Filed to story: Bound by Honor (Aria & Luca) Drama Story
It felt so good, and I could feel myself getting close, but I needed to feel Romero inside of me. “I need you inside of me,” I begged.
Romero didn’t waste any time. He climbed out of bed and quickly undressed. His cock was already hard and glistening. He moved between my legs. I closed my hand around his shaft, enjoying its firmness and heat. I stroked a few times before I guided it toward my entrance. When the tip brushed my opening, I relaxed against the pillows. Romero started moving into me slowly. I could feel every inch of him until he finally filled me completely. I wrapped my fingers around Romero’s neck and pulled him down to me for a kiss. I loved kissing him, the way his stubble lightly scratched my lip, his taste, everything. I never got enough.
Romero moved in a slow rhythm, sliding almost all the way out, only to drive his cock all the way into me again. “Caress yourself,” he ordered in a low murmur.
I didn’t hesitated. I sneaked my arm between our bodies and my fingers found my clit. I started to draw small circles. My fingertips brushed Romero’s cock occasionally and it drove me even higher.
“Yes, baby, come for me,” Romero rasped. His kissed my neck and one of his hands grasped my leg and hooked it over his hip. I caressed myself even faster and when Romero pushed into me again, I shattered. My body arched off the bed. Romero groaned, his pushes coming harder and faster and then I felt him release into me.
I trembled from the aftershocks of my orgasm. Romero buried his face against my neck and I ran my hands through his hair and down his back. After a moment, he rolled off me and onto his back, pulling me with him so I half lay on his chest. I raked my fingers through his chest hair and listened to his fast heartbeat.
“I can’t believe you’re finally mine. Nobody can take you away from me now,” Romero pressed a kiss to the top of my head. I smiled, sated and happy. Briefly, my thoughts drifted to Fabi, wondering what he was doing now. Without him and my sisters, I wouldn’t be lying beside Romero right now. They’d risked so much for my happiness, so had Romero. I would always be grateful for what they’d done. I’d try to make their sacrifices worth it, I’d try to live life to the fullest.
I turned around and Romero wrapped his arms around me from behind. It was late and I was exhausted. Eventually Romero drifted off to sleep. I loved listening to him sleep beside me. It always set me as ease.
Romero’s even breathing fanned over my naked shoulder. I couldn’t fall asleep even though I was sated and exhausted. I slipped out under Romero’s arm and slipped out of bed. I grabbed a bathrobe and put it on before I made my way toward the door and walked out onto the balcony, which had a beautiful view over the premises and the ocean. Tomorrow we’d return to New York and then our life as a married couple would really start. I watched the night sky. The stars were always brighter out of the city, and yet there were always a couple of stars that shone the brightest. As a small kid I used to think they represented people who had died and who were watching over us as stars. I’d stopped believing in that a long time ago. Still I couldn’t help but wonder if somewhere somehow Mother was watching me. Would she be happy for me? Maybe even proud? I would never find out, but I’d kept my promise to her. I’d risked everything for love and happiness. I glanced over my shoulder at Romero’s sleeping form, then with a last glimpse at the stars, I returned into the bed and snuggled against him. He wrapped his arm around me. “You were gone,” he mumbled.
“I needed fresh air,” I said softly.
“I’m glad you’re back.”
“I love you,” I whispered.
Romero’s arms tightened around me and he kissed my temple. “And I love you.” Maybe things wouldn’t always be easy in the future, but I knew I’d never regret taking this risk. Love was worth every risk.
***Book 5 Starts***
Prologue
Growl
Wide eyes. Parted lips. Flushed cheeks. Pale skin. She looked like a porcelain doll: big blue eyes, chocolate hair and creamy white skin; breakable beautiful, something that he wasn’t meant to touch with his scarred, brutal hands. His fingers found her wrist; her heartbeat was fluttering like a birds. She’d tried to fight, tried to be brave, tried to hurt him, maybe even kill him. Had she truly hoped she could succeed?
Hope; it made people foolish, made them believe in something beyond reality. He’d got out of the habit of hoping a long time ago. He knew what he was capable of. She had hoped she could kill him. He knew he could kill her, no doubt about it.
His hand traced the soft skin of her throat, then his fingers wrapped around it. Her pupils dilated but he put no pressure into his touch. Her pulse hammered against his rough palm. He was a hunter, and she the pray. The end was inevitable. He’d come to claim his prize. That’s why Falcone had given her to him.
Growl liked things that hurt. He liked hurting in return. Maybe even loved it; if he were capable of that kind of emotion. He leaned down until his nose was inches from the skin below her ear and breathed in. She smelled flowery with a hint of sweat. Fear. He imagined he could smell that too. He couldn’t resist and he didn’t have to, not anymore, not ever again with her. His. She was his.
He lowered his lips to her hot skin. Her pulse hummed under his mouth where he kissed her throat. Panic and terror beat a frantic rhythm under her skin. And it made him fucking hard.
Her eyes sought out his, hoping – still hoping, the foolish woman – and pleading him for mercy. She didn’t know him, didn’t know that the part of him that hadn’t been born a monster had died a long time ago. Mercy was the furthest thing from his mind as his eyes claimed her body.
CHAPTER ONE
Cara
The first time I met him, he’d been in disguise, dressed up in a stylish black suit, made to look like he was one of us. But while the layers of fine fabric covered his many tattoos, they couldn’t hide his true nature. It shone through, dangerous and chilling. Back then I’d have never thought that I’d get to know him and the monster within better than I knew anyone else, and that it would turn my whole life upside down. That it would change my entire being to the very core.
“I can’t believe they let you go with them,” Talia muttered. I turned away from the mirror to look at her. She sat cross-legged on my desk chair, dressed in her shabbiest jogging pants, and her long brown hair was piled atop her head in a messy bun. Her t-shirt, a faded grey thing littered with holes and stains, would drive our mother into a meltdown. Talia smiled grimly when she followed my gaze. “It’s not like I need to dress up for anyone, you know.”
“There’s a difference between not dressing up and between what you’re doing,” I said with a hint of disapproval. I wasn’t really annoyed at my sister for wearing her shabbiest clothes, but I knew their only purpose was to rile mother up, and it was a likely scenario given our Mother’s tendency for perfectionism and overreacting. I really didn’t want her mood to turn sour so shortly before the ball. I’d be the one to suffer since Father was definitely out of the question when it came to becoming Mother’s favorite target. Mother had a tendency to take it personally if Talia or I weren’t perfect.
“I’m making a point,” Talia said with a small shrug.
I sighed. “No, you’re being petty and childish.”
“I am a child, too young for a social gathering at the Falcone’s mansion,” Talia intoned in her best imitation of Mother’s chiding tone.
“This is an event for adults. Most people will be over eighteen or far beyond. Mother’s right. You’d have no one to talk to and someone would have to keep an eye on you all night.”
“I’m fifteen, not six. And you are only four years older than me, so don’t act so grown-up,” she said indignantly, pushing up from the desk chair, leaving it spinning around itself, and staggered toward me. She eyed me squarely, the challenge unmistakable. “You probably told mother not to take me with you because you were worried you’d have to watch me and that I’d embarrass you in front of your oh-so-perfect friends.”
I glowered. “You’re being ridiculous.” But a flicker of guilt flashed through me at Talia’s words. I hadn’t talked Mother into letting Talia stay home but I hadn’t really fought very hard for my sister joining us either. Talia was right. I’d been worried that I’d be stuck with her all evening. My friends tolerated her when we met at home but being seen with a girl four years younger at an official gathering wouldn’t sit well with them. A party at Falcone always meant the best chance to meet eligible matches and having to babysit your friend’s sister didn’t really help with that endeavor. I wanted this night to be special.
Something from my train of thoughts must have shown on my face because Talia scoffed. “I knew it.” She turned on her heel and stalked out of the room, slamming the door shut so hard that I couldn’t help but wince.
I let out a small breath, then turned back to my reflection, checking my make-up and hairdo one last time. I’d watched countless tutorials of beauty bloggers to make sure I got the smokey-eyes-look right. Everything needed to be perfect. Mother was a harsh critic but Trish and Anastasia were even worse. They’d notice if I matched the wrong tone of eye shadow to my dress or if my hand had trembled while holding my eyeliner, but their scrutiny had made my preparations meticulous. They were the reason why I was never slacking. And that was what friends were for.
My dress was dark green, and my eye-shadow just a few shades lighter. Perfect. I checked my nails one last time for chinks, but they too looked immaculate in their dark green sheen. I smoothed down my dress a few times until I was satisfied with the way the hem brushed my knees, then smoothed my hair back again, too, for good measure, turning to see if the bobby pins were still all in place holding my light brown hair up.
“Cara, are you ready? We need to leave,” Mother called from downstairs.