Chapter Seventeen CHIARA #2
“If you ever change your mind about the family hierarchy,” he drawled lazily, “you know where to find me.”
“I would literally rather throw myself off the building,” I snapped.
“Maybe not for me.” His eyes glittered. “But if you ever want out…”
His gaze dropped meaningfully toward my closed fist. Then he winked. And disappeared into the crowd. My pulse spiked. Leo’s hand tightened on my waist.
“What was that about?” he asked.
“Nothing,” I lied. His eyes narrowed slightly. Beside him, Sergio looked deeply unconvinced.
“Angelo’s always up to something,” Sergio muttered. “Slimy bastard.”
“True,” Leo agreed calmly. My fingers curled tighter around the object hidden in my palm. A keycard. Jesus Christ. I kept my face perfectly still somehow.
“Where were you?” I asked quickly, desperate to redirect attention. Leo glanced at Sergio once. Neither answered. Suspicion clawed through me. “You just disappeared this morning.”
“Business,” Leo said.
“That explains absolutely nothing,” I said.
“It’s not supposed to.” Frustration burned hot in my chest at his cold tone.
“You’re my husband,” I snapped quietly. “Am I seriously expected to just sit there and know nothing?”
“Yes,” he smiled. The blunt answer stunned me silent. Leo guided me toward the waiting SUV before I could argue further.
“You’ll know what I decide you should know,” he said calmly. “That’s how this works.”
Rage simmered beneath my skin the entire drive back to the city.
I barely looked at him. Barely spoke. But all the while, I could feel the hidden keycard burning against my thigh from where I’d slipped it into the pocket of my coat.
If you ever want out. The words echoed through my head the entire ride back to Manhattan.
By evening, rain streaked against the penthouse windows in silver lines.
The city glowed beneath us, distant and cold.
I stood barefoot near the massive windows in one of Leo’s silk robes, pretending I wasn’t hyperaware of him behind me.
Pretending I couldn’t feel his eyes on my body. Pretending I hated this.
“You’ve been quiet,” Leo observed from across the room.
I crossed my arms tighter. “Maybe I have nothing to say to you.”
“Hm.” The low sound scraped down my spine. I turned reluctantly.
He sat sprawled on the black leather couch like the penthouse itself belonged at his feet. Shirt gone. Tattoos dark against bronze skin. One arm stretched lazily across the back cushions. Beautiful. Dangerous. My husband, officially.
“I have something for you tonight,” he said. My pulse betrayed me. I hated that. A slow smile curved his mouth. “You’re going to pleasure me.”
Heat flooded my face. “I’m not one of your toys.”
“No,” he murmured. “You’re my wife. It’s your duty.”
The words wrapped around my throat like silk. I swallowed hard. “You act like that’s supposed to convince me.”
“It should.” His eyes dragged slowly over me. “Take off the robe.”
My breath caught. Every smart instinct screamed at me to refuse. But my body… God, my body remembered him too well already. The way he touched me. The way he looked at me like he wanted to consume me whole. Slowly, I untied the robe. Leo watched every second. Hungrily.
The silk slipped from my shoulders and pooled around my feet. His gaze darkened. I hated the flutter low in my stomach. Hated how badly I wanted his approval.
“Come here, bellissima.”
My feet moved before my pride could stop them. Leo spread his legs slightly as I approached, his eyes never leaving mine.
“Still pretending you hate this, I see,” he said quietly. Heat crawled up my neck. He reached for me slowly, knuckles brushing the inside of my thigh. I sucked in a sharp breath.
“Mmm,” he murmured. “That reaction. Gets me every time.”
“I can’t help it,” I snapped weakly.
“No,” he agreed softly. “You really can’t.”
His hand slid higher. Teasing. Not enough. Never enough. Every nerve ending in my body felt alive under his attention. “On your knees, wife.”
The command sent heat straight through me. Humiliation tangled viciously with desire as I lowered myself slowly onto the plush rug between his legs. Leo leaned back slightly, watching me with terrifying satisfaction.
“So pretty like this,” he murmured. “My beautiful prisoner.”
I hated how much I loved hearing that. His fingers tilted my chin upward gently.
“Open,” he said. My pulse thundered. The teasing was unbearable. Every touch deliberate. Every praise carefully timed to make me melt and resent myself for it simultaneously. “I said open. Wide.”
I parted my lips slowly. Leo’s eyes darkened.
“Fuck,” he murmured under his breath, leaning back deeper into the couch like the sight alone affected him. “Look at you.”
Heat flooded my face. I hated how much his approval mattered already. His fingers slid into my hair, gathering the blonde strands loosely at the nape of my neck. Not harsh enough to hurt. Just enough to control. Just enough to remind me exactly where I was.
“Still scared of me?” he asked quietly.
“Yes,” I managed. The answer came too fast.
His thumb brushed my lower lip gently. “Good.”
My stomach tightened. The rain hammered softly against the windows behind us, the city glowing silver and gold below the penthouse while Leo looked at me like he owned every breath in my lungs. Maybe he did.
“Such a pretty little mouth,” he murmured. “Always arguing with me. Always lying.”
“I don’t lie-” I started, but he laughed softly.
“Bellissima, you can barely look at me without getting flushed.” Humiliation burned through me because he was right.
I hated that he knew it. Hated that my body betrayed me every single time he touched me.
Leo’s grip tightened slightly in my hair, guiding me closer until my thighs brushed his knees.
“That’s it,” he murmured approvingly. “Come closer to your husband. Crawl for me.”
My pulse pounded violently. Every inch of him radiated heat and control and masculine confidence in a way that made me dizzy.
Tattoos disappeared beneath the waistband of his dark pants.
Broad chest. Thick shoulders. That lazy, devastating mouth watching me struggle against my own reactions. He looked too pleased by them.
“You’re shaking,” he observed softly. “Do you know what I’m going to do to you?”
My breath caught. Of course I knew. But hearing him say it out loud felt different.
Leo watched my face carefully as he slowly undid his belt. The metal buckle jingled softly before he tugged the leather free from its loops and tossed it aside. My heart hammered wildly in my chest. He opened his pants.
I couldn’t look away. He was hard. Already. Heat flooded my face when I realized I was staring.
Leo laughed softly. A low, dangerous sound that made my stomach tighten traitorously. His grip on my hair loosened.
He traced my lower lip lightly, gaze following the movement hungrily. I forced myself to breathe slowly. In and out. Carefully. Like this was normal. Like I wasn’t on my knees between his legs while he pushed his thumb into my mouth, coaxing my lips apart slowly.
Heat slid through my body when his thumb stroked my tongue. Leo made a low, rough sound in the back of his throat, his grip on my hair tightening again as he pulled me closer.
I didn’t resist. Couldn’t. His free hand wrapped around himself slowly. My pulse jumped.
The head of his cock was already slick. Beads of moisture clung to the tip as he stroked himself with slow, measured movements, his eyes locked on mine. I knew he could feel my uneven breathing. Knew he could feel the way my pulse jumped wildly when he pressed his thumb deeper into my mouth.
"Suck," he ordered quietly.
My heart pounded. He smelled like sex and danger, and I hated how much it affected me. The heat rolling off his skin made my entire body feel feverish. His cock twitched in his hand when I obediently closed my lips around his thumb and sucked gently.
His voice was rough. "Again."
I did. Heat flared in his gaze as he watched me, his thumb moving deeper, slow thrusts that made me clench my thighs together on instinct. "Such a good girl."
Pleasure twisted low in my stomach at his words. He smiled knowingly, sliding his thumb free from my mouth slowly before pressing the tip of his cock against my lips instead. I shivered.
"Open," he ordered softly. "Let's see if I fit inside that bratty little mouth."
Arousal and shame burned hot in my stomach as I obeyed. Leo guided himself between my lips, sliding over my tongue inch by thick inch. I forced myself to stay still, to breathe, to not think about how easily he controlled my body.
He felt heavy against my tongue. Smooth. Salty. His grip tightened in my hair as he pushed deeper, until the back of my throat tensed and he swore under his breath.
"Fuck," he muttered roughly. "You look so pretty like this. My little wife. On her knees. Finally learning her place."
Tears pricked my eyes as he pushed deeper. Too deep. I gasped around him. He swore again.
"Such a perfect mouth," he murmured. "Worth every minute I spent waiting for you."
The words sent something twisting through me. Something hot and desperate that made my stomach tighten. He felt huge in my mouth. I could barely breathe with him this deep.
His other hand moved to my throat. Gripped it. Not enough to hurt. Just enough to feel the shape of him moving beneath my skin. A low groan rumbled through his chest as he pulled out slowly, then slid back inside.
"Fuck," he growled. "That's it."
My pulse raced. Pleasure and humiliation tangled violently inside me. I hated that he was right. Hated that every cruel word made my body react more intensely. Hated that I wanted his approval.
I tasted liquid dripping off him, transparent and sticky, making me wet with need.
His hands gripped my head, tilting my face upward so he could watch me take it.
I stared up at him through watery eyes. His gaze locked on mine, dark and hungry, watching himself slide in and out of my mouth, filling me completely until I choked and struggled to breathe.
He pulled out abruptly, leaving me gasping for breath.
"Good girl," he muttered, his voice rough. "You're learning so fast, baby. Again."
I forced myself to take him deeper this time. He was too big. The back of my throat convulsed as I struggled not to gag. But he held me there, groaning low in his chest as I swallowed around him desperately, tears leaking down my face.
"Fuck," he whispered roughly. "Your mouth was made to take my dick. And this is all you get for now. Just wait until I come in that sweet, untouched cunt. You'll never be the same, baby."
I gasped for air when he finally released me. His hands tugged me upward, and I moved on instinct. I straddled his lap, trembling. His fingers slipped between my thighs. I could feel how wet I was. How wet he'd made me. I couldn't hide it.
"So wet," he murmured. "You really loved that, didn't you? Little slut."
My stomach flipped violently. His fingers teased my entrance. I bit my lip to keep from moaning.
"Oh, you want to pretend you hate this?" He laughed softly. "You're dripping, Chiara. You can't lie to me."
"I'm not," I managed weakly.
He slid a finger inside me and tasted me off it. "So fucking sweet. I'm done holding back, bellissima. You're going to take all of me down your throat now. And I'm going to skullfuck you until my cum is dripping straight into your belly."
The filthy words made my entire body heat. "Leo-"
"Open," he ordered. I couldn't stop myself. I obeyed.
He pushed inside slowly, his other hand wrapping around my throat. My eyes watered. My pulse raced. I couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. Only feel.
"Fucking hell," he groaned. "Such a pretty little slut."
I tried to swallow, and he pushed deeper. My hands gripped his shoulders desperately as I struggled not to gag.
His thumb brushed my bottom lip, pulling it downward, stretching it obscenely over him. His grip on my throat tightened as he slid deeper. My pulse pounded frantically against his palm. It hurt, but it felt so good too.
"That's it," he growled. "That's right. Take it, baby."
His cock twitched in my mouth, and liquid flooded my tongue. Thick and sticky and warm. I struggled to swallow it down without choking, but some of it spilled past my lips and down my chin. Leo swore under his breath, staring at me with unabashed desire.
"You look so good like that," he groaned. "Messy. Choking on my dick."
He pulled out roughly and dragged me upward before I could respond. He kissed me deeply. Roughly. I knew he tasted himself on my tongue. Knew he loved it. He devoured me. My lips felt swollen and sore by the time he finally let me breathe.