Chapter 14 #3
I reach my hand between her thighs again. This time I plunge one finger inside her, reveling in the feel of her inner muscles clutching at me.
And oh, shit. She’s hot and wet and so tight...
My dick throbs. Aches. It wants to be inside her. Now.
But she needs to be ready, first.
This needs to be better than good. It needs to be perfect.
Sofia wraps her hand around me again, stroking me from root to tip. My eyes nearly roll back into my head. “Soph,” I groan. “I’m too close.”
I feel like a damn teenager, on the verge of exploding.
She meets my gaze. “I want you inside me. Please.”
“I want you to be ready,” I protest.
“I am.” Her legs come around my waist. “I’m ready, trust me. I want to feel you inside me again.”
Well, shit. If that’s what she wants, how can I say no?
Just as I’m notching myself at her center, my lust-addled brain shouts a reminder. “Shit. Protection. I need to get something.”
I launch myself off the bed and practically sprint from the room, calling over my shoulder, “Don’t move. Not an inch. I’ll be right back.”
As I race to the bathroom and back, I pray silently that Sofia won’t change her mind. That I won’t come back to find her wrapped up in the sheets or, worse yet, fully dressed again.
I’d be okay with it, of course. She has every right to change her mind. But fuck, I don’t want her to. I want to be with her more than I want to breathe.
But thank fuck, she’s still where I left her. Still stretched out on the bed, looking like Christmas and my birthday and New Year’s all in one.
“You’re still here,” I tell her. Which is an absolutely inane thing to say.
“I am,” she agrees with a smile. “Now get over here.”
So I do.
And this time, when I move between her thighs, I don’t hesitate.
I just look at Sofia and ask, “Are you ready?”
She nods. “Yes. So ready.”
Shit.
How did I get so damn lucky?
The question repeats several times over:
As I sink inside her, her body welcoming me in.
When I’m fully seated as deep as I can go, finally feeling like I’ve come home.
While we move together, our bodies finding the perfect rhythm.
And then, when Sofia convulses around me, shouting out my name.
How did I get so damn lucky?
Once she comes, I finally allow myself to do the same. Pulsing into her. All my muscles locking up. Groaning out my pleasure in a guttural cry.
As the aftershocks ripple through us, I hug her to me and press kisses to the top of her head. She tucks her head under my chin and grazes her lips across my neck.
Her hand covers the tattoo of our initials intertwined. “I don’t think it’s stupid at all,” she whispers. “Not even a little.”
My heart twists.
So much time lost.
I close my eyes, breathing through the pain of it. The loss. The wishing I’d done so many things differently.
“It’s okay,” Sofia adds softly. “We found each other again. And that’s the most important part.”
We found each other again.
Or rather, Sofia found me.
But why?
It’s another question I ask myself as she drifts off to sleep, still snuggled safely in my arms.
Why did she come to see me?
I pull the blanket over us, not because I need it, but Sofia might. She’s so much smaller than me, so fragile—
No. She’s not fragile. Knowing what she’s been through, what she overcame, that’s the last word I should use to describe her.
Sofia is strong. Determined. Incredible.
Still. It doesn’t change the fact that I’m desperate to protect her. That I wish I could take her away to a private island where no one can reach her. Where I know, without question, that no one can hurt her.
Could I buy an island? How much does a private island go for these days? It wouldn’t need to be big, just remote, with enough distance between us and any neighboring islands that I’d see an enemy approaching with plenty of time to spare.
As Sofia cuddles against me, her breath brushing my neck, I spin the idea around in my head.
We wouldn’t have to stay there forever. Just a few months, until I’m absolutely certain the threat to her is over. And then we could use the island as our own personal getaway.
I’m tempted to grab my phone to look up real estate listings, but that would mean moving Sofia, and I’m not willing to do that. Not when she’s finally back in my arms, when she’s actually getting some uninterrupted rest—
Almost as if I jinxed it, Sofia moans.
Her body tenses.
Her head moves back and forth in a silent denial.
She starts breathing faster. More erratically. Her heart pounds so hard I can feel it.
“Soph,” I murmur. “It’s okay.” I stroke her hair. “It’s okay. You’re safe.”
“No!” she blurts. “No!”
Then she jerks in my arms.
Another low moan escapes.
“Sofia.” I firm my voice. “Wake up. You’re safe.”
“No. Don’t. Please.”
The fear in her voice is agony.
She jerks again, this time almost wrenching herself out of my arms.
I don’t want her to wake up thinking she’s trapped, so I lay her on her back, then roll onto my side to face her. Taking hold of her arm, I give her a gentle shake. “Sofia. You’re safe. I’m here. No one can hurt you.”
Just as I finish speaking, her fist flies out, clipping my shoulder.
It doesn’t hurt, but it’s still an impressive hit.
“No!” she cries. “Leave me alone!”
Then her eyes pop open. They’re filled with terror.
She scuttles back, almost falling off the bed before I catch her.
Catching her hands to keep her from hitting me again, I quickly say, “Sofia, it’s me. Nico. I’m not going to hurt you. You’re safe.”
In a matter of seconds, her fear shifts to confusion, and then realization. “Nico?”
Her voice is so tiny. It hurts my heart.
“Yeah, Soph. It’s me. You had a nightmare.”
“Oh.” She blinks. Lines form across her brow. “It was just a nightmare.”
“Yeah.” I hug her to me again and press a light kiss to her damp forehead. “Just a nightmare. You’re okay.”
Sofia takes a few shaky breaths. “God. It was so real. Like I was right there, in the alley—”
My body goes cold. “The alley?”
“Yes.” A shudder shakes her. “The man threw me on the ground—” With a sharp inhale, she stops. “Oh, God.”
Adrenaline surges. “You remember?”
Her features pinch with concentration. “The alley. I was walking by, and someone grabbed me. I tried to yell for help, but then he yanked my arm so hard it popped.”
Something cold and dangerous coils inside me. But in a carefully gentle voice, I ask, “Do you remember anything else?”
She shudders again. “The man. He covered my mouth with his hand. I bit him. But he wouldn’t let me go. So I tried… kicking him.”
Tears stream down Sofia’s cheeks, each one a dagger to my heart. I don’t want to ask. But I have to. “What else?”
“I kicked him in the balls.” A grim smile touches her lips. “It must have hurt. But then he threw me against the wall. He was so… angry.”
I thumb her tears away. “I’m sure he was. But you got him good, didn’t you?”
“I think so.” A beat, and then, “It’s kind of fuzzy after that. I just remember being scared. So scared. And… he threw me on the ground. I was trying to get… I wanted my pepper spray, but I grabbed my alarm instead. I hit it. That’s when he ran.”
Rage boils inside me, white hot and incendiary.
Sofia moves closer, pressing her chilled body against mine. “I remember. When he and the other man were running away. The first man. He slammed my head on the ground. Then everything started to fade away.”
My teeth nearly shatter. “He hit your head on the ground?”
She buries her face in my chest. “Yes. It hurt. So much.”
Ah, fuck.
Fuck.
“Do you remember anything else?” I ask. “Anything about the men? Something they said? Something they were wearing?”
After a few seconds, Sofia shakes her head. “They were wearing black. With those black knit masks. So all I could see were their eyes. And it was dark. So… I couldn’t see much. Especially once they dragged me into the alley.”
The rage burns even hotter.
And I know, without question, if that fucker were in front of me right now, I’d kill him.
“Did they say anything?”
She hesitates. “I think… the one who attacked me said it didn’t matter if I fought back. And the other… he thought it was funny that I kicked his friend. Or… whoever he was. But I don’t remember anything important. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” I soothe. “You’re fine, Soph.” I steel myself before asking, “Do you remember anything from before? Coming here? Or leaving?”
Sofia lifts her tear-stained face to look at me. “I can’t remember. Just being pulled into the alley. I’m sorry, Nico. I didn’t remember anything useful. Just—” Her voice breaks. “Just getting beat up. That’s all I remember.”
I’m going to kill the fuckers.
And I’m buying a damn island.
“It’s alright,” I reply calmly, though I feel anything but. “I know it sucks. But your memories are coming back. Soon, I’m sure, you’ll remember everything.”
She stares at me. Then she sniffs. “I’m sorry. It was our second first time and I ruined—”
“No.” My voice goes rough. I hug Sofia to me again and kiss her damp cheeks. “You didn’t ruin anything. I promise. Now. Here’s what we’re going to do.”
“What?”
Aside from tracking down the asshole who beat up Sofia?
“I’m going to hold you until you stop shaking,” I tell her.
“And then we’ll get showered. Or you can shower on your own.
Whichever you want. I’ll heat up some food.
We’ll put on one of those sappy romance movies you used to make me watch.
And later, once we’re full and rested, we’ll have our second, second time. Okay?”
Silence drags long enough that I think she’s going to say no.
Then she nods. A tiny smile appears. “Okay.”