7. Evelyn
“Ihave something for you, dolcezza.” Even as Massimo’s deep voice made me shiver with desire, unease stirred.
I turned to face him, tugging the fluffy white robe more tightly around myself like armor. The mansion where we were staying in the small town on the Colombia-Ecuador border was overwhelmingly ostentatious, especially in contrast to the impoverished neighborhoods we’d passed during the short drive from the landing strip in the jungle.
Massimo had boasted about his wealth many times, possibly trying to impress me. But money had only ever been a weapon in my experience, a tool for control. Already, my life had spun out of my control. I couldn’t bear to slip even farther into chaos.
“You didn’t have to get me anything,” I said quickly, squaring my shoulders in a show of personal strength. I might be physically weaker than Massimo, but I knew how to provide for myself, to pay my own way. As an adult, I’d always been careful not to take more than I could contribute.
He gave me a lazy, self-satisfied smile. “I know I didn’t have to. I don’t have to do anything. I can afford to do anything I want, and I want to spoil you.”
My stomach twisted, and I straightened my spine. I summoned up my willpower and focused on his stunning eyes, which were glittering with anticipation. They were gorgeous enough to entrance me, so I managed to avoid staring at his bare, sculpted chest. I studiously ignored the fine dusting of dark hair that trailed down his abs to disappear beneath a plush white towel that was slung low over his hips, accentuating the defined V that drew my attention to his…
I swallowed hard and stopped thinking about sex. I lost control entirely when his masterful hands caressed my body, bringing me transcendent pleasure. While that sweet bliss provided ecstatic release—a sense of freedom and connection I’d never known before—financial control was another matter entirely. The prospect soured my budding lust.
His cocky smile remained fixed in place. “I bought it for you to wear tonight. And every night. My mark on your neck will fade, but I want everyone to know you’re mine.”
I took a small step back. Whatever it was, it would be a sign of ownership. Of control. Not just for others to see, but for me as well. I would never be able to repay him for the expensive clothes he’d already purchased for me. Now, I’d be further indebted to him.
Before I could summon up another protest, he picked up a large jewelry box covered in black velvet. I’d been so obsessed with studying his masculine perfection that I hadn’t noticed it resting on the nightstand.
“Massimo…” I trailed off when he snapped open the velvet-covered lid.
The way the light refracted off the diamonds was sharp enough to cut, the glittering gems seeming to pierce my chest with every shimmering ray. A massive teardrop diamond was nestled in the center of the box, cushioned by cream silk. In place of the golden links of a chain, dozens of smaller round diamonds curved in elegant lines from the clasp that would sit at the nape of my neck. Each of them was twice as large as my engagement ring had been.
“Do you like it?” he prompted when I didn’t say anything; I was too stunned by the beauty and exquisite pain of the gems to fully process my emotions.
“It’s too much.” I managed to breathe.
He cocked his head at me, a furrow between his dark brows. “Nothing is too much for you, farfallina.”
I shook my head, staring at the diamonds as though they’d entranced me with their awful beauty.
“I don’t want to owe you anything.”
A small frown tugged at his full lips. “You’ve said that before. I don’t expect anything in return for this. I want you to wear it for me. I want everyone to see how I provide for my woman. I know your value, and they will all see how I treasure you. They will know to keep their fucking distance. You’re mine.”
I shook my head again, and his expression darkened.
“You are mine, Evelyn. You said it yourself. There’s no going back.”
I licked my dry lips. “It’s not that.”
“Then what is wrong?” he demanded. “You think I’m giving you this because I want you to owe me something? Is that the kind of man you think I am?”
“No!” My reply was immediate and vehement, drawn from my soul before I could mull it over. “It’s just… I have a hard time accepting these gifts from you. They make me uncomfortable.”
Some of the darkness ebbed from his eyes, and he placed the jewelry box back on the nightstand without closing it. The diamonds continued to wink at me, taunting me. I kept my attention on him.
He stepped toward me, closing the small distance I’d created between us. His big hand cupped my cheek, his thumb hooking beneath my jaw to capture my face in his gentle grip.
“Who made you feel unworthy?” Despite the careful way he handled me, his voice was rough with anger.
I drew in a shuddering breath. How could he see me so clearly? I’d spent years with George, and he’d never asked about my stepfather’s financial abuse.
An awful realization budded at the back of my mind. George had never commented on it, but I had told him about my childhood. And once we’d graduated college and started working, he’d made subtle comments about our contributions to the budget. He’d had the final say on how we spent our funds because he’d earned more than I did.
My eyes stung as another layer of his betrayal dawned on me. He’d taken one of my most vulnerable secrets and used it against me. He’d known that I feared taking more than I earned, and he’d leveraged that to curtail my financial choices.
Massimo brushed a tear from my cheek before it could fall. His muscles rippled with the force of his suppressed rage.
“Who are these tears for?” he demanded.
I swallowed against the lump in my throat. I owed him an explanation. Massimo had been hurt by my implication that he was giving me gifts to control me. He was a proud man, and he’d clawed his way up from nothing. He’d quite literally fought for every penny, and now he was wealthy.
He might be able to see into my soul, but I saw into his as well. He wanted to show off that wealth because it meant power.
Untouchable. Everything he’d ever done was to ensure his safety and security. Signs of his wealth adorning me would provide me with security as well. No one would dare to touch me if they knew I belonged to Massimo.
“My stepfather was well-off,” I began my admission quietly, not knowing exactly where to begin. “Not rich, but he had a job that paid well enough to keep our family in a nice neighborhood. We took a vacation once a year, and he sent my stepsister, Rachel, and me to private school.”
Massimo’s features pinched with puzzlement. “I’m not trying to replace your father.”
“He’s not my father,” I snapped, the old wound causing me to lash out. I took a breath to calm myself and continued. “My biological father left when I was four. I barely remember him.” The few memories I did have—ice cream and playgrounds and birthday cake—further muddled my complicated feelings about the man who’d abandoned me as a child and never looked back.
“My mother struggled to support us,” I pressed on. “She worked two jobs waiting tables to keep a roof over our heads and some food on the table. She resented the burden of another mouth to feed, and she blamed me for my father leaving us. She said I was a difficult child, and that was why he didn’t stay.”
Massimo’s jaw ticked, and he stroked my hair, silently urging me to continue despite his mounting anger.
“When I was nine, she met my stepfather. She hid the fact of my existence from him until they were engaged.” I’d spent so many nights alone in our ramshackle apartment, making my own crude dinners and tucking myself into bed. She’d claimed she was dating him to help us escape poverty, and I couldn’t complain about that.
I’d learned at a young age never to complain. If I made myself small and quiet, no one would get upset with me. I wouldn’t be rebuked if I didn’t cause any trouble.
“You said you had a stepsister,” Massimo gently prompted. “He already had a child of his own. Why would your mother need to hide your existence?”
I shrugged. “She didn’t want to scare my stepfather off with the burden of another child. By the time they were engaged, they were committed enough for her to introduce us. They married, and we moved into a big house as a new family. My mother doted on Rachel, treating her as her own daughter. My stepfather didn’t feel the same about me. He’d never wanted me; I was baggage from my mom’s past relationship.” Over time, Rachel became their daughter. I was set apart, a pariah in my childhood home.
“He was a fool,” Massimo growled. “Anyone would be lucky to have you in their life.”
Another tear spilled over, scouring my cheek in a cathartic burn as I released some of the pain that I’d carried deep inside me for years.
“Thank you for saying that.” My voice was thick with emotion, and I leaned into his hand for comfort.
His jaw firmed. “I’m saying it because it’s true. You didn’t deserve to be treated that way, Evelyn. You deserve to be cherished.”
I closed my eyes briefly, allowing the quiet tears to fall as I released the weight of my burdens. I still wasn’t ready to fully believe what he was saying, but the act of confessing my darkest secrets provided relief I hadn’t known I needed. I’d carried this terrible secret for so long that I hadn’t realized how heavily it laid on my soul.
I met his gaze and found that his pale blue eyes were full of storm clouds. His righteous anger on my behalf bolstered my strength, and I drew in a calming breath.
“My stepfather made me feel like I owed him for everything he provided for me.” I finished my explanation. “I had to behave because he gave me a place to live and food to eat. I couldn’t complain because he sent me to private school. So, I never acted out. Until I went to college, and I chose to study Photography instead of pursuing an Accounting degree. My mother railed at me about it. She said I’d never amount to anything, and I wouldn’t be able to take care of them in their old age if I was a poor artist. I stood by my decision, defying them for the first time in my life. They cut me off. Financially, my stepfather paid for the rest of my college education—probably for appearances. But they don’t speak to me anymore. I haven’t heard from them in six years.”
Massimo shook his head, and his voice was tight with anger when he said, “How could anyone reject you, dolcezza?” He pressed a tender kiss to my forehead. “They never deserved you.”
I released a shaky exhale, and my tears stopped falling. “Thank you.”
“For what? For treating you the way you should be treated? Never thank me for that, Evelyn. It’s my job to take care of you. Let me.”
I nodded, choosing to place my trust in him. I was only starting to truly understand Massimo, but deep in my bones, I knew I could trust him. My dark protector would never hurt me.
He kissed my forehead again. “Good girl.”
He reached for the necklace, retrieving it from the open box. I had a feeling it would’ve ended up around my neck, one way or another, but he’d allowed me to choose to accept the expensive gift. He’d given me the space I needed to process my emotional trauma so that I wouldn’t resent him for forcing it on me.
“Lift your hair for me.”
I followed his command without hesitation, ready to accept the sign that I belonged to him. We were still in a dangerous location, and in a little while, we’d be surrounded by dangerous men once again. The necklace would mark me as Massimo’s, and no one would dare to approach me. I could quietly remain by his side while he went about his sordid business. I might not like that business, but I would be safe. Cherished.
My eyes stung again when the delicate clasp closed at my nape. This time, the emotion that surged wasn’t grief; I was overwhelmed by the intensity of his desire for me. Massimo didn’t just want my body. He treasured all of me. He wanted to know me, just as I wanted to understand him better. I craved more of this strong, gorgeous man. I wanted him to belong to me too.
I kissed the hard line of his square jaw, and my sensitive lips tingled at the light scrape of his dark stubble. I flicked the shell of his ear with my tongue before running it down the length of his neck.
He sucked in a shocked breath at my boldness, but he didn’t stop me from exploring his body, worshipping him with my mouth. I trailed more soft kisses over his chest, down his abs. I sank to my knees, bracing my hands on his hips and tugging the towel free.
His thick erection jutted toward the waiting heat of my mouth, and I opened for him. Before I could taste the bead of precum on his cockhead, his fingers tangled in my hair, holding me back.
“Look at me,” he commanded, his voice guttural.
My eyes snapped to his. He towered over me, his massive body seeming larger than ever. I was small in his shadow, but with his firm hands on me, I felt safe, sheltered. His eyes burned with lust, and a surge of feminine power rolled through me. This strong man desired me. He looked at me as though I was the only thing that mattered.
“Look at me when you take my cock in your mouth. I want to watch you swallow every inch of me.”
My belly fluttered, equal parts trepidation and desire. He was big everywhere. I wasn’t sure if I could do as he ordered, but I wanted to please him more than anything. His pleasure was the most important thing in my world. I would bind him to me with ecstasy. I might be the one on my knees, but I would make him mine.
Keeping him locked in my hungry stare, I licked his cockhead like I was sampling the most decadent dessert. His low groan went straight to my head, and power flooded me. His nostrils flared, and his fingers tightened in my hair, tugging just hard enough to light up my scalp with little pinpricks of pain. Sparks danced down my spine, reaching my heated core. My clit pulsed, and my thighs grew slick with my own desire.
I grasped his length in one hand and hummed my approval, running my lips down the side of his shaft as I learned the shape of him. He bit out a low curse, fisting my hair and guiding me where he wanted me. My lips parted, and I welcomed him into my mouth in a slow, steady slide. I hollowed out my cheeks, sucking him as I swirled my tongue around him. When his cockhead reached the back of my throat, I couldn’t quite manage to take him in.
He pulled back, allowing me space to breathe. “You’re doing so well, farfallina. You can take me.”
His praise and encouragement made honeyed warmth pool low in my belly. I would do anything to please him, anything to make him come undone for me.
I resumed licking him, learning every caress that made him hiss and groan. His cock throbbed in my mouth, signaling that he was nearing orgasm.
I pumped his shaft with one hand, stimulating the length that wouldn’t fit into my mouth. With my other hand, I cupped his balls, testing the weight and shape of him. He snarled and thrust deep, as though he couldn’t help himself.
He was losing control. For me.
I opened my throat and welcomed him deep into my mouth, finally managing to take his full length. He came with a primal roar, releasing his hot seed into me. I swallowed every precious drop, laying claim to everything he gave me, taking ownership of his pleasure, his body. This powerful, perfect man was all mine.
He thrust his hips toward my face one final time, and his hand hit the wall for support as he released the last of his cum with a harsh curse.
He pulled free from my mouth and reached for me, lifting me into his arms before laying me out on the massive four poster bed. He fell onto the mattress beside me, as though his knees were giving out.
His chest heaved with heavy breaths, and he was looking at me with awe.
He tugged at the tie on my robe, pulling it free and parting the soft fabric to reveal my body. I wore nothing but the stunning necklace. The teardrop diamond rested in the hollow between my collarbones, the subtle weight making me keenly aware of each of my thumping heartbeats.
I would’ve been content to simply lay with him in the aftermath of the intense connection we’d shared, but he wasn’t finished with me.
He pressed a kiss against the diamond that adorned me and marked me as his. Then his lips trailed lower, worshipping my breasts just as I’d paid reverence to his perfect body. His tongue flicked over my nipples, sending sparks of pleasure straight to my clit. It ached, desperate for his merciful touch.
He kissed his way down my belly. Just before he reached my clit, he pulled back slightly.
“Please!” I whined, my fingers tangling in his glossy black curls to pull him closer.
He didn’t shift an inch in my greedy grip, and his wolfish, arrogant smile made my core contract with fresh arousal.
“Keep your eyes on me.” He repeated the command he’d issued when I’d had my mouth on him.
My lips parted, and I watched him as he lowered his stunning face to my sex. His eyes glimmered with hints of gold as he fixed me in his burning stare. He parted my swollen folds with his thumbs, exposing me completely. He hovered so close to my most intimate, vulnerable area that I could feel each of his hot breaths fanning my wet pussy.
“Please…” I tugged at his hair, and his low chuckle was almost cruel.
“I do love when you beg, dolcezza. Are you aching for me?”
“Yes,” I moaned.
He swirled his fingers through the arousal that coated my thighs. “Is this from taking my cock in your mouth? Did swallowing my cum make you this wet?”
“Yes. It’s for you,” I panted. “All for you.”
The words were like a trigger, and he buried his face in my sex. He devoured me like he’d been starving for a taste of my desire. His low groan rumbled through my core, the vibration driving me wild. I rocked my hips against him, rubbing myself against his tongue as the pleasure built. My entire body coiled tight, ecstasy gathering deep inside me.
“Massimo. Please, Massimo…” I whispered his name like a prayer, like an offering to my new god. He controlled my pleasure, commanded my full carnal attention.
My gaze never wavered from his intense blue stare as he feasted on me, working me into a frenzy with his clever tongue.
His teeth lightly grazed my clit, the sensation so intense that it blurred the boundary between pain and pleasure. I came apart on a scream, my entire body shaking with the power of my orgasm. It ripped through me in a tidal wave, claiming my entire being. My legs clamped around him, and my fingers tangled in his curls as I ground my sex against his beautiful face.
He laughed, a lust-drunk sound that sent more waves of pleasure shuddering through me. He reveled in my ecstatic release, just as I’d found bliss in making him come undone.
He licked me through the aftershocks of my orgasm, drawing every last drop of pleasure from my shaking body. He pressed one final kiss to my clit. I jerked with a soft cry, then went limp. My limbs felt heavy, even as my mind floated in an ecstatic high that I’d only ever experienced with Massimo.
His powerful body enfolded mine, blanketing me in warmth. He traced the outline of the diamond with his tongue, a reverent caress. I’d accepted his gift, the sign that I belonged to him. And I didn’t feel so much as a flicker of unease. He hadn’t given it to me in an effort to make me indebted to him. It was a mark of his ownership, but not his control. He would never leverage the extravagant gift to guilt or coerce me. He adorned me because it made him happy. He was pleased and proud to take care of me, to provide for me.
I would never begrudge him that ever again.