Elsa
Soon we step out and dry off with thick towels. Strangely quiet, he takes my hand and leads me to the Jacuzzi.
Probably countless women have been here to soak with him, and an irrational jealousy swamps me as I slide into the warm water.
“Is it too hot?” he asks as he climbs in next to me.
“No, it’s perfect.”
“Then why are you frowning?”
I have nothing to lose by asking him. Perhaps in learning how not special I am to him will help prevent any more feelings from developing for this man who will clearly break me. “Do you bring women here often?”
He reaches over, lifts me and settles me on his lap. “Why? Does it bother you?”
“No, but I am curious. It seems like the perfect fuck pad.”
“Fuck pad?”
“Place where you bring women to fuck.”
He shakes his head, his chest shaking with suppressed laughter. “Elsa, I don’t need a special place fuck women. I can fuck wherever I like.”
Hadn’t he already proven that with me? “I get it. You’re a man whore. Congratulations.” I try to push him away, needing space. The memory of him opening the door for Lucia flood into my head.
His arms tighten around me. “Wait. I did not mean to upset you.” He kisses my neck, my jaw. Then he nibbles on my earlobe. “I haven’t brought a woman here in a long time. I don’t move with women often.”
Gasping, I leaned back to see his face. “Really? What about Lucia. You took her in your car.”
His expression shows he can read whatever I am thinking.
“You really don’t like her, no? If it bothers you so much, I will try not to meet with her again.”
“Try?” I push him away from me. ” Is she that irresistible?”
Marcello’s jaw clenches.
“You can’t be jealous of her, Elsa. She was just a whore.”
I flinch on the way that sounds. So degrading. I don’t know if she also thinks of herself like that.
“She was in for the money and we both knew it. I gave her what she wanted and she gave me what I wanted in return. It was that simple.”
“Is this so hard for you,” I mutter. His rubs his fingers through his hair as if I had asked him about calculus.
“Look, Elsa. You are a complicated woman. I am used to women who listen to and obey my every command. You are so-” his eyes search mine for words. “You are different, so complicated. Your attitude, your demeanor, everything about you intrigues me. I can’t resist your charm.”
I swallow hard.
I don’t know if to feel flattered or Perplexed by his words.
“When I pulled you out of that car, you looked dead. Your driver had been shot and bodyguard was shot trying to stop Federico from shooting at us while I was getting out of the car he had smashed with his. I was scared that you could have been shot somewhere or maybe died of poisoning from the food at the party because Federico is capable of anything. I wanted to get you out of there as quickly as I could. Federico fled when he realised I was the one. I looked him in the ears. He was very determined. I saw it in his eyes. He wanted you gone, out of his way, but then I came in his way,” he narrates. I am marveled by this revelation. He has never talked about this, and always avoided my questions about it every time I asked. I purse my lips so that I am not tempted to open my mouth because he might stop.
“When I put you in the car and drove off, Gabrielle confirmed that you were still alive. I was so relieved and vowed to protect you from then. I felt the connection between us even before I looked into your eyes. You became my obligation and I don’t give a fuck what the repercussions are. I knew I had to keep you away from Federico as much as I could. He doesn’t want any bargain on your life. He only wants you dead.”
He sighs, and then pulls me into his chest. I don’t resist. He kisses my neck, burying his face in my wet hair. “Despite my initial intention of protecting you, I wanted you to be mine. My princess. Only mine. So that I can keep you at my estate and give you the whole world,” he whispers into my ear, then nibbles my earlobe playfully. “But you are complicated, dolcezza. You didn’t make it easy for me.” A smile creeps on my face. My heart swells with emotions I can’t decipher. My eyes well with tears. I don’t know if it’s because of the revelation or because of the dangerously strong feelings I have for this man.
“Lorenzo has asked to meet me, but I have been too busy lately. I am going to arrange time for him and tell him the truth about what’s going on. He deserves to know. I am going to let him know that I won’t be giving you back since they have failed to keep you safe,” he continues to whisper.
I gape at him
The edge of his mouth hitched. “I like to see you shocked. It makes my dick hard.” He kisses me, long licks of his tongue against mine, and sure enough his cock thickens underneath me.
When we break apart, I say, “Everything makes your dick hard.”
“True. But only around you these days, it seems.”
“Zio will kill you if you say that,” I warn him. He chuckles softly.
He puts his arms on the back of the jacuzzi and closes his eyes. “Believe me, Lorenzo is a good friend of mine. We have come a long way: him and Roberto. We worked together at some point back then. He will understand me, and then give me all the rights to have you.”
I gasp. Normally that would be done when someone wants to marry the woman from the family, but that would obviously not be the case with Marcello.
“Marcello! It’s not a joke. ”
He slides a hand to cup my breast, his eyes still closed. “It is no joke. You are the sexiest, hottest woman I have ever had. If I died tonight, I would go happy, with no regrets.”
How is he so evil and so sweet at the same time? I can’t take it. I am not strong enough to resist this man. He is undoing me, bit by bit, unraveling me and putting me together as someone new. Someone stronger, more confident. I am not certain I liked it, but I also don’t hate it.
I melt against him, clinging to his big body as the bubbles swirl around us. Emotion fills my chest and wraps around my heart, so much that I feel ready to burst.
Leaning in, I kiss his neck. “Baby,” I whisper near his ear, letting that one word hang, the sound filled with everything I dare not voice aloud.
“Dolcezza,” he whispers back, and I swore I could hear emotion in his voice, too.
We stayed there until our skin wrinkles. When I yawn, he lifts me and stands, water cascading off our bodies. “Come. Let me put you to bed.”
He sets me on my feet and dries me off with a towel first, wrapping it around me carefully before he find a towel for himself. His muscles shift and bunch as he moves the cloth over his fit frame.
I find my phone and bring it into the bedroom, where I discover him frowning at whatever he is reading on his phone. “What is it?” I ask.
“Nothing,” he mutters as he typed back. “Something I will deal with tomorrow.” Then he sets his phone on the nightstand and stretches out on the bed.
“Do you ever get a day off?” I plug my phone in to charge and set it on the nightstand closest to me before laying down.
“Over here,” he orders, holding his arm out, his eyes closed.
He knows I’ll obey.
And God help me, I do.
I scoot to his side and sighs when he nestles me close to his warm, hard body.
“No, I don’t,” he answers. “Too much depends on me. But I can take a break every now and again, like tonight.” He kisses my forehead. “I’ll get up early and work a few hours before you wake up. Then I’ll bring you caffé in bed and fuck you again.”