Chapter 23
Finn
I force my eyes to stay on the road as I drive, but my mind is a mess. I feel like I'm drowning in the storm my thoughts have turned into. I contacted Vito last night with the burner phone when I confirmed Gianna was deep asleep. I didn't think he would show up, but he did.
I thought hard last night on ways to get out of this mess, especially after Gianna said she wanted us to stay and figure it out.
Declan is a ruthless man; someone not to be messed with, and I just couldn't let Gianna face him.
So, I contacted Vito, hoping he could pull her out before things got messier.
But...
I glance at Gianna. She's quiet, too quiet, and it's unsettling. Is she regretting her decision to stay with me? I didn't think she would refuse to go with Vito.
I take my eyes off her, pulling the car into one of the properties I purchased in secret a long time ago.
I park quickly, looking through the front window at the bungalow house before us.
It's similar to the safe house, but different enough to feel unfamiliar.
It will take a while before Declan can find us here.
Gianna is the first to get out, and I can feel her anger from the way she slams the car door. I step out and take our luggage with me into the house. The moment the door closes behind us, I speak, my voice filling the empty house.
"Why didn't you leave with Vito? Why did you have to defend and worry about me?" I ask, the words falling out before I can stop them. The question has been eating me from the inside since we left the greenhouse.
Gianna pauses, her brows knitting as she exhales.
"Why did you call Vito?" She whispers the question, her voice laced with something between defeat and disbelief.
Her chest rises and falls heavily as she searches my eyes like she's trying to understand me and herself all at once.
"You told me we were going to meet someone who could help us. "
I sigh, running a hand through my hair. "I don't want you to get hurt, Gianna. Declan is not going to back down, but at least you'll be safer with Vito."
She lets out a dry, humorless laugh. "And you think I want you to get hurt.
.." Her voice cracks. She drags her hand through her hair in frustration, tears brimming in her eyes.
"If something happened to you... I don't think I could ever forgive myself.
.. I don't think I want to be in a world without you. "
My chest tightens. Her words hit me with more force than any bullet ever could. "Gianna," I say, stepping closer, my voice rough and unsteady. I can't hold back how I feel. As I gaze at her, my mind shifts into focus.
"I love you, Gianna." Her eyes widen, and I watch as she struggles momentarily to find a response. "I love you, Gianna," I say again, the words sitting heavy and real on my tongue.
Gianna tears her eyes away from me. I think she's going to back away from me or tell me she doesn't feel the same way about me, but when she looks at me, I know even before she says it.
"I love you too, Finn," she says, her voice trembling with sincerity.
Her eyes shine with love and care. My heart races.
She loves me. Gianna loves me. I glance at her lips, at the way they part ever so slightly with her breath, and I can't help myself.
I close the distance between us and kiss her like it's the only thing keeping me alive.
One hand finds her waist, and the other cups her face. The world around us fades, leaving only the heat of our connection. My lips move against hers slowly as we take time to explore each other's mouths. Fire sparks in my veins, and like always, I want more.
Without breaking the kiss, I scoop her into my arms, cradling her as if she weighs nothing.
Gianna clings to me, her lips never leaving mine as I carry her through the house to the room.
The door closes behind us with a quiet thud, the sound marking the beginning of something neither of us can stop.
I set Gianna down on the edge of the bed, my hands trailing down her arms as I pull back slightly to look at her. She's flushed, her lips swollen from our kiss, her eyes full of anticipation.
"You're so beautiful," I whisper, my voice rough with emotion.
Gianna reaches for me, her fingers tracing the strong line of my jaw. "Show me," she whispers.
I don't need to be told twice. I lean in, kissing her again, slower this time, savoring every second. My hands slide to her waist, tracing the curve of her hips as I push her shirt upward. Gianna lifts her arms, letting me pull it over her head and toss it aside.
My gaze roams over her, reverent and unhurried. I lean down, my lips trailing along her collarbone before moving lower. Gianna arches into me, her fingers threading through my hair as I kiss my way to her chest.
My hand moves over her soft body as I unhook her bra, letting it fall away.
My breath hitches as I stare at her breasts.
They're perfect. My hand moves from her side to cup her breasts, my thumbs brushing over her sensitive peaks before my lips follow.
Gianna gasps, her head falling back as my mouth teases her, alternating between soft kisses and gentle nips.
"You don't know how long I've been thinking of this," I murmur against her skin.
Gianna shivers, her body responding to every touch, every word. She runs her hands along my shoulders, pushing my jacket off and tugging at my shirt. I help her, pulling it over my head. Her eyes settle on my chest. Her hands reach out to explore me, tracing the lines of my chest and abdomen.
Her touch is light, almost teasing, and it sends a shiver down my spine. I groan softly, capturing her lips again as my hands move to her jeans.
I unbutton them with practiced ease, sliding them down her legs along with her underwear.
Gianna giggles as she kicks them off, leaving her completely bare before me.
I take a second to appreciate her beauty, to marvel at the sight of her body.
The thought of feeling and touching her again has kept me up plenty of nights.
This is different from the night at the chapel. We both know how we feel for each other, and that thought alone makes me want to take her right now.
"You're perfect," I say, slowly tracing my hand over her stomach.
Gianna blushes, and the mere sight makes me want to worship her. She reaches for me, her fingers hooking into the waistband of my pants. I let her undress me; her wish, my command. Her hands tremble slightly as she pushes my pants and boxers down.
Now that we're both naked, I guide her back onto the bed, my body pressing against hers as I kiss her deeply. My hands roam over her, tracing every curve, every line, as if memorizing her by touch alone.
My lips follow the path of my hands, trailing down her body in a series of slow, deliberate kisses. Gianna's breath hitches as I reach her thighs, my hands gently parting them. I pause, my gaze meeting hers. "I want to worship you," I whisper, my voice husky.
Gianna nods like words are foreign to her. Her hands clench the sheets as my mouth finds her core, my tongue teasing her with a slow, torturous rhythm. She moans, her hips bucking slightly as I hold her steady, my hands firm on her thighs.
"Finn," she gasps, her voice breaking as I push her closer to the edge.
I don't let up; my movements are deliberate and skilled.
Gianna's body arches, her hands tangling in my hair as she cries out, her release washing over her in waves.
I kiss my way back up her body, my lips lingering on her stomach, her breasts, her neck.
By the time I reach her lips, Gianna is already pulling me closer, her hands running along my back and shoulders.
"Please," she whispers against my lips.
I position myself over her, my chest pressing against hers as I guide myself to her entrance carefully. I kiss her shoulder, my hands sliding to her breasts as I press myself into her, her moans making me as hard as steel.
Gianna moans, her head falling back against the bed as I move. My hands stay on her, teasing and caressing as my thrusts grow deeper, sending an infinite amount of pleasure through me.
"You feel incredible," I murmur against her ear, my voice rough with pleasure.
My fingers brush a piece of her hair that has fallen forward to the side before moving to the gentle curves of one of her breasts, trailing across her skin in circles until they reach her nipples. I roll the sensitive tips between my thumb and forefinger.
Gianna reaches back, her fingers brushing against my thigh as she moves with me.
The heat between us builds; each touch, each movement pushing us closer to the edge.
My hand slides to her hip, holding her steady as I thrust harder, my other hand cupping her breast as she thrusts her hips into me.
Gianna cries out, her body tightening around me as she comes.
It doesn't take long for me to join her, a deep groan escaping my lips.
I hold her tight as we collapse onto the bed, like she might disappear. I kiss her shoulder as we catch our breath, and I press a kiss against her temple.
"I love you, Gianna," I say as I look into her eyes.