15. Luna
FIFTEEN
LUNA
The heartbeat in her ears thumped loudly, drowning out all other noise in the forest. Her legs burned and ached, but she kept running because she had no idea where he was. With how long his legs were, he would have no problem reaching her. If she wanted any chance at winning, she had to push herself.
In the dense forest, the moon’s light was limited. Sticks and leaves scraped against the bottom of her feet, while she held her hands out in front of her as a second line of defense against the trees. She barely avoided colliding with them multiple times, her hands taking most of the abuse.
Despite her fear, her adrenaline was at an all-time high. She couldn’t remember the last time she had ever felt so alive, let alone on a night as awful as this one.
Running for her life was proving to be a perfect distraction for everything that was going on a couple hundred feet away. And she needed it. Especially after what she had contemplated moments before Valerio showed up.
“Where are you, my little moon?” he called out through the forest. Panic rose inside of her. She couldn’t tell which direction his voice was coming from, the echo jumping from side to side.
She forced herself to move quicker, only to find herself running directly into a clearing. The trees were positioned in a circle, creating a fence around her. She was completely exposed, while anything hiding in the forest line would be able to watch her without her knowledge. A single large boulder sat in the center of the clearing and that was it. The strange setup felt odd, but it didn’t matter when his voice called again, this time so much closer than before. Luna stopped for a second, trying to decide on a direction to take.
A branch cracked from somewhere in the tree line. She ran behind the boulder, holding her hand against her mouth to quiet her breathing. It was silent, too silent. Luna stepped around the boulder, trying to look out into the area she had just come from to see if he was there or not. She saw no one.
Her shoulders dropped. She released a breath of relief. She could make a run into the forest again, going until she got up to the main road. She turned back around.
Two hands pushed her against the rock, locking her in place. Luna gasped. Valerio had found her.
His eyes were wild, his breaths harsh.
“I found you,” he growled, pressing against hers.
“What now?” she asked. She had to have looked as wild as he did. She waited in anticipation for his answer, her skin itching for the scratch only he could provide.
She should have pushed against him, fought him, told him he needed to get her out of the country even though they had made a deal. But she did none of it. Maybe he would have helped her too if she pleaded with him. She could have blamed it on her confused state of mind, on how hopeless life seemed just a few moments ago and now it seemed hopeful again, or even on the adrenaline coursing through her body.
But there were no excuses for the way she felt now around him: protected and safe. His presence felt so familiar, so good to be in again, she almost felt guilty allowing herself to relish in it when she had only pushed him away. For the past couple of weeks, all she had felt was unsafe and in danger. Now, it was the opposite, and it was thanks to him. And maybe it was always his presence in her life all these years that kept the lingering protection there. The moment he was gone, so was everything else.
The overwhelming sense of longing filled her. She hadn’t even realized that she missed him until he showed up once again unannounced in her life. Maybe that was the real reason she didn’t fight him.
“Now,” he said, drawing it out. He traced the skin of her neck, feeling the quick pulse under her skin. “You’re mine.”
And then his lips were on hers. One hand found its way into her hair, pulling on it so he could have more access. Luna melted in his hold, trying to keep up with his kiss. It was violent, angry, but exactly what she needed.
He grasped her neck like a necklace warming her skin. He grabbed it firmly before he let go of it again, but it was enough for Luna to feel the dampening in her underwear. His lips replaced his hand, biting and sucking on the soft skin, leaving bruises in its wake. Luna wasn’t sure she would be able to cover them up. She lifted her leg, wrapping it around his waist while he grinded against her.
His free hand yanked the straps of the dress down her shoulders, exposing her nipples to the now freezing night air. Valerio stared at them, looking up at Luna who looked at him with wide eyes. The eye contact didn’t last long; a moment later he pressed a kiss against her left breast, wrapping his mouth around the nipple.
“Absolutely perfect,” he told her, before digging back in.
Moans slipped out. He paid attention to the other nipple, pulling and squeezing, mixing pleasure with a little bit of pain. He played with her as much as he wanted, as if he were entitled to it, as if her body was his.
Luna wrapped her hands into the back of his hair, pushing his head into her chest.
He fell to his knees, trailing his hands along the smooth skin of her thighs. She looked down at him this time, feeling overly powerful having someone like Valerio on his knees for her. “What are you doing?” she asked breathlessly.
“I want a taste of my fiancée.”
“We’re in the middle of the woods,” she said. She attempted to close her legs, but his hands held her open.
His boyish grin sent her mad—teasing her, making her wish he would put that mouth to good use instead. “This wasn’t where I imagined I would eat your pussy for the first time, but no time better than now.”
He trailed his fingers up her thighs, finding the lacy thong she wore underneath the dress. Her breath hitched in her throat as he pulled on it, forcing it down her legs. “Unless you want me to stop?” Valerio asked her.
“What?” she asked. Her mind was only occupied with his hands too close to the place that was now drenched for him.
“Do you want me to stop?”
She shook her head.
“Use your words,” he said.
“Don’t stop,” she muttered. “Please.”
He grinned, slipping the underwear down and off her feet, sticking it in his pocket. “When you beg so sweetly for me like a good girl, I have no choice but to play with your pussy. Hold your dress up.”
She did, looking at him with wide eyes. He threw her leg over his shoulder, allowing him to be at eye level with her pussy. Valerio lifted his other hand, moving his pointer finger through her folds, collecting the slickness. He trailed his finger up, circling her clit for a moment. Luna whimpered, feeling the need growing inside of her.
“Look at how wet you are for me,” he told her in awe. “So fucking perfect.”
He circled her clit again, putting more pressure on it. She thrusted her hips forward as a response. Valerio looked up at her with another grin, one that was so rare for him but fit his face perfectly. “I wonder how you taste,” he said. “Probably delicious.”
He lifted the finger to his lips, sticking it into his mouth for a few seconds before pulling it out. Luna’s mouth went dry. “I was right. Delicious,” he groaned.
Then he leaned his head in, licking a strip from her slit to her clit. Luna gasped, holding on to his head. He continued to lick around her clit. Luna nearly lost her mind the moment he decided to suck on it, putting the most intoxicating pressure on her clit. She threw her head back, gasping for air and choking on her moans. She had never felt a feeling like it. Sure, she had masturbated before, but nothing compared to the way he made her feel.
He gripped her ass, pressing her into his mouth. She tensed the leg around his shoulder, thrusting her hips forward before she came. She wasn’t ready for it, but it crashed through her body without another thought.
Waves after waves of euphoria swept through her body, forcing her to go silent. Her legs shook and threatened to crumble under her. He helped her ride it out until she was completely spent. He pulled back, but not before leaving one last kiss to her clit that had her twitching.
Valerio looked up at her. “You look like an angel.”
She let out a laugh, a real and genuine one. “I probably look like I crawled up from hell,” she told him, lowering her leg. She dropped her dress, lifting the straps back over her shoulders.
“Don’t be so quick to get dressed,” he told her. “I can go for round two.”
She shook her head. “I can’t.” She stared at him for a few moments. “You didn’t have to do that, especially since it left you with that.” She looked down at the bulge in his jeans, before returning back up with red cheeks.
“I did it because I wanted to. Don’t worry about me,” he said. “You know what this means now?”
“Means we’re engaged,” she said, swallowing harshly. “I know.”
He grabbed her hands, pulling her into him. “Don’t think about it for tonight. We can talk about it later.”
Luna nodded, relieved. “Should we go back?”
“I have to tell everyone you’re my fiancée,” he said, pressing a kiss to her lips.
They began walking back, Valerio holding onto her hand the entire time. Her legs were weak, so she appreciated it. His hand warmed hers, and it wasn’t unpleasant. It didn’t feel wrong walking with him like that either. It felt oddly comfortable and it silenced her mind.
“I wasn’t expecting you to come out tonight,” she told him. “I didn’t expect you to ever want to see me again.”
“Unfortunately for you, you can’t get rid of me that easily,” he said. “Why were you outside?”
“I was starting to lose it. I saw who my parents picked and I needed to leave. I needed to do something,” she admitted. “I was trapped.”
Valerio stopped in his tracks, turning to face her. His eyes were hard. “What were you planning to do?” he asked.
“I don’t want to say it,” she whispered. The thing in question being something she couldn’t take back—a more permanent fix. She couldn’t look at his eyes, the intensity in his gaze was overbearing.
Valerio grabbed her chin, holding her in place. “If you ever reach that point again, you call me. Don’t ever even think about harming yourself, killing yourself. I will find you a solution, something else. Do you understand me?” he asked. His voice was stern, and all Luna could do was nod. “Use your words.”
“Yes, I understand. I won’t ever do that. I promise.”
Valerio nodded his head, seeming to accept her promise. With that, they kept walking. Finally, Luna felt like she could breathe again.