hurt and sadness in her eyes when you caught her, and I heard the gunshot when you pulled the trigger.”
“And I regret that decision so much. It is eating me alive. Every day, I wish God would take my life so I can be with her. Every day, I go to her and ask her to forgive me. But I know she never will until you do. Or at least try, mia cara .”
A ray of sun shone through the window of the hallway we were standing in, illuminating his old, weary face. He looked so tired, older than when I last saw him. His signature smirk is nowhere to be seen. But that doesn’t affect me, and I keep my walls high. But I need to know.
“So, if I wasn’t here with my husband, I wouldn’t be killed for leaving you?
Without a moment of hesitation or a doubt, he answers in a firm voice. “No, you wouldn’t. This is your home. You can always choose to come back here whenever you want. This will always be your home.”
He said nothing else and neither did I. I wanted to leave with the spark of hope he left me with.
When we left, he told Salvatore we are safe here, and no harm will find us.
So that’s what we did. I took Salvatore to my favorite places. The piazza that I used to visit with my mother. This beach where, after my swim, I lay on my stomach, letting the sun kiss my skin.
I feel better knowing he’s suffering for what he did to my mother, even if his pain is as big as mine.
Cold droplets of water fall on my skin, and a hand gently touches the skin of my back.
“You’re lucky it’s late afternoon and there are not many people around. It would be a pity for you to end our day with blood on your hands.”
My eyes widen and I try to get up, but Salvatore is pinning me down with his body.
Confused, I turn my head to the side. “What are you talking about?”
“It is bad enough you had to wear this excuse for a swimsuit, but going topless is making me see red.” He pushes his hand underneath me and squeezes both of my breasts with a growl. “Those are mine and mine only, and I don’t like to share.”
I roll my eyes and scoff. “There is literally no one on the beach.” I hide my moan over his possessiveness and bite my lower lip.
“Maybe now there is no one, but there could have been.” He traces his tongue below my ear, my body shivering at his action. I moan when he sucks hard on my neck before he bites down, making me squirm.
Resting on his forearm, holding his weight beside me, he pushes my swimsuit panties to the side so he can use his fingers to torture my pussy.
His fingers play with my entrance and I can feel the wetness dripping. His rough fingers enter me and I throw my head to the side, my climax building.
“You want to come, Bella, don’t you?” I moan as an answer, hoping I don’t need to use my words because I don’t think I can. “Is that a yes?”
“Yes.” I breathe out a moan.
He kisses my neck, nibbling on it. “You will never take your top off in front of other men again. Your body is mine and mine only. Do you understand?”
His fingers disappear from inside me and I moan at the loss.
“I’ll ask one more time. Do you understand, Bella?” His voice is lower, this time more demanding. One I’m used to, and one he uses too often on me. One that makes me want to disobey him. Or at least it did before. Now it makes me obey his every demand.
“Yes, I understand,” I moan.
“Do you want to come, Bella?” His voice vibrates behind me, the sensation building deep down in my spine and rushing to my brain, not letting me think straight. “Do you want to come all over my fingers?”
My hand clenches the edge of the sun chair. “Yes, please make me come.”
He chuckles and pushes his fingers between my folds and inside me hard. My breath catches in my throat and a loud moan escapes me as he keeps leaving kisses and small bites over my neck and shoulders.
“I want you to come, and when you do, I want you to scream my name.”
His finger works quicker in and out, and I shamelessly come on his fingers, moaning his name loudly right there on the beach.
The place I grew up in. The beach I used to come to as a kid.
It takes me a few moments to come out of the daze of my climax. I turn in his arms, and my eyes widen as I catch a glimpse of three men looking at us.
Before I can express my shock, Salvatore possessively claims my mouth, and all I can think is that he did this on purpose. He just claimed me in front of those men.
His lips leave mine with a smirk. He pulls a towel over my upper body before pulling away from me. He stands, his erection making a tent in his swimmers, showing it proudly to the public. His mischievous look is directed at the men as he licks the fingers that were just moments ago inside me.
My eyes search my surroundings. “We’re in public. There could be kids here.”
His smirk disappears, replaced with menace. “Other than those pricks who were ogling you, there is no one on the beach.” I relax a little until he and his erection that he tucked under his waistband walk toward the men. My brain screams.
I watch as I expect Salvatore to spill their blood. He doesn’t, though. I don’t know what he says to them before they get up and, without looking at him or me, run from the beach.
I lay back and let the sun kiss my face, wondering what the hell just happened. And why do I feel a strange feeling of being satisfied by his possessiveness?
I leave the towel covering my upper body, not in the mood to let Salvatore threaten anyone else.
When his shadow covers me, I keep my eyes closed as I speak.
“What did you say to them?”
He chuckles. “I asked them if they enjoyed the show.”
I open one eye and look at him questioningly. “Just that?”
“I also asked them if they wanted that to be the last thing they see in their lives. When they looked confused, I told them if they want to keep breathing to get lost. Courtesy of me being in a good mood today.” I open my other eye and rise on my forearms, getting up slightly. The towel slips from my body.
“You serious?”
He tsks before picking up the towel and covering me again.
“We should get going. I don’t mind if you stay topless, but not here. You can do that on the yacht.”
I stand, letting the towel he covered me with fall and bite my lip. His eyes go black.
Bingo.
I saw that look in his eyes a few times before, only I wasn’t the cause. I make that look disappear. But I want his true colors, everything he is hiding behind those eyes. I don’t want him to stay away when he is like this; I want him to come to me.
I wanted to know how to turn the switch on, and now I do. I want his truths, lies, and fears. Everything he is hiding that he doesn’t want to tell me. Everything that I will find out about him without him telling me a word. Because he never will.
What are you afraid of, Salvatore? I don’t say it, but that’s what I think when he pulls my dress over my head and dresses me.
No words are said. There is no need because the look in his eyes is enough.
I just need to let him unleash the monster and let him know I can take all of it.