Chapter 12 #2
I can practically see the edge of her round ass peeking through those shorts. The desire to sink my hand under them, to thrust my fingers inside her like I did at the pool, is all I can think about.
She pivots toward me with the corner of her lower lip trapped within her teeth and her nipples hardened in the confines of the see-through bra she’s wearing, the one I bought her. She’s no longer dancing; the song has now switched to another.
“Did you like my dance?”
Her chest rocks with the tremble of her breaths. And my eyes try to stay glued to hers, but they wander to those perfect breasts instead. The ones I want to feel in my hands and taste on my tongue.
There’s no one here but us. I might have let my men hear her, but they would never be allowed to see her. That’s all for me.
I take a step toward her, wanting nothing more than to strip off every shred of her clothes and show her what I truly want. But she’s drunk, and I swore to myself I’d stay away even if she weren’t.
She’s a Bianchi and I’m a Cavaleri. We’re sworn to hate each other.
But how can I hate someone so beautiful?
The beats of my heart can’t be tamed, not when she’s so close. The very essence of her soothes away the demons that haunt me, that tell me to make my enemies pay and make them all suffer. But it seems that now I’m the only one left suffering.
The woman I want is someone I’m not allowed to have, but that doesn’t seem to stop my heart from wanting her even more.
I want to tell her how sorry I am for pushing her away, to beg her to forgive me, but I can’t do that now. Not when she’s too drunk to remember.
“You’re so beautiful, Raquel. I can’t believe you’re mine.”
Forever.
“Yours?”
She half laughs, half moans, her eyes falling to a slow close and her knees wobbling. She’s so pitifully drunk that it’s kind of adorable.
A smile finally appears on my face. I can feel it in my veins. That warmth you get when you feel good. She makes me feel that way.
“Let’s go, baby,” I tell her. “Let me get you to bed.”
“Will you be joining me, or did you find someone better?” she asks, her eyes on mine again.
“Give me your hand.” I stretch out my palm for hers, confused by her question.
Why would she think that? Because of breakfast yesterday? She thinks I’ve replaced her?
Shit.
Her fingers curl over mine, and as she takes a step down, she loses her footing, almost falling.
But before she could land on her ass, I scoop her up, one arm under her knees, the other cradling her back.
I stare down at her, and she looks up at me.
I’m caught in the moment, my pulse throbbing louder.
“You’re cute,” she whispers, and I taste the alcohol on her breath like it’s my own.
“I thought we already established that I was hot?” I tease as my lips lower.
Her breathing is ragged and uneven. “Whennn did we estabish that?”
“You mean establish?” I grin.
“Yeah, that.” She purses her lips to stifle a giggle.
“Oh, baby. I don’t think you’d remember even if I told you.”
“Mmmnot that drrrunk,” she purrs, eyelids fluttering with every slurred word.
“Come on, my drunk mess of a wife. I think it’s bedtime.”
I carry her out of the room, climbing up the stairs, and she loops her arms around my neck.
“You’re so strong,” she sighs.
I flex my biceps on instinct, enjoying the attention and that lustful look in her eyes.
“Why the fuck did you have to be drunk?” I practically growl, my cock chafing up the inside of my jeans.
“Whatta you mean?”
“Nothing, baby. How about I tell you tomorrow?”
“Mmmkay.” She lays her cheek over my chest, her hands stroking up and down the back of my neck.
Once we reach her bedroom, I kick it open and bring her to the bed. Leaving her there for a minute, I run off to the dresser and pull out one of her t-shirts.
“Let’s put this on,” I say.
“Okay.”
She lifts her arms haphazardly while I somehow manage to dress her. Her hands go to the button of her shorts, but she struggles with it.
“Cannn you take it off?” she asks, innocently looking to me for help.
“Sure, sweetheart.”
My fingers slowly undo the button, then the zipper, my inhales rolling through me as I slide the shorts down her long legs, her thong peeking out. It takes everything in me to fight this insane need for my own wife.
I quickly lift her up and place her under the comforter, needing not to continue looking at her half-naked body. She lies down, snuggling and making the cutest sounds as she hugs the pillow, looking up at me with a smile.
“Don’t goooo,” she begs. “Sssstay with me.”
I pull in a harsh inhale. “Okay, I’ll stay.”
Not as though I’d be able to leave now. Not when she asked that way.
I turn off the lamp, sitting on the edge of the bed while she moves a little to make room for me. When I’m beside her, she slides closer, her face nuzzling into my chest as my arms come around her, pulling her into me even more.
I shut my eyes, enjoying the calmness she gives, dragging me into a place where happiness resides. The real kind. The kind I’d never thought I would ever taste.
But it’s there, teasing me. Blinding me with its power, like a mirage, and hiding all the monsters lurking under the shadows.
Her fist claims my shirt, her nails biting into my abs. The exhales falling from her lips are warm and heavy. And before I can ask what she’s doing, her hand glides lower, until it lands over my cock.
“You’re hard.” Her voice is shaky, but the stillness in the room is louder than any sound she makes.
“I am.”
I groan as she strokes me once, then again. An animalistic growl cuts out of me, my hips arching into her hand without realizing.
“Does that mean you like me again?”
I hiss as she tightens her hand. “I like you very much.” My head falls back with a curse the harder she strokes. “I never stopped.”
The sound of my zipper dragging splits across the room. I grip her wrist softly, not really fighting what she’s about to do.
“Let me touch you.”
Her tone is laced with desire, swaying me into dangerous territory, and I jump in headfirst. She somehow undoes the button of my pants, and then her hand is there, closing around the crown of my cock.
“Fuck, Raquel,” I grit.
This is wrong. I shouldn’t let her do this.
“You don’t like me anymore. Do you?” She strokes me harder, causing my balls to ache.
“Raquel, baby, you’ve gotta stop doing that.”
“Answer me,” she demands.
My eyes fall to hers, and even in the partial darkness, I see the fire burning in her eyes.
“Tell me why you were such an asshole?” she slurs in the cutest way. “Did you find someone else?”
She tightens her fist around the head, making me wince with a curse.
“Is my husband having an affair?” Her breaths grow heavy, her drunk voice raspy and sexy as hell.
Those eyes wait for an answer, and I want to lie, but when she stares at me this way, that look tethering into my very being, I can’t. My hand drops to her cheek, cupping her gently, wanting so badly to kiss away her worries.
“I’d never cheat on you, Raquel. Not if this were fake or if it were real. You have me, even when things make no sense, even when they get too hard. I’ll be here for you, baby. Always.” I’m sure she’ll have no recollection of what I said, but I had to say it, maybe for me.
Tears fill her gaze as she lets go of my cock, her other palm landing over her mouth. “That was so beauti—”
Her eyes bulge as she suddenly hops off the bed like she’s caught fire, running into the bathroom.
And then she hurls.
“Shit,” I mutter as I rise to my feet, stuffing my rock-hard cock back inside, unable to zipper my jeans while I follow her.
“I’ve got you, sweetheart,” I reassure her as I gather her ponytail in my hand, rubbing her back while she lets it all out into the toilet bowl.
Lucky it wasn’t the bed. I’d have a fun mess to clean.
“Shh, it’s okay,” I say as she dry heaves.
When she finally stops, I grab a towel from the rack and wipe her mouth.
“I’m sorry,” she cries, tears cruising down her rosy cheeks.
“It’s okay, angel.” I kiss the top of her head. “It happens. You’ll feel better tomorrow, I promise. Want some water?”
She shakes her head with her brows huddled close, her frown too cute. “I don’t want to throw up again.”
“Okay. Sleep will make you feel good. You’ll see.” I snatch the garbage pail from the floor just in case, walking back out with her.
Putting the pail on her side, I drop a hand under her thighs and lift her into my arms, kissing her forehead before putting her back to bed.
“I won’t go anywhere. I’ll be right beside you the whole time.”
“Mm-hmm.”
Then it’s quiet.
I hold her close, not wanting to ever leave and hoping she can forgive me for pushing her away. I can’t do it anymore. I don’t want to hurt her, even though I know I will once she finds out why she’s really here to begin with.