14. Aurora
CHAPTER 14
Aurora
The drive to Matteo’s estate was a blur. My head was spinning from the events of the last few hours. If someone had told me I’d wake up to this, I’d have gone back to bed and stayed there. I’m angry at Matteo for lying and, well, for so many things, but I’m most upset about my father. I always knew he didn’t love me the way a parent should love a child, but I ignored it. Why? Who knows. Maybe it was out of self-preservation. If I convinced myself it was normal, then the hurt wouldn’t be so bad. At least that’s what I thought.
I was wrong. Now that I saw Dominic DeSantis, my father, for who he really was, it hurt. Bad. My degree from Yale, my business savvy, none of it mattered to my father. When he looked at me, all he saw was disappointment. Not that I had done anything wrong; I just wasn’t what he wanted. I wasn’t a son.
All I want to do is make it to my bedroom, close the blinds, lock the doors, and crawl into bed. But Matteo won’t let me.
Since we arrived, he has been following me through the house like a lost puppy. Finally, he cornered me in the hallway.
“Damnit Aurora! Stop walking away from me! We have to talk!”
Spinning on my heels, I glared at him. “Talk about what, Matteo? About how you were planning on killing my father or about how you only married me to keep the tapes from being turned over? Or maybe about how less than an hour ago you pulled a gun and threatened to kill me? Is that what you want to talk about?”
I was yelling but I didn’t care. I was letting all my hurt and anger out, and it felt good.
Matteo took a deep breath and walked closer. “I never would have shot you, Aurora. I made a mistake, but I needed to call Dominic’s bluff. But you have to understand, I was trying to protect you, protect us.”
I shook my head, tears spilling down my cheeks. “Protect me? That’s rich. Was killing my father going to protect me, Matteo?”
I could see the frustration surging in the vein above his eye. “Your father is a threat, Aurora. One you needed to be made aware of. I did what I thought was necessary for both our sakes.”
I crossed my arms, my eyes blazing with anger. “And what about my feelings or do they not matter? What about trust? You lied to me, Matteo. You betrayed me.”
He reached out to comfort me, but I stepped back. I wasn’t ready to forgive him. I wasn’t sure I ever would be.
His voice began to crack as he softly said, “I know I hurt you. But I need you to understand that I never would have hurt you. In my heart, I know we can work this out.”
I laughed bitterly. “Work this out? Do you think a simple apology can fix this? I can’t trust you, Matteo. Not after this. Not after what you’ve done.”
Matteo’s face looked like someone had stabbed him. For a man who was always in control, he no longer was, and he didn’t know what to do.
“Aurora,” he whispered with desperation. “Please give me the chance to make this right. Give me the chance to prove myself to you.”
I looked at him. For a moment, my resolve softened before hardening again. “I can’t, Matteo. This is all too much. I need time to think. We need to spend some time apart.”
Before I could turn to walk away, Matteo grabbed my bicep and pushed me up against the wall. I’d be lying if I said electricity didn’t shoot through my body from his touch because it did. And that bothered me.
How can a man who threatened my life less than an hour ago make me wet from a simple touch? I must be seriously messed up.
His breath was hot, and his cologne filled the air as he inched closer to my ear.
“You aren’t going anywhere, Bella Rosa. There are things I need to say, and you are going to listen.”
“But what if I don’t want to?” I asked, barely above a whisper.
“You will, Mi Amore, you will.”
My attempt at resisting was futile. Matteo was too strong, and deep down, I didn’t want to.
Matteo slowly began softly kissing my neck as he began to speak. “Aurora, I didn’t expect any of this to happen. My life has always been a well-oiled machine, one I could control how I saw fit. Love was never on my radar. But then you blew into my life and threw me off course.”
I tried to speak, but Matteo placed his finger over my lips to silence me.
“Not yet, Bella Rosa. I’m not finished. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t fight the magnetic pull between us. When I wasn’t looking, you snuck into my heart and grabbed a hold of it. You are my other half, Aurora. My heart belongs to you. I am dedicated to you completely, now and forever. I will cherish you and protect you always.”
I tensed at the word protect. I’d had a glimpse of what that meant, and although it made me nervous, it also comforted me.
“Nothing will ever harm you, not while I’m around. From this point forward, there will be no other women. There never really was, No one could compare to you. I promise to be faithful until the day I die.”
My heart was melting, and my body was on fire. I wanted him, but I also needed more assurance that my family was safe. I may not want anything to do with my father, but that doesn’t mean I want him dead.
“What about my father, Matteo? I know he’s a low-life son-of-a-bitch, but he’s still my father. How can I be sure you won’t go after him? Especially after what he did?”
Still holding me against the wall with his left hand, Matteo used his right hand to slowly raise the hem of my cotton sundress. The feel of his fingertips on my bare skin sent shivers down my spine.
I was beginning to lose control.
Kissing along my collarbone, he stopped to look me in the eyes.
“Aurora, my love, I promise to never threaten your father again, but I will not be in the same room with him for any reason. Your father will continue to live as he always has as long as he stays away from me, from us.”
When Mateo said from us, my control snapped. The desire and love I felt for this man threatened to overtake me. It shouldn’t have been there, but it was. Deep inside, I knew that no matter what happened, I was safe. Matteo would never hurt me. I was home in the den of my protector now.
My hands found Matteo’s head and pulled him to me.
“Kiss me, Matteo…”
Before I could say more, Matteo engulfed me in a searing kiss. My body was on fire. Our tongues collided as our bodies frantically tried to say what for so long had been ignored.
This, right here in each other’s arms, was where we always belonged. It wasn’t enough, though. I needed more, something to put out the fire that Matteo’s words and touch had ignited. I needed to feel his body against mine as we brought each other to the peak of ecstasy.
My head fell back as Matteo slipped his fingers inside my black lace panties. The torture was agonizing as he slowly stroked his thumb over my swollen bud.
Damn. If this is how we settle every disagreement, sign me up.
“ You’re so wet for me, Bella Rosa,” Matteo grunted as he pulled his hand away and picked me up.
I wrapped my legs around his waist as he carried me to the closest bedroom. He could have taken me in the hall for all I cared, but after the events of earlier, I guess he wanted to make it special.
As soon as the door was closed, Matteo laid me down on the bed and stood back to look at me with eyes that spoke volumes. If the saying is true and the eyes really are windows to the soul, then Matteo was telling the truth. About everything.
“Gorgeous,” he grunted as he began frantically taking off his shirt, giving me a full view of the intricately sexy tattoos that I had come to love. One day, I would have to ask him what they meant.
Quickly, I sat up and shed my dress and strapless bra. Just as I was beginning to slide my panties down, Matteo was on top of me.
“I’ll help you with those.”
There was a hunger in his voice I hadn’t heard before. A deep-rooted, primal desire to make me his, to show me how he felt. Quickly, he ripped my panties away and began kissing my inner thigh as he inhaled my scent.
“I’ve missed this, Aurora. Never again will I be without you for so long.”
I couldn’t speak; all I could do was shake my head as my fingernails dug into his back.
Matteo slid two fingers inside me as he licked and kissed my slick folds and throbbing nub. It was too much and not enough all at the same time. Just as I was about to explode, Matteo pulled away and began kissing my stomach.
“I cannot wait to make you scream from oral pleasure, Bella Rosa, but today, I want us to summit together. I need to be inside you when your body topples off the edge.”
I wrapped my legs tightly around his waist and dug my heels into his firm ass to pull him closer.
“Yes, Matteo, yes. Please, I need you inside me.”
“As you wish, my love.”
With one smooth thrust, I could feel my walls opening to allow for his massive size. It was exquisite. For a second, we lay there relishing each other's feelings, but then Matteo started to move.
He kissed me passionately as he moved inside me, my hips raising to meet his powerful thrusts. Our bodies moved in perfect rhythm as waves of pleasure rippled through my body.
“Oh, Matteo, yes! You feel so good. Please don’t stop,” I groaned as I could feel my climax approaching.
“Never Mi Amore. This is where I belong.”
The final thrust was all it took to send me over the edge. Stars shot through the sky as I screamed. My orgasm was intense, more intense than any I’d experienced before.
Then it hit me. It was because I was in love. For the first time in my life, I was head-over-heels in love. It terrified me, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
As night fell, we lay wrapped in each other. Matteo brushed a strand of hair out of my face and kissed me gently.
“Are you hungry? I doubt you’ve eaten anything today.”
Seeing him look worried was cute. I could tell he wasn’t used to being concerned about others.
“A little… okay, I’m starving but can wait until morning. I don’t want to bother the cook at this hour.”
“Nonsense. I’ll make you something.”
Matteo kissed me again and got out of bed to dress. I slipped my dress over my head and brushed my hair with my fingers.
Cocking an eyebrow, I looked at him mischievously. “You cook?”
Grinning, he buttoned his pants but remained shirtless. Seeing him like that made me want to forget food and bring him back to bed.
“There are many things you don’t know about me, Aurora.”
Grinning back, I stood on my tiptoes to kiss him. “I know, but be careful, Mr. Santoro; I just might discover them all.”
Matteo grabbed me and kissed me deeply. When he pulled away, he whispered, “I hope so, My Love, I hope so.”
As I turned to walk toward the kitchen, Matteo swatted my ass playfully. When I turned around to scold him, he was grinning like the Cheshire Cat. Only my Cheshire Cat was the head of a notorious mafia family and… so much more. For the first time, I realized that Matteo Santoro was more than I had ever imagined, and I couldn’t wait to explore.