《UNHOLY DESIRE》


 Meeting Again

    DEIRDRE


    ¡°Hey, Kelsey, could you pass me the wine ss?¡± my best friend of four years asked.


    I handed her the Bordeaux wine ss, specifically reserved for serving elite guests ording to the management¡¯s instructions.


    The Luxe Bistro, located in the heart of Miraval, London, was known for its exclusive private members¡¯ clubs, luxury hotels, and upscale dining choices.


    The Luxe Bistro particrly drew in affluent men and women whom the boss referred to as the ¡°elite.¡± While individuals from all walks of life were wee, the restaurant predominantly attracted the wealthy, creating a clear distinction between the middle ss and the elite.


    With five stories, the building allocated the first floor to the average customer, reserving the upper floors for the elite clientele.


    Despite having worked at the restaurant for a considerable time, I had never ventured onto the fifth floor until today. Stepping in, I instantly sensed the shift in the atmosphere. The air was thick with opulence, apanied by a solemn melody ying softly in the background. The walls showcased paintings from renowned artists, and the chandeliers overhead sparkled like diamonds. Just like me, the servers donned pristine white uniforms, and the tables were adorned with white tablecloths and adorned with fresh flowers.


    My attention was briefly drawn to a group of men in ck suits entering, but I needed to focus on serving the guests promptly. My supervisor, Cristo Christos, approached with a stern expression. I quickly moved towards the oven, pretending to switch it on to avoid appearing as though I were stalling.


    ¡°Why is it taking so long?!¡± Cristo¡¯s voice came out as a bark, making me flinch and nearly spill the tray¡¯s contents on myself.


    ¡°I-It¡¯s ready!¡± I managed to stutter, avoiding his intense gaze.


    ¡°Good, because I¡¯d hate to be short of staff right now,¡± he stated, his re unwavering.


    My face twisted into a grimace before I nodded. This wasn¡¯t the first time I¡¯d heard such words from him, and I had grown ustomed to his piercing res. However, his yelling was something I could never be ustomed to; it simply grated on my nerves.


    I knew he treated everyone poorly, not just me, but it still managed to get under my skin.


    ¡°Will you quit doing that and get going?¡± Cristo¡¯s tone snapped through the air, causing me to release the lid of the jug I had been fiddling with.


    Holding my breath, I moved past him towards the table where I needed to deliver the order.


    ¡°Your orders, sirs,¡± I mumbled as I reached the table where six men dressed in impably tailored ck suits were seated.


    Forcing a smile, I scrutinized each of them in turn. Stinkingly rich, impulsive, arrogant, and yboys  that¡¯s what I could discern from their personalities. Perhaps I shouldn¡¯t judge, but I had encountered too many individuals like them not to.


    ¡°You look exquisite,¡± a blond man grinned, appraising me. His voice carried a refined French ent, each word carefully pronounced. He leaned in, his eyes flickering with desire as he addressed me with an endearment I had heard too often before. ¡°Ma cherie.¡±


    Most of the men who had propositioned me spoke differentnguages, and I didn¡¯t need to guess their origins. My linguistic skills were extensive; I was fluent in fivenguages. I used to be a trantor, though not by choice  I was a waitress in a restaurant.


    A dark-haired man with a Grecian nose and a round face interrupted the blond man who had been ogling me. ¡°Now, Jean,¡± he murmured, ¡°let the waitress do her job.¡±


    Jean, the blond man, rolled his eyes. ¡°Come on, Lawrence,¡± he said, grinning. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault she looks alluring in this.¡± He shrugged, his gaze lingering on the buttoned-down pencil skirt I was wearing.


    I resisted the urge to pull down the hem of my skirt. Even if I tried, it wouldn¡¯t have made any difference; the skirt wouldn¡¯t have extended past my knees. The blouse was far too revealing, showing off more than it should. I was thankful that Cristo had allowed me to use a scarf most of the time to cover my chest, which had grownrger after giving birth.


    Compliments from men weren¡¯t new to me, so Jean¡¯s behavior wasn¡¯t my first encounter. However, his actions were more than justplimentary; they bordered on perversion, which infuriated me. I wished I could smack his handsome face for the way he leered at me.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s all,¡± Lawrence¡¯s voice broke into my thoughts. I nodded and then pushed the liquor trolley forward. Suddenly, I felt a sharp smack on my backside, and I gasped, swiftly turning around.


    Jean stood there, licking his lips. He casually flicked a card into the trolley and gestured a ¡°call me¡± sign with his hand. Suppressing my anger, I bit my lip and clenched my fists as I made my way back to the kitchen. ¡°Inconsiderate aristocrats!¡± I grumbled to myself, my steps heavy with frustration.


    ¡°Did someone do that again?¡± Kelsey asked, noticing my agitation.


    I nodded, my teeth gritted. It wasn¡¯t the first time I had endured such an incident. I had reported simr situations to Cristo on multiple asions, but he had advised me not toin if I wished to keep my job. So, I had to bear the humiliation of these incidents now and then.


    ¡°Deirdre, you¡¯re beautiful. Look at yourself,¡± Kelsey said,ing over to me. She gripped my shoulder and spun me around. ¡°You have an elegant figure with the height of a supermodel. The clothes may not be ideal, but you manage to make them appear alluring, emphasizing your curves. Sometimes, I wonder if Cristo had you in mind when selecting these outfits.¡±


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t excuse being treated this way!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± Kelsey admitted.


    I huffed and rolled my eyes, doubting the validity of her ims about my curves. I considered myself rather in. The only features I found remotely attractive were my ginger hair and my piercing green eyes. Everything else felt quite ordinary.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    I had an aversion to my oval face; it seemed to emphasize my sharp cheekbones and pointed chin. My appearance mirrored that of my mother, a woman I deeply resented for abandoning me when I was just two years old. The fact that she had prioritized something else over caring for her child was something I struggled toprehend.


    I had no memories of her; all I knew was that she was Irish and my father was Nigerian. She had discarded him because she found a wealthier man to be with. Or perhaps it was due to my father being of a different race; that was what I had heard from my father¡¯s family while they were retelling the story. She had hurled curses at them andbeled me as a cursed child for being of mixed heritage.


    Even though my father wouldn¡¯t openly acknowledge that she had made those hurtful remarks, I couldn¡¯t ignore the fact that she had chosen to engage with the man she deemed unsuitable. My mother had abandoned me, leaving me to fend for myself on the streets, exposed to the dangers that lurked there. Fortunately, someone who was acquainted with my father¡¯s identity rescued me. As it turned out, they were friends.


    Growing up, I craved a motherly figure desperately. On every birthday, I would secretly hope for cards or messages from her, but it remained wishful thinking  I received nothing. Just then, a scream from outside jolted me from my reverie.


    Kelsey, wiping her hands on her apron, raised an eyebrow. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± I mumbled, my attention drawn to themotion outside.


    Straining my ears, I picked up on multiple voices, including those of two men. One was unmistakably Jean, his French ent distinguishing him. The other voice seemed familiar; an image formed in my mind of a tall, brooding man with piercing gray eyes, russet hair, and inviting lips.


    ¡°No,¡± I mumbled, shaking my head. It couldn¡¯t be him. He was miles away on his ind, surrounded by exotic beauties. I tried to concentrate on my cooking, but the escting noise outside drew my attention. Torn between curiosity and caution, I scanned the kitchen, hoping to avoid Cristo¡¯s notice. Eventually, curiosity won out, and I approached the curtain, intending to peer outside discreetly.


    Before I could do so, I felt a sudden tug pulling me out of the kitchen with force. My eyes widened in astonishment as I was whisked away from the kitchen and directed towards the elevator. Inside the elevator, I turned to catch a glimpse of my captor¡¯s face: Matteo Ferrari.


    My heart raced as shock coursed through me. I was being forcibly taken away from my workce, and my abductor was none other than Matteo Ferrari.


    My ex-husband.

 Where’s she?

    DEIDRE


    ¡°What are you doing? Let go of me!¡± I cried out, attempting to push him, but he stood firm.


    His tense face held a tight smile, his eyes locking onto mine.


    ¡°I should be asking you that, Cara,¡± he said, trying to touch my face.


    I pped his hand away, red at him, and demanded, ¡°Stop fucking calling me that. Where are you taking me, bastard?! Why are you here? I could call the police on you¡­¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t do that. And I don¡¯t remember you being so crude, sweetheart,¡± Matteo murmured, his gaze fixed on mine. His eyes traced my face as if searching for something.


    I shivered, wrapping my arms around myself, wanting distance from him and his reach.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    It annoyed me how he stood there, acting as if we were still lovers. Maybe we were once, but seeing him now grated on my nerves.


    ¡°I should be asking why you¡¯re here,¡± he retorted.


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business!¡± I shot back, shrugging off his hand that slipped around my waist, though he held on tight.


    His touch made my nipples harden, and under his scrutiny, my core dampened.


    It was strange that Matteo still had an effect on me. No matter what I did, thoughts of him invaded my mind-foolish me. It seemed I hadn¡¯t learned my lessons well thest time. Perhaps this would be even worse. Yet, I was certain I had control now, not the naive teenage girl I once was.


    As we exited the elevator, he pulled me into the room. ncing around as he flicked on the light, I spotted the restaurant logo on the wall in the right corner of the room and sighed with relief.


    At least Matteo hadn¡¯t brought me to an unfamiliar ce where I might be trapped if he tried anything funny.


    Yet, being close to the door didn¡¯t make me feel safe; it made me uneasy.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be here with you,¡± I told him, struggling to maintain a steady voice. ¡°I¡¯ve got work to do, and you can¡¯t just whisk me away like this. Do you realize how much money I¡¯m losing by being here?¡±


    Matteo raised a thick eyebrow. ¡°I have every right to do as I please, considering you¡¯re my wife. Or have you forgotten Mia Moglie?¡±


    I grimaced at his use of the term ¡°my wife.¡± ¡°Once again, my name is Deirdre, and our marriage was never real. It was a charade.¡±


    Matteo nodded. ¡°True, but you didn¡¯t hold up your end of the bargain.¡±


    ¡°Because I wanted out, and you didn¡¯t,¡± I retorted. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t even be here, bringing up all of that. I¡¯ve moved on already.¡±


    He shrugged nonchntly. ¡°I¡¯m not here to remind you of our failed marriage¡­¡±


    ¡°Sham marriage,¡± I corrected him.


    ¡°Whatever. I¡¯m here to im what¡¯s rightfully mine.¡±


    A shiver ran down my spine, and I felt a cold sweat break out on my forehead. ¡°And what exactly is that?¡±


    ¡°You,¡± he replied.


    Staring at him with wide eyes, I burst intoughter, unable to control myself. It was a nervousugh, a habit I couldn¡¯t break. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious!¡±


    Matteo¡¯s expression remained unwavering. ¡°I¡¯m deadly serious. And I always get what I want.¡±


    Suppressing my giggles, I looked at Matteo. Was he joking or testing my response? His face showed no signs of amusement; instead, it remained rigid, with an intense stare. I stepped back as he approached.


    ¡°Me? You must be mistaken. We have nothing inmon anymore. I walked away, remember?¡±


    His gaze shifted to my left hand. ¡°But your hand suggests otherwise.¡± He pointed at the ring he had ced on my finger during our wedding ceremony. I hadn¡¯t removed it. I wasn¡¯t sure why.


    It was a magnificent tinum band adorned with a dazzling princess-cut diamond, meticulously set within a halo of smaller round diamonds. It cost a fortune, and I guess one of the reasons I had kept it was I didn¡¯t have the money to pay if he asked for it.


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying, darling. It¡¯s evident you¡¯re still holding on to me, and you always will be. No other man can stir your emotions like I did.¡±


    My teeth ground together, my anger and frustration reaching a boiling point. How could he dare assume he understood my feelings? I had moved on, or at least I believed I had.


    Yet, his words echoed a truth I couldn¡¯t brush aside. My heart still skipped a beat at the mere mention of his name, and now, the memories of our time together rushed back like an overwhelming wave.


    But I wouldn¡¯t let him see that, wouldn¡¯t admit it. ¡°I¡¯ve moved on, Matteo. I¡¯ve built a new life.¡±


    He smirked. ¡°Is that why you¡¯re still wearing my ring?¡±


    I nced at my hand, a hint of doubt flickering within me. Was it just a habit or something more? I struggled to find words to answer. I felt like a teenager again, unsure of myself.


    ¡°Can no other men make you feel the way I do, Dolcezza?¡± he jeered. ¡°Is that why you can¡¯t let go? Or maybe it¡¯s because you¡¯re a gold-digger, parading yourself like a whore out there and letting that swiney a hand on you!¡±


    His crude words red anger within me, and a flush of heat rose to my face. I turned my gaze away, unwilling to meet his icy stare.


    He stood over me, his eyes prating mine like sharp daggers. I wondered how much longer he would keep scrutinizing me as if he could strangle me with his bare hands.


    ¡°Did you let another man take you to bed while you still held onto me in your heart?¡±


    Matteo¡¯s gaze swept over me as I pulled the ring from my finger; unable to endure the taunt in his voice any longer- I hurled the ring at him.


    ¡°I only kept it to give it back when the time was right. I can¡¯t afford extravagances like you, and I never knew when you¡¯de begging for it.¡±


    Handing back the ring brought me both relief and a sense of guilt. The ring symbolized my connection to an Italian tycoon, even though our marriage was a facade without any real emotional ties. It made me feel like I had a ce and was cherished by someone.


    But Matteo had never loved me. He had never even uttered the word ¡°love¡± in rtion to me. He had provided a sense of being desired and looked after, which was why I¡¯d clung to him. Yet, it hadn¡¯t been enough. I had yearned for hisplete affection, even though I was well aware it would remain out of reach. Matteo was too distant and detached, and I was just one more woman in his life, a means to an end.


    I gasped and recoiled as I felt a cool hand on my cheek. Looking up, I found Matteo standing before me.


    ¡°Let me live my life in peace,¡± I pleaded, my voice quivering. ¡°Let¡¯s pretend this never happened and move on. Please, stop pursuing me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not here for you because I want to be,¡± Matteo¡¯s voice was a low growl, his eyes turning darker.


    As I edged back, his icy gaze assessed me, causing me to bite my lip nervously.


    ¡°What do you expect from me?¡± I inquired, fighting to hold back my tears. Ironically, my eyes betrayed me by welling up. ¡°You¡¯ve stated it clearly: I¡¯m not your type of woman. So what exactly do you want? Stop tormenting me!¡±


    Matteo¡¯s impassive, stone-gray eyes studied me briefly before his jaw clenched. ¡°The child you took away, where is she?¡±

 Kendall is mine

    DEIRDRE


    The look in Matteo¡¯s eyes told me he meant business and was willing to do whatever it took to get what he wanted. But I wouldn¡¯t let him have the satisfaction without a fight. He would never take my child from me.


    If he killed me, maybe he would seed. However, the thought of lying dead on the floor sent a shiver down my spine. No, I had to fight back. I couldn¡¯t let him win.


    ¡°I¡¯m not pregnant, Matteo. Fuck off,¡± I scowled and pushed him away as he tried to grab my hand.


    ¡°You were,¡± Matteo corrected me. ¡°I¡¯ll forgive you for keeping me out of her life, but I won¡¯t forgive you for taking her away without my knowledge and raising her like a bastard!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± I said, trying to sound as convincing as possible.


    Matteoughed, cold and cruel, ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb, Deirdre. I know everything. You can¡¯t hide the truth from me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any child of yours with me,¡± I protested.


    ¡°You¡¯ve told me many lies, and I won¡¯t forgive you this time. I¡¯m taking Kendall away from you, and there¡¯s nothing you can do about it. You should know I¡¯m ready to fight you if you try anything!¡± Matteo snapped.


    He threw a handful of photos at me, and I snatched one from the floor. My fingers shook as I turned it over to see Kendall¡¯s smiling face. Kendall was the one person who brought joy to my life, and now Matteo was using her against me. Fear crept up my spine. How did he know about her? Had someone told him? I struggled to keep a straight face, not wanting to reveal anything.


    Matteo was a powerful man with many watchdogs. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he had someone watching me. He let out a hollowugh as if he knew he had me right where he wanted me.


    ¡°See, I have the power to do what I want?¡± Matteo¡¯s words were hard, and I felt the wall I had built around me for four years crumble instantly.


    I stepped towards him, desperate to plead for Kendall¡¯s safety, but he held out a hand to stop me. ¡°You are useless to me, and I have no need for you.¡±


    His words made me tremble. I had known Matteo was unfeeling, but this was a new level of cruelty. I wondered if I had made a mistake by epting his proposal. I had seen all the red gs, but I had ignored them in my desire to be with him.


    I had thought he was Prince Charming, but little did I know, he was the devil himself. If he hadn¡¯te into my life, I would still be living my quiet life as a trantor.


    I could have ignored him the first time he signalled for me to have dinner with him. We first met at an auction, where I was the trantor for a wealthy nobleman. I had noticed Matteo, so handsome and quiet, at the corner, watching as everything unfolded. I had assumed he was one of the artists until he started speaking with my employer. His subtle gaze towards me made me think he was interested in me, but I never knew he wanted to use me.


    My employer had warned me to stay away from him, as he was one of the most dangerous men in Sicily, but I had brushed it off, thinking he was only a ruthless businessman. I had foolishly dived straight into his bed without thinking, let him fuck me over again, and when he proposed, I had thought it was love and had jumped at the offer.


    It wasn¡¯t until after the wedding that I saw all the red gs I had been blind to. They had been present from the beginning, but I had been too stupid to notice them.


    As Matteo stepped away from me to answer his phone, I took a deep breath and paced around the room. I stopped in front of him, ready to beg for Kendall¡¯s life, but when his beautiful grey eyes gazed at me, I forgot all I had wanted to say. I licked my bottom lip, feeling flushed.


    His eyes often did something weird to me, stirring up strange sensations inside me. It wasn¡¯t in an awful way; it was a look that screamed, ¡°I want to fuck you, and I hope you are aware of that.¡±


    I wondered how many women he had lured into his bed just by staring at them. Fucking and proposing to women was a game to Matteo and people like him. They nevermitted and never would.


    As soon as he finished talking, he tossed his phone aside and gazed at me, ¡°What? Are you ready to bring her to me now, seeing as you have no powers against me?¡±


    I shook my head, trembling as sudden rage glided through my body.


    Clenching my fists, I breathed slowly, trying to control my anger.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°Give me a few days with her.¡± I gritted my teeth, knowing nothing I said would make Matteo agree.


    He was fucking hard-headed.


    ¡°No darling,¡± Matteo shook his head. ¡°You had all the time with her; I believe it¡¯s my turn now.¡±


    ¡°She is not amodity that can be whisked around whenever!¡± I yelled, rather upset.


    ¡°And?¡± Matteo raised his brows.


    ¡°She is a fucking child. She should not concern you because our contract has been dissolved. Kendall is mine!¡±


    As Matteo stood up, I became acutely aware of his towering height, which loomed above my 5ft6.


    He stepped towards me and loosened the tie around his neck. He yanked it off and undid the buttons on his pristine shirt.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I sucked in a deep breath as he slipped out of his shirt.


    And then he undid his belt.


    Swallowing down the lump in my throat, I nce at the door. I knew it was locked, and I doubted there was another means of escape as several rms rang in my head.

 Will you think me a monster?

    DEIRDRE


    As Matteo strode towards me, I dashed to what I guess was the bathroom.


    However, I was not fast enough. He gripped my hair, flung me across his shoulder, and tossed me on the bed.


    I fell with a plop, and I stood abruptly as well.


    ¡°Kendall is mine, and we had no official dissolving of our marriage. I can prove that your body is still mine by fucking you this instant.¡±


    ¡°N-No, please!¡± I stuttered, pushing at his chest as he came down on me.


    My eyes rounded as he parted my legs, but I kept shoving him.


    I didn¡¯t think my punch affected him because he gripped my chin and forced me to stare into his cold eyes.


    ¡°P-please, I beg of you.¡±Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Whether he heard me or not, Matteo didn¡¯t show it.


    He bounded my hands with the tie he had released from his neck.


    ¡°Tell me, Tesoro, do you think you can run away from me?¡± His grey eyes turned darker, and swiftly, he clutched the thong I wore, ripping it off me.


    My legs snapped shut almost immediately, attempting to cover up the rest of my dignity as his eyes stared at me maliciously.


    He clutched my legs, spreading them apart.


    ¡°W-what are you doing?!¡± I gasped as his hand neared my pussy.


    My throat tightened, and I felt a lump forming, making it hard to swallow. My palms turned mmy, and I could feel my body temperature rising. My mind raced with all sorts of irrational thoughts and fears, and I couldn¡¯t make sense of anything.


    Matteo positioned himself between my legs, making it worse, but I knew I had to keep fighting. With all my strength, I kicked at his chest, trying to push him off me.


    But it was no use. Matteo was too strong and determined. He pinned my legs and leaned in closer, his breath hot on my neck.


    ¡°Will you think me a monster if I do what you are afraid of?¡± He whispered, his eyes never leaving mine.


    ¡°Sei un mostro(You¡¯re a monster),¡± I spat at Matteo. ¡°Nothing can change that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always cared for you, but you chose to betray me by running away with my child. Did you know how my reputation dropped because of that? I be aughing stock BECAUSE of you. A man who can¡¯t keep his woman in check.¡± His hand gripped my neck, cutting off my air supply. I gasped, pounding his chest as he smirked.


    ¡°Go on, scream, darling,¡± he taunted. ¡°I love the sound of your screams. Your defiance turns me on.¡±


    Gasping for breath as he released me, I saw the bulge in his pants and shook my head in disgust. ¡°You don¡¯t care for me, Matteo. Your idea of caring is twisted, controlling, possessive, and obsessive.¡±


    The memories of the torture he had inflicted on me surged through me, and I trembled with rage.


    Matteo put on his shirt, and he ripped off the tie binding my wrists; I winced at the red mark it left behind. ¡°I have a better idea for punishment, Deirdre,¡± he said.


    ¡°You can¡¯t take my child away from me,¡± I whispered, my heart pounding.


    ¡°Our child,¡± Matteo corrected me, his eyes narrowing. ¡°And I don¡¯t intend to take her from you. But if you don¡¯t do as I say, I can rip her out of your hands.¡±


    I exhaled, feeling a weight lift off my chest as he was willing to agree.


    I grabbed the duvet to cover myself as he stared at me.


    ¡°I have two options,¡± he said, his voice low and measured.


    ¡°What are they?¡± I raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Quit your whore job immediately ande with Kendall tomorrow morning, or meet me in court at eight,¡± Matteo said, walking towards me and flinging some papers in my face.


    I snatched a copy, my lips quivering and my eyes widening as I read the heading: ¡°Superior Court of Arcadia County.¡±


    I nced up at Matteo, who stared at me with an unreadable expression.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you two hours to think it over. Not giving me an answer today means you¡¯re ready to face me in court,¡± he said, turning to leave.


    As he reached the door, he paused and looked back at me.


    ¡°You can use the room for the night. I paid for it and for your time.¡± With that, he disappeared through the door.


    Matteo walked out of the room, leaving me speechless. He didn¡¯t just hand me a court order, but he treated me like a prostitute. The arrogance and nerve of the man! However, I couldn¡¯t do anything about it, not for Kendall¡¯s sake.


    My hands shook as I crumpled up the paper and then threw it across the bed. I grabbed the pillow and screamed into it to mask my sobs. Frustration and anger boiled inside me like a volcano, suffocating me.


    I heard a knock on the door and stood up, wondering who it could be. The thought of Matteo returning to the room made me shudder, but I shuffled towards it.


    As I opened it, I saw Kelsey. She hugged me tightly without asking questions, and I burst into tears again.


    ¡°Shh¡­ it¡¯s okay, I¡¯m here now,¡± Kelsey whispered, rubbing my back soothingly.


    I pulled away from her, wiped my tears away, and asked, ¡°How did you know I needed you?¡±


    ¡°I had a feeling. And a tall man with eyes like Kendall told me to find you here,¡± Kelsey replied with a weak smile. I never told Kelsey about Kendall¡¯s father, and she never forced me to. I guess now was the time to do so.


    We sat on the bed, and I told her everything that happened with Matteo. She listened patiently, anger shing in her eyes.


    ¡°That jerk!¡± Kelsey eximed. ¡°How dare he treat you like that? After all that you endured with him! ¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I said, feeling helpless. ¡°But there¡¯s nothing I can do. I have to do what¡¯s best for Kendall.¡±


    Kelsey sighed. ¡°But you don¡¯t have to face this alone. We¡¯ll get through this together.¡±


    I smiled, feeling a glimmer of hope. Although I could do nothing, even with her by my side, I was grateful for her support.

 Careful what you wish

    DEIRDRE


    The following morning, I found myself inside Matteo¡¯s penthouse in Miraval. It took me thirty minutes from the Luxe Bistro and forty minutes from my modest apartment. I couldn¡¯t help but realize that Matteo had always been within my reach, but he had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.


    As I woke, I spotted Matteo¡¯s watchful dogs guarding the hotel. They were the first individuals I encountered, and they were not shy about telling me it was their boss¡¯s order. I left the hotel, and the worst part was that they followed me everywhere, making it difficult for me to breathe.


    Finally, I received a reminder call from Matteo, informing me that since I chose to remain stubborn and not call himst night about my decision, I should prepare myself for court. I knew he had the financial means and influence to sway the judge in his favour, which was why I didn¡¯t want to go to court but had agreed to his wish.


    As I entered the penthouse, I reminded myself it was all for Kendall; pushing back the rm ringing in my head, I nced around. The living room was vast and spacious, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows that offered an unobstructed, panoramic view of the city skyline.


    I touched the sleek modern furnishing as I walked further in. The plush sofas and armchairs upholstered in opulent fabrics enticed me to sink in and unwind, but I knew I couldn¡¯t. I wouldn¡¯t even dare if I could.


    Breathing out slowly, I stared at the centre of the room where a contemporary firece stood, casting a warm, inviting glow that illuminated the refined decor.


    The sight before me was breathtaking, reminiscent of the penthouse in Sicily.


    Nostalgia washed over me as I stood there, alone. I couldn¡¯t help but remember the days when Matteo and I frolicked on his ind penthouse, enjoying the cool sea breeze and the sun¡¯s warmth on our skin. It seemed like only yesterday when we were inseparable, enjoying each other¡¯spany and the endless possibilities life had to offer.


    I couldn¡¯t deny that our rtionship was primarily physical, without much emotional connection. Despite this, I still enjoyed every moment we spent together. However, that all changed after that night.


    Taking a deep breath, I tried to push the unwanted memory out of my mind. I detested thinking about it.


    ¡°Beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡± Matteo¡¯s husky voice interrupted my thoughts, and I turned to face him.


    He was dressed in colourful Bermuda shorts and a white button-up shirt with the top three buttons undone, revealing a dark mat of hair on his chest. I couldn¡¯t help but notice his chiselled features and the intensity of his gaze. Despite everything that had happened between us, I still felt a spark of attraction, a me that refused to be extinguished.


    ¡°It is,¡± I replied in a low voice, barely above a whisper.


    We stood there, silent for a moment, each lost in our thoughts.


    Then Matteo spoke again. ¡°Are you here to agree to my terms or to fight me?¡± he taunted, breaking the solemnity of the moment.


    I gazed at him and shook my head slowly. ¡°I¡¯m here to agree with you,¡± I murmured.


    ¡°That¡¯s perfect!¡± Matteo feigned enthusiasm.


    Stepping closer to me, he caused me to back away. Matteo grabbed a lock of my red hair and brought it to his nose, inhaling deeply before grinning. ¡°Why do I feel like you¡¯re not going to go down without a fight?¡± he teased.


    He tilted my face to meet his, staring into my emerald-green eyes. ¡°Tell me, darling, what is running through that head of yours?¡±


    I held his gaze steadily, my expression betraying nothing. ¡°Whatever happens between us, we need to keep it away from Kendall. She¡¯s only a child and should not be involved in our business.¡±


    Matteo raised his eyebrows mockingly. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m so cruel, Cara?¡± he asked, his tone dripping with sarcasm. ¡°You hurt my feelings.¡±


    He stepped back from me, allowing me to breathe a sigh of relief. However, his intoxicating scent lingered in the air, tempting me to take another breath. I made the mistake of inhaling deeply, and his smell again filled my nostrils.


    His fragrance was unique and enticing, with a musky undertone that indicated a hint of spice.


    Since I had first met him, I recognised him with the scent, and it never failed to make me feel giddy.


    I watched as he strode over to the corner of the room where the bar was located. He grabbed a bottle of red wine and poured himself a generous amount before lifting the ss to his lips. When he noticed me observing him, he set the ss down immediately.


    ¡°Forgive my manners, darling. Would you care for some?¡± he offered.


    I shook my head, refusing to bepromised. ¡°I¡¯d rather shoot myself in the head than ept whatever you have to offer,¡± I replied, my voiceced with venom.


    Matteo closed the distance between us in a few long strides, pulling me towards him. He growled in my ears, ¡°Be careful what you wish for, darling.¡±


    He formed a gun sign with his hand and pushed it to my head, making me gasp in fear. ¡°You may have that bullet you so desperately desire in your head,¡± he threatened, his eyes glowing with danger.


    ¡°What else do you want?¡± he demanded gruffly, leaning closer to me. ¡°Tell me before I lose all my generosity.¡±


    I took a deep breath, steadying myself before speaking. ¡°I¡¯ll stay with you as Kendall¡¯s mother. I can¡¯t leave her alone in your care, and I don¡¯t want a random woman or a slut taking care of my child,¡± I said firmly, my nose wrinkling at the thought of him with a leggy blonde standing in as Kendall¡¯s nanny.


    ¡°That¡¯s even more perfect!¡± Matteoughed, clearly enjoying my difort. It was apparent he had nned this, and I was ying right into his hands.


    Despite the terrible situation, I couldn¡¯t leave Kendall with him. She was my responsibility, and I had to do whatever it took to keep her safe.


    Matteo locked his intense gaze on me. ¡°Is there anything else you¡¯d like to add?¡± he asked.


    I shook my head, feeling uneasy under his scrutiny.


    A mischievous smirk formed on his lips. ¡°You¡¯ve given me your condition, and I will give you mine.¡±


    I licked my lower lip, trying to hide my anxiety. ¡°What¡¯s your condition?¡± I asked.


    Matteo tutted at my impatience. ¡°It¡¯s nothing you can¡¯t handle,¡± he said. ¡°You can stay with me for eternity, but you mustn¡¯t engage in foul y because I won¡¯t forgive this time, no matter how much you grovel.¡±


    My heart sank at his words. I knew what wasing next, and I braced myself for it. ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°Continue to perform your wifely duty,¡± he said.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    A wave of anger washed over me. How could he ask me to continue ying the part of a devoted wife when he knew how much pain it caused me? Our marriage wasn¡¯t real! I wanted to scream that to him.


    Matteo chuckled again, ¡°You should know your body fascinates me, Bellissima. You are a piece of art.¡± He unabashedly gazed at me lewdly before smirking.


    ¡°I understand, Matteo,¡± I said through gritted teeth, forcing a smile. ¡°I will continue to be the dutiful wife you expect me to be.¡± Even though it was the opposite of what I wanted to say, Matteo had everything nned out; I couldn¡¯t walk out of it.


    I needed a n of mine, too.


    Matteo¡¯s grin widened. ¡°ellente,¡± he said. ¡°Then we have an agreement.¡±


    Matteo made a quick phone call, and a petite woman, perhaps in her mid-forties, appeared at the door. She had shoulder-length dark hair and an apron tied about her waist.


    She smiled at Matteo before gazing at me. ¡°That is Mrs Smith,¡± Matteo introduced. ¡°She¡¯ll be showing you where you¡¯ll stay until I leave this wretched environment back to Sicily.¡±


    I nodded, and Mrs Smith shed me a warm smile, her dark brown eyes crinkling at the side. ¡°Come, ma¡¯am,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve made the room better, but I don¡¯t know if you¡¯d like to rearrange it again to fit your taste.¡±


    As I turned to leave with Mrs Smith, Matteo called out to me. ¡°Oh, and one more thing, my dear,¡± he said, his voice dripping with honeyed venom. ¡°If you ever try to leave me again, I will make sure you regret it.¡±


    A cold shiver ran down my spine at his words. After staring at him for a few seconds, I made my way to my room, where I would continue ying the perfect wife until I could finally break free from his grasp.

 I don’t bite, unless

    DEIRDRE


    I spent the entire day under Matteo¡¯s watchful gaze. I returned to the living room after checking in the room Mrs Smith prepared for me.


    Matteo never let me leave his side. When I mentioned wanting to pick up Kendall from daycare, he sent one of the watchdogs instead, making things even more difficult for me.


    Maybe I shouldn¡¯t havee to his penthouse in the first ce. I shouldn¡¯t have agreed to his terms. Now, I was back to the suffocating lifestyle I had left behind. I never realized how stifling it was until now.


    I let out a sigh, fanning my face. Wiping away the sweat gathering on my forehead, I groaned and slumped into the seat. It wasn¡¯t the room¡¯s temperature making me feel hot.


    The air conditioning in the room actually made it colder than usual, but Matteo¡¯s eyes seemed to melt away all the coldness.


    They were intense, piercing, and smoldering, stripping me of what little dignity I had left. He made me feel exposed. It should have been ufortable, but instead, it ignited a series of naughty thoughts in my head.


    I shut my eyes, trying to focus on anything other than Matteo-his rock-hard abs, perfect face, and what was hiding inside the Bermuda shorts he wore. But it was futile.


    ¡°You should take a shower,¡± he suggested, causing me to snap my eyes open.


    ¡°What?¡± I murmured, flushing as I stared into his now even darker eyes.


    I saw the desire in them, and he didn¡¯t seem the least bit ashamed to show it.


    ¡°You should take a shower,¡± he repeated.


    ¡°Thanks, but no thanks,¡± I said, almost snapping at the suggestion. I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that he had an ulterior motive for suggesting it. He always did.


    Matteo shrugged his broad shoulders. ¡°You¡¯re the one feeling hot, not me. And I¡¯d rather not be left with a sticky, dirty body.¡±


    Thest words-sticky, dirty body-should have repulsed me, sending me rushing towards the shower. Instead, the way they rolled off his well-shaped lips sent waves of pleasure rippling through me.


    I licked my bottom lip, staring at my dress. True to his words, it was already bing soaked with my sweat. Soon enough, Matteo would see everything he shouldn¡¯t.


    But then, he had already seen every part of my body.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯re trying to keep your guard up with me,¡± Matteo murmured, stepping in front of me. ¡°You should know, I¡¯ve seen every inch of your form. Nothing is new to me anymore.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a change of clothes,¡± I blurted, immediately wincing at how it sounded, as if I hade to his house seeking a spare outfit.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, that¡¯s already taken care of,¡± Matteo assured. He added, ¡°I had Mrs. Smith arrange for a temporary dress for you during your stay here. Of course, I wouldn¡¯t mind if you chose to move about the room au naturel. After all, you are my wife. Isn¡¯t that right, Tesoro?¡±


    Matteo¡¯s lips curled into a smile, and he extended his hand toward me. I hesitated, uncertain of how to respond.


    ¡°I don¡¯t bite, darling, unless you want me to,¡± he said.


    I shook my head and stood up, deliberately ignoring him. As I moved past him, Matteo suddenly pulled me back to him. I gasped as my body collided with his solid chest, just as I had secretly desired.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡°Now, Deirdre, how long do you n on ying hard to get?¡± he murmured, his smooth Italian ent caressing me like soft velvet.


    My legs turned to jelly, and I clenched my teeth, willing myself not to swoon at the seductive tone of his voice.


    ¡°I know you enjoy it when I do this,¡± Matteo¡¯s lips moved towards my neck, and he gently kissed the tender skin, causing me to bite my lip and curl my toes as unwee emotions surged through me.


    ¡°Please, stop,¡± I whispered, attempting to push him away, but only seeded in falling onto the couch with him above me. Matteo held my hand firmly above my head as he gazed into my eyes.


    ¡°You look even more stunning today, darling. Did you put in extra effort just for me?¡± His fingers traced from my hair down to my face, lingering on my lips.


    ¡°As if I¡¯ll ever do that,¡± I muttered.


    ¡°Your beautiful caramel skin that gleams like a diamond of the first water, your eyes like seaweed in the sea, and your fiery red hair that captivates me every damn time. I can¡¯t stop thinking about it spread over my pillow while I plunge inside of you.¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± I groaned as his hand ventured further down. I shuddered at the proximity to my underwear, the memory of him tearing it off like yesterday sending a surge of fear through me.


    For a moment, I feared he would push things further, but he stopped, his gaze narrowed on my face. I looked away, unable to meet his eyes.


    ¡°Are you afraid of me, Cara?¡± he inquired.


    I remained silent. Even if I wanted to, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to speak. Matteo didn¡¯t exactly terrify me, but my return after vowing never to let myself be vulnerable again and him doing all the things I had vowed never to make myself feel, especially with him, was what made me afraid.


    ¡°Not that I care if you¡¯re afraid of me. I¡¯d actually prefer it,¡± he remarked. ¡°But we¡¯ve shared my bed, explored each other in every way a man and a woman can. I don¡¯t see any reason to be afraid or ashamed¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± I mumbled, pushing at his chest.


    ¡°I think you do. You¡¯d rather pretend you don¡¯t care,¡± he stated.


    With deliberate care, he lifted himself off me, and I was able to breathe freely again. He turned towards the direction of the bar, pouring another ss of wine and taking a sip.


    After a long silence, he spoke again. ¡°You should take a bath. I have no intention of doing anything you don¡¯t want. But I know it¡¯s only a matter of time before youe begging me.¡±


    ¡°In your dreams!¡± I muttered under my breath and hurried out of the living room before he could say anything else.


    Matteo¡¯s huskyughter was the only response I received, thankfully not the lewd response he usually gave.

 You belong to my bed

    DEIRDRE


    After a long, soothing soak in the bathroom, I emerged. I had to admit, despite my initial reluctance, that Matteo¡¯s penthouse was on par, if not better, than a five-star hotel. The room prepared for me was far beyond my means, even if I emptied my savings to afford it. But I wasn¡¯t swayed by such extravagance. All I ever wanted was to provide Kendall with the best life.


    As I wrapped my hair in arge brown towel and secured another around my waist, I approached the wardrobe. However, upon opening it, I found nothing suitable to wear. My brows furrowed in confusion. The wardrobe was predominantly filled with lingerie. Hadn¡¯t Matteo mentioned that Mrs. Smith had gone shopping for me? Or had she not?


    I pondered if Matteo had done this on purpose, ring at my now-soaked and ruined outfit on the floor. I couldn¡¯t wear it, but staying in the towel for too long wasn¡¯t an option either.


    The door swung open, and my attention snapped towards it. My eyes widened as Matteo entered, apanied by Kendall, who was in thepany of Mrs. Smith.


    Without hesitation, I rushed forward, forgetting I was in only a towel, and took Kendall from Mrs. Smith, who handed her over to me before exiting the room.


    ¡°Hi, Mama,¡± Kendall said, looking at me with uncertainty. Her gaze then shifted to Matteo, who was observing me intently.


    ¡°How are you, pumpkin? Did you miss me?¡± I asked, yfully ruffling her hair.


    She nodded. ¡°I missed you so much, and I cried. You left,¡± she pouted.


    ¡°I¡¯ll never leave you,¡± I murmured, hugging her tightly, eliciting a giggle from her.


    ¡°Mummy, Kendall is hungry,¡± she patted her stomach. ¡°She wants food.¡±


    ¡°Let me finish up here, and I¡¯ll prepare something nice for you,¡± I assured her.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to,¡± Matteo grunted.


    I turned to look at him, my brows raised. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Smith will take care of that,¡± he said, pulling out his phone and dialing her number.


    After calling to request her presence, Mrs. Smith arrived shortly thereafter and took Kendall, who seemed reluctant to leave with her.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ll join youter,¡± I assured her. She seemed reassured by my words.


    As soon as they left, I turned to Matteo. ¡°You agreed that I would be Kendall¡¯s mother. Are you going back on your word now?¡±


    Matteo stepped towards me, adjusting the tie around his neck. It was the first time since he arrived that I noticed he was dressed so formally, which left me wondering where he was going.


    He wore a deep, smoky charcoal two-piece suit. The jacket, snug as a second skin, hugged the curves of his strong frame, embracing his broad shoulders and tapering to a tempting V-shape at his waist. The trousers were impably tailored, cascading gracefully over his legs.


    It wasn¡¯t my first time seeing him in a suit, and it certainly wouldn¡¯t be thest. Every time he wore one, he managed to make it look even more enticing than thest.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡°I am her father, so I have the right to have a say in who feeds her,¡± Matteo stated, pulling my attention back to his face. His eyes briefly shed with anger, leaving me to wonder what had triggered it.


    I sighed. ¡°You said you told Mrs. Smith to go shopping for me, but I see nothing of the sort in the wardrobe


    ¡°I did ask her to keep the clothes for now because I didn¡¯t want you to leave, but that¡¯s not the main issue here,¡± he exined.


    ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s not important? I¡¯m practically naked!¡± I protested.


    ¡°I¡¯m your husband, Deirdre, and I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re dressed or not. You belong in my bed. Besides, what did you tell Kendall?¡±


    ¡°So much for trying to give this a chance. I thought you had changed,¡± I red at him, attempting to step away, but Matteo pulled me back.


    He nudged me against the wall, cing his hands above my head. ¡°Tell me, Deirdre, before I do something we¡¯ll both regret. What did you say to the child?¡±


    Matteo was furious. I recognized his fiery anger, something I had always avoided during my time with him. I had witnessed him be violent and act aggressively in this state. Though he had never hurt me as he had others, he still frightened me.


    ¡°Deirdre!¡± He bellowed, making me flinch.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on, Matteo. I only asked for some proper clothes,¡± my voice trembled. I hated feeling so small. I usually tried to sound strong, but with Matteo, it rarely happened.


    ¡°How can you be so cruel, Deirdre? I know you hate me, and I¡¯ve done my best to make you happy. How can you turn my child against me?¡± Matteo¡¯s voice was filled with frustration.


    ¡°I¡¯m confused, Matteo. If you don¡¯t tell me what¡¯s going on, how am I going to know? I¡¯m not a magician to guess it!¡± I eximed.


    Matteo stepped away from me, his back turned. ¡°She called me a monster.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I stuttered, my eyes widening in disbelief. Perhaps I hadn¡¯t heard him right.


    ¡°Yes, Deirdre. She called me a monster and only God knows what you¡¯ve said to her about me,¡± he said, his tone heavy with usation.


    ¡°Kendall would never say that!¡± I defended, ring at him.


    ¡°Are you saying I¡¯m lying about her? Would I stoop so low to do that?¡± he asked.


    He wouldn¡¯t. He had seemed genuinely interested in getting to know her. Even though I wouldn¡¯t want to admit it, Matteo was great with children. I had seen him interact with some, which had led me to believe he would fully ept my pregnancy after learning about it.


    ¡°Matteo,¡± I breathed out, attempting to quell the tension in the air. ¡°Although I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on or what might have prompted it, she¡¯s a child. She could have picked up a sentence or two¡­¡±


    ¡°From you, Deirdre,¡± Matteo said firmly. ¡°She picked up all those words from you.¡±


    I scoffed, about to retort that I would never say such in front of her, but he turned on his heels and left the room.


    ¡°And he left me without clothes. What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± I groaned, plopping onto the bed.


    I stood up again, walking towards the wardrobe, but found nothing of relevance except for a tank top and denim shorts, which was better than wearing just a bra and panties around the house.


    A whileter, I stepped into the living room to see Kendall in a high chair, happily munching on a mini veggie quesadi. A bowl of yogurt parfait with berries sat next to it.


    Mrs. Smith stood up, approaching me. ¡°I never thought she would enjoy it.¡±


    I nodded, smiling. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Mrs. Smith waved me off. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry about your outfit,¡± she grimaced.


    ¡°I¡¯ll manage,¡± I assured her.


    She nodded, stepping away, and I squatted in front of Kendall.


    ¡°Eat, mama,¡± she said.


    ¡°You should,¡± I muttered, my mind drifting back to what Matteo had said. I wondered if it was appropriate for me to ask her if she had indeed called him a monster or not. Yet, I believed it might sound somewhat silly.


    I guessed Matteo needed some time to cool off. A three-year-old mentioning a ¡®monster¡¯, which might have meant something else entirely, shouldn¡¯t have upset him so much. Or maybe I was the one being insensitive.


    I sighed, smiling at Kendall as she ced a spoon filled with yogurt parfait and berries in front of me. I epted it, ruffling her hair.


    ¡°Yum,¡± I beamed.


    ¡°Mummy loves it,¡± she giggled.


    ¡°I do,¡± I said, my thoughts returning to Matteo for the second time.

 The swine deserves it

    MATTEO


    Having climbed down from my car, I strode towards the entrance of the formidable building in front of me. Standing at the entrance, I touched the pendant on my chest. The door whined and swirled open, and as soon as I stepped in, it closed with a snap.


    A wince escaped me at the loudness of it. I should have been used to it, but then, it often startled me each time.


    I was at the La Fortuna Prive. It was a high-end casino with luxurious decor, glittering chandeliers, and an array of gaming tables. Located on the outskirts of Miraval, the La Fortuna Prive served as a front for moneyundering and a source of revenue, which was mainly a hotspot of high-stakes gambling and discreet meetings for the Ferrovia Famiglia.


    The organization I belonged to.


    ¡°For fifteen years, you were here, Teo, yet you still flinched at the sound of the door?¡± Lucia said as she approached me with a raise of her slender brows.


    Lucia Rossi was a beautiful woman in her mid-twenties. She sported short brte hair, often styled in a bob, a nose that had a sharpness umon for someone of Italian descent, te grey eyes, and lips shaped like a cupid¡¯s bow. I believed she had gotten all her features from her mother, who was an American, because she looked nothing like her father.


    I had known Lucia for so long that I hade to see her as more of a sister than just a member of the famiglia I belonged to.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you too, Lucy,¡± I said. I often referred to her as Lucy, and she loved it when I did.


    ¡°It is,¡± Lucia grinned, and I opened my arms, allowing her into my embrace.


    ¡°I see you brought good news, didn¡¯t you?¡± I muttered as I stepped towards the end of the room.


    Lucia had been on a business trip, though it wasn¡¯t your typical assignment. She had taken it upon herself to infiltrate the territory of the enemy. I never doubted her sess, even when others did, because she excelled at what she did.


    ¡°I never thought I¡¯d see La Fortuna Prive again,¡± she sighed, closing her eyes, taking a deep breath, and exhaling slowly.¡±


    ¡°I never had a doubt,¡± I said.


    ¡°Of course, you never would,¡± Lucia said, then she scrunched up her face. ¡°And when you did your face like this, something seemed up.¡±


    I shrugged, ¡°Something is always up,¡± I murmured.


    Being a made man and part of the Ferrovia Famiglia, there was never a day when disputes wouldn¡¯t brew. It had been part of my life, and I had learnt to live with it.


    ¡°Giovanni wanted you to be present in the meeting room now,¡± Lucia said, wrinkling her straight nose.


    She always did that when referring to Giovanni, who was her father.


    ¡°Noted,¡± I said, striding towards a dimly lit backroom.


    It was quiet and void of the noise from the main clubhouse. It felt as though this part of the building was different from the club due to the calmness it exuded. Yet, I knew it was anything but calm.


    I approached the figures standing by arge rectangr table. I didn¡¯t need to be told who they were.


    They were our recent alliance with three of the most powerful famiglias in the whole of Sicily. The reason they hade to Miraval, I never could tell.


    I felt their eyes trained on me as I approached them, and I stared ahead, daring not to look into their eyes. They outranked me except for one person, Vincent, who was below me. He was the consigliere, the special advisor to the boss, Giovanni ¡°Il Falco¡± Rossi.


    In histe fifties, Giovanni stillmanded an air of authority, just as he did the first time I met him. He had a robust stature, a bald head, and eyes that were deep-set, dark brown, and brimming with calction and intelligence.


    ¡°Ferrari,¡± Giovanni boomed. ¡°Good to see you again.¡± His eyes were squinted at me, and I knew there wasn¡¯t anything good about the pleasantries he had to offer.


    I had made them wait for me. I had never beente to a meeting until today, and it was for a good reason. Yet, bringing up a family issue as an excuse, I knew no one would care about that. So, I braced myself for the scolding I would receiveter.


    ¡°Something came up,¡± I said, my voice gruff. I didn¡¯t offer any other exnation aside from that, but I could feel Giovanni¡¯s eyes still on me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, gentlemen, for keeping you waiting,¡± Giovanni said. ¡°You may sit.¡± As they all sat, Giovanni nodded at me to do the same, which I did, exhaling. For a brief moment, his eyes strayed to everyone in the room before he began.


    ¡°Gentlemen, thank you for agreeing to meet tonight. As you know, our respective organizations have shared interests in the Carmine Shoreline territory, and recent developments suggest that a unified front could benefit us all.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, Rossi, our intel indicated a rising force encroaching on both our operations. Perhaps it¡¯s time we consider a strategic alliance,¡± Ricardo Lombardi, also known as the serpent, said.


    He was the boss of the Serpenti Segreti Cartel. The Serpenti Segreti Cartel was shrouded in mystery and known for its strategic use of deception. They were skilled at infiltrating rival organizations and gathering crucial information.


    As silence ensued, I asked, ¡°If I may interject, let¡¯s discuss the terms. How do we envision this partnership working? Will it involve joint ventures, shared profits, or mutual support in times of need?¡±


    ¡°We propose a 60-40 split in favor of the contributing party for any joint ventures, along with a mutual non-aggression pact. Additionally, we¡¯d be willing to share our expertise in the transportation sector,¡± Giovanni said.


    The Ferrovia Famiglia was deeply entrenched in the world of transportation and logistics. We had awork that spanned across various cities, allowing us to control the movement of goods and information.


    My mind wandered briefly as my phone beeped, and I stared at my pocket as the screen light turned on.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    I resisted the urge to pull out my phone, as I had been anticipating a call from Deirdre to apologize for what she had done for making our three-year-old daughter call me a monster. Or maybe she didn¡¯t care at all. My mind wandered further, wondering if I was unfair to her. But she had never been fair to me either.


    ¡°Ferrari,¡± Giovanni murmured, patting my thigh and jolting me out of my thoughts. I smiled grimly before letting my eyes wander away from him.


    ¡°Fair terms, Rossi. In return, we can offer protection in the Carmine Shoreline territory and provide ess to our informationwork. A united front could send a clear message to our rivals,¡± Ricardo said.


    I sighed. I wanted this meeting to end as quickly as possible so I could return home, but I doubted I would be allowed to without another meeting held. It was the way in this organization. After a meeting with an external body, another with an internal body would be held to ry what was happening.


    ¡°It seems we¡¯re reaching a consensus. We¡¯ll need to formalize this agreement, establish a chain ofmand, and ensure openmunication channels. This alliance could reshape the bnce of power in the city,¡± Adriano Romano said. He was the underboss of L¡¯Impero dell¡¯Ombra.


    L¡¯Impero dell¡¯Ombra, also known as the Empire of Shadows. This organization was known for its far-reaching influence and ability to operate in the shadows, making them elusive and difficult to track.


    Giovanni tilted his head, then nodded. ¡°Agreed. We¡¯ll draft a memorandum of understanding outlining the specifics and have our legal team review it. Trust will be paramount in this partnership.¡±


    ¡°Trust indeed, Rossi. Let¡¯s ensure our actions speak louder than our words. Once the agreement is finalized, we¡¯ll announce our partnership discreetly to our respectiveworks,¡± Ricardo murmured.


    ¡°A wise move. Remember, this alliance is a strategic move for both parties. We must remain vignt and adaptable to changing circumstances,¡± chimed in Adriano Romano.


    The discussion went on for a while until I heard my name spoken. I raised a brow, turning to Giovanni.


    ¡°Ferrari will go on the cruise with you to finalize the agreement,¡± he said. I frowned, wondering what had been discussed, but I nodded, not wanting to appear inattentive.


    ¡°Share a drink with me,¡± Giovanni said.


    After the drink was finished and the other organization members had left, Giovanni gripped my shoulder. ¡°Come with me.¡±


    I followed his lead and stepped into another room, a ce in the building where Giovanni sought sce and not many people visited.


    ¡°What¡¯s bothering you?¡± He asked. ¡°You weren¡¯t paying attention.¡±


    ¡°I was,¡± I lied.


    ¡°You¡¯re lying to me, son,¡± Giovanni said. He knew me too well, and whenever he called me ¡®son,¡¯ I knew he had caught on to what was happening.


    ¡°I heard you got into a fight,¡± he pointed out, his eyes scrutinizing me.


    ¡°That swine deserved it,¡± I grunted, remembering Jean. It was a pity I hadn¡¯t broken his nose beyond repair.


    ¡°You¡¯re stirring up problems, and even for a man with a code of conduct like yours, you broke it just for a mere woman?¡± Giovanni asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s not just any woman,¡± I scowled.


    ¡°I see,¡± Giovanni chuckled. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t reprimand you for doing what you did, but I just want you to be careful.¡±


    I exhaled heavily, nodding. ¡°I have always been careful.¡±


    ¡°You should gather everyone to address them on the recent development and report back to me.¡± Giovanni patted my back before I stepped out of the room.

 Are you stalking, her?

    MATTEO


    ¡°Hey, Ice Queen!¡± Nichs called.


    ¡°Shut up, or I¡¯ll make you, Ink!¡± Lucia retorted.


    Although I referred to Lucia as Lucy, most people in the famiglias knew her as the Ice Queen. It was due to her ruthlessness while carrying out her assignment that she was nicknamed that.


    As for Nichs, he was called Ink because of the many tattoos he had on his body. While every one of us had a tattoo symbolizing our organization, Nichs¡¯ tattoos covered 90% of his body. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he had one, even in the most private areas.


    I breathed out as Lucia stepped towards me, hervender scent teasing my nostrils.


    ¡°Who¡¯s that, Bambina?¡± She questioned, leaning into me. ¡°Giovanni said to remind you about the meeting.¡±


    Of course, I hadn¡¯t forgotten about it. I had only just stepped out now and wanted some respite from everything that had been happening.


    ¡°Teo,¡± Lucia called as I ignored her question. ¡°You¡¯ve been brooding, Sphinx, and this is the longest I¡¯ve seen you lost in thought.¡±


    As she called me the nickname that had been given to me, I stared hard at her.


    In the Ferrovia Famiglias, each member had a nickname by which they were identified.


    Giovanni¡¯s name was Falco, and he had adopted the nickname Falcon. In my opinion, I believed it suited him due to his reputation for having a sharp, strategic mind and an unwavering focus on his goals. Like a falcon, he was known for his keen observational skills, precision in executing ns, and the ability to strike at his enemies swiftly.


    I was called the Sphinx by everyone because they believed I was shrouded in mystery and guarded secrets, much like the mythical sphinx of ancient legend. They said the nickname ¡°Sphinx¡± reflected the enigmatic nature of my character and the powerful aura I exuded. In reality, I had no hidden secrets. Or maybe I did, but it wasn¡¯t something I wanted to share with anyone.


    It was only during operations that I rted to that name, and Lucia calling me that could only mean she wanted information from me.


    I started to tuck back the picture of Deirdre and Kendall that I had acquired, but it was snatched out of my grasp.


    ¡°Secret Lover, ehn?¡± Lucia asked, scrutinizing the picture.


    ¡°Give it back, Lucy,¡± I murmured, extending my hand to her.


    ¡°She looks very familiar,¡± Lucia furrowed her brows. ¡°Are you stalking her?!¡± Her eyes narrowed at me as though I hadmitted an offense.


    ¡°She¡¯s mine,¡± I said, almost snapping at her.


    ¡°Chill, no need to get your panties twisted in a knot. And I¡¯m very serious, I¡¯ve seen her before,¡± Lucia said.


    She got me curious. The expression on her face made me believe she had seen her somewhere and was trying her best to remember where it was. I didn¡¯t think it was that dreaded restaurant she had been working at because one thing about Lucia was that she rarely forgot a location she had been to, especially an elite one.


    I was about to ask her where she had seen her but was interrupted by Nichs.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t both of you just get married?¡± He said. ¡°The Sphinx and the Ice Queen, such a perfect match from above. I can even imagine what your children will be called: Raven, Sky, Minotaur¡­¡±


    He sniggered, yfully dodging Lucia as she moved to swat him.


    ¡°Leave them be, Nic,¡± Jackson ¡°Shadow¡± Malone said.


    He was as tall as I was, 6 feet and 2 inches, with broad shoulders that were often entuated by the suit jacket he wore all the time, a closely shaved head, bushy brows, and blue eyes that seemed like they could look into the soul of anyone he was staring at.


    Jackson was a master of stealth and covert operations, often moving like a shadow in the night. His nickname, ¡°Shadow,¡± reflected his ability to blend seamlessly into the darkness, making him a formidable and elusive figure.


    ¡°He has a girl already,¡± Jackson let out. ¡°Although she isn¡¯t with him, and he¡¯s been stalking her for a while.¡±


    Aside from Lucia, Jackson and a few others knew about Deirdre. They had been present when I wedded her, and they were very much aware of the reason I did so. Also, when she left, they knew and informed me about her location. They had teased me about Deirdre leaving. Although it had angered me at the time they said I couldn¡¯t keep a woman, thinking about it, I couldn¡¯t help but feel it was the truth.


    I wasn¡¯t able to keep Deirdre, and even now that I had forced her back into my life, she had only yielded due to Kendall, who was caught in the middle.


    ¡°Why would he stalk her if he already had her?¡± Lucia raised her brows. For a few seconds, she locked eyes with me and eximed, ¡°She left, didn¡¯t she?¡±


    I said nothing. I wasn¡¯t interested in indulging them in the conversation further and allowed them to assume what they wanted to.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°Where¡¯s Malik?¡± I asked, scanning the small room I used as a meeting hall for my team.


    Within the Ferrovia Famiglias, there were other groups formed, and I headed a team called the Forge Alliance, with Lucia being the only female member. It consisted of Nichs, Malik, Jackson, and Lucia. The other teams had many more members, as this family was arge one, consisting of a hundred made men, not counting the newly recruited.


    I never wanted that many members on my team. It wasn¡¯t because I couldn¡¯t manage them but because I needed to keep a close eye on everyone.


    ¡°Thest time I checked, he was making whoopee,¡± Jackson said, then made a few kissy sounds and rocked a pir nearby.


    ¡°You can just say he was having sex, which isn¡¯t a bad thing,¡± Lucia retorted.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you find someone else to trouble, Ice Queen?¡± Jackson frowned at her.


    They never saw eye to eye, and sometimes, I wondered if they had some sort of hidden rtionship I wasn¡¯t aware of, as the tension between them was even greater than I could imagine.


    ¡°Well, I chose to trouble you. What can you do about that, Jack?¡± Lucia retorted, standing to her feet. She advanced towards Jackson, who did the same in return. Just then, the door opened, and Malik strode in.


    ¡°Yo! The prodigal son is here,¡± Malik Al-Mansoori swaggered towards us.


    He always referred to himself as the prodigal son because he was wayward and reckless in every way you could ever think of. Malik was just a few inches shorter than Jackson, with olive skin, curly dark brown hair, high cheekbones, and almond-shaped toffee brown eyes. Despite his recklessness, Malik was an information broker. He possessed a wealth of knowledge and insight.


    Aside from the nickname ¡°The Prodigal Son,¡± he often referred to himself as Malik, also known as the Oracle. This nickname highlighted his ability to provide valuable and often prophetic information to those who sought his services, and he was the most useful to me as he was the one who told me that Deirdre would return to me. I believed him because he was never one to lie.


    ¡°Okay, now everyone is here,¡± Jackson said, his tone turning serious as if he hadn¡¯t been teasing Lucia a few moments ago.


    It was one of the things I loved about my team. Despite the yfulness, there was a time for seriousness, which everyone on the team knew was paramount.


    ¡°Do we need all the members in the Famiglias?¡± Lucia asked.


    I didn¡¯t need every member to be present. In fact, only my team members needed to know about what I was about to do since they were the only few I trusted.


    ¡°No. Everyone I need is here,¡± I said, standing up, and they did the same. I shook my head, waving for them to sit, but none did.


    I sighed and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be going on a cruise. We recently formed an alliance with three of the most powerful organizations in Sicily, and I have been appointed to go with them.¡±


    I paused, staring at each of them. I could see the wheels turning in their heads as they gazed at one another.


    ¡°What do we need to do, boss, and do Malik and Ie with you?¡± Jackson asked.


    ¡°No,¡± I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯ll need everyone to stand guard.¡±


    ¡°Noted,¡± Nichs said.


    ¡°Any other information will bemunicated before I leave.¡±


    ¡°Okay, boss. We¡¯ve got your back,¡± Jackson said, crossing his heart.


    I nodded. Although this had always been the way every discussion went, I couldn¡¯t help but feel this would be different. It was as though a terrible disaster was looming, and there was nothing I could do to avoid it.

 Are you and daddy fighting?

    DEIRDRE


    It was past eleven, and Matteo still wasn¡¯t home. I figured I shouldn¡¯t wait up for him, but I couldn¡¯t help myself.


    ¡°Mama,¡± Kendall murmured.


    I looked down at her as she tugged at the hem of the robe I had on. It was Matteo¡¯s robe. I didn¡¯t have much choice in the matter as I found nothing suitable to wear.


    ¡°Why, baby?¡± I asked, bending down to her level. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be in bed?¡±


    I ruffled her hair as she wrapped her tiny arms around me.


    ¡°I want Daddy to kiss me goodnight,¡± she murmured, half-asleep.


    This wasn¡¯t the first time she¡¯d asked about her father, but today, she¡¯d been talking about Matteo nonstop, even though I hadn¡¯t mentioned anything about him being rted to her. It puzzled me. Also, I kept wondering how Kendall, who couldn¡¯t stop speaking about Matteo, had called him a monster.


    Perhaps it was a misconception.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kiss you good night,¡± I said, nting a gentle kiss on her forehead.


    ¡°No,¡± Kendall shook her head emphatically. ¡°You do that all the time. I want Daddy now.¡±


    I sighed, brushing her hair aside. The urge to tell her that her father could go to hell for all I cared surged through me, but I bit down on my lip instead. Just then, Mrs. Smith appeared.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take her,¡± she offered, and at that moment, Matteo stepped into the room.


    Great, perfect timing.


    Ignoring him as he stayed by the entrance, I noticed Kendall had dozed off, so I handed her to Mrs. Smith.


    ¡°Good night, Mrs. Ferrari,¡± Mrs. Smith said, making me grimace. I hadn¡¯t taken hisst name, and I didn¡¯t want anyone to refer to me as that. But I shed her a brief smile instead, watching as she left.


    Once she was gone, I nced towards Matteo briefly to see that he was still watching me. He was standing at the bar counter, a shot ss in his hand, but his eyes never left mine.


    I gently bit my lower lip, making my way towards the staircase and towards my room. However, I halted when I heard his voice.


    ¡°Fiore mio (My Flower),¡± Matteo said, his voice soft.


    But I knew there was nothing endearing about what he had called me. Every time he used endearments, it felt like mockery, and I despised it.


    I turned to him and asserted, ¡°I am Deirdre. Deirdre Tiaraoluwa Siobhan O¡¯Sullivan. You can use any part of that name, and I¡¯ll respond to you.¡±


    Matteo downed the shot ss in a gulp and loosened his tie. He strode purposefully towards me, his eyes narrowed.


    Gripping me, he guided me towards the nearby wall and whispered, ¡°I can choose to call you whatever I desire, Deirdre. Remember, you are my wife.¡±


    I tried to focus on his harsh voice and the angerced within it, but the scent of whiskey wafting from his breath made me feel lightheaded.


    I licked my lower lip, stealing a nce at his lips before meeting his gaze. ¡°I only agreed because of Kendall.¡±


    ¡°Legally, you are,¡± he asserted. Retrieving a princess-cut ring from his pocket, he slid it onto my ring finger.


    ¡°You can¡¯t force me to love you, Matteo. That¡¯s thest thing I¡¯ll ever do. I¡¯d sooner die than let myself be deceived by you.¡±


    ¡°Love?¡± Matteo scoffed. ¡°Whoever mentioned love?¡±


    That was it. Another reminder that I was the delusional one in this rtionship.


    ¡°I knew you never did. I¡¯m not expecting that from you, and don¡¯t expect it from me either,¡± I retorted, infusing as much hatred into my voice as I could muster.


    Matteo said nothing for a while, only staring at me. Then he broke the silence in a soft tone I never knew he could use.


    ¡°Is that why you made my blood call me that, Deirdre?¡±


    It was about the monster. Well, I was right.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything to Kendall, Matteo,¡± I assured.


    ¡°Why should I believe you, Deirdre? You took off with her, so you must have said something to make her hate me!¡± Matteo barked, his face hardening.


    ¡°I swear, Matteo, I told Kendall nothing. I swear on¡­¡±


    ¡°Mama,¡± Kendall¡¯s voice interrupted.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°Oh, gods!¡± I muttered, and Matteo quickly let go of me, putting distance between us as if we hadn¡¯t been on the verge of a heated argument.


    ¡°I tried to get her to sleep, but the voices were too loud, so she came here to see what was happening,¡± Mrs. Smith exined, just as I saw Matteo shoot her a re.


    ¡°Are you and Daddy fighting?¡± Kendall asked.


    I stole a nce at Matteo from the corner of my eye and saw his eyes widen, quickly reced by a frown.


    ¡°No, darling,¡± I said. ¡°We were just having a grown-up conversation. Grown-ups tend to speak loudly sometimes.¡±


    Kendall nodded. ¡°I want Daddy to kiss me good night,¡± she said again, looking at me, then at Matteo, uncertainty in her eyes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s in the mood for that, Kenny¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Matteo said, his voice gruff. He tugged on his tie once again, pulling it offpletely, removed his suit jacket, unbuttoned the top two buttons of his pristine white shirt, and rolled up his sleeves.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Kendall beamed. She dashed into the waiting arms of Matteo, who offered her a sweet smile before scooping her up.


    Kendall giggled as Matteo took her to her room, which was the next one after mine.


    I stood by the door, watching as Matteo tucked Kendall in and leaned in to kiss her. He sat on the bed for a while, just watching her.


    Looking at both of them, I couldn¡¯t deny how much Kendall resembled Matteo. Even if I wanted to contest her paternity, there was no way I could.


    At three years old, Kendall was a spitting image of Matteo. She sported his russet brown hair, unlike my ginger locks, his distinctive aquiline nose, and his strong Italian features. The only trait we shared was our green eyes.


    Her tiny fingers were tightly intertwined with his, a beaming smile gracing her face. Watching them together tugged at my heart.


    In some strange way, I carried a weight of guilt for vanishing and allowing him to stay distant from her life. Yet, he deserved every bit of my decision, and I wished we had never crossed paths again.


    As Kendall softly snored, Matteo rose to his feet and made his way to the door.


    ¡°Come with me,¡± he said, continuing forward.


    I followed, gently closing Kendall¡¯s door behind us.

 This is my home, my rule

    DEIRDRE


    I paused by the doorway alongside Matteo, realizing we stood in front of what I assumed was his room.


    With my arms crossed, I spoke up. ¡°I thought we were going to discuss this in the living room.¡±


    Matteo turned to me, his gaze assessing me. He remarked, ¡°I should be the one concerned, considering you¡¯re now wearing my things without permission. I can¡¯t predict what else you might do.¡±


    The audacity!


    I clenched my teeth, unable to hold back. I shot him a re. ¡°You left me with no choice. And how dare you take my clothes? That was never part of the deal!¡±


    ¡°This is my home, my rules,¡± Matteo stated firmly.


    ¡°This is a mistake,¡± I muttered, shaking my head. He held the door open wider after entering.


    I was reluctant to step in with him, but it seemed as though if I didn¡¯t, he was going to make me.


    As I stepped into the room, Matteo shut the door behind us. I stood close to it, still holding onto myself as if it could shield me from whatever might transpire in this room.


    The space matched mine in size, but that was where the simrities ended. His bedroom emanated a refined masculinity. Charcoal gray walls provided an elegant backdrop, a custom mahogany bed with ck sheets dominating the room¡¯s center, and ebony nightstands held brassmps. A meticulously arranged bookshelf and art pieces added a touch of sophistication.


    My gaze fell on the plush gray rug, a perfectplement to the marble floor, before drifting back to Matteo, who cleared his throat.


    ¡°Wanna taste?¡± Matteo¡¯s tongue darted out to lick his bottom lip, and he began to unbutton his shirt.


    For a fleeting moment, my thoughts strayed elsewhere, to his lips, his jawline, his chest, and his thighs, before I grimaced. He certainly wasn¡¯t referring to any of those things I¡¯d momentarily imagined. My mind had an unhelpful knack for conjuring such thoughts.


    Matteo let out a low chuckle as he lifted the ss to his lips, taking a long sip of the brandy he¡¯d poured before cing it on the table.


    ¡°She called me Daddy, Tua Moglie. Did you coerce her into doing so?¡± Matteo raised an eyebrow at me.


    He slipped out of his shirt, tossed it onto the sofa, then proceeded to unbuckle his belt.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I murmured, ncing at his hands skillfully working the belt. The same hands that had done yful things to me.


    ¡°What does it look like?¡± Matteo replied. ¡°And I asked you a question.¡±


    ¡°I did nothing to her,¡± I stated, reluctantly tearing my eyes away from his belt.


    ¡°You should know that abuse is a crime, and I don¡¯t care if you are my wife¡­¡±


    ¡°Ex-wife,¡± I interjected.


    Matteo pressed on as if I hadn¡¯t spoken. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you are my wife, Deirdre. You will be held ountable for that.¡±


    ¡°Why would I ever harm my daughter?!¡± I red at him.


    ¡°The same reason you led her to believe I¡¯m a monster,¡± he countered, causing me to groan.


    ¡°Listen, Matteo, I never discussed you with Kendall. I don¡¯t even know why she thinks you¡¯re her father because I never mentioned you. You were nonexistent to her.¡±


    Matteo grabbed the brandy bottle, a vein pulsating in his jaw. For a moment, I thought he might hurl the bottle in my direction, but instead, he brought it to his lips, taking another long sip.


    Setting the bottle down, he resumed his advance toward me. Just centimeters away, he said, ¡°Pack up. We¡¯re leaving tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°So soon!¡± I murmured, a frown forming. I had anticipated staying here longer.


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯re leaving, and no, we¡¯re not heading to Sicily,¡± Matteo stated, as though he were reading my mind.


    ¡°Where?¡± I inquired.


    ¡°On a cruise, darling. And you, my wife, will be my date.¡±


    ¡°No, no,¡± I muttered, shaking my head. ¡°So we¡¯re going on a date on a cruise? What about Kendall, and how long?¡± I scowled at him once more.


    ¡°Well, you could put it that way. It¡¯s actually a business trip. Unless you want every woman on that ship to end up in my bed, you¡¯re free to decline. And oh, Kendall will be with Mrs. Smith under the watchful eyes of my friends.¡±


    Such a maniptive bastard. There was no way I could let that happen. As much as I despised Matteo, I couldn¡¯t imagine him having another woman in his bed. I didn¡¯t want to.


    ¡°Kendall doesn¡¯t know anyone, Matteo. She won¡¯t let me go even if I want to.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll get used to it, and it¡¯s only for a few days,¡± Matteo said, stepping closer.


    His scent surrounded me, and I took a deep breath, willing my mind to focus on anything but him.


    ¡°And¡­¡± He murmured, his voice husky. He tugged on the belt of the robe I was wearing, causing me to gasp.


    ¡°Matteo!¡± I wrapped my arms around myself, shooting him a re. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡±


    He pulled on the robe¡¯s belt, drawing me closer. His grey eyes darkened as they met mine, then trailed from my face. I followed his gaze to find him looking at my chest.


    It wasn¡¯t fully exposed, yet it was-the tank top I had on offered little cover. My nipples were pointed as if vying for his attention.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Once again, I wrapped my arms around myself, stepping back.


    ¡°Why, Cara?¡± Matteo murmured.


    ¡°Because this is inappropriate. Both of us are in the same room, and you staring at me as if I¡¯m some newly acquired essory is highly inappropriate.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Matteo chuckled heartily, tossing his head back.


    I didn¡¯t find it amusing. I turned my back to him and began to walk out of the room.


    ¡°Deirdre,¡± Matteo¡¯s voice stopped me. ¡°Choose something alluring, darling. You¡¯ll be sharing my bed soon.¡±


    I scoffed, shaking my head. Matteo was insufferable. Was that all he ever considered? Me in his bed?


    Maybe. It made me ponder how he managed things. Even when I was absent from his life, it left me wondering if he ever entertained such thoughts about me.

 I mean no harm

    DEIRDRE


    The next morning, I was awakened from my slumber by Kendall. She kept jumping on my bed, tugging at my robe.


    She wasn¡¯t the only one, although she was the major reason. I heard voices outside my door, making me wonder if there was a special visitor in the penthouse.


    ¡°Mama!¡± Kendall eximed, her hands tangled in my hair, and she pulled, making me wince.


    ¡°That hurts, Kenny,¡± I groaned, gently removing her hand. I sat up straight as a knock followed by Matteo¡¯s voice sounded.


    ¡°Daddy has a woman over,¡± Kendall whispered, making me frown.


    ¡°What do you mean he has a woman over?¡± I asked.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡°There¡¯s a woman waiting for him outside,¡± she said, her nose wrinkling.


    Kendall surprised me most of the time. For a child her age, she was much more eloquent than I would have imagined. Most of the words she used surprised me even more. I believe she learned them from her friends in the ygroup she attended, perhaps from one of her teachers.


    ¡°Darling,¡± Matteo¡¯s voice called from outside my door, followed by a light tap.


    ¡°I¡¯ming,¡± I groaned, climbing down, and walking to the vanity to run my fingers through my messy hair. I cupped my hands, breathed into them, and took a sniff. ¡°Not bad,¡± I said before heading to the door.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I said, frowning when I realized he was not alone.


    And as Kendall had said, there was a woman with him. She was a tall brte with stunning grey eyes and a straight nose. Her fair skin had to be the most wless I had ever seen, and she smiled at me, her teeth a pearly white.


    I didn¡¯t return her smile, only continuing to stare at Matteo, silently urging him for an exnation.


    Although she was a brte, she was the kind of woman Matteo would most likely go out with.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked as he remained silent.


    ¡°She¡¯s Lucia Rossi,¡± he said.


    I cared not about her name, but my gaze stayed fixed on him, willing him to exin.


    ¡°Mama!¡± Kendall eximed, running towards me and wrapping her arms around my legs.


    I bent down, scooping her into my arms and holding her as though they might try to take her from me. I sensed Lucia raising her hands in a gesture of reassurance.


    ¡°I mean no harm towards you and your daughter, Deirdre,¡± she beamed at me.


    She knew my name. She knew it well. I shot an using nce at Matteo, who merely shrugged.


    ¡°I spoke to Lucia about you. She was insistent,¡± he scowled. It was clear he would have preferred discussing anything else with her.


    ¡°You were being evasive,¡± she scolded. ¡°Allow me to formally introduce myself. I am Lucia Rossi, and your husband is my boss. He never mentioned having such a beautiful wife like you, and I can¡¯t help but wonder how you¡¯re managing him.¡±


    Lucia sighed as if empathizing with my situation. Her voice was smooth and warm. I was mistaken to have thought she was one of his casual affairs. Still, it wasn¡¯t entirely my fault.


    Lucia was the first of his business partners I¡¯de to know. He never introduced any of them to me before. I wondered what had changed now.


    I sped Lucia¡¯s extended hand, giving it a shake. ¡°I¡¯m Deirdre O¡¯Sullivan. It¡¯s very nice to meet you.¡±


    I noticed Lucia¡¯s gaze drift to Matteo, whose icy re I could feel on me. I paid it no mind. As far as I was concerned, our marriage wasn¡¯t genuine. Even though I yed the role of his wife, I would never adopt his surname.


    ¡°And this must be Kendall,¡± Lucia smiled at my daughter, who held on to me even tighter.


    ¡°I want to stay with you, Mama. I don¡¯t want to go,¡± she pleaded.


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving you,¡± I murmured, soothingly running my hand along her back. ¡°But you can go with Lucia. She seems kind, and your father and I need to talk.¡±


    Kendall didn¡¯t relent, and I sighed, shooting Matteo a pointed look that silently said, ¡®I told you so.¡¯


    ¡°Fiora,¡± Matteo said as he approached me.


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Kendall asked, her gaze shifting between me and Matteo.


    ¡°It means ¡®flower,¡¯ darling,¡± I exined.


    Kendall¡¯s eyes lit up as she looked at Matteo. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go with Aunt Lucia, and we can get the things we talked about?¡±


    ¡°Deal?¡± Kendall proposed without hesitation.


    ¡°Deal,¡± Matteo confirmed, lightly touching his thumb and index finger to hers in a pinky promise.


    ¡°Mama, down.¡± Kendall squirmed out of my arms and darted toward Lucia, not sparing me a nce.


    ¡°What did you promise her, and why call Lucia an aunt? She isn¡¯t even rted to you,¡± I questioned.


    ¡°Lucia is family to me,¡± Matteo grumbled.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± I dismissed him with a wave.


    ¡°Kendall is too attached to you,¡± he remarked.


    ¡°What are you trying to imply? And don¡¯t tell me you came all the way here just to have Lucia take her away from me,¡± I retorted.


    ¡°No,¡± Matteo shook his head. ¡°Kendall needs to get familiar with Lucia because she¡¯ll be staying with her. Also, I¡¯m here to remind you about the trip. You have two hours to pack whatever you think you¡¯ll need.¡±


    ¡°Two hours?¡± I eximed in disbelief. ¡°How am I supposed to get ready in two hours when I just woke up and haven¡¯t even started packing?¡±


    ¡°I told youst night,¡± Matteo reminded me. ¡°You should have taken care of what was necessary.¡±


    ¡°You told me close to midnight, and how could I pack when I¡¯m exhausted?¡± I countered.


    ¡°Deirdre, Deirdre, Deirdre,¡± Matteo said with a sigh. ¡°You can simply hop into the shower, freshen up, and let Mrs. Smith pack for you whenever you¡¯re ready.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I firmly stated, shaking my head before approaching the wardrobe. I wouldn¡¯t let Mrs. Smith handle my things. It wasn¡¯t that I didn¡¯t trust her; I didn¡¯t trust Matteo not to influence her into choosing items I didn¡¯t want.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself,¡± I dered, opening the closet.


    ¡°Good. I don¡¯t have the patience, Deirdre. Remember, you mustn¡¯t take more than two hours,¡± Matteo advised before striding out of the room.


    I sensed a warning in his voice and wondered if there was more to this trip than he was letting on. It wasn¡¯t as though we would be departing as soon as we arrived at the port.

 No one dares lays a hand

    DEIRDRE


    It hadn¡¯t been more than two hours since Matteo had given me the time I needed. I emerged from the room, my luggage in tow.


    As I reentered the living room, I spotted Matteo, Lucia, and Kendall. Kendall rushed towards me, her ice cream cone forgotten in her hand.


    ¡°Mama!¡± she eximed, gripping my legs. ¡°You look so pretty.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, baby,¡± I replied, tousling her hair.


    Matteo came over to me, leaning in. ¡°You look good.¡±


    I nodded. It wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯dplimented me, and I doubted it would be thest.


    Matteo had changed into a different outfit. Instead of the brown two-piece suit he¡¯d worn earlier, he now sported a tailored navy zer matched with a crisp white dress shirt. He paired it with well-fitted khaki trousers and aplementary brown leather belt.


    Lucia approached him, adjusting the navy blue silk pocket square, then gestured to the brown loafers he wore.


    ¡°What?¡± Matteo asked.


    ¡°You promised to get me one,¡± she reminded him, and Matteo nodded in acknowledgment.


    Though Matteo had called her family, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that their rtionship ran deeper. She fixed his pocket square, and he was about to fulfill a promise to her. Maybe I was reading too much into it. I couldn¡¯t deny a pang of jealousy towards Lucia, as Matteo was remarkably attentive to her.


    Matteo knelt down to Kendall¡¯s eye level, taking her tiny hands in his. ¡°Will you be good for Aunt Lucia?¡±


    Kendall nodded, then furrowed her brows as if just realizing that we were both dressed up and standing before her.


    ¡°Going somewhere?¡± she asked. ¡°I want to.¡±


    She turned to me, her hands raised in question.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be back before you know it,¡± Matteo assured her, prompting a sigh from me.


    Kendall crossed her arms over her chest, and her lips formed a pout. I half-expected a tantrum, but to my surprise, she remained calm.


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring you lots of toys,¡± Matteo promised. ¡°And we can visit any ce you want.¡±


    ¡°Toys?¡± Kendall¡¯s eyes widened, her head tilting as if she was considering something. Her eyes sparkled, and she nodded. ¡°Even Disnend?¡±


    ¡°Even Disnend,¡± Matteo affirmed. ¡°Wherever my little flower wants to go, we¡¯ll go.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡± Kendall cheered, wrapping her arms around Matteo, who nced at me with a triumphant look.


    It was odd. I¡¯d never seen Kendall so agreeable. She¡¯d never let me leave without a fuss before, always voicing her displeasure. But now, she seemed to be on board with everything Matteo said, which was a bit strange.


    Matteo checked his ssic Rolex wristwatch, then turned to me. ¡°We need to go.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I love you, Kenny. Be a good girl.¡±


    ¡°Bye, Mama, Daddy. I¡¯ll miss you,¡± she waved.


    I would definitely miss her. It felt like I was leaving her for an eternity rather than just a few days.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ***


    ¡°Do you really think it¡¯s a good idea to leave Kendall?¡± I asked for what felt like the hundredth time as we headed to the port.


    I didn¡¯t recognize any of the locations we were passing. Despite having been in Miraval for three years, I only knew a handful of ces ¨C my workce, my home, and now Matteo¡¯s penthouse.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think we should take her with us? She¡¯s just a child, and I¡¯m not sure how well she¡¯ll do with strangers.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll be fine,¡± Matteo replied gruffly. Then he added, ¡°Besides, it¡¯s too risky for Kendall to travel with us.¡±


    ¡°How risky?¡± I started to ask, but grimaced as the car came to a sudden stop.


    ¡°Much more than you can imagine,¡± Matteo said. I wanted to press him for details, but he opened his door, and when I tried to open mine, he stopped me.


    ¡°Stay in the car and don¡¯t leave unless I tell you to,¡± he instructed, then turned to the driver. ¡°You should follow my earlier instructions as well.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± I frowned, but Matteo had already closed his door and was walking away from me.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± I inquired of the driver. Since I didn¡¯t know his name, I pressed him for it.


    ¡°I apologize, but I need to understand why we¡¯re in the car and not outside,¡± I questioned.


    ¡°The boss needs to have a discussion before anything can proceed. It can be dangerous from here,¡± he exined. ¡°By the way, I¡¯m Roy, pleased to be at your service, ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°Deirdre,¡± I replied, though I doubted an introduction was necessary. Matteo had taken it upon himself to talk about me to everyone he knew without my consent.


    ¡°The boss is approaching,¡± Roy informed me.


    I leaned toward the wound-up window to catch a glimpse of Matteo striding towards us.


    He opened the door with a sigh, then turned to me. ¡°You¡¯ll be taken to the room we¡¯ll be using. Make yourselffortable.¡±


    ¡°And what about you?¡± I asked, noting his exhaustion. Since I¡¯d arrived at his house, I doubted he¡¯d managed to get any sleep.


    ¡°Are you concerned for me?¡± Matteo smirked at me. ¡°I thought you never cared.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I furrowed my brow, feigning innocence. ¡°Why should I care about you? I just need to make sure I¡¯m not meeting my end today.¡±


    ¡°No one would darey a hand on you,¡± Matteo¡¯s eyes darkened. Not in a lustful way but in a dangerous one. ¡°I¡¯d do whatever it takes to protect you.¡±


    It sounded enticing to see Matteo so fiercely protective of me, but I didn¡¯t want anyone to die because of me, and I knew he was capable of such a thing.


    ¡°Take this,¡± he handed me a wristwatch. I shook my head, disying my own functioning one on my left wrist. ¡°I already have a working one.¡±


    ¡°This one has a surveince camera and a microphone. I need to see and hear everything that¡¯s happening with you,¡± he exined.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that illegal and an invasion of privacy?¡± I questioned.


    ¡°Perhaps, if I did it without your knowledge. However, I¡¯m informing you about it, so I don¡¯t think it counts as such,¡± he reasoned.


    Observing Matteo, he didn¡¯t appear to have any sinister motives behind giving me the wristwatch. Plus, my unfamiliarity with the location left me feeling cautious, so I epted it from him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll join you in a moment,¡± he murmured, brushing his lips against the corner of my mouth before exiting the car.

 Keep your wife safe

    MATTEO


    ¡°You brought her,¡± I turned to stare at Jackson. He strode towards me and wrapped his arms around me.


    ¡°Is there a problem with that?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I just feel with what is going on, it might have been best if she stayed home,¡± Jackson said.


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± I murmured. Even though he was somewhat right, I didn¡¯t see a reason Deirdre should stay at home when she could be with me, and I would protect her.


    ¡°I learned of some activities here,¡± I said, ncing around. Although I could not ascertain if I was being watched or not, I felt like it. ¡°The locals told me there were at least ten killings in the past few days, and all weren¡¯t from this region. I remember one of the locals telling me they had weird tattoos and hard currency on them after the police came for investigation.¡±


    ¡°I received a report as well; hence, I am here,¡± Jackson said, handing me a sheet of paper he had torn open from the brown envelope.


    ¡°Who brought this?¡± I asked.


    ¡°From the boss, it was addressed to you,¡± Jackson said. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m being watched,¡± I murmured, ncing around again. It was the only thing written on the paper, and Giovanni could have called me to say so, but sending Jackson to reach me meant it was a dire situation.


    ¡°Who are they?¡± Jackson asked, his voice low.


    ¡°Probably one of my many enemies,¡± I shrugged. ¡°Thanks for the message, keep in touch.¡± I patted his back.


    ¡°Keep your wife safe, boss, and good luck,¡± he said.


    I nodded, watching him leave before heading towards where Deirdre was. The door was open when I reached there. I frowned, stepping in, ¡°Deirdre?¡±


    I received no response from her, and I sniffed the air. It was only her scent that lingered and nothing else. My eyes wandered to the discarded clothes on the floor, and I stepped towards the shower where I believed she was; my breath released as I heard the sound of running water.


    ¡°Why the heck would she leave the door open?¡± I murmured, shutting the door and locking it. Someone could havee in to attack her. Deirdre was careless. I wonder if she knew that yet.


    I sat on the bed for a while before walking to the only window in the room. It overlooked the ocean. I sighed, exhaling as my mind drifted back to the letter. Many thoughts of who they could be swirled in my mind, but I didn¡¯t want to specte, as they might be thest person I would have thought of.


    Deirdre came out a whileter, wrapped in only a towel. As she noticed my presence, she halted. ¡°I thought you were going to stay out longer.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you didn¡¯t lock the door?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t?¡± she asked. ¡°I could have sworn I did.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t,¡± I said, my eyes moving from her face to her legs. Her legs were elegant. They were long and straight. I remembered the way she wrapped them around me while I held her close, the way they often quivered and¡­ Oh, heck.


    I grunted, feeling my dick twitch in my pants. I wanted Deirdre. Even when I had seen her in that waitress outfit, I still yearned to be with her. But I didn¡¯t want to push her.


    She already seemed apprehensive about me. As if she thought I was going to pounce on her and do unspeakable things to her body.


    ¡°Why are you still here?¡± I asked as her hand tightened around the towel.


    ¡°I need to get dressed,¡± she said.


    ¡°And?¡± I raised a brow at her. ¡°Should I leave the room for you?¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Deirdre said, licking her lower lip. ¡°I need you to excuse me so I can get dressed.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t do anything you¡¯re ufortable with,¡± I assured her. ¡°Remember, you¡¯re my wife, Deirdre. Do I need to keep reminding you whenever we¡¯re together?¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t feel very at ease being in the same ce as you,¡± she admitted.


    ¡°What happened to all the confidence you used to have? What happened to the woman who tempted me with her curves while looking so innocent?¡±


    I stood and walked towards Deirdre. She stepped back, which I expected.


    ¡°I just need to get dressed,¡± She said, her eyes widening.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to harm you, Deirdre.¡± I wrapped a wet, curly ginger strand of hair around my finger, twirling it. ¡°Do you think I¡¯d punish you for everything you did?¡±


    ¡°The girl you¡¯re looking for is gone, Matteo,¡± she said. ¡°I was a naive teenager who didn¡¯t know what she was doing, but now I feel wiser.¡±


    I leaned in, trailing soft kisses along her corbone. I heard her trying to stifle a moan, and she sighed, pushing at my chest. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can do this.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± I asked. ¡°Marriage issues aside, we both desire each other.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s not even been a week since we reconciled. Do you think the next thing I want to do is open up for you?¡± She snorted, rolling her eyes.


    ¡°What else would you want to do, then?¡± I asked, with an air of arrogance.


    ¡°See?¡± Deirdre¡¯s scowl deepened. ¡°You only see me as an object. Someone to fulfill your needs.¡±


    ¡°I see you as my woman, Deirdre,¡± I said. Even though having her on my bed was one of the many ways I saw her, I didn¡¯t confirm her suspicion.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be just your woman,¡± Deirdre confessed. Her eyes welled up with unshed tears.


    ¡°Tell me what you want,¡± I said.


    ¡°You can¡¯t give me what I want,¡± Deirdre pointed out.


    ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± I asked, then shook my head as I caught on to what she was saying.


    Taking a step back from her, I said, ¡°I can¡¯t love you, Deirdre, and don¡¯t ask that of me. I want you as a woman, and every aspect of you turns me on. But don¡¯t ever expect those words from me.¡±


    ¡°Matteo,¡± Deirdre said. I saw a tear slide down her cheek, which she quickly wiped away. ¡°I don¡¯t want your love.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± I affirmed with a nod.


    ¡°And you can¡¯t have my body because I¡¯ll never let you take advantage of me like you once did!¡± She yelled into my face, shoving me aside.


    I didn¡¯t stop her. I only watched her with narrowed eyes as she headed towards the bathroom.

 Step back

    MATTEO POV


    ¡°Advantage?¡± I scoffed, downing my third drink for the night. Deirdre had made it seem like I had assaulted her.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    She had made me look like a fucking pervert. While I¡¯d admit she was in shock, she was of legal age, and I wasn¡¯t much older than her. We first met when I was twenty-seven and she was eighteen. While a nine-year gap wasn¡¯tmon, it did happen in rtionships.


    Moreover, Deirdre had approached me herself. She had seduced me. I resisted as much as I could until I couldn¡¯t anymore, yet she was painting me as the viin. I felt somewhat disgusted with myself. I didn¡¯t understand why, but the way she had expressed it with so much hatred as if I had taken her against her will, was deeply unsettling.


    Maybe she didn¡¯t mean what she had said, but it was Deirdre, and I saw the hatred in her eyes.


    ¡°She¡¯s attractive,¡± I heard whispers swirling around me.


    ¡°Damn, I¡¯d have those legs around me, even if just for tonight,¡± another voice chimed in.


    I didn¡¯t want to look, but judging by the attention, whoever was approaching had everyone captivated.


    My eyes nearly bulged out when they locked onto Deirdre. She was wearing a provocative fis miniskirt that left little to the imagination. The top button of her red blouse was undone, revealing creamy flesh. Her face was heavily made up, making her almost unrecognizable, and her lips were painted a vivid red.


    ¡°Deirdre!¡± I growled, lowly stalking towards her, momentarily forgetting my anger for assuming the worst about me.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I seethed, gripping her hand tightly, pulling her towards the room. When we reached it, I locked the door, released her hand, and put some distance between us.


    ¡°You wanted a different side of me, Matteo, and here I am,¡± she said.


    ¡°Damn it, Deirdre, I¡¯m trying my best not to lose my mind after the usation you made earlier and now this. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have brought you here.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Deirdre said, shrugging.


    ¡°Did you despise me that much?¡± I asked, furrowing my brow.


    Deirdre sat cross-legged on the room¡¯s solitary chair, her gaze fixed on me. ¡°Despising you is an understatement, Matteo. I don¡¯t know how many times I have to say this, but if you hadn¡¯t coerced me intoing here, I¡¯d prefer being thrown into the ocean.¡±


    ¡°Deirdre,¡± I murmured. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve thought of me. But I¡¯ve always been open, truthful, and loyal to you.¡±


    ¡°You suffocate me with everything,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯ve made my life miserable, and you haven¡¯t even let me breathe fresh air without all your henchmen chasing after me!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s for your own good,¡± I grunted.


    ¡°Perhaps you tell me about the dangers, and I¡¯ll face them myself,¡± she said.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to protect you, Deirdre. Regardless of how you perceive my methods, it¡¯s still protection. And if you don¡¯t want it, you can leave, but I¡¯ll never let you involve Kendall in your risky lifestyle,¡± I said.


    ¡°Risky lifestyle?¡± Deirdre snapped. ¡°I¡¯m anything but that, and you know it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know much about you,¡± I admitted. It was the truth. I only knew a bit about her, and I didn¡¯t have much interest in knowing more after discovering what I needed.


    ¡°I should be saying that. Who in their right mind leaveste at night and returns to their family at midnight? If it isn¡¯t something illegal, I don¡¯t know what it is,¡± she said.


    ¡°Assume the worst about me, Deirdre. I don¡¯t care. But that¡¯s not even the point. It¡¯s about you appearing like some whore I saw a few minutes ago,¡± I pointed out.


    I saw her eyes widen. I knew it wasn¡¯t Deirdre who had tried to provoke those men out there. It had never been her style to wear something so extravagant. I assumed she wanted to provoke me, and she did a good job of it.


    ¡°You left me no choice, Matteo,¡± she said. ¡°I checked what I¡¯d packed and found some of my things had been reced.¡±


    ¡°Then wear my clothes,¡± I suggested. ¡°You should have mentioned it sooner.¡±


    Deirdre sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t go out wearing your clothes.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind,¡± I assured her. ¡°They suit you quite well.¡± Even though they were a bitrger, they would at least shield her curves from the leering eyes.


    ¡°They¡¯re too big; I can¡¯t wear them outside,¡± she insisted.


    ¡°I told you not to worry about that. You don¡¯t even need to go out. I just want you here so I can see your face without worrying you¡¯ve vanished again,¡± I exined. Then, firmly, I added, ¡°You should change out of that outrageous outfit unless you want me to get my hands bloody.¡±


    Without waiting for her reply, I left the room and returned to the bar. All eyes were on me, but I paid them no mind. They were fortunate that I wasn¡¯t in the right state of mind; otherwise, I might have dealt out harsher consequences.


    Still, I doubted I would ever cross that line. I had a code of conduct and a territory where I refrained from conducting my operations. I had only broken it once, after the altercation with Jean.


    I felt a tap on my back and turned to see a man of average height with a receding hairline, thick brows, and deep-set blue eyes.


    ¡°Hey mate,¡± he greeted, the scent of alcohol strong on his breath.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I responded.


    ¡°Thedy you brought with you, who is she?¡± he inquired.


    ¡°That depends on who¡¯s asking,¡± I replied, eyeing him and his assumedpanions.


    ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± he dered, pointing to himself.


    I retrieved the small gun I had discreetly kept in my pocket cing it on the counter. ¡°Step back,¡± I grunted.


    ¡°It was just a harmless question,¡± he protested, arms raised.


    I ignored him. I didn¡¯t want to engage anyone in conversation. I partially med Deirdre for wearing such an outfit and drawing the attention of lustful men, but I also acknowledged that part of the me was mine.

 Consider it a gift

    DEIDRE


    I fastened the top button of Matteo¡¯s dress shirt and rolled up the sleeves before heading toward the only window in the spacious cabin. The view of the sea was mesmerizing.


    I wasn¡¯t really a fan of the sea. I suppose not knowing how to swim was the main reason, but still, it had always held a fascination for me. I¡¯d always wanted to get a close-up view like this.


    As I opened the window, letting my head out, a cool breeze tousled my hair, and I heaved out a breath. I straightened up when I heard the door creak open.


    My brows furrowed as Matteo entered the room. It had been a while since he left, and I hadn¡¯t expected him back until evening. He seemed to be in a bad mood, and I wondered who had upset him.


    I turned away, focusing on the beautiful blue sea, taking a deep breath. I could feel Matteo behind me.


    ¡°Mia Moglie,¡± he whispered, leaning in. His body pressed against my back, his shirt riding up as he held onto my waist.


    ¡°What is it, Matteo?¡± I murmured, biting my lower lip and pushing aside thoughts of his touch.


    His hand moved up and down my body, sending waves of desire coursing through me. My nipples tightened in anticipation, and I could feel my juice starting to leak into my pant.


    I wonder if I would be able to resist the feel of Matteo because each time he did this, my treacherous body responded to him even if I never wanted to.


    ¡°You irritated me earlier, Deirdre. How can you step out looking like some random whore I picked up off the street, with every man ogling you like a piece of meat?¡± His voice had turned sharper.


    I knew Matteo would be angry with me. That was why I had done what I did. He was always trying to control and oversee everything I did.


    I turned in his arms, now facing away from the window, and looked up at Matteo, regretting it instantly. I could see the desire he didn¡¯t bother to hide in his eyes. I wondered how he could switch moods so easily. He had been furious when he came in, and now he was gazing at me with lust.


    ¡°Would it be a problem if someone desires me, Matteo?¡± I asked, frowning as I nced at the undone top button of his shirt.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Licking my lips as I ogled the mat of dark hair on his chest, I reluctantly peeled my eyes from it to his face.


    ¡°Do you not see anything wrong with that?¡± Matteo¡¯s voice held genuine surprise, and his eyes narrowed as I simply shrugged. ¡°Do you have ns to be with another man while you¡¯re here, Deirdre? I swear to God, I¡¯ll take down the first person who tries to touch you, and then you¡¯ll face the consequences. Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you.¡±


    His words filled me with a chilling dread. He had been cautioning me all along. I didn¡¯t want to think about what he might actually do because, deep down, I believed he would follow through.


    Matteo moved away from me, and I let out a disappointed sigh. He loosened the tie around his neck and shot me a stern look before pointing at the bed.


    ¡°Open that,¡± he instructed.


    ¡°What¡¯s inside?¡± I asked, my attention now drawn to the box I had only just noticed.


    ¡°Open it now; question meter,¡± he replied.


    With reluctance, I approached the neatly wrapped box, pulled on the ribbon, and lifted the lid. A vibrant blue dress was neatly folded inside. I turned back to Matteo, staring at him in surprise. ¡°What is this for?¡± I inquired, taking it out.


    A mysterious glint sparkled in Matteo¡¯s eyes as he met my gaze, and a smirk yed on his lips. ¡°Consider it a gift, Mia Cara. I thought it might be fitting for tonight¡¯s celebration.¡±


    ¡°What celebration?¡± I asked, running my fingers over the luxurious fabric.


    Matteo had never mentioned any event taking ce today. In fact, earlier, he had spoken of wanting me in the room, just wanting to see my face.


    But now, it seemed he had changed his mind.


    ¡°It¡¯s an annual party, darling,¡± Matteo exined.


    ¡°You never told me,¡± I grumbled, shooting him a re.


    ¡°Well, now you know,¡± he replied, sounding rather dismissive.


    I let out a sigh and sat on the bed, cing the dress beside me. My thoughts briefly wandered to Kendall. I couldn¡¯t deny that, even though Matteo had assured me she was in good hands and Lucia would take care of her, I still felt uneasy about this trip altogether.


    ¡°Are you not up for it?¡± Matteo inquired, stepping away from the door and moving to the center of the room. I nced up to find him watching me intently.


    ¡°I wonder if Kendall will miss us. She might be crying for me and¡­¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s fine, Deirdre,¡± Matteo assured. ¡°This is about us, not Kendall. We¡¯ll be back with her soon.¡±


    ¡°About us,¡± I murmured. I didn¡¯t want to ask him what he meant by it being about us because I understood his words all too well. He wanted to make it work for our daughter, not for me.


    Matteo had made it clear that he saw me solely as a means for his pleasure. Though I doubted I would give in to his desires, being in the same room with him, feeling his presence and scent, it was a challenge to hold onto my resolve.


    ¡°You should get dressed; the party starts in two hours,¡± Matteo instructed, heading towards the door.


    ¡°You never told me exactly what it¡¯s about,¡± I said, narrowing my eyes at him.


    ¡°It¡¯s a masquerade party,¡± he replied simply. ¡°And don¡¯t worry, your pretty head, you¡¯ll be by my side all night. I only need you to make an appearance¡­¡±


    ¡°And be a showpiece,¡± I finished for him. ¡°I understand, and thank you.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t surprised. This had always been my role with Matteo. Attending events with him, acting as his trophy. He only wanted to disy me to others and never bothered to introduce me to anyone.


    And if he felt I was attracting too much attention, he would re at the men, making it clear they should back off. I envisioned he would do the same tonight. After all, he was Matteo Ferrari.

 Mother of my child

    DEIRDRE


    An hour passed after Matteo left, and he never returned. He had reminded me to be outside by 7, and it was already 6 p. m.


    I tried to ask him where he went, but I never received a response to my text. I even called him, but he didn¡¯t pick up the phone. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he was avoiding me. Maybe. But then, I couldn¡¯t think of anything I did wrong to deserve being ignored. Or perhaps I did.


    Sighing, I walked towards the full-length mirror, took off Matteo¡¯s shirt, and slipped into the dress.


    Its fabric, a lustrous, bright blue satin, seemed to capture the essence of the deep, cerulean sea. The sequins were meticulously arranged in intricate patterns, glimmering like a thousand stars. They caught the low light in a dazzling disy, casting prismatic reflections that danced across the room.


    As I touched the elegantly tailored bodice, my gaze moved to the sweetheart neckline that entuated the curves of my torso. Delicate straps adorned with tiny crystal beads framed my shoulders, adding a touch of ethereal grace


    The dress reached just above my thigh, fitting like a second skin, entuating my curves perfectly.


    I marveled at how Matteo managed to find the perfect size for me. It was not like I was on the bigger side, but I doubted he could have guessed the size without some help.


    I tried to zip it up, but my hand barely reached the back. I groaned in frustration, trying a little harder, but it seemed almost impossible to get the zipper.


    I left it be and focused on my makeup. I wanted something subtle since I would be hiding behind a mask, although I hadn¡¯t seen it yet. At the same time, I wanted to do something out of the ordinary, something I rarely did.


    So, I spent another half hour on my makeup. I went for something bold and captivating.


    My eyes were the focal point, adorned with smoky, dramatic eyeshadow in shades of deep plum and charcoal, creating an alluring, mysterious gaze. I left out the falsies since I barely needed one, as mine were voluminous.


    The piece de resistance was my lips, painted in a deep, velvety red to make it appear more alluring.


    When I was done and satisfied with it, I brushed my hair back, lifted it up, and put it in a messy bun.


    Turning in front of the mirror, I caught sight of my back. I still hadn¡¯t zipped up, and Matteo was nowhere in sight to help me. Even if he were, I doubted I would have asked him.


    A knock on the door snapped me out of my thoughts, and I approached it. Matteo stood outside, dressed in a tailored ck tuxedo adorned with a subtle sheen that caught the light just so. The jacket hugged his frame, entuating his broad shoulders, while the crisp white dress shirt beneath added a touch of sophistication.


    One of his hands was in the pocket of his perfectly fitted trousers, while the other held out a flora mask that was adorned with hand-painted blossoms in soft pastel hues.


    ¡°You changed your outfit,¡± I murmured, taking in Matteo¡¯s slicked-back russet hair and the pair of well-polished ck patent leather oxford shoes he was wearing; then my gaze traveled back up.


    He looked incredibly attractive. Right at this moment, with him standing before me, I had the urge to walk up to him, tear off his tuxedo, tug off his burgundy tie, and press my hand against his defined abs that was hidden by the shirt.


    ¡°I did,¡± Matteo replied, and my eyes reluctantly left his face. ¡°Would you prefer me to stroll around naked?¡± he quipped.


    ¡°No,¡± I frowned. That wasn¡¯t why I asked. It was because I didn¡¯t know where he had changed.


    Yes, there were many cabins on therge ship ¨C I had been told it might be thergest in the region ¨C but I couldn¡¯t help but imagine him with someone else. I guess it was normal for me to feel paranoid, given that he wanted to make things work again, and seeing him with another girl would vite our agreement.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been gazing at me for quite some time, Tesoro,¡± Matteo murmured, approaching me. ¡°Do you have something on your mind?¡±


    I shook my head and nodded simultaneously, then turned my back to him and pointed to the zipper. ¡°I can¡¯t reach it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you,¡± Matteo said simply.


    He guided me into the room gently, closing the door behind him, and grasped the zipper, pulling it up. I was about to step away when he held me back, and my back met his chest. Matteo¡¯s hand found the pin holding my hair in ce, allowing it to cascade down my back.


    ¡°I wanted it up,¡± I said, my voice a bit lower than intended. But it wasn¡¯t entirely my fault. With Matteo¡¯s hand on my waist and moving downward, it was hard to think straight.


    I took in a deep breath as it lingered on my exposed thigh, and Matteo whispered in my ear, ¡°I love your hair down, princess.¡±


    His head ventured further towards my thighs, and I instinctively closed my legs.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t go any further,¡± I warned him before his hand could reach its destination. When it did, he swiftly turned me to face him.


    ¡°You¡¯re not wearing any underwear?¡± He looked puzzled.


    ¡°It¡¯s pretty obvious,¡± I replied.


    Matteo¡¯s gaze narrowed as if he¡¯d just caught me doing something he didn¡¯t approve of. He guided me to the wall, his hands on either side of me.


    ¡°Why are you heading to the party so¡­ underdressed, Deirdre?¡± His voice was low.


    I pushed against his chest, needing some breathing room. ¡°Why does it matter to you?¡±


    ¡°Why should it matter?¡± Matteo scoffed, then threw his head back and let out a dark chuckle. ¡°You¡¯re the mother of my child, Deirdre, and you¡¯re going around barely dressed and¡­¡±


    ¡°You tore my underwear the first time we met,¡± I blurted out, cringing at how foolish it sounded.


    What did it have to do with not wearing any now? I asked myself, but the only usible reason that came to mind was wanting something more.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t find one that suits the dress,¡± I exined once more. Matteo scrutinized me, seemingly deciding whether or not to believe me.


    ¡°Why do I feel like you¡¯re not telling me the truth?¡± he said.


    ¡°I am,¡± I murmured. ¡°Feel free to check my things if you want.¡±


    I gestured towards my bags, but Matteo shook his head, rolling his eyes.


    ¡°Fine, just stick close,¡± he grumbled. ¡°And let me be clear, Deirdre. If you try anything, there will be consequences.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± I said.


    I didn¡¯t know anyone at the party, and I¡¯d probably end up alone like I always did when I went to events with Matteo. I never really fit in. And I doubted I would fit in now.

 A siren like you

    DEIDRE


    ¡°Wait,¡± Matteo called out as I headed towards the door. He reached into his pocket, took out a small box, and stepped towards me.


    Raising my eyebrows, I stared at him as he opened it. Inside was a white gold ne with a vivid blue sapphire set in tinum, surrounded by brilliant diamonds. It was stunning and undoubtedly costly. I couldn¡¯t understand why Matteo was giving me another ne when I was already wearing one.


    I shook my head as he approached, and I pointed to the one around my neck. ¡°I already have one.¡±


    ¡°I want you to have this,¡± He said, getting even closer.


    I began to shake my head, but he gripped the locket of the ne, snapping it open.


    ¡°Kendall,¡± He murmured, his eyes flicking to mine before ncing at his hand. ¡°I still want you to have this,¡± He repeated.


    Then he stepped behind me, unhooked the ne from around my neck, and dropped it into his pocket. I felt the coolness of the white gold chain around my neck.


    After he was done, I looked at myself in the mirror. It even looked better on me than it had in his hands.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I murmured, ncing at him.


    Matteo shrugged, ¡°Anything for you.¡± Then he added, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    I let him link our hands together as we left the room.


    ***


    Well, I was right about not fitting into Matteo¡¯s circle. From behind my mask, I could make out elegantly dressed men and women. Most seemed rather snobbish, and the ones Matteo had introduced me to were somewhat friendly, or maybe they were pretending to be.


    I couldn¡¯t discern their expressions through the mask, so I relied on their voices to gauge their emotions. However, I knew that relying solely on their voices could be inurate, and I didn¡¯t want to judge anyone. I wasn¡¯t in a position to.


    Matteo led me to another part of the party where the air was even more refined than the first. My nose wrinkled as the scent of expensive fragrance reached it, and my stomach churned in anticipation.


    Arriving at a solitary table, he pointed to it and said, ¡°Sit.¡±


    Iplied, then looked up at him. Matteo leaned in closer, his voice a bit lower than usual, ¡°I¡¯ll be across the room, keeping an eye on you. Please don¡¯t do anything rash,¡± he cautioned.


    It was not like I had a history of recklessness. Rolling my eyes, though he couldn¡¯t see, I responded with a touch of sarcasm. ¡°I¡¯ll y the loyal trophy wife, as always, Matteo Ferrari. I¡¯ll sit here like your faithful puppy and await your return.¡±


    A smile curled on my lips, and I added, ¡°And if I need to use the restroom, I¡¯ll be sure to inform you. You must be aware of my movements, my dear husband, and I won¡¯t let you down.¡±


    ¡°Lose the attitude,¡± Matteo insisted. ¡°If you need me, just send a text. If you want to leave, let me know via text. And if you start feeling ufortable, text me. I¡¯ll be by your side in seconds.¡±


    ¡°Of course, my dear husband. I¡¯ll follow your instructions to the letter.¡± I smiled sweetly at him, and I heard him groan.


    He didn¡¯t say anything else, instead turning his back to me and making his way towards the far end of the room.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    I strained to see where he¡¯d gone, but all I could discern were curtains and red lighting. I sighed, resting my hand on my chin for support.


    It would have been wiser to stay in the cabin. I shouldn¡¯t have apanied him, but I really had no choice. Matteo would have dragged me out forcefully. I wondered why he seemed to assume I¡¯d bolt at the first opportunity.


    Even if that was my initial n, I couldn¡¯t take that risk as long as Kendall was involved. I doubted Matteo grasped the fact that I couldn¡¯t leave her in his care.


    I sighed again, gripping the sparkling red liquid in the tulip-shaped wine ss. Swirling it, I brought the contents to my mouth, swallowing before I could stop myself. As soon as it went down, my throat burned, and I instinctively clutched it, fanning my face. My narrowed eyes focused on the remainder of what I had thought was Lambrusco.


    Retaking the ss, I brought it to my nose, sniffing cautiously.


    Even though the wine itself contained some alcohol percentage, I had drunk enough in my lifetime to know it never tasted this harsh.


    ¡°Damn!¡± I grunted, scanning the area for a ss of water. I should have checked before taking a sip! The drink had been tampered with. But who in their right mind would spike a drink at a sophisticated party like this? This wasn¡¯t some high school dance.


    The urge to shout and track down the perpetrator surged through me. But it would be utterly foolish. No one had forced me to drink it, not even Matteo. I could recall he¡¯d said to let him know if I needed anything. He must have figured out the game.


    Spotting a waiter, I signaled him. Fortunately, he had stic bottles of water on his tray. ¡°Thank you, I¡¯ll take the water, please,¡± I murmured, wincing.


    He leaned in and asked, ¡°Senora?¡±


    I sighed, rolling my eyes. It seemed he didn¡¯t understand English. My gaze wandered around, and that¡¯s when I noticed I had gged down one of the Spanish-speaking servers. It was only now that I saw he¡¯d been standing next to a sign that read, ¡®Spanish speaker only.¡¯


    Looking at the badge on his pristine white shirt, I said, ¡°Alejandro, tomare agua por favor.¡± (Alejandro, I¡¯ll have the water, please.)


    Alejandro nodded, a smile on his face. ¡°Por supuesto, senora. Aqui tiene su agua.¡± (Of course, ma¡¯am. Here is your water.)


    He handed me a ss he¡¯d poured himself, and I sniffed it to avoid making another mistake. Detecting no strange scent, I felt it was safe to drink. So, I took a substantial gulp, sighing as it eased the burning in my throat.


    I kept to myself for another half an hour. I nced asionally at the grandfather clock nearby, then towards the area where Matteo had disappeared.


    I was weary and in need of rest. Today was our arrival, and I hadn¡¯t anticipated being drawn into this affair, but it clearly held significance for Matteo; otherwise he wouldn¡¯t have insisted on being here.


    ¡°Hermosa,¡± a deep baritone voice interrupted my thoughts. Turning, my eyes met the greenest pair I had ever seen. Angr features with strong jawlines, prominent cheekbones, a straight nose, and full, sensual lips.


    He could easily pass for the sexiest man alive, but then there was Matteo, a walking sex god and the very embodiment of perfection.


    ¡°Javier at your service, Hermosa,¡± he said, taking a seat in front of me without asking for my permission.


    ¡°It¡¯s Deirdre,¡± I corrected him, and his lips curved into smile as if he¡¯d suddenly found something amusing.


    ¡°I heard you speaking Spanish a few minutes ago, and I wondered if you were from around here. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve heard someone so fluent in this ce,¡± he exined, stroking his goatee.


    Normally, goatees didn¡¯t catch my attention, but on this stranger, Javier made it undeniably sexy, just my type.


    ¡°You have such a beautiful name, Deirdre. A perfect fit for a siren like you,¡± he said.


    I shook my head, wanting to put an end to this flirtation because I knew exactly where it was heading. So, I ced my ring finger on the table, making it clear I was off-limits.


    Javier¡¯s gaze shifted from my face to my finger, and he smiled. ¡°I know you¡¯re with Ferrari,¡± he said, stunning me.


    ¡°You do?¡± I frowned. Then why the hell was he hitting on me?


    ¡°I do,¡± he confirmed. ¡°And I wonder why a woman like you would allow him to coax you intoing to a perilous ce like this.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by perilous?¡± I started to ask, only to be cut off by Matteo¡¯s loud voice.


    ¡°Deirdre!¡± he growled.


    Turning with wide eyes, I watched Matteo stride purposefully toward us, and Javier¡¯s grin widened even further.


    ¡°Tell him Hernandez paid a visit, Deirdre. I¡¯m sure he¡¯d be thrilled to hear it,¡± Javier said, blowing me a kiss before walking away.


    As Matteo reached my side, he gripped my hand, pulling me out of the chair roughly.


    ¡°You had one job!¡± he hissed.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I scowled at him.


    ¡°I told you not to let any man¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Matteo, but I can¡¯t prevent people from approaching me!¡± I whispered loudly.


    My eyes darted around anxiously. I didn¡¯t want anyone to catch wind of our argument. I didn¡¯t want to be the center of attention, especially considering how gossip-prone this crowd seemed, no matter how refined they appeared.


    ¡°Matteo, everyone here is an individual, and I was simply seated there. It¡¯s not like I beckoned him over or tried to entice you, as you may imagine. And why on earth are you keeping such close tabs on my every move? You should be back in the den you just left!¡± I whispered urgently.


    ¡°Deirdre,¡± Matteo¡¯s voice was low.


    We locked eyes for a brief moment before Matteo finally spoke.


    ¡°I had my reasons, and Javier is one of thest people you should allow near you,¡± he advised.


    I turned and sensed the weight of someone¡¯s gaze on me. It was Javier, and he didn¡¯t seem the least bit embarrassed about being caught staring. Instead, he winked at me.


    ¡°You let him flirt with you,¡± he observed.


    ¡°I permitted nothing,¡± I retorted, rolling my eyes.


    But Matteo wasn¡¯t convinced. He kept his gaze fixed on Javier as if he might tear his eyes out on the spot if there weren¡¯t witnesses.


    ¡°Come with me,¡± Matteo ordered with a grunt, taking hold of my hand.


    He led me back to where he had been standing earlier, and I couldn¡¯t help but notice that the atmosphere here was even cooler than outside and much more fraught with danger.


    All eyes seemed to be on me. The masked faces bore down on me as if I were a piece of meat. I knew Matteo was right beside me, but despite that, I couldn¡¯t shake my unease. I felt jittery and on edge. The impulse to flee outside was strong, but then I considered what the gossip mill might churn out.


    So, I settled into a quiet corner, observing the activities around me while allowing my thoughts to drift to Kendall and no one else, seeking some sce for my difort.

 I can help

    MATTEO


    It was the La Festa dell¡¯Ombra, also known as the festival of shadows. This annual gathering was a secret known only to the most influential and mysterious figures of the underworld. It featured masked revelers, enigmatic performances, and secret ceremonies held in the heart of the cruise ship¡¯s hidden chambers.


    Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have brought Deirdre here. I heard the warning in Jackson¡¯s voice earlier. Perhaps he had known that Javier, the troublemaker, would be here.


    Javier was from a rival gang, and he should have known better than to approach Deirdre when she was with me. But he didn¡¯t even look apologetic. It was as if he was deliberately taunting me.


    And why was the ship filled with enemies on all sides?!


    My eyes narrowed when I spotted three more, each nking the side where Deirdre was seated.


    To Deirdre¡¯s right, three seats away from her, Enzo Romano sat. He looked at me with intrigue in his granite grey eyes. He was also known as ¡°Silencer¡± due to his few words but impactful actions.


    His ability to carry out tasks with deadly precision and leave no trace had earned him the nickname. He was the shadowy enforcer for the Romano Shadows, a gang known for their covert operations and intelligence-gathering skills.


    To her left, closer to the chamber¡¯s door, sat Luca Bianchi. He was lean and agile, moving with a cat-like grace. His obsidian eyes seemed to miss nothing, and his dark hair fell in artful disarray.


    Luca was known as the ¡°Whisper.¡± He was a master of stealth and subterfuge, able to move in and out of the shadows without a trace. His quiet demeanor and deadly precision had earned him the nickname. He was the ndestine operative for the Bianchi Shadows, a secretive and mysterious gang known for their covert operations and maniption of information.


    And then there was Gabriel Russo, whose eyes were fixed on mine. He sat very close to Deirdre. He was the leader of the Russo Ironds, a gang known for their unrelenting pursuit of power and their ability to weather any storm. His reputation for being unbreakable in the face of adversity had earned him the nickname ¡°Steelheart.¡±


    I knew there were more adversaries present, but I didn¡¯t want to spend the night counting them. I needed to focus on the information being exchanged.


    Facing threats wasn¡¯t new to me. I¡¯d dealt with more opponents in the past, but this situation felt different, especially with Deirdre here. It was as if they had intentionally paired me with the strongest adversary today.


    Tapping the holster belt around my waist, I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the gun. Even armed, I knew I wouldn¡¯t be able to take aim. Not with Deirdre¡¯s safety and the safety of other women and children in mind.


    Who in their right mind would bring children to an event like this?! A grunt of frustration escaped me as I scanned the room.


    Shaking my head, I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder and turned to find Vittorio Russo. He was the underboss of the Serpenti Segreti Cartel, one of the people I was supposed to meet to finalize the agreement for the Carmine Shoreline territory, which was 1440 miles from here. The second person, Adriano Romano, was yet to arrive.


    ¡°You okay?¡± he asked, brows furrowing as he surveyed the room. It was clear he understood the situation.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± I grunted, ncing at Deirdre, who was nervously fiddling with the ne around her neck. She had every right to be anxious with so many imposing faces around.


    ¡°If you need any help, I can,¡± Vittorio offered. ¡°After all, we¡¯ll be allies soon.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I replied, neither epting nor refusing his offer. He was right about the alliance, but this was my fight. These people were my enemies, and I didn¡¯t want to drag anyone else into my situation.


    ¡°Thatdy over there¡­¡± Vittorio began, trailing off.


    ¡°What,dy?¡± I interrupted, eyeing him closely.


    ¡°Siren-like. Is she your girl?¡± He asked. ¡°You¡¯ve been staring at her for too long. If I were in her shoes, I¡¯d feel ufortable. Although I don¡¯t know why she chose to be here.¡±


    Javier had mentioned it. So did Jackson, and now Vittorio. Was I the only one being foolish, not thinking things through? Maybe.


    Still, I didn¡¯t fully trust Deirdre. It was myck of trust that led me to do this. I didn¡¯t believe she¡¯d be waiting for me at home when I returned. I didn¡¯t want to think about where she might run off. I could see it in her eyes. She was going to get further away from me, and I might not see Kendall again.


    ¡°It¡¯s best you take her out of here. I sense a shift in the atmosphere,¡± Vittorio advised, even though I hadn¡¯t disclosed my feelings about her.


    I narrowed my eyes, surveying therge room once again. Vittorio was right. Tension hung in the air. Everyone was on edge, and it wouldn¡¯t be long before guns were drawn.


    I couldn¡¯t say exactly what had been discussed, as I hadn¡¯t been paying attention, but I could hazard a guess. Although different gangs were present at this event, they were here for mutual business interests.


    This annual gathering required pooling resources and expertise from multiple factions to ensure a sessful joint operation that was often agreed to by different gang leaders. There was a risk, but no one here was a stranger to the principle of ¡®no pain, no gain.¡¯


    I could see the distrust in everyone¡¯s eyes and a sense of foreboding washed over me.


    ¡°Can we talk after the meeting?¡± I asked Vittorio, who nodded.


    ¡°Of course. With the way the ship is moving, we should arrive by morning. We have the rest of the night to discuss.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± I muttered, rising to my feet. Enzo, Gabriel, and Luca followed suit as if they¡¯d been waiting for an eternity.


    As I moved towards Deirdre, they advanced towards me.


    ¡°I can help,¡± Vittorio offered again.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    I wondered if I could trust him with Deirdre¡¯s safety.


    ¡°I swear, I won¡¯t do anything to hurt her,¡± Vittorio promised.


    ¡°Swear with your life,¡± I grunted. ¡°Promise that if any harm befalls her, I¡¯ll hold you responsible.¡±


    ¡°I swear with my life,¡± Vittorio affirmed, extending his hand. I took it in a firm shake, sealing the agreement.


    Vittorio headed towards Deirdre. Her eyes flicked to me, and she frowned. She seemed on the verge of protesting, but I shook my head, hoping she¡¯d understand and leave the room.


    Thankfully, she was perceptive enough to catch my meaning. She smiled warmly at me before linking arms with Vittorio.


    I felt a sense of relief as Deirdre exited the room, though a lingering sense of dread remained. I turned my attention to the three men before me, who looked as though they wouldn¡¯t mind seeing me meet a violent end.

 I promised him my life

    DEIRDRE


    ¡°Are you one of Matteo¡¯s friends?¡± I asked the man who escorted me out of the room. His salt-and-pepper hair was impably styled, a dimpled smile on one cheek, and his dark eyes twinkled as he looked down at me.


    He was tall and muscr, and next to him, I felt very small, like a dwarf. I couldn¡¯t help but notice he seemed much closer to Matteo than Javier, even though they didn¡¯t seem like friends, much like Lucia had seemed with him.


    ¡°I¡¯m Vittorio De Luca,¡± the man introduced himself. ¡°I can¡¯t exactly say we¡¯re friends, but we¡¯re not foes either.¡±


    I sighed, shaking my head. ¡°So, he entrusted me to you? What if you do something horrible to me? I mean, you could toss me into the water just for the fun of it.¡±


    ¡°Why do you think that, darling?¡± he asked, raising his brows.


    ¡°It¡¯s Deirdre,¡± I corrected him, slightly ufortable with how both men I¡¯d spoken to tonight had referred to me endearingly.


    Even though I knew it meant nothing and wasn¡¯t a big deal, I didn¡¯t enjoy it. I only liked it when it came from Matteo¡¯s mouth, even though I wouldn¡¯t admit it to him.


    ¡°Deirdre, it is then,¡± he said, still smiling. ¡°And you seem quite knowledgeable, different from the other girls I¡¯ve encountered.¡±


    ¡°Now I¡¯m quite offended,¡± I red at him. ¡°Do you take me for an airhead?¡±


    Vittorio shook his head. He let go of me and stepped back, his eyes roving over me. ¡°I know it might seem like a generalization, but permit me to say you looked very much like one.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°That is the loveliestpliment I¡¯ve heard in a while,¡± I eximed.


    ¡°Sarcastic and gorgeous, a very lovelybination,¡± Vittorio murmured.


    ¡°Why would Matteo entrust me to you when he isn¡¯t even your friend?¡± I said, ncing around to see we were in another part of the ship. This ce seemed much lighter than the room I had been in previously, and it was in the open, so I could see the moonlight. Arge pool area was in the center, filled with people, especially women, smoking and drinking.


    I crinkled my nose, staring back at Vittorio just in time to see him grab two sses of wine and extend one towards me.


    ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± I said, shaking my head. ¡°I¡¯ve had too much for the night, and I don¡¯t want any more.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not liquor,¡± he exined. ¡°It¡¯s just grape juice. I wouldn¡¯t be so foolish as to give you alcohol for my own safety.¡±


    He seemed sincere. I wondered if he and Matteo had shared something that surprised me, recalling a handshake I hadn¡¯t seen before. It felt secretive and like something from a gang.


    Actually, everything happening felt that way. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t be so surprised. It was one of the reasons I had distanced myself from Matteo, even though I hadn¡¯t told him that, and while I hadn¡¯t seen him in action, I had seen some evidence and made assumptions without asking him. The evidence was enough to make me feel like I needed to protect myself.


    ¡°He seems to care about you,¡± Vittoriomented, pulling me from my thoughts.


    I took the wine ss filled with juice he offered, sniffed it, and let out a sigh.


    ¡°Is that what you¡¯ve been up to all night?¡± He chuckled.


    ¡°It¡¯s not funny. I almost had a heart attack after drinking what I thought was in juice,¡± I pointed out.


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Vittorio conceded, then added, raising his own ss. ¡°Next time, if you want to know without sniffing, just swirl the drink. If it fizzes with a whitish substance, it¡¯s drugged.¡±


    ¡°Why would anyone in their right mind do this? It¡¯s not prom, and we¡¯re not sixteen,¡± I protested.


    ¡°That¡¯s just how it¡¯s done,¡± Vittorio exined. ¡°What¡¯s the point of having in wine when you can add some extra vor?¡±


    Did he call that extra vor? It seemed more like a death sentence. I couldn¡¯t fathom the damage it could do to someone¡¯s organs if they consumed that daily. It was even stranger that I was the only one ufortable with it, well, at least the only one among those present.


    ¡°They¡¯re ustomed to life in the underworld,¡± Vittorio exined.


    ¡°What did you promise, Matteo?¡± I steered the conversation back to our earlier topic.


    Vittorio shook his head, clearly amused. But I wasn¡¯t about to let it slide. If he hadn¡¯t made any promises to Matteo, it meant Matteo could abandon me to the first danger he came across.


    ¡°I promised him my life,¡± Vittorio admitted after a pause.


    I choked on the wine, gasping and fanning my face. Vittorio gently rubbed my back and whispered, ¡°Are you alright? You should sip it slowly.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I coughed twice before straightening. ¡°But why would you do that?¡±


    ¡°I promised to guide you, Deirdre, and if you get hurt, he¡¯s free to take my life,¡± he reiterated.


    ¡°That¡¯s reckless,¡± I scowled. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t y games with your life like that!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a way to earn trust,¡± Vittorio exined. ¡°Matteo will definitely trust me after this.¡±


    So, trust was the driving force behind all of this?


    ¡°Not only that,¡± Vittorio continued, ¡°you seem like a good woman. It would be such a shame for your life to end in that room in such a way.¡±


    I opened my mouth to respond but was cut off by a loud bang. ¡°What was that?¡±


    ¡°A firework,¡± Vittorio stated nonchntly.


    I could tell he was lying. His dark eyes narrowed as he focused on the entrance. Something was wrong. Vittorio¡¯s eyes spoke volumes.


    He gripped my arm again, this time firmly but not painfully, without asking for permission.


    ¡°Let me get you out of here,¡± he said, and I nodded.


    This part of the ship was starting to give me the creeps, too. All I wanted was to be back in the room, getting some sleep, but I doubted I would rest well tonight.

 A storm

    DEIRDRE


    I jolted as another shot rang out.


    Now, it was evident to me that it was not a Roman candle definitely going off.


    It sounded more like a gunshot. I stood by my door with Vittorio beside me. He hadn¡¯t left, and he was taking his promise to Matteo seriously. I didn¡¯t mind him being with me, especially since whatever was happening outside frightened me.


    Yet, it seemed like I was the only one afraid. People were still partying. I could hear the music sting from the old jukebox, but the gunfire was louder, and no one seemed to notice.


    Suddenly, there was silence. The music was gone, and I didn¡¯t hear any screams of people running for safety. Frowning, I turned to Vittorio, my brows raised. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    ¡°Can you stay here by yourself? Will you promise me not to leave the room?¡± he asked.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I can¡¯t make that promise without knowing what¡¯s going on. And as for staying in the room, I can¡¯t say. Matteo is out there and¡­¡±


    ¡°Your husband is fine,¡± Vittorio grunted.


    I hadn¡¯t told him about being married to Matteo; he must have guessed. I appreciated that he was more sensible than Javier, who had flirted with me even after finding out.


    ¡°I need to know,¡± I insisted.


    ¡°I don¡¯t trust you to stay by yourself,¡± Vittorio murmured. A vein ticked in his jawline, and his eyes narrowed as he scanned the surroundings.


    ¡°Please, Deirdre, this is serious,¡± he implored, turning to me again.


    I wanted to be stubborn about finding out what was happening and investigating, but I knew it could do more harm than good. If I got hurt, I would be risking Vittorio¡¯s life since Matteo had asked him to look after me. Plus, I would risk upsetting Matteo.


    ¡°Deirdre,¡± he said again, and I rolled my eyes.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I said. ¡°Just make sure Matteo is okay.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do that. I promise,¡± he assured me.


    Vittorio opened the door for me, and I stepped in. Before closing it, he added, ¡°Lock all the doors, and don¡¯t let anyone in unless you¡¯re sure it¡¯s Matteo.¡±


    ¡°Noted,¡± I said with a nod.


    Vittorio nodded, let out a sigh, and then walked away. I followed his instructions and locked the doors. As I stepped towards the window, the moonlight bathed everything in a soft glow. I couldn¡¯t help but imagine how perfect the night could have been if not for whatever was happening.


    Deciding my dress was unnecessary now since the party had ended, I removed it, slipped into one of Matteo¡¯s dress shirts, and settled on the bed, gazing up at the ceiling. I jumped up as the fourth shot echoed through the cabin.


    Thunder rumbled, its sound bouncing off the walls. The cool wind wafted in from the open window, carrying the scent of salt and moisture.


    Frowning, I returned to the window, looking out at the darkened sky. I noticed the ship hade to a stop. Earlier, it had been moving slowly, but now it was still. I saw the waves. They surged like angry giants, their crests frothing with white fury, making me wonder if a storm was brewing.


    ¡°Deirdre!¡± A yell jolted me from my thoughts, followed by a knock at the door. It was Matteo. But I needed to be sure.


    Approaching the door, I pressed my ear against it. ¡°Is that you, Matteo?¡± I inquired.


    ¡°Of course,¡± he grunted. His voice held a distinct tone of irritation, confirming it was him.


    No one could pull the irritation sound except him.


    I opened the door, swiftly closing it once Matteo stepped in. I didn¡¯t get a chance to fully examine his features before he pulled me into a tight embrace.


    ¡°Thank goodness you¡¯re okay,¡± he said.


    When he released me, he smoothed down my hair and gently held my face. ¡°Are you hurt?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I asked, perplexed.


    ¡°Any injuries? I¡¯ll kill that idiot. He was supposed to protect you, and he left you!¡±


    ¡°He went to look for you,¡± I replied. ¡°And shouldn¡¯t I be asking if you¡¯re okay?¡±


    Once again, I wanted to question why he cared so much about my well-being, but I bit my lip and pushed the thought aside.


    ¡°What happened, Matteo? Don¡¯t tell me you came in here looking disheveled just for the fun of it. You even asked Vittorio to look after me as if I was some child,¡± I said.


    ¡°You know his name,¡± Matteo murmured with a frown.


    ¡°Of course, I know his name. How can I be with someone without an introduction?¡±


    ¡°I never said you should speak to him,¡± he said quietly.


    ¡°Yeah, I forgot I needed to act like a stationary object¡­¡± I gasped, lurching forward as the room swayed.


    I was heading towards the door, my head to be precise, but luckily, Matteo caught me and used his back to m the door shut.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± he grunted, his hands still wrapped around me.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± I asked, ncing at his face, contorted in a grimace.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he said. ¡°What was that?¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what it was, either. We both stood up but were caught off bnce again. This time, we were close to the bed and able to grip its leg.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s a storm,¡± I told him, gripping my stomach as I felt a pang.


    ¡°A storm?¡± Matteo asked, seeming uncertain about my words. Just then, thunder rumbled, followed by the sound of several lightning strikes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think a harsh storm was predicted,¡± Matteo said.


    ¡°Right,¡± I murmured, my ears perking up as the first raindrop fell.


    Matteo stood up first and helped me to my feet. Just then, a knock sounded.


    ¡°Stay here,¡± Matteo said, and I nodded as he approached the door stealthily.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± he asked.


    Whoever was outside the door said nothing. Perhaps the heavy rain made it impossible for him to hear Matteo and for Matteo to hear him.


    Matteo¡¯s phone rang. He nced at the screen, and after a few seconds of speaking into it, he opened the door.


    ¡°I think you need toe see this,¡± Vittorio said, his voice filled with urgency. ¡°The situation is dire.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± I heard Matteo say as he stepped out of the room, locking the door.


    I wanted to know, too. I didn¡¯t want to stay indoors while something awful was happening. So, I waited for a while, then stepped out of the room after Matteo¡¯s footsteps had faded away.

 A wife on board

    MATTEO


    Why didn¡¯t the rm go off yet?


    I couldn¡¯t tell. My eyes narrowed as I watched the engineer working to mitigate potential damage to the ship. Vittorio had described it as minor, but the frantic activity in the engine room suggested otherwise.


    Stepping away from the engine room, I headed to the wheelhouse. ¡°Where are we? I need our exact location,¡± I asked the captain, sweat coating his face despite the air conditioning.


    ¡°That¡¯s the problem. For an hour now, we¡¯ve been in the middle of nowhere, and¡­¡±


    ¡°An hour?¡± I snapped. And yet, no one had mentioned anything.


    ¡°Yes. We might be at risk of the ship sinking due to the storm. I predict a cyclone is on its way. We can only hope for the best,¡± the captain said.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the nearest ind from here?¡± I pressed. I didn¡¯t suppose the ship sinking had anything to do with the storm, and I doubted a cyclone was on the way.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know,¡± he admitted.


    Striding towards him, I grabbed him by the shirt and mmed him into the door. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t know? I have a wife on board, and my kid is at home waiting for me. Others are here, too. You¡¯ve known something¡¯s wrong for an hour, and you kept it to yourself. Do you enjoy ying with people¡¯s lives?¡±


    Captain Roy, as his badge read, widened his eyes. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean for it to happen,¡± he stuttered.


    I didn¡¯t care about his apology. I cared about safety-Deirdre¡¯s safety.


    Letting him go, I returned to the engine room. Vittorio was still with the engineers.


    ¡°Any updates?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°Not good,¡± Vittorio shook his head. ¡°Although it¡¯s still guesswork. They think the bilge pump is malfunctioning, and there¡¯s a slight breach in the hull. Water is flooding in fast. But help is on its way.¡±


    ¡°Help?¡± My voice tightened.


    I was certain no one in their right mind woulde to help us now, not with the storm. We were on our own; that much was certain.


    Hurrying from the engine room, I collided with Deirdre in the hallway.


    ¡°Matteo,¡± she gasped, her eyes meeting mine. ¡°What¡¯s happening? I saw people rushing with life jackets.¡±


    ¡°We should grab one, too,¡± I said calmly.


    Guiding her to where the life jackets were stored, we found only one left. I snatched it before a heavyset man could reach it.


    ¡°It¡¯s mine!¡± he shouted. ¡°Give it back.¡±


    Ignoring him, I pulled Deirdre back into the room.


    ¡°Take the lightest things you have; we¡¯re leaving,¡± I instructed.


    ¡°You never told me what¡¯s going on,¡± she said as I helped her into the life jacket.


    ¡°The ship is malfunctioning,¡± I exined.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Deirdre murmured, horror in her eyes. She kept looking at me, though, not saying anything further.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± I said, pushing her hair away from her face.


    As I headed to the door, Deirdre gripped my hand, stopping me.


    I frowned at her, raising my brows. She stared at the floor.


    ¡°Come back to me,¡± she said, fingers interlocking with mine. ¡°If something happens to you, I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll say to Kendall.¡±


    Smiling, I approached her, cupped her face, and before I could think, our lips met.


    Deirdre didn¡¯t resist; instead, she pulled me closer, reciprocating the kiss.


    Breaking away momentster, I tilted her chin to meet my gaze.


    ¡°Do you trust me?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I do,¡± she breathed out, biting her lip.


    ¡°Then trust that I¡¯lle back to you,¡± I assured.


    Deirdre nodded, ¡°Please do.¡±


    Exiting the room again, I ran into Vittorio in the corridor.


    ¡°How¡¯s everything?¡± I inquired.


    ¡°Still not good,¡± Vittorio replied, then added, ¡°There¡¯s something else you need to know.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± I pressed.


    ¡°Javier was in the engine room. He was seen on CCTV,¡± Vittorio disclosed.


    ¡°What did he do?¡± I murmured, apprehensive about his response.


    ¡°I could only see him entering and leaving. I¡¯m not sure if he¡¯s responsible. The bilge pump ispletely wrecked, and we¡¯re stranded. An order to evacuate has been given to avoid flooding and capsizing,¡± Vittorio exined.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t grab a jacket?¡± he inquired.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need one,¡± I replied. Deirdre had one, and I assumed I didn¡¯t require it. ¡°Are there any lifeboats left?¡±


    ¡°Only a few, and by the time I reached for one, they were all taken,¡± Vittorio said, giving me a helpless look.


    ¡°Damn,¡± I growled, ring.


    ¡°I¡¯ll search for another option. The flooding is controlled for now, but the sent won¡¯t hold long due to the breach in the hull,¡± Vittorio exined.


    ¡°Find any means necessary,¡± I urged.


    ¡°I will.¡± Vittorio headed back toward the engine room.


    Even though I didn¡¯t inquire about the alternative, any option was wee.


    As long as Deirdre made it safely tond.


    Returning to the room, I found Deirdre packing clothes into a duffel bag.


    She turned, rushing toward me.


    ¡°Matteo,¡± she murmured, wrapping her arms around me.


    Her heart pounded, and without words, I sensed her fear. I was scared for her, too. If I hadn¡¯t brought her on this mission, she¡¯d be safe at home with Kendall.


    My selfishness had put her in this situation, and she would bear the consequences with me.


    I sighed, embracing her tightly and inhaling her scent as if it might be thest time.


    We stood there for a while before I let her go.


    ¡°Are we going to die?¡± Deirdre asked, stumbling as the ship swayed.


    Gripping her to steady her, I said, ¡°I won¡¯t let that happen.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not even wearing a life jacket,¡± she pointed out.


    I shrugged. ¡°It was thest one I could find.¡±


    ¡°What about Kendall?¡± Deirdre¡¯s lower lip quivered. ¡°I promised to go back to her. You promised to take her to Disnend. This feels like the end for us.¡±


    She shook her head, tears welling in her eyes.


    ¡°Deirdre, look at me,¡± I insisted as her gaze remained downcast.


    ¡°No,¡± she sniffled.


    ¡°Look at me, Deirdre,¡± I urged, and finally, she raised her eyes to mine.


    ¡°You¡¯re not dying,¡± I assured her. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure of that.¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡± She clutched my shirt tightly.


    For the second time, she asked, and I had no certain answer. I didn¡¯t want to falsely raise her hopes.


    ¡°What about you, Matteo?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best,¡± I replied, offering a small smile.


    Deirdre nodded, seemingly finding sce in that response. For now, finding an alternative to keep both of us alive was the only thing on my mind.

 Meet the devil in hell

    DEIRDRE


    I doubted it had been a minute since Matteo finished speaking when the heavens opened, unleashing their fury.


    The once gentle rain now poured heavily, and I could feel the ship¡¯s timbre groan in protest.


    Never did I think this would happen. Today, of all days, seemed like the end for me.


    I was barely in my prime, with a daughter waiting for me at home, yet here I was in the middle of nowhere  no, stuck on a ship in the midst of a storm.


    I was going to die; it was evident. I was on the verge of meeting my demise in this unforgiving storm.


    Throughout my life, I thought I would live fruitful years and die at a ripe age. Perhaps I shouldn¡¯t have harbored such thoughts and wishes.


    Biting my lower lip as it quivered, I turned to Matteo, feeling the grip of his hand on my shoulder.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± he asked.


    ¡°You caused this, Matteo,¡± I muttered, my eyes welling with tears.


    ¡°You brought me here against my wishes, and now I¡¯m going to die. I¡¯m leaving Kendall in this cruel world!¡± I cried.


    Matteo frowned, taken aback, and his eyes narrowed at me. ¡°Is this the right moment to me me? I know I messed up. I shouldn¡¯t have brought you here. But what can I do now? Nothing, Deirdre. Nothing.¡±


    He was right. He couldn¡¯t do anything to save us. ming him might not be wise, but I couldn¡¯t deny he was at fault.


    If he hadn¡¯t forced me onto the ship, I wouldn¡¯t be here, fighting for my life.


    ¡°Are you done packing all the things you need?¡± Matteo grunted.


    ¡°I¡¯m done,¡± I nodded.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said, gripping my hand while my other hand clutched the duffel bag.


    We were barely out of the room when Vittorio stumbled towards us.


    ¡°The flood is fast approaching,¡± he said. ¡°And ny percent of the people are still on board.¡±


    ¡°Did you secure a lifeboat for Deirdre and me?¡± Matteo asked.


    Vittorio nodded, and Matteo gripped my hand again, leading us to where Vittorio had arranged the lifeboat.


    The ring rm became even louder as we rounded the corner.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± I groaned, letting go of Matteo¡¯s hand and plugging my ears. It was the stupidest time for my sound sensitivity to act up.


    As if the rm wasn¡¯t enough, a loud bang echoed, and the smell of smoke filled the air.


    ¡°Deirdre, we need to get to the lifeboat,¡± Matteo urged.


    I wanted to retort that I knew that, but the ring rm needed to stop before I could move.


    I gasped, stumbling as the ship swayed again. Matteo swiftly hoisted me across his shoulder as if I weighed nothing.


    I didn¡¯t protest; I was d he lifted me because, ncing behind, I saw water pouring in, and I doubted I could outrun it.


    ¡°Follow me, stay close!¡± a man yelled, holding his daughter while his pregnant wife followed. I felt pity for him as if we weren¡¯t in the same situation.


    We navigated the corridor, dodging debris and mes.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost there,¡± Vittorio said.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Matteo said, and I nodded, my reaction evident even as I was still on Matteo¡¯s shoulder.


    At a junction, Matteo let me down. Without panting, I saw his expression hardened.


    ¡°What now?¡± he growled.


    I saw our path blocked by a copsed bulkhead.


    ¡°We need to find another way,¡± Vittorio said.


    ¡°We have to,¡± Matteo affirmed, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the surroundings.


    ¡°What about there?¡± I pointed to what seemed like a maintenance hatch.


    ¡°Through there,¡± Vittorio agreed.


    ¡°Can you run?¡± Matteo asked, not waiting for my response before gripping my hand and dashing through the narrow hatch, emerging into a dimly lit maintenance corridor.


    ¡°Urgently, this way! It leads to the auxiliary control room!¡± one of the engineers shouted, and I counted up to twenty of them in that frantic moment.


    I had thought everyone had fled the ship until now.


    ¡°Go with Vittorio,¡± Matteo let go of my hand and shoved me towards where Vittorio was.


    ¡°No, Matteo,¡± I shook my head frantically.


    ¡°Deirdre,¡± Matteo growled.


    ¡°I can¡¯t leave you here,¡± I yelled at him. ¡°We are leaving together.¡±


    A vein in Matteo¡¯s jaw ticked as if he was trying his best not to get angry. His gaze left mine and focused on Vittorio.


    ¡°De Luca, you remember your promise to me?¡± he asked Vittorio.


    ¡°I do,¡± Vittorio said, gripping my hand.


    ¡°What the hell, Matteo? I¡¯m not somemodity to be shuttled between two people.¡±


    Matteo ignored me as if I hadn¡¯t just spoken. ¡°If I don¡¯t make it out alive, take her to Giovanni. He knows what to do with her.¡±


    ¡°Matteo!¡± I screeched, but he didn¡¯t respond. ¡°What about Kendall? If you don¡¯t care for me at all, at least care for your daughter. Care about our daughter.¡±


    ¡°My daughter?¡± Matteo scoffed. ¡°For all I know, she might be a bastard.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± My eyes widened, locking onto Matteo.


    Was he trying to hurt me by denying Kendall¡¯s parentage?


    ¡°I was a virgin when I met you,¡± I said bitterly.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Matteo dismissed. ¡°And as I said before Deirdre, you have always been something I used to while away my time. You are a momentary ything, and I¡¯m letting you know now that you are and will never be anything to me.¡±


    ¡°W-what?¡± I could only stutter, tears clouding my vision.


    Matteo looked serious, damned serious.


    ¡°Keep the ring. I¡¯m a generous man. I¡¯ll treat you like a charity case, as you always have been,¡± he smiled  a cold one, his eyes devoid of any emotion.


    Yanking my hand off Vittorio as he started to tug me forward, I pulled the ring from my finger and tossed it at Matteo. It bounced off his jacket, rolled down the floor, and stopped at his feet.


    ¡°You¡¯re a bastard. A selfish, arrogant bastard. I regret knowing you, and I hate you,¡± I said, infusing all the hatred in me into my voice, though what I wanted was to cry at his feet and have him take back his words.


    ¡°Good to know, Cara. The feeling is mutual.¡±


    ¡°Take her away from my presence,¡± he told Vittorio.


    Vittorio pulled my hand again, and this time, I didn¡¯t let go.


    Vittorio and I ran down the narrow passageway, my mind dwelling on what had transpired between Matteo and me. He had made me look like a fool for the second time.


    Shit! What was I going to tell Kendall?


    Perhaps letting her know her so-called father was a monster this time would be best.


    ¡°Almost there,¡± Vittorio said as we kept running in the confined space.


    The ship shuddered again; a deafening roar of tearing metal pierced the air, but I didn¡¯t stop running. I was exhausted, but I kept pushing forward. All for Kendall. I needed to reach her.


    Eventually, we reached the auxiliary control room, finding it filled with crew members trying to stabilize the ship.


    ¡°Good, you made it. Get to the lifeboats; we¡¯ll hold on here as long as we can,¡± one said.


    Vittorio turned the other way, not following the people trying to get to a limited lifeboat.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a lifeboat for you,¡± he said, and we sprinted to where it was.


    Vittorio helped me into it and ced in some supplies, and I saw hesitation in his eyes as he started to step in.


    ¡°I need to go back to him,¡± he said.


    ¡°Who, Matteo?¡± I grimaced as his name sounded sour in my mouth.


    ¡°Yes, him. You understand he didn¡¯t mean anything he said, right?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I believed everything he said,¡± I stated. There was no way he wasn¡¯t telling the truth.


    ¡°He¡¯s trying to protect you, Deirdre. Can¡¯t you see that he wants you alive for your daughter?¡± Vittorio asked.


    ¡°I saw nothing,¡± I said, and it was the truth. All I saw was coldness and hatred.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°We have no time to waste, Vittorio. You need to get in,¡± I added.


    The ship lurched one final time.


    Reluctantly, Vittorio got into the boat, and just then, the captain yelled over the inte.


    ¡°Everyone, abandon ship! Repeat, abandon ship!¡±


    ¡°Hold on tight,¡± Vittorio said, strapping me and himself in the lifeboat.


    ¡°Matteo,¡± I murmured, my heart drumming wildly as I glimpsed the ship crumbling faster.


    A single tear rolled down my cheek. He was going to die. No, not if he was dead already. He didn¡¯t have a life jacket with him, and I doubted he could withstand the disaster.


    ¡°I hope you meet the devil in hell,¡± I muttered, my teeth clenched.

 This is the wild, baby

    DEIRDRE POV


    I awoke to the sounds of birds chirping and flies buzzing, apanied by a hand groping my shoulder.


    ¡°Wake up, Deirdre,¡± Vittorio¡¯s unmistakable voice said, and I opened my eyes slowly.


    Grimacing as they felt glued together, I rubbed at them, regretting it immediately as they throbbed.


    Yet, I tried again.


    ¡°Vittorio,¡± I murmured as soon as I could see clearly.


    I frowned, staring at my surroundings. I was still in the lifeboat, but it was now on a sandy beach.


    No, it didn¡¯t look like any ordinary beach; it resembled a remote ind. I saw nothing in sight-no humans, just sand, water, and tall trees.


    Thest thing I remembered before dozing off was us entering new territory. The storm that sank the ship seemed confined to that area, as the other side of our journey was much smoother with the storm that had urred.


    Standing up, I groaned as my limbs ached from being cramped in the small space. Even though it was just the two of us, Vittorio¡¯s supplies had nearly filled the entire boat.


    ¡°Where are we?¡± I asked, sighing as I felt the warmth of the sand beneath my feet.


    ¡°An ind,¡± Vittorio replied simply, as though it was the most normal thing to say.


    ¡°Obviously, I can see that.¡± I rolled my eyes, looking around. ¡°I mean, where exactly?¡±


    Frowning, I nced around. There wasn¡¯t much to see except for therge body of water, sand, and a forest that hinted at dangerous animals.


    I shuddered at the thought of spending the night here. I didn¡¯t want to think about it.


    The urge to dash around, screaming ¡®Help¡¯ while waving my hands in the air filled me. But then, I didn¡¯t want to appear crazy. The fact that we were here was crazy enough.


    ¡°Vittorio,¡± I called his name when he didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know,¡± Vittorio shrugged. ¡°The waves brought us here, and I think we should be grateful.¡±


    ¡°Of course I am,¡± I mumbled, sighing. ¡°Did you make any calls? I mean, for emergency rescue or something?¡±


    Walking back to the duffel bag, I unzipped it, searching for my phone.


    However, it wasn¡¯t there. I remembered taking it. Or perhaps I had thought I took it. A groan escaped me, and I pushed a hand through my hair.


    ¡°Do you have your phone on you? I think I left mine on that ship,¡± I said.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably with Matteo. We should wait for him to reach us,¡± Vittorio replied.


    ¡°He¡¯s dead,¡± I stated. Matteo had sunk with the ship, and there was no way he wasing back.


    For one, I didn¡¯t feel his absence one bit and didn¡¯t care what happened to his remains after what he had said to me.


    ¡°You underestimate him, Deirdre. I won¡¯t be surprised if hees running to this ind to find you,¡± Vittorio said.


    ¡°Do you have a phone on you?¡± I repeated, firmly this time, hoping he would drop the discussion about Matteo¡¯s now-bloated body.


    ¡°I do, but it is useless,¡± Vittorio said.


    ¡°Why?¡± I questioned.


    ¡°Out of coverage. I¡¯ve been walking for an hour looking for the best spot for awork connection, but I found none. I think we are stuck here, and no one will being to rescue us soon,¡± he exined.


    ¡°I hope that is meant to be a joke,¡± as he said nothing, I continued, ¡°My daughter is at home, Vittorio. I need to get to her. And you remember what Matteo¡­¡±


    I grimaced. I didn¡¯t want to mention his name, but then, I doubted I would have been able to in that situation.


    ¡°He asked you to take me to Giovanni.¡±


    Vittorio nodded and said, ¡°Oh, right. Perhaps we need to explore to see if any other survivors are here. Also, try to find help as soon as we can, or else we might be stuck here for a long time looking for who mighte to rescue us.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Can we leave now?¡± I stretched out my legs, which suddenly started to cramp. Wincing as they popped, I tested them on the ground again, sighing. It was much better than before.


    ¡°Stay here. I¡¯ll go look around to make sure it¡¯s safe before you cane with me,¡± Vittorio said.


    ¡°I¡¯d rathere with you,¡± I murmured.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± I raised a brow. ¡°For all I know, something dangerous mighte for me while you are away. And hey, I am not saying I am a damsel in distress, but right now, I think I need to take precautions.¡±


    Vittorio narrowed his eyes at me before he started towards me slowly, and I stepped backward.


    I stumbled, and he gripped my hand before I could fall.


    ¡°This is the wild, baby. We are not ying dress up here, and it is one of the reasons I want you to stay back because this isn¡¯t the right ce for you,¡± a sardonic smile on his face.


    ¡°I am not blind, Vittorio. I can see we are on an ind; people obviously are not on. So, I need to stay with you,¡± I said.


    For a brief second, he seemed to contemte what I said while his gaze still locked on mine.


    ¡°Fine, Deirdre. Don¡¯t me me if something happens. I warned you, and when Matteoes and sees you in a condition that isn¡¯t favorable, you should let him know all that you did, forcing me to agree with you.¡±


    ¡°Matteo isn¡¯ting. Besides, I take responsibility,¡± I smiled up at him, following him behind as he started walking towards a dense forest area.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch anything unless I ask you to,¡± Vittorio warned.


    ¡°Yes, captain. I promised not to touch anything.¡± It was meant to be sarcastic, but Vittorio tossed his head back and let out a peal ofughter.


    ¡°Ferrari really caught a good one,¡± he said, shaking his head.


    Matteo Ferrari, I mused. I wondered if I was ever not going to hear his name being mentioned.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    I hadn¡¯te to terms with what had happened. Deep down, I wanted him to survive, to escape from the ship. Yet, I knew his chances of survival would have been very slim.


    Still, I yearned for him to be alive not just for me but for Kendall.


    Vittorio and I walked in circles, but we were lucky to find some edible things like coconuts lying on the floor, as well as some chunks of wood.


    When we returned to the ind, I was exhausted, and the reality of my situation hit me as night began to set.


    ¡°This is thest ce I ever saw myself in,¡± I grumbled, setting up a sleeping bag Vittorio had luckily snatched into the lifeboat.


    ¡°Some things are inevitable, Deirdre. It just happens. I believe that is how life is,¡± Vittorio said.


    He seemed so ustomed to the situation. While I was freaking out, he appeared calm.


    ¡°I hope we get out of here as soon as possible,¡± I let out.


    ¡°I hope so, too,¡± Vittorio muttered.

 Seeing more of this man

    DEIRDRE


    DAY TWO


    I woke up tomotion. I didn¡¯t know who was arguing, and I didn¡¯t care about the details, but all I wanted was to ask them to be quiet.


    My head pounded, and it wasn¡¯t because I had anything to drink the day before. I guessed it was the stress from the wreck and being on the ind that was now taking a toll on me.


    Sleeping had been slightly difficult the night before. I tossed and turned, thinking about the dangers on the ind and the possibility of an attack. Despite Vittorio¡¯s assurances and vignce, I had little trust. Now, just as I was about to get some good rest, someone decided it was time to disrupt it.


    ¡°Vittorio,¡± I murmured, wincing as I sat up from my awkward position. My entire body ached.


    Blinking as I adjusted my eyes to the sun¡¯s brightness, I stood up, dusting my palms on Matteo¡¯s shirt that still clung to me. The people causing themotion were Vittorio and another man. I had thought we were the only survivors on this deste ind. Seeing someone else ignited hope in me. Perhaps help was on the way, I mused.


    Approaching them, I frowned as they pointed at something emerging from the sea.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked Vittorio when I reached him. His face was scrunched up, and he didn¡¯t look happy.


    ¡°Seems we¡¯re not the only ones here,¡± Vittorio said under his breath, and I was fortunate to hear him.


    But should that have been a problem? I assumed he should be happy with the news.


    ¡°Really?¡± I nced around but only saw the man.


    Noticing my confusion, Vittorio looked back at me and exined, ¡°He¡¯s the only one here, but he says there are more.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I said, then pointed to the sea. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Or maybe it should be ¡®what was that.¡¯ It looked like someone on a raft heading our way.


    ¡°Another survivor, maybe,¡± Vittorio said.


    Stepping towards the water, I stayed close to Vittorio, who suddenly gripped my hand to stop me from moving further.


    I didn¡¯t protest; I simply waited until the raft came into view. When it did, my eyes widened. I didn¡¯t need to ask who it was. The russet hair on the man¡¯s head wasn¡¯t something I saw all the time, and his own was especially striking with silver streaks. Even though his shirt was torn and wet, I recognized it anywhere.


    ¡°Matteo,¡± I whispered as the raft reached the shore.


    ¡°Matteo?¡± Vittorio questioned. I heard disbelief in his voice. It puzzled me since he had been the one assuring me that there was a possibility Matteo was alive. Yet, he looked as if he had seen a ghost.


    Matteo stood to his feet, staggering forward. I dashed towards him, catching him before he could fall.


    Slowly, I lowered both of us to the ground, cradling his bruised face.


    I know what you might be thinking, and of course, I should be mad at him for what he did and should not offer any help to him.


    Truly, I was mad, but he was still the father of my daughter. There was nothing I could do to change that. The fact that he was alive made me relieved.


    ¡°You¡¯re alive,¡± I mumbled, caressing his scruffy chin. ¡°You¡¯re alive.¡±


    I repeated that even though he didn¡¯t respond. It felt surreal that I was touching him and gazing at him.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    I had seen the ship sink, and I was very certain that Matteo hadn¡¯t jumped into the water.


    Looking at him again, I realized he wasn¡¯t wearing a life jacket, and I wondered how he hade out with only a few bruises.


    Vittorio ced his finger on the side of Matteo¡¯s neck, perhaps to check if he was still breathing, which was very apparent.


    ¡°He¡¯s alive,¡± Vittorio breathed out. I was d I wasn¡¯t the only one in shock then.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Matteo groaned. ¡°Were you expecting me dead before?¡±


    Matteo coughed, attempting to sit up, but I pushed him back down, and his eyes flickered to mine as soon as I did.


    ¡°Deirdre,¡± he raised his hand to touch my cheek, and his lips curved up in a small smile.


    For a brief moment, we gazed at each other in silence until Vittorio broke it by clearing his throat.


    ¡°You should rest,¡± I said.


    ¡°Of course, Cara. I would like toy my head on yourp all day, but I need to know our location and call for help,¡± he said, attempting to stand up again, and this time I didn¡¯t stop him.


    Matteo had called me Cara as if he hadn¡¯t just told me he didn¡¯t care about me before the ship sank. Or maybe he didn¡¯t. I guessed he called his tonic friends ¡®Cara¡¯, too.


    Matteo stood up, and despite his limp, he walked over to Vittorio. Both stepped away from me, discussing, but I could hear all they were saying, even though they tried to keep it hushed.


    Apparently, Matteo had waited behind because he had caught a glimpse of Javier escaping. He had fought with Javier and jumped into the water as soon as the captain sounded thest warning. Luckily, he had seen a raft to transport him here.


    Yet, he didn¡¯t say anything about what he had said to me. He didn¡¯t mention not meaning it.


    I tried to push my thoughts away from Matteo; it was hard, especially since he was here. In his absence, I had been able to think of other things aside from him. Now that he was here, my mind was wholly upied with his thoughts.


    ¡°Deirdre.¡±


    I nced up to see Matteo beside me, and he frowned, his eyes raking over me as though I was in some sort of bikini and he was trying to analyze me.


    Now conscious of what I was wearing, I wrapped my arms around myself, but that didn¡¯t stop Matteo from staring at me.


    ¡°What?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°Is that what you have been wearing all day with him? He said you arrived yesterday, and you didn¡¯t even bother to change into something appropriate.¡±


    ¡°It is none of your business, Matteo,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯d rather be alone, and why are you not dead?¡±


    Matteo was taken aback, and he narrowed his eyes at me before tilting his head back and letting out augh. He asked, ¡°You want me dead? Are you serious, Tesorino?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded. ¡°I wished you a safe trip to hell as well.¡±


    Matteo crouched before me, his voice low, dangerously, and sexily low. ¡°You¡¯ll be seeing more of this man, darling. And you should be grateful I protected you back there. I risked my life for you, Deirdre, but all I got is an ungrateful, selfish little brat.¡±


    I scoffed, jumping to my feet. ¡°I am selfish? Okay, fine, I am. Can you leave me be now?!¡±


    How could he call me selfish when he was the selfish one, disregarding me and treating me like a charity case? As if the insult to me wasn¡¯t enough, he made it look as though Kendall wasn¡¯t his. The nerve of him!


    Seething, I stepped towards where Vittorio was, ignoring Matteo as he yelled my name.


    ¡°What the heck is wrong with him, and why isn¡¯t he dead?¡± I groaned loudly.


    ¡°Do you truly want him dead, or are you just mad at what he said to you previously?¡± Vittorio raised a brow.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter; I hate seeing his face,¡± I muttered.


    Vittorio chuckled. ¡°You can¡¯t change it. You are stuck with him, and perhaps talking to him about it would make you feel better.¡±


    ¡°I doubt it,¡± I said, watching Vittorio walk back to the man he had been discussing with earlier. I was left with my thoughts on how to handle Matteo¡¯s presence.

 Not bound to you

    MATTEO POV


    Deirdre was alive; that was all that mattered. Growing up, I vowed to keep my family away from my business and all that I did. Despite joining the gang because of them, shielding them was my responsibility.


    I took a liking to Deirdre not just for a child because it was never part of the agreement but for her connection to the Giussepe n.


    Promising to ruin them for generations, a child between us, didn¡¯t change my feelings; I still aimed to destroy the n through her.


    While instilling the same thoughts in Kendall seemed harsh, I could endure it until thest of them were down.


    Besides, what I had said on the ship was out of desperation; I thought I¡¯d die, freeing her being the least I could do.


    Plus, I believed that the bastard that had caused the damage to the ship wasn¡¯t dead as well.


    After engaging in a scuffle with Javier, he caught me off guard by mentioning Kendall¡¯s name and how he nned to rip her from limb to limb.


    He fucking escaped from my grip, and that was a first for me.


    ¡°Hey!¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Deirdre¡¯s giggle caught my attention, and I nced towards where she was. She ran towards Vittorio.


    Frowning, I muttered, ¡°She was never that way with me.¡±


    ¡°Give that back!¡± She yelled, jumping for the stic red te Vittorio held up.


    A fucking te making her giggle? Maybe I should buy her all the red tes in the world to see herugh every day.


    My eyes narrowed as her shirt rode up with each jump, revealing creamy thighs. Her curves were entuated, and the outlines of her breasts were clear.


    Unable to resist, I stepped towards her, and when she felt my presence, her expression changed.


    She stopped jumping, folding her arms, and turning her back to me.


    ¡°Vittorio,¡± I said coolly, eyeing him.


    Vittorio shrugged with a smile. ¡°It was nothing, man. Have it, Deirdre.¡± He handed her the te, and she snatched it, walking away.


    I grabbed her hand, stopping her and pulling her to a nearby tree.


    ¡°What do you want from me, Matteo?¡± she asked.


    ¡°What do I want? Are you seeing Vittorio behind my back?¡± my voice was raspy.


    ¡°What?¡± Her eyes widened, bursting into giggles.


    ¡°Tell me, Deirdre,¡± I asserted.


    ¡°You said I meant nothing to you, and what I do shouldn¡¯t concern you.¡± She tried to push past me, but I gripped her hand, nudging her back into the tree, my body blocking every escape.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t give you the right to speak to him,¡± I grunted.


    Deirdre tilted her chin stubbornly, poking my chest, ¡°I can do whatever I desire, Matteo. You don¡¯t own me.¡±


    ¡°I do own you.¡± A low growl escaped me. sping her hands, I tilted them above her head, my face lowering to hers. I groaned as her tongue peeked out to lick her lip.


    ¡°You don¡¯t; there¡¯s nothing between us,¡± she said.


    ¡°Kendall,¡± I stated, ignoring the twitching between my legs due to our proximity.


    ¡°Kendall is between us, Deirdre, and I decide when I¡¯m done with you, not the other way round,¡± I said.


    Deirdre looked stunning. Even with tangled hair, a makeup-free face, and innocent green eyes, I desired to fuck her against the tree.


    Fuck, my self-control waned with her.


    But as much as I lusted after her, I cared about her dignity. Vittorio was nearby, along with some other man I had seen earlier.


    If she had been amon whore, I might have taken her without a care, but she was Deirdre.


    She was mine.


    She was my wife and the mother of my daughter. I should treat her as such.


    ¡°You denied her,¡± she pointed out. ¡°You called her a bastard and me a charity case. Did you suddenly forget about that?¡±


    Deirdre wrinkled her nose. ¡°I am not bound to you anymore. Can you let me go?¡±


    ¡°Legally, you are, and you don¡¯t even know half the reason I said that,¡± I replied, releasing her hands.


    Deirdre winced, rubbing them. ¡°I might not know, but it doesn¡¯t change the fact that you are a jerk. I hate that I got involved with you in the first ce.¡±


    ¡°Be careful, Deirdre. You might eat your words very soon,¡± I warned.


    But she only rolled her eyes before stepping away, which I allowed. Again, I groaned as she returned to Vittorio.


    Was she trying to annoy me on purpose? Of course, she was.


    I had spoken to her not long ago about him, yet she had returned to him.


    She wasn¡¯t ying jump anymore; she was all over him, giggling nonstop.


    I wondered what he was saying to make herugh this hard; I had been with her the longest, yet I hadn¡¯t seen her smile at me.


    Partly ming myself for cing Deirdre in his care, now she acted as if he owned her.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we look for something better to do in this ce to return to our world soon rather than while away time doing nothing?¡± I suggested, walking towards them.


    Vittorio stood up, and I heard Deirdre sigh visibly.


    ¡°We¡¯ve tried getting a signal but couldn¡¯t find any, and the man from before said there are other survivors not far away from here. I believe we need to check that out,¡± he said.


    ¡°That seems like a better option. When wee together, we can find a faster solution,¡± I agreed.


    I valued teamwork, knowing that when done well, it could yield better results.


    ¡°If it¡¯s okay for you, we can leave now,¡± Vittorio suggested.


    ¡°Of course it is,¡± I murmured, ncing at Deirdre as she stood up.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pack up,¡± she said.


    I nodded. Even though it wasn¡¯t certain we wouldn¡¯t return, it was better to take our things wherever we went to avoid theft.


    When everything was in order, the man who had been speaking to Vittorio returned, and he led us to where the other survivors were.

 Lose myself in you

    DIERDRE


    ¡°Stay close, darling,¡± Matteo whispered intermittently. We had been walking for the past ten minutes, and I couldn¡¯t help but wonder where exactly we were going.


    Though we were supposed to meet up with the other survivors, we had been walking in the forest, and nothing was in sight.


    ¡°You should tread carefully; we saw some poisonous snakes and spiders a while ago,¡± Larry, the man leading us to the survival site, said.


    ¡°Spider?¡± I choked on my breath, ncing at Matteo and then Vittorio. Neither looked fazed. It must have been something they faced often, but it wasn¡¯t for me, and I was scared shitless.


    ¡°Did anyone get bitten?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Not that I am aware of, but we are taking precautions,¡± he replied, and I nodded.


    ¡°Any medical setup? I mean, is there any doctor avable?¡± If someone happens to get bitten, there should be emergency treatment avable.


    ¡°Not that I am aware of,¡± Larry repeated, making me groan.


    Without immediate treatment, the possibility of people dying would be high.


    ¡°Are you afraid?¡± Matteo questioned.


    ¡°Of course, who wouldn¡¯t be?¡± I scowled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll protect you; it is my responsibility, after all.¡± He said.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t anymore,¡± I replied. Perhaps I needed to repeat it for him to understand that he had embarrassed me and called me cheap.


    ¡°I did it to protect you,¡± he said. ¡°That isn¡¯t protection, Matteo. You don¡¯t say demeaning things and make someone look like a fool, then believe you were doing the best for them.¡± I doubted he understood as he kept watching me.


    ¡°I did it because I didn¡¯t want Kendall to lose both parents,¡± he said.


    Frowning, I nced at him. Even though his expression remained unreadable, I doubted Matteo was lying.


    He was always blunt, saying what he desired without remorse, never shying away from speaking his mind-that was what I knew the most about him.


    About to reply, Larry interjected, ¡°We are here.¡±


    ¡°It is¡­¡± I trailed off, assessing the new environment. I had thought we were heading to another beachside on the gloomy ind, but instead, we were deep in the forest.


    To my surprise, rather than finding gloomy survivors, I saw happy ones chattering away near a thatched condo.


    The condo looked somewhat new as if built a few weeks ago. I doubted it was the survivors from our wreck who were here.


    ¡°It looks amazing, right?¡± Larry asked, turning to me.


    ¡°No,¡± I shook my head. It was different, not what I had in mind.


    As the chattering survivors noticed us, they fell silent. I felt Matteo¡¯s arms snake around me, pulling me closer. Larry stepped closer to the firece, where they were roasting some kind of meat.


    My nose wrinkled, and I bit my lower lip as my gaze returned to Larry when he pped.


    ¡°Listen, everyone!¡± His voice boomed, surprisingly loud for such a tiny man. ¡°We have a new set of survivors,¡± he said, pointing towards us.


    I noted the grimace in his tone when he mentioned the word ¡°survivors.¡±


    ¡°We are going to make them feel wee until helpes along the way. And they are only three,¡± he continued.


    Larry then asked, ¡°Is there any objection to them staying here?¡± Silence enveloped the forest, and I felt Matteo¡¯s grip tighten around my waist. ncing at him, I noticed the vein ticking in his jawline and the hard set of his lips.


    A petite blonde jumped to her feet, breaking the silence. She dusted her hand on the denim skirt she wore,ced up her sneakers, and straightened.


    Approaching us, she sniffed the air.


    Instinctively, I sniffled, wondering if I smelled bad as her eyes focused on mine. A smile lit up her face, and she extended her hand, saying, ¡°I¡¯m Leslie. Nice to have you here.¡±


    I shook her hand, but she surprised me with a hug. Before letting go, she whispered, ¡°How does it feel being with both? Are they good in bed?¡±


    ¡°Um, no,¡± I shook my head, feeling awkward about her assumption regarding Matteo and Vittorio.


    Matteo, who was currently holding me, had a stern expression that made it clear he would not tolerate anyone approaching.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry; you don¡¯t have to say now. There¡¯ll be plenty of time for that,¡± Leslie winked.


    That was just weird. Vittorio stifled augh, having overheard, and I nced at him. He smiled and shook his head.


    ¡°Now that it seems settled with no objections,¡± Larry said, bringing my attention back. ¡°Kindly follow me.¡±


    ¡°Why do I get the feeling we¡¯ll be here longer than nned?¡± I whispered.


    ¡°Why do you think that?¡± Vittorio asked as he fell into step with Matteo and me.


    ¡°They don¡¯t seem like recent survivors, and they¡¯re enjoying the wilderness. Roasted meats? Really?¡± I grimaced at the thought of joining their feast; it made my stomach churn.


    ¡°How about we find shelter first, then think about leavingter? It¡¯s just two days; rescue will likelye soon. Right, Matteo? We have important business to settle before this happens,¡± Vittorio suggested.


    ¡°Right,¡± Matteo grunted, guiding me inside the cottage.


    The condo appeared much better on the inside than its somewhat rough exterior. Despite its timber and wood facade, the interior exuded a cozy atmosphere.


    Navigating through several rooms, each equipped with a toilet, bathroom, and a small kitchen, Larry pointed out, ¡°This is the best part of the building, featuring two rooms, a spacious kitchen area, and separate bathrooms for privacy.¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    The living room and kitchen coexisted, divided by a kitchen ind. I wasn¡¯t concerned about that; what bothered me were the two avable rooms.


    ¡°I¡¯ll share one with my wife,¡± Matteo dered.


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay alone,¡± Vittorio grinned. ¡°After all, I came alone.¡±


    ¡°Great, then thergest room goes to you, sir,¡± Larry handed the room key to Matteo, who promptly pulled me towards it.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t go around telling people I¡¯m your wife,¡± I mentioned as he unlocked the door.


    Only arge bed upied the center, without any additional seating. Sharing a bed with Matteo was not something I was looking forward to.


    ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I? You didn¡¯t sign the divorce papers; it was your choice, darling,¡± Matteo replied, loosening his tie.


    He undressed, flexing his muscles, and let out a groan as his back popped, revealing various tattoos. The most prominent one depicted a sphinx surrounded by words I could barely make out.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t give me a choice,¡± I remarked as he turned back to face me.


    ¡°Why would you want me to do that, Deirdre?¡± He advanced towards me, causing me to step back with each stride. My back hit the door as he approached.


    ¡°The marriage wasn¡¯t real, and if we didn¡¯t have a child between us, I doubted you would have remembered I existed,¡± I admitted, swallowing hard.


    I couldn¡¯t look away; despite the bruises on his jawline and body, Matteo exuded an undeniable allure. His rock-hard chest, the dark mat of hair, and the intense glint in his eyes captivated me. My gaze trailed down, noticing his undone belt and the first button of his pants.


    Lost in my thoughts, I snapped back to reality, perceiving Matteo¡¯s masculine cologne.


    Gripping my hair, not tight for it to hurt, he ced his hand above my head.


    ¡°You wanted my daughter to live like a bastard, and I would never ept that. Besides, even if Kendall wasn¡¯t in the picture, I would still have hunted you down. I didn¡¯t want you for her; I wanted you for you.¡±


    ¡°Deirdre,¡± Matteo¡¯s voice was gruff as he called my name, and I heard him sigh. ¡°You should change your outfit.¡±


    Stepping back, he turned away.


    ¡°Why?¡± I questioned. ¡°Why are you so concerned about my outfit, Matteo?¡±


    He turned, swiftly approaching me, pushing me against the door. One hand cupped my face, the other snaked around my waist, pulling me close. His face inches from mine, he rasped,


    ¡°Because I want to lose myself inside of you, Deirdre. I want to toss you on the bed and make you breathless. I want to be territorial right now, and for the life of me, I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m hesitating. Just change the damn outfit before I regret my actions.¡±


    His unexpected words left me stunned. The answer, ¡®Take me, Matteo,¡¯ lingered on my tongue, but my remaining dignity pushed at his chest. Matteo released me, and I hurried into the bathroom.

 Who is he?

    DEIRDRE


    I lingered by the bathroom door, leaving only when I heard the sound of the door opening and closing, indicating that Matteo had likely exited the room.


    Taking a deep breath, I peeled off Matteo¡¯s shirt, now clinging to my body like a second skin, and headed for the shower. Turning it on, I tested the water, feeling it stter on my feet before stepping in.


    As the warm water cascaded over my skin, Matteo¡¯s thoughts invaded my senses. I ran my hands through my hair, closing my eyes as my imagination ran wild. I resisted, but my desires took over.


    For three years after leaving Matteo, I had tried not to think about my desires for him, but it was impossible. Thoughts of him lingered, driving away any other men who came into my life. No onepared to him.


    Allowing my fingers to glide slowly down my body, I sighed, leaning against the shower wall. I couldn¡¯t recall thest time I had touched myself. Since having Kendall, I had convinced myself my libido was dead, but I knew better. It was alive because of Matteo.


    Shit, Matteo made me feel alive, reminding me I was a warm-blooded woman. Even though he treated me poorly, I wanted him. I reasoned that I could lust after him without adding feelings to the mix-just as he did.


    Matteo only wanted my body; he never attributed any feelings to me. I guess I could do that as well, only if it wouldn¡¯t hurt me.


    ¡°Deirdre,¡± I heard him say.


    With my eyes still shut, I imagined him by the shower door, watching me with lust-filled eyes.


    His hair was in disarray, and as he gazed at me, a smirk formed on his face.


    I wanted to step out of the shower, walk toward him, kiss him briefly, and pull him in with me to explore our desires. Instead, I stood there, waiting for him to make the first move.


    ¡°Deirdre,¡± he said again. This time, he didn¡¯t just watch; he slowly stripped down to his boxer briefs and walked toward the shower.


    ¡°Deirdre,¡± he repeated, touching my shoulder. A jolt shot through me, and my eyes snapped open. Was Matteo real, or was I imagining him? He was definitely real; an imaginary Matteo wouldn¡¯t touch me, and I¡¯d feel it.


    My cheeks burned as I looked at Matteo, from his scrutinizing eyes to his chest, then downward, flickering back to his face as I saw he waspletely bare.


    My throat went dry as I saw his bulge stretching and bobbing its head.


    ¡°What were you thinking of, Deirdre?¡± he asked, furrowing his brows.


    ¡°There¡¯s not enough room for us,¡± I blurted out, avoiding his question.


    ¡°There¡¯s more than enough,¡± Matteo grunted. ¡°Were you thinking about another man, Deirdre? You don¡¯t look so innocent now.¡±


    Turning my back to him, I avoided his devilishly handsome face. ¡°You should wait for me; I am almost done.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for more than thirty minutes,¡± Matteo said, asking again, ¡°You were definitely thinking about a man, were you not?¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer right away, and suddenly, he was behind me. Too close forfort, I could smell him and feel his presence.


    ¡°You look tensed,¡± Matteo observed. His hand groped my shoulder, kneading slowly. I tried to shrug it off, but he persisted. Matteo was skilled at massaging, his soft palms hitting all the right ces, making me purr unintentionally.


    For a brief moment, Matteo continued kneading my shoulder, relieving the pent-up tension I only now realized. I sighed, closing my eyes.


    In that fleeting second, my eyes snapped open as I felt him pressed behind me, his hard dick between my ass cheeks.


    ¡°Matteo?¡± I murmured, turning to face him. Abruptly, he spun me around, pulling me close to his chest. My hand syed on his chest as I tried to steady myself. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Chi e lui? (Who is he?)¡± Matteo demanded, his voice harsh.


    ¡°What?¡± I stammered.


    ¡°Who were you thinking about, Deirdre? I was by the shower for a long time, and I called your name, but all I got from you was moans.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. I¡¯ve been in here showering and nothing else,¡± I said, finding it even sillier that he believed I was thinking of another man instead of him.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°Don¡¯t y with me, Deirdre. And don¡¯t pull the divorce card on me; we both know we¡¯re still legally bound. You don¡¯t go about mind-fucking any man you desire, Deirdre. You are mine,¡± he asserted, and then, for emphasis, his lips closed on mine.


    I shoved at his chest, but he didn¡¯t release my lips. When he did, he nudged me into the wall of the shower and hissed, ¡°I told you I will put a bullet into the first man that will think of you inappropriately. I can still do the same if you think about them without them thinking of you.¡±


    ¡°For one, I¡¯ve never mind-fucked any man. Secondly, we didn¡¯t have a marriage, and thirdly, I¡¯m done bathing. Can you let me go?¡± I looked up at him before ring at his hand that was now on my shoulder.


    Matteo didn¡¯t let go right away, watching me as if deciding what to do. When he did release me, he sighed. ¡°Check out those dresses on the bed. I got them for you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I muttered, stepping out of the shower. Despite feeling his eyes on me, I didn¡¯t look back.


    I didn¡¯t want to see the lust in them. Although we argued, the lust with Matteo never seemed to diminish; instead, it often intensified. Towel-drying my body, I reached for one of the dresses he had mentioned-ten dresses in total. I wondered how he had managed to get them so quickly.


    I slipped into the spaghetti-thin strap knee-length dress, neatly stowed the rest in the wardrobe, and put my hair up in a bun. Ready to explore the surroundings, I stepped towards the door.

 Tease and temptation

    DEIRDRE


    ¡°You know, that guy over there is the real deal.¡± Leslie groaned, leaning into me.


    I turned to look at who she was referring to, and my eyes locked on Matteo.


    He was sitting with Vittorio; both had a te of porridge in front of them.


    It wasn¡¯t the porridge that was making Leslie and other women around ogling him; it was the manner at which he was eating and swallowing each bite.


    After scooping the porridge, he brought it to his lips, closed his mouth around the spoon, and shut his eyes as though the porridge was the best thing he ever had.


    As if that wasn¡¯t enough, he had licked the spoon. He had fucking licked the spoon!


    It should disgust me and, oh, very much inappropriate as I had seen some teenagers around; even though I wondered what they might be doing here, it turned me on.


    My pussy dampened as Matteo winked at me, and his lips curved up in a crooked smile.


    Fuck!


    He was doing it on purpose. He definitely was.


    ¡°You are looking at him way too much, Deirdre,¡± Leslie said.


    ¡°Is there a rule against it?¡± I asked her.


    ¡°No, but then, he seemed off-limits. How long have you known him?¡±


    I hadn¡¯t told Leslie I was with Matteo, and I definitely didn¡¯t intend to go about telling people that, even though Matteo had introduced me to Larry as his wife.


    ¡°Best friend, do not keep secrets from each other.¡± She nudged me.


    Inwardly, I scoffed at her mention of us being best friend.


    ¡°Not long ago,¡± I said, hoping she would stop asking me further questions about him.


    ¡°And?¡± Leslie raised a pierced brow.


    ¡°And nothing,¡± I said, earning a groan from her.


    ¡°You¡¯re no fun, Deirdre.¡± She muttered.


    I shrugged, ncing back at the table Matteo had sat with Vittorio; both weren¡¯t there anymore.


    ¡°Where did he go?¡± I mused, turning back to Leslie.


    ¡°That¡¯s not important. I want to show you some of my collections.¡± She said, gripping my hand and pulling me before I could protest.


    Leslie led me away from the condo to a dome-like structure. Flowers of every imaginable color adorned the entrance.


    She gestured for me to enter, and as I stepped inside, the air became filled with a delicate fragrance.


    Vines cascaded from the ceiling, forming natural curtains that swayed gently in the artificial breeze. In the center, a mesmerizing fountain sprayed water into the air.


    Awed, I gawped.


    ¡°Wee to the Leslie Haven, best friend.¡± Leslie grinned.


    ¡°How do you do this, and for how long?¡± I inquired. My nostrils red with the various scents of flowers assaulting them.


    ¡°It¡¯s been three years,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Three years?¡± My eyes widened. Knowing Leslie and the others weren¡¯t fresh arrivals on the ind and considering the established buildings, I hadn¡¯t delved into personal questions earlier.


    ¡°Yes, three years here,¡± she affirmed.


    Suddenly, I didn¡¯t want to hear more. Learning more might mean no escape, and I doubted anyone would willingly stay in a ce like this with better options out there.


    ¡°We had chances to escape but didn¡¯t. Also, this ce is off the radar, so no rescue team ising unless you n it yourself,¡± Leslie exined.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you leave?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I like it here,¡± she shrugged, inhaling the scent of a rose.


    I believed she was being evasive. She didn¡¯t want to tell me the reason she didn¡¯t want to return to her world, and I wouldn¡¯t press her to do so as well.


    We stayed a bit longer, hearing about their shipwreck and arrival on the ind. Despite the differences, our stories were surprisingly alike.


    In the evening, Leslie and I left the Leslie Haven, and outside, I encountered Matteo with a frown on his face.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± I asked, stepping closer.


    ¡°Who did youe here to meet?¡± Matteo questioned.


    ¡°This is one reason I left you. Stop suffocating me. Don¡¯t stalk me or ask about where or with whom I¡¯ve been. I¡¯m an adult and mature enough to know right from wrong,¡± I scowled up at him.


    ¡°Not when dangerous men are running around, Deirdre,¡± he said, undisturbed.


    Ignoring him, I headed back towards the direction of the condo.


    Though Matteo imed to be protecting me, his overly suspicious nature about my interactions with other men felt stifling. Despite his own history with several women, I had never suspected him, never questioned him about them.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I halted at the entrance, turning back to Leslie.


    ¡°Come to the bonfire tomorrow. It¡¯s always amazing-good drinks, music, and more. You get to go to the beachside,¡± she insisted.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I nodded, realizing I didn¡¯t have much of a choice. She¡¯d likely drag me out anyway.


    ¡°Cool, best friend!¡± Leslie squealed, pulling me into a tight hug. I resisted the urge to push her away as I noticed Matteo watching.


    Once free, I entered the room, mming the door shut. Sighing, I plopped on the bed, ncing at the ceiling¡¯s moon, stars, and sun design, reminiscent of Kendell¡¯s room.


    The door opened, but I didn¡¯t bother looking as I knew who it was.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have asked you what I did earlier,¡± Matteo said. His voice was low as he began to strip.


    I knew I shouldn¡¯t look, should avert my gaze, but it felt like I had lost control of my senses as I couldn¡¯t help but ogle him-strong thighs, toned muscles, and a well-sculpted ass.


    I was captivated, my cheeks burning as I mped my thighs, feeling a response from just seeing Matteo¡¯s body. I licked my lower lip.


    ¡°You know, you shouldn¡¯t stare at someone in such a perverted manner, Deirdre,¡± he murmured.


    I quickly averted my gaze. ¡°I wasn¡¯t even staring at you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to see your eyes on me to know you were,¡± he smirked.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡±


    For a moment, he stood there naked, showcasing his smooth stomach, muscled arms, and a substantial erection that demanded attention.


    I couldn¡¯t tear my gaze away.


    Matteo walked towards the edge of the bed, crawling underneath the covers. ¡°You can lie on top if you want,¡± he offered.


    I hesitated and then shook my head. There were only two ces I¡¯d rather- one was on top of him, and the other was right beside him, feeling his kisses on my neck and his nibbles on my skin.


    But no, I would rather not. I didn¡¯t want to go down that part with him yet.


    ¡°It¡¯s cold, get under the duvet,¡± he said.


    After a few moments, I heard Matteo shuffle next to me. I waited until he wasfortably settled and moved close.


    There was a small gap between us, and when he reached forward, cing his fingers on the top of mine, I froze for a second. He was too close forfort. He didn¡¯t pull away; instead, his fingertips trailed lightly across the skin of my wrist.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not going to do anything you wouldn¡¯t want me to do,¡± he whispered, his warm breath sending shivers down my spine.


    ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t be touching me,¡± I managed to say.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t.¡± Matteo huffed softly, shifting away from me. When he spoke again, he was facing the wall, creating a sudden distance that left me with a sense of disappointment.


    I guess it was better that way. I dragged in a breath, closing my eyes and forcing myself to sleep, which eventually worked after a while.

 Wildest fantasy

    DEIRDRE


    DAY THREE


    Would it be strange if I admitted this was my first bonfire ever? Perhaps.


    Despite being quite social, I¡¯d never been to one before.


    ¡°Hey, bestie!¡± Leslie waved me over.


    ¡°We¡¯re not best friends,¡± I muttered, then shed her a wide smile, tucking a strand of my hair that swirled in the wind behind my ear.


    Wrapping my arms around me, I grimaced as more goosebumps formed. It was probably a bad idea to wear a teal halter neck tankini and blue denim shorts without a sweater, considering the wind.


    Sitting close enough to the fire to warm me but not so close to roast me, I sighed. Then, my nose wrinkled as it caught a scent other than burning wood.


    My mouth watered as the distinct smell of s¡¯mores, grilled corn, and kabobs filled the air. My stomach grumbled, reminding me that I had only picked at my food earlier after Matteo had seized the opportunity to tease me nonstop.


    It wasn¡¯t entirely his fault; I had woken up grabbing onto his dick as though I was holding on for dear life.


    I couldn¡¯t fathom what else I might have done in my sleep. I had woken up wet and aroused. I didn¡¯t even want to imagine if something else had happened.


    Trying to keep my distance from Matteo, he had cracked a joke about me wanting him and being too afraid to ask. It felt more serious than a joke to me.


    Now, I was the one suffering, left with a growling stomach and eyes bulging as I stared at all the delicious food.


    ¡°Can we start?¡± Leslie yelled over the murmurs. I winced, shaking my head.


    ncing around, I noticed more people had gathered than when I arrived. I was d it was only adults because thinking about games with children participating would be weird.


    The glint in Leslie¡¯s eyes hinted at mischief, and I knew whatever we might be doing tonight wouldn¡¯t end well.


    ¡°Who can y??¡± Leslie raised an acoustic guitar, and Vittorio eagerly volunteered.


    I raised a brow as he approached Leslie, sitting on a stone beside her and taking the guitar.


    ¡°I want to dedicate this to a woman I met on this voyage, the most beautiful woman I¡¯ve ever seen. This song is to tell you how special you are,¡± he announced, eliciting cheers from the crowd.


    Vittorio¡¯s eyes locked onto mine, and he winked, making my cheeks flush as I looked away.


    He started ying ¡®I Will Follow You Into the Dark.¡¯


    I felt uneasy as Vittorio yed while watching me, and so did others, throwing me wide smiles.


    I wondered if I was the woman he spoke about, but I didn¡¯t want to jump to conclusions.


    When the song ended, I breathed out, relief coursing through me.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Vittorio said, sitting beside me. ¡°Didn¡¯t expect to see you here.¡±


    ¡°Well, Leslie would have my head if I didn¡¯t show up,¡± Iughed.


    Vittorio nodded,ughing as well.


    Food circted, and I tasted the S¡¯more first. It was as heavenly as it smelled.


    ¡°Fucking good,¡± I moaned, my eyes briefly closing as I savored the sweetness, warmth, and a hint of smokiness.


    ¡°You curse a lot,¡± Vittorio observed.


    I winced inwardly. I¡¯d just moaned while eating a S¡¯more. He probably thought I was weird now.


    ¡°I only do when the time calls for it,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Truth or dare anyone!¡± Leslie screamed.


    ¡°She does scream like a banshee,¡± Vittorio grimaced, shaking his head.


    I was relieved I wasn¡¯t the only one feeling that way. She could talk normally, yet she chose to scream.


    ¡°We¡¯re all adults here, and we¡¯re all in. No one can back out once the game starts. You must do the dare!¡± Leslie dered.


    ¡°That¡¯s bound to get messy,¡± Vittorio chuckled.


    ¡°I agree,¡± I nodded.


    It was definitely going to be messy, and I wasn¡¯t thrilled about it.


    ¡°Let me grab us some lemonade; any preference?¡±


    ¡°Whichever, no alcohol,¡± I said.


    ¡°Noted, be right back,¡± he said, standing up and walking off.


    I considered doing the same. I hadn¡¯t nned on participating in the game, but then again, this might be my only chance.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    While waiting for Vittorio and not paying attention to the ongoing events, I jumped as I felt a tap on my shoulder.


    ¡°It¡¯s your turn, Deirdre. Truth or dare?¡± Leslie asked.


    ¡°W-what?¡± I frowned.


    ¡°It¡¯s a dare!¡± Leslie dered.


    ¡°No, no, no!¡± I shook my head. ¡°I choose what I want.¡±


    ¡°My game, my rules,¡± Leslie said.


    ¡°What the heck?¡± I snorted, scowling at her.


    ¡°Okay, fine. Whatever.¡± Leslie rolled her eyes, still grinning.


    ¡°Truth then. What¡¯s your wildest fantasy, Deirdre? Maybe a threesome, being sandwiched between two good-looking guys, having the time of your life, or¡­¡±


    ¡°Being handcuffed, humiliated, and given a back shot!¡± I blurted out.


    ¡°What?!¡± Leslie eximed.


    What had I just said? I sped my hands around my face.


    Fuck my loose mouth.


    It was embarrassing, but I didn¡¯t want people to think Vittorio and I were together. Now, they might believe I¡¯d be receiving that from both Matteo and him.


    ¡°You never told me,¡± Matteo settled beside me. I hadn¡¯t noticed him until now, and I couldn¡¯t even look at him.


    ¡°That is the hottest thing I¡¯ve ever heard,¡± Leslie said, then added, ¡°Let¡¯s keep the daresing, people.¡±


    I hoped they¡¯d forget it quickly, but it seemed like an almost impossible wish.


    ¡°Truth or dare, Matteo?¡± She asked Matteo.


    I shot her a re, but she shrugged. She had put me on the spot on purpose.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you, Deirdre, and I have the best time of our lives tonight? We can¡­¡±


    ¡°Deirdre is my wife,¡± Matteo said, cutting her off.


    ¡°Oops!¡± Leslie muttered, and I briefly nced at her, noting the genuine surprise on her face.


    Not only her, but many of the people present were also taken aback, except for Larry, who already knew.


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s good night then,¡± he said, lifting me over his shoulder and walking away from the crowd.

 Don’t say a word

    DEIRDRE


    Struggling toe down from Matteo¡¯s shoulder, which became possible once we stepped indoors, I turned to stare at him. He turned his back to me before facing me.


    ¡°Do you really mean what you said, Deirdre? You don¡¯t make dirty jokes like that in the presence of many people.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡­¡± I stuttered, my heart beating wildly as he approached, undoing the top button of his shirt.


    ¡°Do you?¡± he asked, with narrowed eyes.


    I nodded, unable to find the right words, as my throat suddenly felt dry from staring at his chest.


    ¡°You want to be humiliated, Deirdre, even though I don¡¯t have the right tools here to do that. But I would be kind enough to show you the best humiliation you can get if you let me,¡± Matteo said, his voice taking on a professional tone.


    The way he said it made it sound like something one might want to do every day.


    It was my dark fantasy, and it could be painful, or so I¡¯d heard when I confided in Kelsey, my best friend, who was the only one who knew. Now, the world knew.


    Matteo gripped my hand, tugging me slightly, and I mmed into him, cing my hand on his chest.


    I felt the steady strumming of his chest, and I swallowed hard. ncing up at him as his head dipped, I bit my lower lip.


    ¡°Do you want me to do that, Deirdre?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± All warnings in my head were on high alert as Matteo swooped me up and carried me towards the bed.


    If this was a few days ago, when we met again at the Luxe Bistro restaurant, I might have denied the fact that I wanted him. I had denied the fact that we had mind-blowing sex, where I cried out his name each night, but I couldn¡¯t anymore.


    I wanted him.


    Shit, shit, shit!


    I wanted Matteo inside of me.


    I wanted him to fuck me senselessly while humiliating me, as I said.


    My pussy dampened, and my body hummed just due to his presence.


    If I had never had a child for him and maybe was meeting him for the first time, I would have agreed to this feeling of giddiness.


    I was acting like I was sex-starved, or maybe I was since it had been a while.


    He pushed me onto the bed, jumping on top of me.


    ¡°Deirdre,¡± His voice was husky, but there was something in it, something raw.


    Something wicked yet alluring.


    His mouth was on mine in seconds, pushing past my parted lips.


    Matteo kissed my bottom lip and nibbled on it, making me whimper and moan. My hips bucked beneath him, causing him to grip it firmly.


    His hands slid slowly across my stomach and towards the hem of my denim shorts before he began to unbutton them.


    My fingers found the buttons of his shirt, fumbling clumsily, and I quickly undid the buttons one by one until I got thest two undone, pulling his shirt off.


    Throwing his shirt to the side, he pressed himself against me, grinding into me.


    The friction caused my pussy to tighten further.


    Matteo pulled back from our kiss briefly before crashing our lips again, harder this time, forcing my legs apart.


    He kissed his way down to my cleavage. He gripped the hook of my bra, snapping it off expertly, and his mouth was on my breasts, licking and sucking lightly at my nipples.


    I let out a loud moan, arching my back and squirming underneath him.


    My hands grabbed handfuls of his hair as he nipped and licked at my corbone, and I could feel my knees going weak.


    I was d I wasn¡¯t standing. Perhaps I would be on the ground now as I had no control over what was happening.


    Matteo pulled the shorts off me, and he reached my underwear and rubbed his thumb against the moistness coating my pussy.


    ¡°M-Matteo,¡± Throwing my head back on the pillow, I moaned loudly.


    ¡°Shhh,¡± He ced his lips on mine, drowning my moan.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Matteo ced his index finger next to my slit, pushing gently into my warm pussy.


    Gasping, I clenched around his finger, trying to take his finger deeper into me, but I wasn¡¯t getting anywhere.


    It was torture.


    Everywhere that his finger went, I was flooded with sensations, sending pleasure through my body that made me want to scream his name.


    Matteo kept going deep, and I thought that I might pass out from all the orgasms that were building.


    After several moments, he withdrew his finger slowly, and I whined, grasping at his shoulders.


    ¡°You desired to be humiliated, didn¡¯t you?¡± Matteo¡¯s voice had turned darker.


    I nodded despite the fear building inside of me. Of course, he was going to stop if he was hurting me too much, wouldn¡¯t he? At least, there were safe words, I believed.


    Dragging me from the bed, he forcefully shoved me to the ground on my knees, and Matteo undid the buckles of his pant, freeing his dick from the restraint.


    ¡°Deirdre,¡± Matteo growled, gripping my hair, his hands tightening around it, and he shoved his dick into my mouth.


    My breath left me with a whoosh; a gasp of surprise escaped me, and I swallowed automatically.


    He didn¡¯t stop me when the tip hit my throat, even as I gagged and the urge to throw up filled me. His dick was big inside my mouth, almost the width of a baseball bat.


    Matteo pulled back, letting go of my hair, his gaze locking on mine for a moment.


    I watched them flicker over my features, studying me intently.


    Then he let out an exhale as I started to suck him off while one of his hands dropped to my breast.


    His fingers traced my skin until they reached my nipple, and he squeezed gently.


    Matteo nodded slowly. ¡°Good girl. Keep sucking and licking, Deirdre.¡±


    I nodded, doing as he said even though my mouth and throat hurt. After all, I was the one who wanted sexual humiliation, and he said he was only doing the basics!


    Was this the basic, and why did it hurt so much?


    I wondered what he would have done if he was actually into it.


    ¡°Stop,¡± Matteo said.


    Then he walked over to the bed and sat on it, widening his legs. ¡°Crawl to me, Tesoro, and wiggle that butt.¡±


    ¡°Matteo,¡± I murmured, shaking my head.


    ¡°Will you defy me now, Deirdre?¡± His eyes narrowed on mine. ¡°You have no right to disagree with whatever I ask of you.¡±


    Swallowing hard, I went on all fours, crawling and swinging my ass in the air.


    I wonder what that made me look like. A slut, maybe.


    But taking a quick look at Matteo, I believed he felt otherwise. His eyes darkened with desire, and his tongue peeked out to lick his lips at intervals.


    ¡°Come on, girl,¡± He smirked and then pointed to his dick. ¡°Come y with Junior.¡±


    When I reached him, he instantly shoved his dick into my mouth again without even giving me a chance to take it in.


    Matteo¡¯s hand went to my backside, cupping, squeezing, pinching, andstly, pping.


    I received five strokes in total; he had told me to count or else he would start over again. I wondered how I was able to keep sucking and avoiding biting down on his dick.


    ¡°Stop,¡± Matteo said.


    I did, panting. My gaze cast down, and I trembled as I felt his hand slipped into my hair.


    This was a different type of Matteo. It wasn¡¯t the one that had worshiped my body and fucked me until I forgot myself. This in front of me felt like the real devil, and he didn¡¯t look even the least remorseful about all that he was making me go through.


    ¡°Deirdre,¡± he said, cupping my cheek. ¡°Can you talk?¡±


    I nodded, croaking out, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Good. I would hate to see your voice cease because I need it somewhere else.¡± He said.


    ¡°Where?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°Stand.¡± Hemanded.


    I raised a brow at him, and he said again, ¡°Stand, Deirdre.¡±


    I did, and Matteo continued, ¡°Your ass in the air.¡±


    I bent forward, letting my ass face him.


    ¡°Higher.¡± He ordered.


    I stood on my toes, leaning forward so my breasts pressed against my ribcage and my butt stuck straight in the air.


    It made me feel more naked than anything else ever could have.


    I didn¡¯t know what he was searching for, but he started groping around my pussy and ass cheeks.


    When he was done, he said, ¡°Much better. Now turn around, sit on the floor with your legs wide.¡±


    I did as told, putting my ass on the floor, spreading my legs wide.


    Matteo produced a paper from the centre table. I was only noticing it now.


    He scribbled furiously on it, making me wonder what he was doing.


    When he came up beside me, I strained my neck, peeking to see what the paper said, and caught sight of a drawing of me.


    It was crude, just the picture of me sitting on my ass, spread wide as fuck in front of Matteo, wearing nothing.


    In the image, he had written a caption reading, ¡®This is Deirdre, and she likes being whipped, touched, and fucked.¡¯


    He had drawn some dick marks where I had liked to be touched. Some of them were bigger than others, and some had been shaded differently.


    The whole picture was fucking sickening.


    ¡°Stand to your feet and turn around. You are not meant to look at me or say anything, Deirdre. Otherwise, it will earn you a severe punishment. You can back out now because when I begin, there is no stopping for me.¡± Matteo said harshly.


    I could back out now, his words rang in my head, but I didn¡¯t want to.


    So, I obeyed. He ran his long, slim fingers along my spine and stopped at my hips. He rubbed the small of my back with a finger, and I shivered. Then he pushed me backward onto my knees. I gasped slightly as he slid in. The sensation was so intense it took mepletely by surprise.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me.¡± He growled softly. ¡°Just¡­ don¡¯t.¡±


    I didn¡¯t look back as he said. His dick pulsed within me as I breathed deeply and evenly.


    His hand gripped my neck, tightening around it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make a sound, Deirdre.¡± He said darkly.


    I gulped and bit back further noise. He loosened his grip, and I took a deep, shuddering breath. My body trembled violently as he pumped into me.


    My head reeled; it felt as if I was falling off bnce, losing touch with reality as he continued to fuck me without a care. Like I was some fucking animal.


    I wanted it. Didn¡¯t I say that to him?


    I thought about throwing up so it could end everything, but I pushed it back.


    Despite everything being painful, it was pleasurable. I wanted more.


    Sweat dribbled down my face, and his hand tightened its grip again on my neck while he continued pounding into me, and my body spasmed.


    Disobeying his words as I couldn¡¯t take it any longer, I screamed, my vocal cords stretching and cracking, and tears poured from my eyes.


    ¡°Shh,¡± Matteo whispered. His voice had softened rather than how dark it had been a few minutes ago.


    He wasn¡¯t done, though, likewise me.


    We kept going for an endless amount of minutes. My screams had died into low whimpers of difort, and Matteo¡¯s breathing was ragged.


    My entire body felt drained and heavy. My limbs felt rubbery, unable to support my weight. And I was sore everywhere.


    Finally, after what seemed like hours, he copsed onto me, his face in my hair, pulling away from me.


    Laying on the floor with his arms spread out, his breaths were short and fast.


    Matteo wrapped me in his arms, and I hugged him back.


    Stroking my hair, he kissed the side of my head, making me rx into his embrace.


    ¡°Did I hurt you?¡± He stared at my face.


    I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s just a new experience for me, and I doubt I would get used to it soon.¡±


    ¡°You will. You should sleep.¡± Matteo muttered, nuzzling my hair. ¡°Get some rest, sweetheart.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Okay. You should, too.¡±


    ¡°No. I need to finish my work first. Go to sleep, Deirdre.¡± Matteo¡¯s voice had a calming effect on me, and surprisingly, as soon as he said that, my eyes closed before slipping into slumber.

 Dirty talk

    DEIRDRE


    DAY FOUR


    I jerked awake with a start.


    My breath caught in my throat as I felt a sudden chill between my legs, followed by a gentle caress of my clit, making me inhale sharply.


    Opening my eyes slowly, I found Matteo¡¯s face hovering over mine, a smirk ying on his lips.


    ¡°Morning, baby,¡± he said, leaning in for a kiss on my lips.


    However, I turned my head to the side, and his lips brushed against the corner of mine instead.


    ¡°Why?¡± he asked.


    I sped a hand over my mouth, muttering, ¡°Morning breath.¡±


    ¡°Does it matter?¡± he whispered, his hot, minty breath teasing my skin and nose.


    ¡°It does,¡± I replied, nudging him off me.


    I climbed down from the bed, gripping the headboard as my knees buckled.


    Sitting on the bed for a moment, I breathed out before standing up again.


    However, the same feeling persisted-buckling knees now apanied by a woozy sensation.


    Matteo stood from where he sat,ing toward me. He lifted me off the ground, his strong arms supporting my legs and waist.


    ¡°I prepared a bath for you,¡± he said, surprising me. It was the nicest thing he had ever done for me in terms of intimacy.


    Most times, after sex, he would leave the room without bothering with cuddling, butst night, he did all that and even cleaned me up after I was too exhausted to do anything.


    Perhaps the reason I didn¡¯t know if he did all that was because I didn¡¯t stay too long with him. Our sham marriage barelysted six months until I fled.


    ¡°Hold onto the sink,¡± Matteo instructed as he gently let me down in front of the white sink in the bathroom.


    I did as he said, gripping the sink and waiting as Matteo knelt before me.


    ¡°Lift your legs,¡± he said, gripping the leg of his joggers that I had worn to bed.


    I raised it, and slowly, he pulled it off me. He did the same with the tankini, and afterward, I was bare before him.


    Matteo left my side, walking to the bath filled with water. He rolled up his sleeves, tested the water with his hand for a few seconds, and returned to my side.


    For the second time, he lifted me without saying anything and gently settled me into the bathtub.


    He didn¡¯t stop there; for the first time, Matteo bathed me. He washed every essential part of my body, sponging gently. He even washed my hair.


    I felt like this was the best treatment anyone could ever get from a husband, but then, I knew he was only doing it out of kindness.


    He must have done it for different women, so there was nothing special about me.


    After he finished bathing me, he towel-dried me, even though I insisted I could walk, and he took me back to the room.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± Matteo said, leaving the room.


    Slowly, I walked to the mirror, sitting on the vanity chair.


    ¡°Shit,¡± I winced, gazing at my appearance. I looked flushed.


    Aside from my hair, which was in disarray and tangled, my face was red. I didn¡¯t know why. Perhaps it was due to the fact that Matteo had given me a treatment he hadn¡¯t done since I knew him, or maybe it was the fact that we had fucked.


    Combing my hair with my fingers, I lifted the curls atop my head before applying moisturizer to my face.


    The weather on this ind was extreme, and thest thing I wanted was to return to my world with a patchy face.


    Matteo stepped into the room a few minutester with arge tray, and my stomach grumbled immediately as I noticed what was on it.


    ¡°Food,¡± I grinned.


    I had never been this happy seeing food in my life, and I guess it was because I had barely eaten anything that made me this enthusiastic.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°Yes, food,¡± Matteo said. ¡°But I never asked you to leave the bed. Are you always this disobedient?¡±


    ¡°I needed to,¡± I said sheepishly, as he frowned at me.


    Matteo set the tray down, rolled up his sleeves, and gestured to the bed. ¡°Now, back to it.¡±


    Without arguing, I stepped towards it, sitting, wondering why he wanted me on the bed when I could easily sit on the couch to eat.


    Matteo must have sneaked the couch in this morning because there wasn¡¯t one here before.


    ¡°It¡¯s called breakfast in bed, darling. I wanted you to have it in bed and not on the couch,¡± he said dryly.


    Had I said my thoughts aloud? I wondered, but with Matteo¡¯s response, I guess I had.


    Matteo ced the tray filled with food on the bed, and I shook my head. ¡°We are going to smudge this duvet. And we don¡¯t have a spare.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if the duvet is smudged or not. I want you to eat to your satisfaction and then have a great rest to recover your strength.¡±


    Matteo was considerate. Perhaps I should cut him some ck and not think of him as unfeeling.


    ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t need the duvet when I have you, baby. Your legs wrapped around me while I drill into you is all that I need.¡± Matteo¡¯s voice turned husky, and he sat beside me, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me into him, careful not to tip the tray over.


    Matteo nipped my earlobe, then went further to kiss my neck, down to my cleavage.


    ¡°You might need to be out of this sooner, darling. I can¡¯t seem to get enough of you,¡± he said, his eyes flickering to my face.


    ¡°I am still hungry,¡± I groaned as I felt a pang in my stomach.


    ¡°I won¡¯t stop you from eating.¡± Matteo let me go instantly, and I was somewhat disappointed as I wanted to feel his warmth more.


    ¡°You should eat, so I am going to eat youter,¡± Matteo dered.


    Was he always this vulgar? And he wasn¡¯t even the least bit ashamed of all that he was saying.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that,¡± Matteo let out, even though his back was to me.


    ¡°How?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°As if I am crazy,¡± he turned, shooting me a smile before heading towards the door.


    ¡°I need to be with Vittorio. You shouldn¡¯t do anything I wouldn¡¯t want you to do, Deirdre. And warm that pussy for me as I aming to eat from it.¡±


    ¡°Matteo!¡± I grimaced, shaking my head, watching him leave the room, but that didn¡¯t stop me from blushing.


    I wouldn¡¯t lie; I loved it when Matteo talked dirty. In fact, it turned me on all the time. However, this was a new level of dirty.


    I wondered what hade over him. Or maybe he had always been this way, but I never knew, as I was naive and hoping for something far out of my reach.


    Sighing, I pushed back the unwanted thoughts before digging into my food because I needed strength, as Matteo said.

 Stuff like a turkey

    DEIRDRE POV


    DAY FIVE


    Matteo leaned into me, his lips hovering over my ear as he whispered, ¡°Do you want me to stuff you like a turkey?¡±


    My eyes widened, and my cheeks burned.


    Fuck! I hadn¡¯t heard of that before until now. I turned around, ensuring no one had heard him other than me.


    ¡°Deirdre,¡± Matteo whispered, his voice low and husky, ¡°Open up.¡± He tapped my thigh, wrapped his arms around me from behind, and he pulled me into him.


    His idea was for us to sit close to each other when we arrived; I never knew he had other motives.


    Pushing my skirt up, his hand slipped inside my thigh, and I mped them together, locking his hand in the process.


    ¡°We are in public,¡± I hissed.


    ¡°Does it matter, baby? You are my wife.¡± Matteo murmured, prying my legs open.


    I was d my legs were under the table. I couldn¡¯t imagine someone knowing we were being naughty right now. My stomach churned with nerves, and I bite my lower lip.


    Rubbing his index finger over my pant briefly, he slipped it into my moist pussy.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I bit my lower lip hard to stop myself from moaning. We were in public, I chanted over again, my eyes darting around to ensure we were not being watched for the second time.


    No one seemed to be paying us any attention.  There was only an old couple sitting two tables away who had been giving each other odd nces but didn¡¯t seem too concerned.  Matteo¡¯s long, slim fingers stroked my slit, and I shuddered.


    ¡°Matteo,¡± I said quietly but firmly, squeezing his shoulders, ¡°stop.¡±


    ¡°Stop what, darling?¡± he asked, his eyes widened as if he hadn¡¯t realized all that he was doing.


    ¡°We can do that when we get to the room. What if someone sees us? I mean, it¡¯s embarrassing to get finger fucked in public!¡±


    Whether Matteo heard me or not, he didn¡¯t act like it. Instead, he pushed a finger inside me, and another, then a third after that, bestowing me a sheepish smile.


    ¡°Can we return home?¡± I said through clenched teeth.


    He was going to make me cum and fucking scream out his name. People would know what we were up to.


    As if embarrassing myself on the bonfire night wasn¡¯t enough.


    ¡°Yes, darling. Are you done here?¡± Matteo asked.


    ¡°I nodded.¡± I never wanted toe anyway.


    Leslie had forced me to partake in the Thanksgiving, saying it wouldn¡¯t make a lot of sense if I decided to sit it out since I wasn¡¯t at home.


    So, she had wanted me to witness the one that was being held on the ind.


    Matteo released his hand from my pussy, wiped it with a handkerchief, stuffed it inside his pocket, and stood to his feet.


    ¡°Can you stand?¡± He asked.


    I nodded, standing. But my knees buckled, betraying me. It felt as if I still had his fingers inside me.


    Matteo wrapped his arms around my waist, steadying me and leading me towards the path of the cottage.


    It was only a three-minute walk from where we were.


    And no, we didn¡¯t get to the cottage.


    Finding arge tree, Matteo pushed me into it.


    ¡°I want to fuck you so bad, Deirdre, and I don¡¯t think I can get home to do that.¡± He said, his eyes darkening.


    I didn¡¯t even care that the rough bark of the tree was sensitive to my skin; I looked him in the eyes and said, ¡°Then do it, Matteo, and about what you said earlier, stuff me with your dick. I want you in me.¡±


    I guess that was the encouragement he needed.


    His hands cupped my face as he captured my lips in a hungry, frenzied kiss. I ran my hands down his chest and up under his shirt, trying desperately to bring him closer.


    His lips left mine to trail kisses along my jaw and down my neck.


    Matteo sucked my neck while he removed my skirt and shirt before sliding his thumbs underneath my panties. The soft pad of his finger brushed against my clitoris, and I shivered, leaning back against the trunk of the tree.


    The kiss continued until our mouths were slick with saliva and our breathing was heavy, and then Matteo pulled away, looking into my eyes and smiling wickedly.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°Have you ever been fucked by a tree?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I shook my head, reaching for him.


    ¡°Brace yourself, sweetness. I am about to take you on a ride of your life.¡± He licked his lips slowly. His breath smelled like strawberries, and I closed my eyes, savoring the feeling.


    Gripping my hand, he pushed me back further into the tree so I was practically sitting and his head hovering above mine.


    Unhooking my bra, he lowered his head to one of my breasts and took a nipple into his warm mouth.


    ¡°Fuck¡­ Matteo¡­¡± I muttered as he suckled gently.


    He made little circles with his tongue around my sensitive bud, and I arched up into his touch.


    Matteo hoisted me, and my legs instinctively wrapped around him. Heved my swollen nipple into his mouth, making me gasp sharply. I dug my nails into his scalp, pulling and tugging slightly at his hair.


    He was so talented at this ¨C sucking my breasts and nibbling on them. When his hands moved downwards, my breath hitched again. They cupped and kneaded my ass, squeezing it tightly and making my thighs shake.


    Matteo let me down, I sat on the moist grass, and he parted my thighs.


    He cupped my swollen pussy through the thong of my pant. The friction was agonizing, but I moaned when he began moving in small circles, circling my clitoris and rubbing it roughly.


    It drove me crazy, and I bucked against his hand, whimpering. ¡°Fuck, Matteo. Please¡­¡±


    I could feel myselfing, a sharp spike shooting through me, pulsating through the rest of me and out into Matteo¡¯s waiting mouth.


    Matteo unbuckled his belt swiftly, slipped out his dick, and thrust into me. He stilled, groaning, his mouth reaching for mine.


    My body shuddered. I thought I was done, but I guess it was just the beginning.


    Matteo fucked me, shuddering as his cock twitched inside me. He growled something iprehensible and thrust deeper inside my pussy, groaning loudly.


    The orgasm built again, my hips moving erratically beneath him, and then Matteo grunted.


    ¡°Come for me, Deirdre,¡± He breathed, pushing harder and faster.


    With a high-pitched scream that was drowned by his lips, I came apart onto his shaft, clinging onto him like he was the only thing keeping me alive.


    Not long afterward, he came as well, copsing on top of me.


    ¡°Are you alright, dearest?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ yes,¡± I gasped, trying to sit up. Matteo grabbed my hips and held me firm in position, preventing me from getting off the ground.


    ¡°I am fine. Let¡¯s leave here,¡± I mumbled, my voice hoarse, and pulled myself up with Matteo¡¯s help. Likewise, he helped me into my skirt and searched for any debris in my hair as well as the wrinkles on my clothes.


    Thest thing I wanted was to appear like a deranged woman who was dragged around the forest.


    Then he wrapped his arms around my waist again.


    I sighed, resting my cheek against his shoulder, my hands fiddling with the buttons on his shirt.


    He led me to the condo, and immediately, I jumped on the bed. I was exhausted, and all I wanted was to have a good rest.


    Matteo did the same, and he pulled me into his arms. The scent of his cologne,bined with the heat radiating from his body and the way he was breathing, lulled me to sleep.

 You’re my life

    MATTEO


    Checking my phone for the umpteenth time for signal and yet finding none made me on the verge of losing my mind.


    I wonder how I was going to report to Giovanni what the fuck was going on. The fucking ind wasn¡¯t even on the map to begin it and even if it were, there was no way I would be able to check.


    Climbing down from bed slowly so as not to awaken Deirdre, I brushed a hand into my hair, sighing.


    I walked to the window side, it was small but still efficient, and overlooked a part of the forest. Besides, the breeze that was drifting into the room was cool enough and no bigger window was needed.


    Tapping at the pocket of my pant, I brought out a cigarette box, slipping out a stick, I stuck it in between my lips, lighting it.


    Taking in a drag, I let it out slowly, my eyes shutting before opening as I felt a hand wrapped around me.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Deirdre¡¯s voice was muffled by my back and I twisted in her arms to stare at her.


    ¡°You are awake,¡± She had only slept for a few seconds, and I had thought she was exhausted.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I murmured, gazing away from her scrunched up brows.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look like it. And is smoking healthy for you?¡± She pointed out, frowning.


    Shrugging, I extricate her arms wrapped around me, walked to where the desk was situated at the corner of the room, and sat on it.


    Deirdre as well stepped towards me, standing in between my thighs. She grabbed the cigarette from my me, and before I could stop her, took a drag and began coughing.


    I snatched the stick from her, rubbing her back. ¡°What did you do that for?¡±


    I red, handing her the almost empty stic bottle water on the desk but she shook her head to reject it.


    When she regained her breath, she grimaced, her lips twisted in disgust and she gagged. ¡°I wanted to see if it was enjoyable and I regret it.¡±


    ¡°Why are you smoking it?¡± she asked me.


    I wonder if she would stopped asking me if I told her it was to enable me to think properly. Perhaps she would ask me to stop.


    ¡°You look tired,¡± I changed the subject, gazing at the dark circle under her eyes.


    I wonder why she had them. Deirdre sleeps early. We had only started engaging in sex two days ago.


    It could be her reacting to stress from the ind.


    ¡°Because I am,¡± She said. ¡°You shoulde to bed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d join you,¡± I mumbled.


    She didn¡¯t look like she believed me and the way she kept staring at me as if I was going to disappear before she knows it. Even though I wanted to disappear, I wanted her to be with me as well.


    There was no working way I was living her alone on this ind after all that happened before. Who knew what would happen now? Perhaps it would be far worst than before.


    Again, I thought about the ship. Something wasn¡¯t right about the ship wrecking and being on the ind.  It was as if someone had intentionally done it to thwart my mission and redirect me here to finish off what they started. I could feel the weirdness, yet, I had no answers to the questions swirling in my head.


    ¡°Do you want toe to the beach with me to watch the sunset?¡± Deirdre asked, breaking my thoughts.


    At this instant, I doubted I¡¯d be able to a moment to myself thinking properly. Perhaps when she finally was asleep.


    Turning to her, I nodded, then added, ¡°Not with you looking like that.¡±


    She had changed out of the skirt she was in, and was in a bikini.


    There was no way I was going to let her leave the room, with her breasts almost spilling out of the bra and her asscheeks on disy.


    I wouldn¡¯t even let her leave the room if her legs were on disy. I guess I was too possessive but Deirdre¡¯s body was for my eyes alone.


    ¡°What?¡± Deirdreughed, ¡°We are going to the beach, you don¡¯t expect me to wear a robe, do you?¡±


    Then her expression turned serious, ¡°You do,¡± She muttered, shaking my head.


    She stepped away from me, standing in the middle of the room.


    ¡°I do,¡± I repeated, starting towards her.


    I pulled her into me, forgetting about the fact I was trying to reach Giovanni and rested my hand on her backside.


    Fucking soft and small. Just the right size I love them and they fitted into my hands perfectly.


    I squeezed, her mouth opened, a moan slipping out, and my head dipped, as I nibbled at the corner of her lips.


    ¡°It¡¯s beach dress,¡± She muttered, wrapping her arms around my midsection.


    ¡°Everyone gets to look at you,¡± I said, before I could stop myself.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± Deirdre giggled, her gaze flitting to mine. ¡°I mean shouldn¡¯t you be happy that people get to stare at me? That can only mean I look good, right?¡±


    ¡°No, Dierdre,¡± A growl escaped my lips. ¡°No one gets to look at you inappropriately. No one gets to see a part of your luscious body¡­¡±


    Hoisting her from the ground, she wrapped her legs around me, my dick awakening immediately.


    ¡°You¡¯re hard,¡± She whispered, pushing her fingers into my hair.


    ¡°why?¡± She added.


    ¡°Why?¡± I muttered, groaning as she kissed my jaw, then her lips closed around my earlobe.


    I needed to give Deirdre credit. She knew how to turn me on and she needn¡¯t put much effort into doing it. Also, she damned knew the reason I was hard right now.


    ¡°Yes, why Matteo.¡± She whispered, her eyes searching mine.


    ¡°Because you are my wife Deirdre, your bodynguages speaks to me.¡± I muttered, dropping her on the bed and kneeling.


    Parting her thighs, I reached for the pant she donned, and gazed up at her.


    ¡°Matteo,¡± She whispered, her teeth catching her lower lip.


    Letting my finger move towards her pussy, I caressed it through the pant, making her gasp.


    She was moist, just for me.


    ¡°What, baby?¡± I said, moving my head inward and sniffing her arousal.


    Fuck!


    My dick twitched in response. Deirdre smelt so good. So fucking good that her scent makes my body heat up.


    Even despite fucking her a few minutes ago to my satisfaction, I wanted more.


    Deirdre knew how to bring out the Oliver Twist in me. Because right now, I desire more and I doubted I¡¯d be full even after getting it.

 I protect mine

    DEIRDRE


    It was still evening. Matteo didn¡¯t do what I had thought he was going to do with me earlier. He had fucking let me gasping after teasing the fuck out of me.


    I guess I was the one to be med since I had reminded him about the beach and being unable to see the sun setting if we did take part in what was in his mind.


    Yes, Matto had instantly stopped, forgetting the fact that he needed to continue since I was high already.


    Sometimes, I need to keep my mouth shut, I mused, but at the same time, I was d to be at the beach this instant.


    The scenery was amazing. The sun was orange and was already setting. It cast a perfect glow on the blue sea and made it even more enthralling to look at.


    When we first arrived, I realized almost everyone hade by the beachside. I guess they enjoyed the outdoors often.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Matteo didn¡¯te to the beach with me, but he had promised to, and he had made me wear a robe.


    I didn¡¯t think I would have beenfortable if I had stepped out of the room in just a bikini.


    ¡°Deirdre,¡±


    I jumped as Vittorio approached me.


    He chuckled lightly before offering me an apologetic smile, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to scare you.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine,¡± I said. ¡°My mind was far away,¡± And that was the truth.


    Letting my eyes trail from his tousled hair to the color dress shirt he donned, showing off his muscr chest, then to the red Bermuda shorts.


    I gazed back at his face. ¡°I never knew you were interested in being at the beach.¡±


    ¡°I never saw you as a beach person herself,¡± He said and nodded.


    I enjoyed many things. I loved the beach, and I loved travelling, but everything changed after I fled away from Matteo three years ago.


    In order for him not to catch up with me, I kept a low profile and even stopped doing what I loved. Nevertheless, he had found me.


    It was only a matter of time before he would have done so, anyway.


    ¡°How are you enjoying this Ind?¡± He asked me.


    ¡°Enjoying?¡± I snorted. Although I didn¡¯t hate it entirely, I still wanted to go home.


    Kendall was still in Matteo¡¯s Vi.


    No matter how many times I stopped myself from thinking about her, I had failed.


    I wanted to be with my daughter, but that would only be possible when a rescue party came here to find us.


    Besides, I guess that was what Matteo had been trying to do even though he wouldn¡¯t say it to me.


    ¡°Yes, you must not hate the Ind entirely. For me, the quiet is what I enjoy. At least, it offers me some respite until I return to my world.¡± He said.


    I nodded.


    I also enjoyed the tranquility too. And I wouldn¡¯t lie; it was the reason Matteo and I could have a reasonable discussion without tearing out each other¡¯s hair.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your husband?¡± Vittorio asked, ncing around.


    ¡°Matteo,¡± I said to him. ¡°He has a name, you know.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s still your husband,¡± Vittorio said.


    ¡°Not officially, but he should be¡­¡±


    ¡°What isn¡¯t officially?¡±


    I jumped again for the second time, and my head snapped up to see Matteo.


    His eyes were narrowed, darting between Vittorio and me.


    Both of us created a space between each other, but it wasn¡¯t like we were very much closer to begin with.


    Matteo sat in between us before pulling me into his arms.


    His body was rigid, and I wondered why.


    Frowning as I gazed at him, I saw he was staring at the sea, but his expression was unreadable, and as if he knew I was staring at him, his gaze snapped back to mine.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back, Deirdre. Man, can we talk about our situationter and how we can get out of here soonest?¡± Vittorio asked, standing. He dusted his hand on his shorts.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I told him.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Matteo grunted, and Vittorio began walking off.


    When he was at a distance, Matteo turned to me with a re, ¡°What have you been discussing with him? Is he trying to woo you, Deirdre? I knew about the song he sang for you. You also let him know you are taken. Do you want to be his whore as well?!¡±


    ¡°Woah, Matteo,¡± I frowned. ¡°Where¡¯s thising from?¡±


    ¡°I fucking warned him to stay away from you,¡± Matteo grunted.


    ¡°Are you jealous of Vittorio¡¯s interaction with me?¡± I asked him.


    That could be the only exnation for his behavior. I noticed whenever Vittorio and I were talking ever since we arrived on this Ind, Matteo either turned rigid, shot me a re, or started being usatory.


    ¡°Why should I be jealous of the idiot? I get the pussy at the end of the day, didn¡¯t I?¡± He smirked.


    ¡°That¡¯s not funny, Matteo. And I only fuck you because I wanted to,¡± I pointed out.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say otherwise,¡± He shrugged.


    ¡°If you are so against Vittorio and me discussing, then you shouldn¡¯t have asked him to protect me with his life in the first ce. Don¡¯t you think he might still be following your order?¡± I asked him.


    Matteo shook his head.


    ¡°As a rule in the Maf¡­ As a rule, such a promise can only be valid on established grounds. This ind isn¡¯t one. Besides, I am here. If I wasn¡¯t, then he could still go on with protecting you. I am here, and I can protect myself. Vittorio damn well knew he shouldn¡¯t be acting around you as he is doing. I think he isn¡¯t afraid of me putting a bullet through his heart¡­¡±


    ¡°Matteo!¡± I eximed.


    ¡°What, Deirdre?¡± Matteo asked.


    ¡°You don¡¯t go about threatening people just for the fun of it,¡± I said.


    ¡°No, I am not doing that for fun, Deirdre. When ites to what is mine, I don¡¯t mind killing anyone who stands between me and mine. I don¡¯t mind taking a damned bullet for mine too.¡± His voice was gruff, and his expression had turned rigid and unreadable again.


    Matteo would go to any length to protect me, but he hadn¡¯t mentioned my name. He had said mine. Mine could be Kendall or his family.


    If he desired to protect me, Matteo would have definitely mentioned my given name. Yet, why did he look so pissed about the thought of Vittorio and me?

 S3x on the beach

    DEIRDRE POV


    Matteo left again. This time, I wasn¡¯t disturbed knowing he was with Vottorio, a few distance from me. Also, I was d that I could have free time to myself.


    I sensed Matteo¡¯s eyes on me. He had been staring at me ever since he had left to speak with Vittorio.


    It felt as though he was trying to overlook all that I was doing, or he was trying to monitor the movement I made.


    Not only that. I felt the heat of his intense gaze, the way they stripped me naked slowly, and my pussy reacted to him.


    My pussy was moist, and my juice was almost dripping down my pant; if anyone was ever staring at my thigh, they could see that I was clearly aroused.


    I didn¡¯t understand the reason Matteo was doing it, but then he was Matteo. Even if I did approach him, he would let me know there wasn¡¯t anything wrong with him staring at his wife.


    He was being territorial. That could be hot and sexy, but with Matteo, it came with him being jealous, possessive, and obsessive.


    I knew he was jealous of Vittorio even if he wouldn¡¯t say it out loud, but he was the one to be med for Vittorio¡¯s closeness towards me.


    He had been the one who told Vittorio to look after me in the first ce.


    ¡°Hi, best friend,¡± Leslie said, falling into step beside me. ¡°Never thought you enjoyed the sunset.¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± I smiled at her before ncing at the sky again. ¡°It is one of the things I do in my time.¡±


    Staring dreamily at the sky, waiting for Prince Charming to sweep me off my feet. But I knew it was far from reality. I had been pregnant, ran away from my baby¡¯s father, and now I was back with him, fucking and sharing his bed.


    It was no fairy tail, and definitely Matteo was no prince charming.


    ¡°Thank God I am not the only crazy person who does that,¡± Leslie giggled, then sighed. ¡°You look beautiful.¡±


    ¡°I do?¡± I raised a brow at her.


    I was wearing a spaghetti thin strap flora dress. It was knee-length and didn¡¯t exactly reveal my shape.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Also, my face was void of makeup, and my hair was currently all over my face, and some had been in my mouth earlier. If that was the definition of being pretty, ording to Leslie, then maybe I would dly take the crown.


    ¡°You are fucking gorgeous, Deirdre. Now I see why he¡¯s all over you,¡± She said.


    ¡°Matteo?¡± I asked.


    Matteo wasn¡¯t all over me. He was only after what he could get from me. He was after Kendall and my body.


    ¡°No, I am not talking about your husband. I am talking about Vittorio,¡± Leslie whispered.


    ¡°Vittorio?¡± I snorted. Why did everyone assume we had something?


    First, Leslie had confused us being together, Matteo had used me of tolerating him more than I should, and now Leslie was talking about him being all over me.


    It was strange. I wondered how both Matteo and Leslie think.


    ¡°You should see how he looks at you, Deirdre. He¡¯s so fucking into you, but then, your husband has to be in the picture. Right now, I feel sorry for Vittorio because one look from Matteo could scorch down a man.¡± Leslie sighed.


    ¡°Vittorio is my friend. He knows I am married, and I don¡¯t think he¡¯s into me as you are making it.¡± I said.


    Leslie shook her head, ¡°I am very much observant than you are. Also, why do you think your husband keeps trying to disrupt both of you when you are together? He definitely knows he has a thing for you.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I said. Matteo was only jealous. Even if a fly looked my way, he would still be jealous. I was certain it had nothing to do with Vittorio.


    ¡°Whatever, but be careful. I don¡¯t think your husband enjoys seeing both of you together,¡± She said, then stood to feet.


    ¡°What would you like to drink? Luckily for you, we have a variety of liquor you can see in the outside world. Please don¡¯t tell me water; you need to loosen up yourself a little,¡± Leslie said.


    ¡°I think water is reasonable,¡± I said.


    ¡°Sex on the beach it is then. I bet on you gettingid after it,¡± Leslie said, then sped away before I could ask her to bring just water.


    I sighed, watching her speaking to a burly blond that was two inches taller than she was. She reminded me of Kelsey. Her craziness, optimism, and ability to uplift my spirit even when she was saying the craziest thing.


    I missed my best friend. I missed Kelsey so much, and I wondered if she was trying to reach me at this moment. She must be worried sick.


    ¡°Deirdre,¡±


    I turned my head so fast that I almost got a whish to gaze at Vittorio. He grinned, stepping towards me with arge tray in his hands.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I asked, searching around for Matteo.


    He was just with Vittorio; I wonder where he had gone. Also, I wondered if it would be awkward to ask Vittorio if he knew where Matteo went.


    ¡°Who gave you these?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°Oh, I took them from Leslie.¡± He said, then added me one.


    ¡°That¡¯s sex on the beach for you. But really?¡± He asked. ¡°I thought you were a grape juice kind of girl?¡±


    Vittorio¡¯s eyes appraised me, and a smirk formed on his face as he stared back at me.


    I flushed, shaking my head. He remembered what I told him the first night we met.


    ¡°Leslie chose it for me. I wanted water,¡± I pointed out.


    ¡°Ah, I thought as much. I presumed you were about to bring out the unseen part of you.¡± He chuckled.


    ¡°Unseen part of me?¡± I asked him as I sipped on my drink.


    ¡°Carefree, not thinking about consequences and¡­¡± His voice trailed off, and a smile formed on his face.


    ¡°And what?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°And that¡¯s my cue to leave,¡± Vittorio said, standing.


    ¡°Wait, why?¡± I asked.


    Vittorio didn¡¯t reply, but I got the answer to my question as I saw Matteo-an angry-looking Matteo striding towards us.

 S3X

    DEIRDRE POV


    I didn¡¯t know how we got into the water, with me bent over and Matteo behind me.


    From arguing about my decision of not letting Vittorio stay away from me to being in the shallow part of the water with Matteo¡¯s hand all over my body.


    A slight tap on my backside almost made me careen, but Matteo¡¯s grip was strong; one of his hands was under my belly while his other hand was on my pants.


    ¡°Matteo,¡± I whispered, my breath hitching as I felt his hot breath on my butt.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°What does it look like, Cara?¡± Matteo asked. ¡°I am trying to punish you for disobeying my order before putting a gun into that son of a bitch¡¯s skull.¡±


    Hisrge calloused palm kneaded my ass. My teeth clenched as he mmed it on my ass. Shutting my eyes and letting out two deep breaths through my nose, I opened my eyes again.


    ¡°I did nothing wrong, and Vittorio is my friend,¡± I gritted as he mmed me for the second time.


    My eyes watered, and so did my pussy. Fuck!


    I was turned on even though I was being punished.


    ¡°I never said you could make a friend, did I? Especially not with someone as Vittorio,¡± He said.


    I felt his finger sneak downward towards my asscheeks, and then it moved inward.


    I mped my legs, then opened them involuntarily as Matteo pped my butt for the third time.


    Unable to suppress the tears, I let them fall down my cheeks.


    ¡°You¡¯re wet, Cara, and smell so delicious. Do I eat you out in public since you enjoyed being humiliated?¡± Matteo asked.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    I could imagine him gazing at me innocently, but there was nothing innocent about his question.


    Shaking my head frantically, I gazed around the beach area. It was nearly deserted. But a few more people were there, and I presumed they were the drunk ones. Also, I was d. Even if Matteo was to do anything sinful, no one was going to know.


    ¡°Why Deirdre? Don¡¯t you desire that anymore? I thought it was your wildest, sinful fantasy.¡± Matteo said, then turned me abruptly, pulling me down so I was face level with him.


    His hands cupped the back of my head, and he snarled, ¡°I want you to remember this day, Deirdre. No man is allowed near you. I won¡¯t promise to be patient with you anymore, and I will take matters into my own hands.¡±


    ¡°I am kind enough to let them breathe the same air as you without tearing out their lungs, but I won¡¯t be that kind not to make their heart cease beating next time,¡± Matteo said, his eyes shing dangerously.


    Then his lips locked on mine without giving me a moment to speak.


    The kiss wasn¡¯t a gentle one. It was hard, punishing, and, well, pleasurable.


    ¡°Matteo,¡± I murmured into the kiss as his hand moved downwards and stopped when it was at the entrance of my pussy.


    His rough thumb and index finger gripped my clit, earning a gasp from me.


    I gripped his shoulder and attempted to peel my lips from his to enable me to breathe, but Matteo¡¯s lips were unyielding.


    My eyeballs rolled into my head as he added pressure. He kept rubbing, twisting, and pinching.


    Waves of pleasure surged through me, and I gasped inwardly. My hands pushed at Matteo¡¯s shoulder as I felt the first build-up of my orgasm about to release.


    ¡°Come, Deirdre,¡± Matteo rasped, pushing his index finger inside my pussy.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I gasped out, shuddering anding all over his finger.


    My eyes widened as I took in the environment. We were still inside the water, and for a moment, I had thought we were in the room.


    ¡°We defiled the water, Matteo,¡± I said, watching as he lifted his glistening finger to my eye level.


    Matteo chuckled, shaking his head, ¡°Do you want to taste yourself?¡± He asked me, cing his finger on my lips.


    He rubbed my juice all over my lips as though it was lipgloss before letting his head dip, ¡°I want to taste you, Deirdre, while you taste yourself in my mouth.¡±


    He stuck his finger into my mouth, letting out a deep, throaty moan. That could easily be the most enthralling thing I had ever seen.


    Matteo sucked on his finger with his eyes closed while his other hand pumped his dick.


    ¡°Come, Dolcezza,¡± He beckoned on me, and I did. ¡°Kiss me.¡±


    Shyly, I nodded and let my arms wrap around him. I took his lips in a gentle kiss.


    The kiss was salty and had another distinct vour I couldn¡¯t describe. I knew it was due to the sea and then my arousal.


    When the need for air became necessary, we drifted apart. But that was just the beginning.


    ¡°On your knees,¡± Matteo ordered, then pointed to his dick. ¡°Pull me off, Deirdre.¡±


    He ordered. There was something about the way he kept mentioning my name. It didn¡¯t sound like the usual way he often said it with anger or even casually. This was affectionate and beautiful, coupled with his Italian ent that entuated each letter.


    Pushing down his Bermuda shorts, my eyes widened as his dick sprang free from the restraint.


    Fuck. He was getting bigger each day.


    Thest time my throat had hurt as he kept pushing his dick into my mouth and not caring if I was hurt or not.


    But I had called for it anyway. I had made him do it.


    I gazed up at him as his hand wrapped around my hair.


    ¡°Tell me if I hurt you, Deirdre. Say stop if you can no longer go,¡± Matteo said, and I nodded in affirmation.


    Licking my lower lip, I let my tongue touch the tip of his dick.


    ¡°Shit,¡± Matteo groaned. ¡°That feels good; your tongue feels good.¡± His fingers dug harder into my hair.


    It was difficult to keep my focus on the task as his hand kept massaging my scalp, but I managed to. Looking up to see Matteo¡¯s face, he was breathing heavier.


    Ipped at his length and sucked at the base until Matteo pulled himself from my mouth, his eyes fluttering closed for a moment.


    Then, they flew open and looked straight into my own. They weren¡¯t angry or annoyed. They were filled with lust. With desire.


    That was exactly what I wanted to see. At least to know I was sucking him off it right.


    ¡°Good,¡± Matteo breathed before lowering his hand to grip the base of his cock.


    His eyes locked with mine.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think for one minute I don¡¯t want to fuck you right now,¡± he said.


    Matteo pulled me up, his eyes locking on mine.


    Hemanded, his voice strained. ¡°Show me what kind of woman you have be. Show me who you really are.¡±


    My hands found its way to his neck, holding on tightly. I pressed my lips together and watched as he leaned into me and nipped my earlobe lightly, making shivers run down my spine. Then he sucked on the side of my neck, sucking on the skin there, licking and biting as he worked his way down to suckle my breasts, squeezing them softly in the process.


    ¡°Please, Matteo,¡± I whimpered as I bit my bottom lip, hoping he would get the hint to push his dick into my pussy already.


    ¡°Patience, my darling,¡± He mumbled against my chest before sucking my nipple roughly.


    My hands went behind his back as he continued sucking my breast, making me arch and moan, unable to control myself.


    I tried to resist but couldn¡¯t. His hands moved down my body and cupped my ass, then lifted me up. Wrapping my legs around his waist, he pressed his hardness against my pussy, and I stifled a moan.


    ¡°I love it when you beg,¡± Matteo murmured, his voice husky, and I could feel him grin against my chest.


    ¡°Please,¡± I pleaded again.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Matteo replied, then mmed into me roughly, sending a wave of pleasure through me.


    ¡°Shit, faster,¡± I moaned, tossing my head back while I held onto his shoulder as tight as I could.


    Without hesitation, Matteo mmed into me harder, increasing his speed.


    Sweat poured down my temples despite the coolness of the beach area while Matteo grunted.


    He clutched my clit, rubbing it as he thrust into me with much more speed than I could imagine.


    I cried out. I was sure my voice was heard throughout the Condo and the beach area, but I didn¡¯t care. All that mattered at this moment was the feel of Matteo¡¯s dick inside of me.


    My orgasm began to subside, and I came down from it, panting, exhausted.


    Looking at me, Matteo said, ¡°Are you satisfied yet?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m satisfied.¡± I panted out, and Matteo smiled down at me.


    ¡°Now cum, Deirdre. Let me hear those sounds again.¡±


    Feeling like my limbs were jelly, I did what Matteo told me too quickly. My whole body shook violently as hot liquid spurted out of my pussy, sshing onto Matteo¡¯s stomach.


    After that, I stayed in his arms,pletely spent, breathing heavily as he ran his fingers through my wet hair.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± I hummed, feeling my eyelids close.


    ¡°No,¡± Matteo whispered, his tone stern, and I opened my eyes to look at him.


    There was a serious expression on his face, which seemed different from his usual ones.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked, lifting my hand to stroke his cheek tenderly. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not done yet,¡± Matteo said.


    My eyes widened as I gazed at him, then at his dick which was still very much hard.


    ¡°Now, we are getting to the second phase, Deirdre. You are not allowed to fall asleep,¡± He said.


    I shook my head as Matteo stepped out of the water, naked.


    At least I was still in my gown. He had only pushed it down to assess my breast.


    Frantically, I gazed around the beach area and let out a relieved sigh as I saw no one there.


    Matteo reached for a nket andid me on it.


    ¡°All fours, Deirdre. I want to ride you.¡± Matteo said, and with myst energy, I pushed myself up.


    There was no way I could resist doing all that he said.


    I thought I was done, too, but Matteo¡¯s words always affected me.


    I was on all fours, and Matteo probed my pussy for a while before pushing his dick into me. I lost track of time when he did.


    I wondered how long we were in the position, but all that I remembered was Matteo saying dirty words to keep me going, groping my breasts and pping my ass at the same time as though I was a horse he was riding, and then, finally, orgasm.


    He was still panting from it while I tried to clean myself.


    He stood, gazing at me, ¡°Can you stand?¡± His expression was serious, and I shook my head.


    Even if I could stand, I doubted I could walk to the Condo without falling on my face.


    ¡°Good thing you have me here,¡± He smirked, jumping to his feet and holding out a hand to me.


    With his help, I stood, and he piggybacked me to the condo.

 You’re pregnant

    DEIRDRE POV


    DAY SIX


    I was sore all over. My back, legs, lower abdomen, and even hands ached.


    The queasy feeling in my stomach made the ache even worse than it should, and my head thumped.


    Peeling my eyes open, I let out a moan, squitting as bright light from the sun shed into them.


    ¡°Do I let the curtains down?¡± Matteo asked, and I saw him.


    He was hovering over me, and I noticed he had a bowl in his hand. His hair was disheveled; he didn¡¯t look like he had caught a wink of sleep.


    Setting the bowl with him down, he dipped the towel he had hung around his neck into the water, allowed it to soak, and squeezed it afterward.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked, attempting to sit up, but Matteo pushed me back down before cing the towel on my forehead.


    Matteo was gentle. Too gentle with me that I almost burst into tears. He could be a beast one minute demanding respect; another minute, he was like a doting husband.


    I didn¡¯t understand what was going on. Thest thing I remembered was after arriving at the Condo; I had slept off immediately; he dropped me on the bed.


    I didn¡¯t think anything else happened the previous night. Well, aside from the sex we had on the beach.


    I flushed as the memory flooded into me. Of course, I didn¡¯t want to remember what had happened and concentrated on what was happening, but it was hard trying not to.


    Matteo gazed at me seriously, and I wondered what he was thinking.


    ¡°Did I hit my head or something?¡± I asked him.


    He shook his head, ¡°You are sick, Deirdre, and that besides the point, were you on birth control?¡±


    ¡°Birth control?¡± I muttered.


    My eyes widened. I hadn¡¯t thought of that while opening my legs and letting Matteo have his way with me. I never had any reason to think of birth control until now because, well, I hadn¡¯t been sexually active for three years now.


    ¡°I take that as a no,¡± Matteo said dryly.


    ¡°No,¡± I nodded. ¡°What does that have to do with me being sick?¡±Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You could be pregnant,¡± He deadpans.


    My eyes immediately went to my still-t stomach. I doubted it.


    We were only on the Ind for six days, and Matteo and me had only fucked three times. I believed it was too early to tell if I was pregnant or not.


    But I hoped not.


    Thest thing I wanted was to be tied down with another child. Kendall was enough.


    Having another baby for Matteo would seem too much.


    ¡°It¡¯s too soon to tell if I am pregnant or not,¡± I told him as he continued gazing at me.


    ¡°I know a pregnant woman when I see one, Deirdre, and this damned Ind doesn¡¯t even have a doctor,¡± Matteo muttered.


    ¡°I¡¯m not pregnant, Matteo,¡± I giggled slightly, shaking my head, and instantly regretted it as it ached.


    ¡°I believe I am suffering from the flu and not some pregnancy symptoms,¡± I said.


    ¡°You look pale. You have lost a lot of weight too and¡­¡± Matteo eyed me with a frown etched on his face.


    ¡°I can look pale when sick with the flu, and I don¡¯t think my body agrees with the Ind food much. And¡­¡±


    ¡°And sinfully sexy, Deirdre,¡± Matteo muttered.


    He groaned, removing the towel on my forehead, dipping it into the water once again, and squeezed.


    ¡°How can you look so beautiful even when sick, Deirdre?¡± he asked me.


    I doubted I looked anything like that. Matteo was trying to be nice; I knew that.


    I had been sick a few times, and I wouldn¡¯t exactly call my appearance sexy whenever I gazed into the mirror.


    Yes, he was right about me looking pale. That would be the first sign, and then losing weight.


    But I had never looked anything beautiful.


    ¡°You should rest, Deirdre, and I am sorry for subjecting you to all that stress,¡± Matteo said.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± I told him.


    ¡°It is,¡± Matteo muttered. ¡°At least everything happened because of me.¡±


    There was a brief silence in the room, and then he spoke again, standing to his feet. ¡°I¡¯ll look around to get some soup for you. If only I find one,¡± He muttered thest statement to himself.


    Yes, if only he found one, because I didn¡¯t think he would.


    Matteo leaned into me and brushed his lips against my forehead before stepping to the door.


    As soon as he left, my thoughts went back to the possibility of me being pregnant.


    There was no way I could possibly be pregnant. At least, I didn¡¯t feel anything except maybe the queasy feeling in me.


    All the symptoms I had felt with Kendall were non-existent.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want a baby,¡± I mumbled. At least not for now.


    My eyes fluttered briefly as they grew heavy, and they snapped open as I heard a knock on the door.


    Hoping it was Matteo as I ushered the person behind the door in, I let out a disappointed sigh as I saw Leslie.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t look too sad!¡± Leslie said.


    ¡°And you are sick. Are you certain you are not pregnant?¡± Leslie asked me. ¡°I have some test kit you can use¡­.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not pregnant, Leslie. Aside from the fact that we only started sleeping with each other, I don¡¯t want another child at the moment.¡± I said.


    Leslie raised a brow, staring at me, but she said nothing. I guess she understood what I meant by not being ready to have another child. Even if she didn¡¯t understand me, I doubted I would exin anything to her because I didn¡¯t owe her an exnation.


    ¡°I brought you soup and drugs. After eating, we can discuss about boys,¡± Leslie grinned.


    Well, typical Leslie.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Matteo?¡± I asked. He had been the one to search for soup, and I assumed he would be the one to bring it to me.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t say where he was going, but he asked me to watch over you,¡± Leslie said.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a handicap,¡± I said.


    ¡°But you are sick,¡± Leslie pointed out.


    I rolled my eyes at her before touching the lid of the te.


    I hadn¡¯t begun eating when Leslieunched into her story about, well, boys.


    I could use Leslie¡¯spany right now, even though she could talk my ears off.

 Afraid I might die

    DEIRDRE POV


    I didn¡¯t know how long it had been, but Leslie was still speaking. The only contribution I had made was just nodding my head at whatever she had said.


    I couldn¡¯t exactly say anything since I was eating, and Leslie didn¡¯t mind I said nothing.


    The soup and drug I took made me feel better. Although the headache had barely lessened, the queasiness I was feeling had disappeared.


    I stretched out my legs from underneath me and used a pillow to brace my back before staring at Leslie again.


    ¡°You are not listening,¡± She said.


    ¡°I was,¡± I denied, rolling my eyes.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t,¡± She pointed out. ¡°If you were, what was myst statement?¡± she asked me.


    ¡°You spoke about¡­¡± I trailed off before shaking my head.


    ¡°You see, I wasn¡¯t joking, and I am slightly offended,¡± Leslie narrowed her eyes, but I believed she was kidding.


    She didn¡¯t look anything angry.


    The only time I had ever seen her being serious was on our first day here. She had looked like she would give me a tough time, and I had wanted to dislike her instantly, but I was d I hadn¡¯t.


    ¡°How can I get Boytoy number 2 to notice me?¡± She asked.


    ¡°What do you mean by Boytoy number two?¡± I asked her.


    ¡°You know exactly whom I am speaking about.¡± She said.


    ¡°Vittorio?¡± I asked her, and she nodded.


    ¡°I want him to notice me as much as he noticed you. I mean, you shouldn¡¯t be the only one getting the attention. Besides, you are already taken, and I am single,¡± She pouted.


    ¡°What is your secret, Deirdre?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I have none,¡± Iughed. Why would she think I had one?


    ¡°You have such a natural appeal; I am so jealous,¡± She groaned, falling back on the bed.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault Vittorio noticed me. Also, it¡¯s sometimes weird because I have never thought of him in such a manner.¡±


    Even though I didn¡¯t understand the way he felt about me, I was sometimes ufortable when he came closer to me.


    ¡°You should always redirect him to me, put in good words for me, and I am sure he would stoping to you,¡± Leslie suggested.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try my best,¡± I told her.


    ¡°Great, I love you!¡± She squealed, gripping my lower body, making me wince.


    ¡°Sorry, sorry,¡± She said.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Just then, Matteo stepped into the room, and Leslie stood up.


    ¡°That¡¯s my cue to leave,¡± She stood and waved, but before she left, she said, ¡°Do not forget your promise.¡±


    ¡°What promise?¡± Matteo asked as soon as she left.


    ¡°It¡¯s silly,¡± I dismissed.


    ¡°Girls talk?¡± he asked, and I nodded.


    ¡°Girls talk,¡± then I added, ¡°Where did you go?¡±


    ¡°To find a damned doctor for you.¡± He said, pushing a hand through his hair.


    I saw the frustration he was trying to hide.


    ¡°I am not sick, Matteo besides Leslie brought drugs, and I am better now,¡± I said. ¡°I doubt a doctor is necessary.¡±


    ¡°A doctor is necessary, Deirdre. We don¡¯t even know what exactly is wrong, and what if you got worse?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Are you afraid for me? It¡¯s funny to see you concerned about my well-being.¡± I said.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always been concerned about your well-being, Deirdre, and you are the mother of my child. What kind of man would I be if I decided to turn a blind eye to what was happening?¡± He questioned.


    ¡°A jerk, perhaps,¡± I replied.


    Well, he was still a jerk, although I think he was bing less of one this day.


    Matteo ignored me; he paced around the room briefly, then halted. He stepped towards the bed, sat on it, and gripped my hand.


    ¡°I¡¯ll look for another alternative, Deirdre.¡± He said.


    I pulled my hands from his, giggling. ¡°You¡¯re hrious, Matteo. Why are you making it look as though I am seriously ill? Even if it gets serious, I am going to be fine.¡±


    Was this the first time he was around a sick person? I doubted.


    But he was acting really strange, as if I was going to die if he blinked his eyes.


    Or worst, disappear from his life.


    Yes, I wanted to disappear, but definitely not in this state.


    ¡°You should sleep, Matteo. You have dark circles under your eyes, and I fear you might be sick too.¡± I rubbed his taut cheek before cupping it.


    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± He said. Matteo shook out his hair before brushing a hand through it, tousling it further.


    ¡°Why not?¡± I asked him. ¡°Are you afraid I am going to leave?¡± and when did he start fearing that I would?


    This was Matteo Ferrari. He was barely afraid of anything.


    At least, even if he were to be afraid, not for me. I had never seen him genuinely care about me until now.


    ¡°I can¡¯t, Deirdre,¡± His voice sounded strained.


    ¡°Why not?¡± I asked him again.


    Matteo stood to his feet, stepping to the door and ignoring my question.


    He pulled out a mobile phone from his pocket and tossed it towards me.


    I gazed at it; it was a two-way radio.


    ¡°I have an extra,¡± Matteo said, showing it to me. ¡°I use it tomunicate. At least I try to use it. Anyways, I am going out, and if you desire to reach out to me, you should use it.¡±


    Matteo stepped out soon after. He hadn¡¯t given an answer to my question. Also, he didn¡¯t tell me how to use the two-way radio. I had never used one before. I wonder how he wanted me tomunicate with him when he gave no instruction whatsoever.


    Sighing, Iy on the bed, gazing at the ceiling. For a while, my mind thought of random things, but mostly, it was Kendall and potential pregnancy.


    Eventually, I grew exhausted, and my eyes were heavy. Even though I tried staying awake to wait for Matteo, I couldn¡¯t.


    I gave in to the slumber soon after.

 The Village

    MATTEO


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be with your wife? I thought she was sick. You could use apany right now,¡± Vittorio said behind me.


    ¡°What has that got to do with you?¡± I turned to re at him.


    ¡°Nothing. I was just concerned,¡± He said.


    ¡°Well, ce your concern on someone who cares. Deirdre is taken,¡± I said.


    Goodness, he was starting to piss me off. The urge to turn and shove my fist into his face filled me, but what would Deirdre think of me?


    ¡°Noted, Matteo. I had no intention of taking your wife away from you, but not like I would object if she decided to leave you,¡± He said, smirking.


    Fuck what Deirdre would think about me. Tightening my right hand into first, I mmed it into his face.


    ¡°Fuck Ferrari,¡± Vittorio gasped, stumbling back.


    ¡°Mention my wife¡¯s name one more time, and I won¡¯t be sorry when my bullets are lodged in your heart.¡± I glowered.


    ¡°Woah, I was fucking taunting you. I had no intention of taking your wife even if she decides to leave you; call it a brotherhood, whatever,¡± He eximed.


    Of course, I knew he was taunting me.


    Well, I hadn¡¯t punched him because of his statement. It was because of his closeness to Deirdre.


    How do I say he should stop being around her without me looking like a possessive freak?Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    It wasn¡¯t like I minded being possessive. It was because of Deirdre. She was mind and should be mine alone.


    ncing at the walkie-talkie with me, I realized I hadn¡¯t given her any instruction on how to use it.


    I was sure she would figure it out.


    ¡°Fuck, your fist is an iron,¡± Vittorio muttered, gripping his nose.


    It looked broken, and I didn¡¯t care.


    Removing the handkerchief from my pocket, I tossed it towards him.


    ¡°Wow, such a nice soul,¡± Vittorio replied with sarcasmcing his words.


    I shrugged, then nced around where we were.


    We were deep in the forest. Our aim was to try to look for a spot where the signal was better for more essiblemunication.


    I desired to reach Giovanni. I wondered if my funeral was already getting nned as they might have assumed I was dead. Definitely, the news of the sinking ship must have gotten to them.


    The journey was meant to be up to six days that we had used on this ind. At most, four days, and I had nned on spending a week with Deirdre before returning.


    ¡°If you are so concerned about her, I think you should have stayed in the room with her. It will be easier for you to watch her there.¡± Vittorio said.


    I turned to look at him, and he shrugged.


    He did have a point. I was worried about Deirdre, but I couldn¡¯t stay in the room with her. She was the main reason I had left the room.


    I didn¡¯t know the nature of her sickness, and I had tried getting a doctor, but the ind definitely didn¡¯t have one, to begin with. No one fucking had a medical background.


    Although I knew it might just be the flu and the ind climate affecting her altogether, I had brought up the possibility of a potential pregnancy.


    Deirdre wasn¡¯t on any birth control. She could be pregnant. Or was it too soon to think of pregnancy? I wondered.


    But I couldn¡¯t help it. I wanted a baby. Call it selfish to want Deirdre to stay longer with me. I wanted another child, and I wished to be there for it all through the pregnancy stage.


    ¡°You are so fucking crazy in love, Ferrari,¡± Vittorio muttered, ¡°Did she know about it?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I grunted.


    ¡°Did you confess your feelings to Deirdre?¡± he asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business, and I have no such feelings for her,¡± I said.


    Aside from the fact that I cared about her well-being, there was nothing that I felt for her.


    She was Kendall¡¯s mother. I couldn¡¯t pretend like she didn¡¯t exist or, worse, make my daughter pay for her sin by making her lose her mother to a sickness.


    ¡°Whatever you say, Ferrari. Just know it¡¯s pretty obvious you love her,¡± Vittorio said.


    ¡°Can you please stop? Let¡¯s concentrate on our being here,¡± I scowled.


    Vittorio nodded, his face turning serious.


    ncing around, he tilted his walkie-talkie in the air. ¡°I think we might have a signal around here, but it keeps going off.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s walk further,¡± I proposed, and Vittorio agreed.


    We walked deeper into the forest and halted at a point.


    Not being we desire to stop but because of the shell-like building and several huts in front of me.


    ¡°There¡¯s a vige?¡± Vittorio eximed. ¡°Fuck there¡¯s a vige!¡±


    What was before me looked at least like a vige. Children were running around withughter ringing in the air, donkeys carrying some goods on their backs, and I saw two horse riders from my vantage point trying to race each other.


    They looked healthy, and it felt like it was their natural habitat rather than they had been forced to be here.


    Perhaps it was the ce they originated from.


    ¡°How about we go talk to them? They could be of help to us,¡± Vittorio said. ¡°Or we could stay and watch, then return and be miserable.¡±


    ¡°And what if they are cannibals?¡± I asked even though they didn¡¯t look like one.


    But no one would tattoo the word cannibal on their forehead.


    ¡°When do you start bing afraid of Cannibals, Ferrari? If you wish, we could return,¡± Vittorio said.


    I wasn¡¯t scared, but I doubted the bullets I had in my gun would be enough to kill them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s give it a trial. Who knows, we might find a doctor for your wife,¡± He said, and I nodded.


    ¡°Great,¡± Vittorio grinned as he led the way.


    I never thought we woulde across a vige, much less agree to go there to seek help even though they could pose a threat to us.


    But it was all for Deirdre. And I needed to get off the Ind as soon as I could to go back to my normal life.

 I hurt all over

    DEIRDRE POVUpstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Matteo was right. The sickness did intensify. I came awake earlier feeling nauseous.


    I couldn¡¯t tell if it was the after-effect of the soup I had eaten or from the drugs I had taken, but I had emptied all the contents of my stomach, and I was still hurling.


    At this rate, if I continued, I would hurl everything in my stomach into the toilet.


    The aches in my body had worsened. My head was thumping as though someone was deliberately pounding it. My ears rang. It felt as if I had strings that were pulled continuously in them.


    And my temperature was another thing. It had spiked higher.


    ¡°Matteo,¡± I groaned, gripping the toilet seat.


    Where did he go, and why did he leave?


    Laying on the floor, I breathed in and out through my mouth before standing quickly and dipping my head into the toilet as I felt the urge to hurl again.


    When I was done, I was able to crawl to the sink. Luckily, it was sturdy enough for me to use to stand upright.


    Washing my face and rinsing my mouth, I trudged back into the room.


    Grabbing the walkie-talkie, I punched some random numbers. I didn¡¯t know exactly what I was doing, but I knew one would definitely be Matteo¡¯s.


    But no matter the number I pressed, nothing worked.


    ¡°I hate this,¡± I grimaced, tossing the phone across the room. Then Iy on the bed for a while.


    Standing up again, I climbed down from the bed, picking up the phone from the floor.


    Dialing the numbers randomly once again, I red at the screen.


    ¡°How the fuck can you give this to me without a user manual? If I die, my blood is on your hands, Matteo, because I never asked to be brought here.¡± I said.


    ¡°A dead woman doesn¡¯t talk, Cara,¡± I heard the deep voice at the other end.


    My eyes lit up, and so did my spirit. ¡°Matteo!¡±


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± he asked.


    I heard shuffling at the other end and noises. It didn¡¯t sound like Matteo had gone exploring as I had thought. He should be in the forest right now with Vittorio. At least Vittorio was one person and didn¡¯t have the voices of a hundred people. Also, birds do not speak.


    ¡°Where are you?¡± I asked, frowning even though he couldn¡¯t see me.


    ¡°I asked you a question, Cara. You should answer me.¡± Matteo said.


    ¡°I am fine,¡± I said, then winced as I felt a prick at my side.


    ¡°That voice doesn¡¯t sound like someone who is fine,¡± Matteo said.


    ¡°Well, I am Matteo. Now, do I get to know where you are?¡± I asked him.


    I was sounding like a jealous wife right now, but I didn¡¯t care. I didn¡¯t want to think of Matteo being with some leggy blonde, but I couldn¡¯t help it.


    Also, from the noises, I sensed he was in some kind of bar.


    I hadn¡¯t seen any leggy blonde around here; likewise, I hadn¡¯t seen any bar. If there had been any, Leslie would have taken me there or even spoken about it.


    ¡°I am nowhere,¡± Matteo said.


    He was trying to dodge my question. I knew him too well.


    Another prick shot through me, but this time, it was from my head, and it was severe.


    I groaned out loud, letting the phone fall off my hand onto the bed momentarily.


    My eyes shut, and I sped my head with both my hands.


    ¡°Are you alright, Deirdre?¡± Matteo asked. I heard the concern in his voice.


    I wanted to deny not being right and I wanted to tell him off. At least a part of me wanted to act that way due to the jealousy that had unfurled within me.


    But I didn¡¯t.


    ¡°I¡¯m in pain, Matteo. You promised to arrive soon, but you¡¯ve left for almost a decade, and my body fucking hurts. My head is heavy, and I¡¯ve been throwing up¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be on my way,¡± Matteo cut me off, and I heard the line went dead.


    Rolling on the bed, I let my mind wander away from the pain until Matteo arrived. But the more my thoughts wandered, the more pain I felt.


    It didn¡¯tst long, though. It subsided a few secondster.


    I breathed out, gazing at the door, counting numbers, waiting for Matteo¡¯s arrival.


    I didn¡¯t think he was going to show up just yet. It didn¡¯t look like he was anywhere around the Condo.


    For the second time, the pain shot through me. It was far worse than the first time.


    ¡°Just fucking kill me,¡± I cried.


    The flu shouldn¡¯t be as bad as this. I had never had it worse, and sometimes, with enough rest, it often went on its own.


    But with this, I didn¡¯t think anything would work. I had rested as much as I believed was needed. I had taken some drugs and even soup, which was medicinal; Leslie had told me it was.


    However, it felt as though I took nothing.


    Dialing the same number I did before, Matteo picked up, and I was d I didn¡¯t have to wait.


    ¡°How close are you?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Very close,¡± He said breathlessly.


    ¡°Is that Deirdre?¡± I heard Vittorio¡¯s voice.


    They were together. I felt a relieved sigh coursed through me.


    ¡°I might die,¡± I said.


    ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± Matteo grunted.


    ¡°My body hurts, Matteo, and I can¡¯t feel anything anymore,¡± I said.


    ¡°Stop being dramatic, Deirdre. I am almost there. I¡¯ll take you to a clinic to determine the nature of your sickness,¡± He said.


    But I wasn¡¯t being dramatic. I shouldn¡¯t be calling Matteo too and acting whiny, but I guess I was being pushed by the sickness.


    It was true; I couldn¡¯t feel anything. My eyes were starting to grow heavy, and the ringing in my ears had intensified.


    ¡°Deirdre, Deirdre!¡± I heard Matteo called on the walkie-talkie.


    I tried to reply, but my voice came out in a slur instead.


    ¡°Deirdre, stay with me,¡± Matteo said. His voice sounded near yet so far away.


    Then I saw him as he barged into the room.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Matteo cursed as he sprinted towards me.


    ¡°Help me here, Vittorio!¡±


    That was thest thing I heard before I fell unconscious.

 Get comfortable

    DEIRDRE POV


    Muffled voices, footsteps echoing, and the revolting scent of antiseptic wafted into my nostrils, pulling me out of my slumber.


    Swallowing back the nausea that rose, my teeth gritted, and I attempted to pry my eyes that seemed to be glued together. I seeded, wincing as the bright light shed into them.


    Snapping my eyes shut immediately, I opened them again, squinting.


    My gaze stayed fixated on the chandelier, currently swaying slowly. The wind drifted into the room through a crack in the window, rustling the ugly brown curtains.


    The walls of the room were painted in weird brown and blue colors, and arge cross sign was at the far corner of the room.


    The room itself wasrge, yet ugly, and I wasn¡¯t the only one in it. There were several beds in the room, the exact one I wasid in, and I saw some were empty while some were upied.


    I didn¡¯t recognize the room, and from what I could tell, I was in the hospital. I remembered Matteo saying he would take me to one, but that didn¡¯t assure me.


    ¡°Matteo?¡± I called, turning my head to search for him.


    Groaning as my head pounded due to the movement, I still tried to sit up.


    ¡°Matteo,¡± I called out again.


    This time, I received a prompt response.


    ¡°Here, sweetheart,¡± Matteo said from behind me.


    He took three long strides towards me and sat in the chair just beside my bed. Gripping my hands, he ced his palm on my forehead.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± He asked, a frown etched on his face.


    ¡°Where are we?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°A clinic,¡± He said.


    ¡°We found a vige,¡± He added as I frowned.


    By the we, I was sure he meant Vottorio. I hadn¡¯t seen him anyway.


    ¡°I feel awful,¡± I whispered.


    ¡°You¡¯ll get better,¡± Matteo assured. ¡°The doctor mentioned the flu had been around for a few days now. I guess you caught it during Thanksgiving since some of the vigers were in it, too.¡±


    I nodded, shutting my eyes briefly and opening them.


    ¡°You need to rest,¡± He said.


    ¡°What about you?¡± I asked him. He looked dishevelled, his hair stuck in all directions, and dark circles were underneath his eyelids.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. You need to recover as soon as you can,¡± He said.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look fine,¡± I murmured. ¡°You should rest.¡±


    Matteo shook his head, chuckling slightly. ¡°You should worry about yourself, Cara. I am thest person you should think about right now. Besides, I am doing all that I can to get us out of here.¡±


    That I was sure of, he definitely was working too hard to get us out of the damned situation we were in. I was grateful, though.


    ¡°Matteo,¡± Vittorio called.


    He smiled when he reached my bedside, ¡°How are you feeling, Deirdre?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I murmured.


    ¡°You gave us quite a scare back there,¡± Vittorio said.


    I raised my brows at him, waiting for him to exin, but he shrugged.


    ¡°Your husband almost bit my head, and the doctor¡¯s off thinking you died. Even when we told him you were breathing, he threatened to blow down the ce if he didn¡¯t revive you,¡± Vittorio said.


    That sounded like what Matteo would do. I nced back at him to see him watching Vittorio with narrowed eyes.


    ¡°Do you have news for me?¡± He asked Vittorio.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Vittorio said, turning serious. ¡°I think you need to see this.¡±


    Matteo stood to his feet, leaned into me, grazing his lips on my cheeks, and whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    As he straightened, I nodded and gripped his hand, ¡°Don¡¯t stay out long.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Matteo shed me a small smile before turning to Vittorio, ¡°Come on.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t die, Deirdre. I am not ready to have my skin as a museum exhibit,¡± Vittorio let out and, at the same time, dodged a swat from Matteo.


    I giggled, shaking my head and then regretting it again.


    When both left, I felt suddenly lonely. It wasn¡¯t as if I could leave the spot I was in, even if I wished. I doubted I could stand myself.


    I stayed in bed, staring at the ceiling and counting sheep in my mind until my eyes grew heavy.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°Mrs Ferrari,¡± A voice said, pulling me out of my drowsiness.


    Frowning, I blinked several times, clearing the haze in my eyes as I tried to focus on who was before me.


    A middle-aged, pudgy man with a receding hairline stood before me. He had a ss perched on the bridge of his round nose, and he peered at the clipboard with him.


    ¡°Deirdre Ferrari,¡± He said.


    I was tempted to say it was Deirdre O¡¯Sullivan, but I doubted there was a need for that. Matteo must have told him I was a Ferrari.


    ¡°I am,¡± I murmured.


    ¡°You came down with the ViraGrip, and it¡¯s a good thing your husband got you here on time before it could get any worse. We¡¯ve had a number of casualties the few days it happened.¡± The doctor said.


    ¡°ViraGrip?¡± I murmured. It was my first time hearing such. And it sounded like some deadly epidemic.


    ¡°It¡¯s verymon on this Ind, and I am Doctor Feris,¡± He said.


    ¡°And it barely happens in the real world except, well, when an untreated patient leaves here by chance and gets into the real world, then it will get spread faster. But that¡¯s very unlikely.¡±


    ¡°By chance?¡± I asked. He had used the word unlikely, too.


    ¡°Yes, by chance,¡± He said, cing the clipboard with him on a nearby stand. ¡°I am going to check your vitals to ensure they are working fine and not copsing.¡±


    Doctor Ferris got to work, examining my sensitivity to light and well, checking my other vitals.


    ¡°Your husband threatened to have my head,¡± He chuckled. ¡°He seems like an important man in the society, and I don¡¯t want to get on his bad side.¡±


    ¡°You look perfect,¡± He said. ¡°Perhaps a little more rest will bring you back in shape.¡±


    ¡°When you said unlikely and by chance, what do you mean?¡± I asked as he gripped his clipboard.


    For a brief seconds, I thought he wouldn¡¯t respond to my question as he stared at me.


    Then he said, ¡°By default, this Ind isn¡¯t on the map. It¡¯s a nowhere ce in the world, and when I say that, it means no one ising for you. Or anyone else stuck on this ind.¡±


    But Leslie had said otherwise. Although it was hard, they hade eventually, yet she had refused to go.


    ¡°I was born here, Deirdre. So, I know things.¡± He said.


    ¡°So, we won¡¯t be going back to our world?¡± I asked him again.


    ¡°You won¡¯t. Well, unless a miracle happens. You might want to start gettingfortable.¡± He finished, walking towards the door.


    ¡°Gettingfortable?¡± I snorted. Kendall was in another world, and he advised me to getfortable.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather sooner throw myself inside the damned ocean than getfortable,¡± I murmured, sitting up on the bed.


    There was no way I was going to sit and getfortable while my daughter longed for me in the real world.

 You’re unwell

    DEIRDRE POV


    When Matteo arrived a little whileter, his eyes were bloodshot, and I saw the angry lines that marred his face.


    He looked as though he would pummel whoever approached him talking shit. Earlier, he didn¡¯t look this angry. I wondered if it was Vittorio that had gotten him mad.


    Yet, I knew Vittorio wouldn¡¯t want to be in the same room as Matteo. Even though I hadn¡¯t seen both engaged in a physical fight, I was sure Vittorio knew Matteo was a formidable man.


    Likewise, Vittorio¡¯s expression was the opposite of his. Despite the grimace that adorned his handsome face, he didn¡¯t look as angry as Matteo.


    Matteo stepped towards my bed and nced down at me briefly before looking at Doctor Feris, who strode into the room.


    ¡°Is she ready to be discharged?¡± He asked Doctor Feris.


    ¡°I rmend she stays longer because¡­¡± Doctor Feris frowned, then he shook his head. ¡°Never mind.¡±


    ¡°You rmend what?¡± Matteo grunted.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Doctor Feris said. ¡°And what¡¯s the rush? You can all stay as long as you desire here. No one is sending you off.¡±


    ¡°My wife, my rules,¡± Matteo let out before turning to me.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked him, searching his face. But his expression gave nothing away.


    Only anger. I didn¡¯t find any of the answers I was hoping for.


    ¡°Change of n,¡± Matteo replied in a gruff voice.


    Turning to Vittorio, he said, ¡°Make sure the boat is avable when it¡¯s needed.¡±


    ¡°Aye, aye, captain,¡± Vittorio saluted and did a mock bow before bestowing me with a grin. Then he turned on his heel as Matteo red at him.


    ¡°Are we escaping from here?¡± I asked him as he helped me out of bed.


    My legs touched the concrete floor, and I stayed that way for a brief second to steady myself before slipping into the fuzzy slippers Matteo had provided.


    ¡°Can you walk?¡± He asked, and I nodded.


    ¡°I can,¡± I said, then stumbled slightly.


    ¡°You can¡¯t,¡± Matteo said, ¡°You¡¯re weak.¡±


    Hisst statement was almost in a snarl, as if he didn¡¯t like weak people. I wanted to retort that it was due to my being ill. But then, Matteo hoisted me, striding out of the infirmary, leaving no room for discussion.


    As he carried me towards the next room, I caught a glimpse of my surroundings. Lots of children in ripped, dirty clothes ran around withughter ringing in the air; the adults moved around chattering while some reprimanded the running children.


    Also, I noticed some of the adults had goods. They wereid down a few distance from the infirmary.


    I couldn¡¯t help but wonder how they hade to enjoy staying here. I believed some of the people here it wasn¡¯t their natural abode, but then, circumstances had made them stay back.


    When Matteo arrived at another room, which wasn¡¯t the condo, he let me down.


    The room was somewhat smaller than the space that had been provided at the condo, yet it had the same cozy feeling.


    Colourful wallpapers adorned the walls, and I noticed it was only a window present.


    Likewise, a couch and only a bed were situated in the middle of the room, which I didn¡¯t mind.


    Beside the bed were some handmade crafts on the nightstand, and I walked towards it to pick up a canoe.


    Lifting it to my eye level, I turned to Matteo as he spoke.


    ¡°Do not get attached to anything on here. We are leaving as soon as we can.¡± He said, loosening the tie around his neck.


    I set the canoe down and cautiously took a step towards him. As I didn¡¯t stumble, I resumed with a normal stride and gripped the tie he was fumbling with.


    ¡°Let me,¡± I murmured.


    Matteo raised a brow, looking down at me, ¡°You should be resting. You are unwell.¡±


    ¡°Someone who¡¯s ill won¡¯t be here speaking to you in this manner. Would she? Besides, it¡¯s only a tie, and it¡¯s not as if I am engaging in something else.¡± I said.


    ¡°Something else?¡± Matteo asked.


    I nodded, then flushed as the image of Matteo¡¯s shirtless body surfaced in my mind. No, I didn¡¯t want to think about his shirtless body. But my mind was peculiar and did things I didn¡¯t want to do most of the time.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the point. The point is that you aren¡¯t in the right state of mind, and to risk strangling yourself, it¡¯s best I get it done.¡±


    I loosened the tie, then let my hands stay on his chest longer than it should. Feeling the steady beating of his heart, I gazed at him to see him staring at me as well.


    ¡°Deirdre,¡± Matteo murmured, then he shook his head, wincing. ¡°You¡¯re ill, and you should stay away from me for time being.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± I asked him, licking my lower lip, and then I bit on it slowly.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Matteo let out a soft growl; he gripped my chin before releasing my lip that was still caught between my teeth.


    ¡°I might lose control and quit biting your lips. Are you trying to seduce me on purpose?¡±


    ¡°W-what?¡± I sputtered, flushing. Even if it was done out of habit, I still did it to get his attention.


    Matteo sighed, his calloused thumb caressing my cheek. ¡°We are leaving here as soon as we can.¡±


    He reminded me even as I asked him no questions. He had changed from the flirty Matteo to a serious one. His gaze moved around the room before they stayed on mine.


    ¡°We are staying only a night here; you might as well enjoy it and make yourself feelfortable.¡± Matteo stepped away from me and moved towards the door.


    He halted, took onest look at me, and stepped out of the room without saying anything.


    Sighing, I walked back to the bed and sat on it. It was hard, unlike the bed from the Condo. But then again, I was grateful. At least they were hospitable enough to provide a space to rest in.


    Wounding Matteo¡¯s tie around my finger, I wondered what was up with him.


    He was even more broody than ever. And whatever had made him furious wasn¡¯t enough to be shared with me.


    He only mentioned leaving and nothing else. Perhaps asking Vittorio would be a better option. As far as I could tell, Vittorio was more open to me than Matteo was.


    And he¡¯d definitely tell me all that was going on. I only hoped it was good news that would be involved in leaving and not rotting on the ind.

 Yell at me again

    DAY SEVEN


    DEIRDRE POV


    Today didn¡¯t go as nned. Having woken up as early as 4 AM to set out without alerting the vigers, it had been thwarted.


    The raft we were meant to travel on was damaged beyond repair, and oh, the major parts had been taken as well.


    Matteo had flipped, yelling profanities in raw Italian in the air.


    Yes, he was still cursing at whoever had done that, and right now, I was back in the room with Matteo pacing around the room nonstop.


    ¡°Rx, Matteo. Someone will definitely realize we are missing and send help.¡±


    ¡°Send help?¡± Matteo scoffed. His eyes narrowed at me as though I was the one who had pissed him off.


    ¡°This dratted vige is not on the fucking map. It is fucking off the radar, and no, we won¡¯t be getting out easily after thest chance had been thwarted.¡± He grunted.


    I nodded, ¡°I understand that. But I believe something can happen¡­¡±


    ¡°Something like a miracle?¡± Matteo cut me off.


    As I nodded, he let out a humourlessughter, ¡°Don¡¯t be fucking delusional, Deirdre. We are trapped just as whoever wanted it did. We are fucking trapped.¡±


    Matteo puffed out a breath, plucked out the pack of cigars, and took out a stick.


    ¡°Matteo,¡± I murmured.


    As he tried to light the cigar, I stood to my feet, walking towards him, ¡°Smoking can¡¯t fix your problem.¡±


    ¡°At least, it¡¯ll give me the ability to be able to think properly, rather than scour the fucking vige to look for who had done that and blow off his head.¡±


    When the lighter he had didn¡¯t work, he looked at me, his brows raised, ¡°Got any lighter on you?¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°I don¡¯t smoke,¡± I rolled my eyes at him. ¡°And that can literally hurt you. You can have lung disease¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± Matteo said, halting my words, and he walked out of the room.


    Groaning, I sighed. I was, as well, affected.


    I had been happy to go back to Kendall, and seeing the damaged boat had thwarted all the possible reunion I had in mind.


    Yet, Matteo seemed to be taking it far more than Vittorio and me.


    He had taken out his anger on Vittorio earlier as well and threatened to pummel his face, but I was lucky to have been there to intervene before a fight ensued.


    Matteo stepped in a whileter; he didn¡¯t look as angry as he was earlier anymore.


    He sat on the couch, pushing a hand through his hair before tugging slightly.


    Standing, I walked towards him and crouched before him.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I murmured.


    Matteo turned to stare at me, and he shook his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m not even worried about the many fucking businesses I might be missing. Kendall is by herself¡­¡± Matteo trailed off, shutting his eyes, and took two controlled breaths.


    He seemed to be trying to control himself from bursting out.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel concerned?¡± He frowned at me. ¡°Or you are enjoying here as much as Vittorio is?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked him. His statement sounded usatory.


    ¡°Of course you are. I can see you ready to walk out the door and have a discussion of your life with him. I fucking brought you here to be taken care of, Deirdre. I fucking nursed you to health, but all you can ever think of is to flirt with him under my fucking nose. As if it wasn¡¯t disrespectful enough for you to flirt when you are married, you did that in my fucking presence!¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I questioned, frowning.


    I was genuinely curious. He had been mad about the damaged boat and now about me flirting with Vittorio, which I honestly couldn¡¯t remember doing.


    Of course, I had kept my distance from Vittorio as he had wanted me to, yet he was using me of nothing.


    ¡°If you want to act clueless, better do so with a clear intention. I wasn¡¯t blind, I fucking saw you.¡± He pushed me away from him and stood to his feet.


    Matteo returned to pacing around the room.


    ¡°You confuse me, Matteo; if you tell me how the hell I flirted with Vittorio, then I¡¯d apologize. I arrived here, yesterday was treated, and you don¡¯t fucking care about my wellbeing. Because if you had, like you said, you won¡¯t drag me out of that damned hospital to the boat when you are not even sure if it¡¯s working or not!¡± I tossed my hands in the air.


    Matteo turned to me; his eyes were narrowed, and he snarled. Moving towards me, he gripped my hand, causing me to flinch.


    ¡°Let me help you,¡± Matteo mimicked Vittorio¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Yes, thank you,¡± he added in a voice tinier, which I presumed was mine.


    ¡°Did you remember that?!¡± He growled into my face.


    ¡°Is that your definition of flirting?¡± I asked him.


    After the boat destruction and we were returning back to the vige, Matteo hadn¡¯t even spared me a nce. He had walked ahead, not even stopping to see if I was fine or not.


    Vittorio had offered to help me climb up a hill, which I was grateful for.


    I never thought Matteo had heard all that.


    ¡°What would you call that?¡± He hissed.


    ¡°He fucking helped me, Matteo. My so-called husband didn¡¯t even have the courtesy to do so. He stayed and helped me. How the fuck do you expect one with no experience to climb up a hill?!¡± I snapped back.


    ¡°Stay away from him, just a fucking simple statement, you can¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°He was helping me, Matteo, he was fucking helping me!¡± I yelled.


    Matteo pulled me abruptly, and my body mmed into his. ¡°Yell at me again and regret all the decisions you¡¯ve ever made in this life.¡±


    Matteo¡¯s voice was cold, likewise his eyes, and then he pushed me away from him onto the couch.


    Striding out of the room without a spare nce at me, I scrambled to my feet and rushed to the door, locking it.


    Letting out a deep breath, I gazed at my hand where he had gripped.


    It was bruised but barely invisible due to my skin.


    I didn¡¯t know what had ovee him, but I didn¡¯t like the Matteo that had surfaced.

 Like what you see?

    DEIRDRE POV


    Dragging myself out of bed at the incessant banging on the door, as well as kicking. I pushed a hand through my hair, walking towards it.


    Gazing at the wall clock on my way to the door, I realized I had slept for three hours. I was exhausted from going back and forth, and it seemed like the sickness wasn¡¯t exactly gone, as I could feel the fever starting to seep in as well.


    ¡°Deirdre!¡± I heard Matteo¡¯s voice at the other end of the door.


    Rolling my eyes, I unlocked the door gazed at him briefly to see his disorientated look before moving towards the bed.


    But Matteo halted me before I took two steps.


    Turning me to face him, I frowned. ¡°What?¡± I asked, unable to hide the irritation in my voice.


    ¡°About earlier¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care, Matteo,¡± I cut him off. ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to flirt with Vittorio, but that¡¯s what you believed; I have nothing to prove to you. If you are here to scold me again, you shouldn¡¯t worry yourself because I won¡¯t give you an audience.¡±


    I had never been this dismissive before to Matteo, but I guessed he deserved that. If he couldn¡¯t trust me, showing him proof would mean nothing.


    Matteo was hardheaded. He believed whatever he wished to, and most times, the way he interpreted things wasn¡¯t the way it often seemed.


    Folding my arms across my chest, I waited for him to walk back out of the door angrily, but he didn¡¯t. Instead, he sighed, pushing a hair back out of his face.


    ¡°I believe you,¡± He said, stepping towards me.


    ¡°You do?¡± I asked him with a frown, and he nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was a jerk¡­¡±


    ¡°You are a jerk,¡± I affirmed, cutting him off. ¡°You were more than a jerk, Matteo.¡±


    ¡°I deserve whatever you say to me, but let me exin myself,¡± He said.


    I rolled my eyes internally. He almost never gave me the opportunity to exin myself, and now he wanted one.


    Talk about being unfair.


    I walked away from him to sit on the bed, and I sensed him following behind.


    Matteo sat beside me on the bed, sping his hand together, ¡°I overreacted because that idiot made a stupid joke afterwards and¡­¡±


    ¡°You believed what he said and didn¡¯t care to think if I could do whatever you used me of or not?¡±


    ¡°What do you want me to think, Deirdre?!¡± Matteo snapped, making me jump from where I was at the harshness of his voice.


    His frustration was very much evident in it, and he wasn¡¯t trying to hide them.


    He stood from the bed, paced a few times, and came back towards me. ¡°You were very much more receptive towards him than to me, your fucking husband. You smile with him all the fucking time and don¡¯t even care about me. I¡¯ve fucking heard you ask after his well-being, but what do I get in return as your husband? A fucking angry wife!¡±


    ¡°Too many fucking words in only a little sentence,¡± I muttered, frowning.


    ¡°Listen, Deirdre, this might sound like jealousy, but hell yes, I am fucking jealous, and I won¡¯t even deny that, but cut me some fucking ck woman.¡±


    ¡°I thought you were here to apologize to me,¡± My head snapped up towards him.


    I saw him frowning down at me.


    ¡°I did apologize,¡± He pointed out, ¡°I can as well say what¡¯s bothering me, can I not?¡±


    ¡°You can,¡± I murmured.


    Standing to my feet, I stepped towards him cautiously. When I was very much closer to him, I halted, gripped his hand, and intertwined our fingers together.


    ¡°I am with you, Matteo, I don¡¯t understand why you are bothered with Vittorio. He¡¯s married, is he not? Also, he knows we are together¡­¡±


    ¡°He knows,¡± Matteo nodded.


    ¡°And I don¡¯t think he¡¯s hitting on me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too fucking too blind to see that.¡± Matteo said.


    ¡°That¡¯s because I don¡¯t care. I think about you all the damned time, even when I am alone. Yes, I most times wee the little distraction from Vittorio, but that¡¯s because you always make yourself unavable to me.¡±


    ¡°How do I trust you? How do I believe you have nothing going on with him? Proof to me you think about me alone.¡± Matteo said.


    ¡°What?¡± I snorted, shaking my head.


    Matteo gripped my waist, pulling me into him.


    ¡°Prove it, Deirdre,¡± Hemanded. His eyes were narrowed.


    ¡°You are fucking blind!¡± I said, then stood on tiptoes. My hands instinctively went to the back of his head, cupping it, and I closed my lips around his.


    Honestly, I didn¡¯t know why I was kissing him and why I was trying to prove that I had my thoughts centered on him alone.


    I guessed part of me wanted to really kiss him while the other part wished to prevent any altercation between him and Vittorio.


    For all I know, Matteo could stride out the door and harm Vittorio this instant.


    It was thest thing I wanted. Besides, it would be strange when news got out that they were fighting because of me.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Matteo¡¯s lips were unyielding. He wasn¡¯t kissing me back as I had wanted.


    So, I pressed my body into his and bit down on his lower lip. That seemed to do it. His mouth opened, and he allowed me to slip my tongue inside before he took over the kiss.


    Matteo¡¯s hand tightened around my waist, and I heard him growl inside my mouth, but I didn¡¯t stop.


    Despite wanting air, I didn¡¯t let go.


    ¡°Deirdre,¡± Matteo whispered, releasing my lips.


    I protested, pulling him back to me, but he halted me.


    I frowned as he walked towards the door.


    I thought he was going to walk away, but he did the lock and returned to where I was.


    Matteo swooped me off my feet, earning a squeal from me, and took two long strides to the bed before dumping me on it.


    ¡°Do you believe me now?¡± I asked as he undid the buttons of the shirt he wore before slipping out of it.


    Licking my lips at his toned abs, my hands itched to caress his body, but I gripped the duvet instead.


    ¡°You like what you see?¡± He asked.


    I flushed, shaking my head, before ncing away as he smirked at me.


    He hadn¡¯t answered my question, but I didn¡¯t think I needed an answer to it.

 I want you

    MATEO POV


    ¡°Fuck, Deirdre,¡± I muttered, trying to pull her onto myp.


    ¡°No,¡± She denied, shaking her head and refusing to move. ¡°Not until you tell me what you want, Matteo.¡±


    ¡°You fucking tease,¡± I growled, releasing her hair and pulling her up.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a tease,¡± She protested, ¡°I just want to know what you want. Do you want me to fuck your brains out or make love to you?¡±


    ¡°You want to know what I want,¡± I muttered, pushing her back to the bed.


    I grabbed the tie, climbed the bed, sat beside her, and tied her hands with the tie.


    ¡°Oh!¡± she eximed, staring at her hand with wide eyes.


    ¡°Yes, I want you to fuck my brains out,¡± I whispered, my voice thick and hoarse with arousal.


    I was very much a dominant man, but letting Deirdre take the deal was the sexiest thing ever.


    Deirdre giggled, a sweet melody that filled the room, and I groaned as I leaned forward to nuzzle her neck.


    ¡°You¡¯re so sexy when you giggle, Tesorina.¡±


    ¡°Am I?¡± She asked, smiling as she turned to face me.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded, leaning back.


    My dick was still hard, and it was begging for her touch, but I was going to be patient and wait.


    I pulled Deirdre to myp, her thighs spread around me, and the heat radiating from her core made my dick twitch in anticipation.


    Deirdre was so tempting, and her innocence was something that was irresistible.


    My hands moved from her waist to the curve of her hip and stopped on her ass; I squeezed it hard, earning a soft gasp from her, and her breath tickled my neck.


    I cupped her ass again, lifting her off myp, and I kissed her jaw, moving to her lips.


    My tongue traced the contours of her full and sweet lips. I nibbled on her lower lip and sucked it into my mouth.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    I was going to fucking cum if I didn¡¯t get inside her quickly.


    I gripped her ass tighter, and she gasped, giving me an opening to slip my tongue inside her mouth and taste her sweetness.


    My hands left her ass and travelled to her waist, and my fingers slipped into the waistband of her pant, tugging it.


    I slipped the pants off her, discarding them, and moved back to cup her breasts.


    Deirdre broke the kiss and moaned, arching her back as I teased her nipples, pinching them.


    ¡°Matteo,¡± She murmured, and her lipstched on to mine, and we kissed hungrily, her hands gripping my shoulders and her nails dug into my skin.


    I was sure there would be scratches the following day, and I didn¡¯t care.


    My mouth left hers, kissing the column of her neck, nipping and sucking at her sweet spot, and my fingers yed with her nipple.


    Deirdre rocked her hips, and the friction sent a wave of pleasure through me.


    ¡°Matteo, please.¡± She begged, her voice husky and breathless.


    ¡°Tell me what you want, Cara,¡± I replied, leaving her neck to stare into her eyes.


    Her sea-green eyes were dark with desire, and I knew she was going to be begging me soon.


    ¡°I want you.¡± She pleaded, biting her lower lip.


    ¡°Say it again.¡± I urged, and she whimpered, her body trembling against mine.


    ¡°Matteo, you¡¯re torturing me.¡± She protested, and I gripped her chin, tilting her face to stare into her eyes.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not; you¡¯re the one torturing me. All you have to do is tell me what you want.¡±


    Deirdre groaned, grinding herself on me, and a moan escaped my lips as her wetness rubbed on me.


    ¡°Repeat it.¡±


    ¡°I want you.¡±


    ¡°How? Tell me how you want me.¡±


    ¡°I want your dick inside me.¡± She whispered, her voice almost inaudible, and a wicked grin spread across my face.


    ¡°Brava ragazza (Good girl),¡± I praised, releasing her andying her back.


    Deirdre pouted as I released her, but she smiled when Iy her down, her eyes widening when I stood up.


    I shrugged off my shirt, tossing it aside, and unbuckled my belt.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I groaned, and Deirdre¡¯s gaze lowered to the bulge in my boxer, and the tip of her tongue licked her lower lip.


    My pants pooled at my feet, and I stepped out of it, slipping my hand into my boxer.


    ¡°Matteo,¡± Deirdre whispered as I grabbed my cock, stroking myself, and her eyes stayed glued to the motion of my hand.


    ¡°Deirdre,¡± I called, and she blinked, meeting my eyes.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going toe here and suck me off, okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± She nodded, sitting up and moving to the edge of the bed.


    ¡°Wait,¡± I stopped her.


    She raised her brows and cocked her head to the side, ¡°What now, Matteo?¡±


    ¡°Strip,¡± I said, and she frowned.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Remove your pants, Deirdre,¡± I ordered, and she blushed, nodding as she shuffled out of her pants.


    I stroked myself, waiting for her, and when she was naked, she moved to the edge of the bed.


    I was standing, and she was seated; our height difference gave me an advantage, and the position I wanted was going to be perfect.


    ¡°Open your mouth,¡± I murmured, and she opened her mouth, staring into my eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to keep looking at me, and you¡¯re not going to take your eyes off mine.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± She replied, her breath fanning on my dick.


    ¡°Good,¡± I smiled and pushed my dick inside her mouth.


    The warmth and tightness of her mouth was so delicious, and a hiss escaped me as she wrapped her tongue around my dick.


    Deirdre¡¯s tongue traced the underside of my shaft, and she hollowed her cheeks as she sucked, her lips brushing on my dick, and the friction was driving me insane.


    I groaned as she pumped and sucked, her lips wrapped around my dick.


    ¡°You¡¯re so goood,¡± I groaned, pulling her hair, and she sucked harder; the sensation sent a wave of pleasure through me.


    My toes curled, and the muscles in my legs tensed as I tried not to release yet.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to make me cum if you keep doing that,¡± I muttered, and she hummed, increasing the speed of her motion and sucking me off harder.


    I couldn¡¯t hold it anymore, and my release exploded, hitting the back of her throat.


    Deirdre coughed, struggling to swallow.


    ¡°Fuck, you¡¯re so hot,¡± I groaned, and I slipped out of her mouth, my release dripping down her chin.


    I cupped her face, tilting her head, and I kissed her, tasting my cum on her lips and tongue.


    Releasing her lips, I said, ¡°Come, you have to get on your knees and ce your hands on the headboard.¡±


    ¡°Now,¡± I added, and she hurriedly climbed the bed, got on her knees, and ced her hand on the headboard.


    Her ass was high in the air, and I couldn¡¯t resist pping her ass.


    ¡°Oh,¡± She moaned, pushing her ass further into the air.


    ¡°Fuck, you¡¯re so damn tempting.¡± I groaned, running a finger along the seam of her pussy.


    I fingered her slowly, drawing a moan from her lips, and the wet sound filled the room.


    I slipped inside her slowly, my dick stretching her as her walls clenched around me.


    ¡°Oh fuck, Deirdre,¡± I murmured, pulling back and thrusting into her.


    My hands rested on her hips, and I thrust into her, slowly increasing the speed.


    ¡°Faster,¡± She urged, and I did just that, grunting as I moved.


    My dick twitched, her wetness coating it, and the sounds of her moans and the sound of our skin pping drove me insane.


    ¡°Shit,¡± I cursed, thrusting harder into her.


    Deirdre moaned louder, her moans filling the room, and her body trembled.


    ¡°Oh!¡± she moaned, her fingers tightening around the headboard, and her muscles squeezed my dick.


    ¡°Deirdre, I¡¯ming¡± I called, feeling the familiar sensation, and my dick twitched inside her.


    ¡°Likewise,¡± She whimpered.


    Grunting as I thrust into her onest time, my release shot through me, and it was so powerful, and I couldn¡¯t help but copse beside her.


    We were panting, and the sheets were a mess but, above all, satisfied.

 We’re going hiking, baby

    DEIRDRE POV


    DAY TEN


    It was three days after the boat incident. I guess I hade to terms with the fact that I wasn¡¯t leaving this ind anymore because, for one, we had barely gotten any urate information about the escape route.


    Matteo kept searching, likewise Vittorio. It seemed I was the only one who had given up all hope because both men still had hopes and never relented.


    Doing a little stretch, I put my hair in a bun, gazed at the cracked mirror on the wall, and then jumped as a knock sounded on the door.


    ¡°Matteo?¡± I called, dabbing my face with the powder brush before walking to the door.


    Thest time I had really prepped up myself was on the ship. And it was because of the function Matteo had forced me to attend.


    Right now, I felt like doing it even though it was barely necessary.


    ¡°Matteo?¡± I called again but received no response.


    He hadn¡¯t told me he wasing back this early, but he could be sometimes unpredictable.


    Sighing as I heard nothing, I undid the lock and gasped as Leslie jumped in front of me.


    ¡°Tada!¡± She shrieked before bursting into a fit of giggle.


    ¡°Leslie!¡± I eximed, ring at her. ¡°You fucking scare me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry,¡± She tried to suppress her giggle, but it only came out harder.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s funny,ugh harder,¡± I rolled my eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t help it. You should see your face!¡± She gripped at her side,ughing hard. Stumbling inside the room, she stepped towards the couch and fell on it, only to jump back up abruptly.


    ¡°Did you mark yourself on this chair?¡± She asked, her nose wrinkling as she started to sniff the room.


    ¡°Leslie,¡± I murmured, shaking my head.


    ¡°Hey, I just need to be sure. It smells like sex in here,¡± She said.


    ¡°Thest time we did it was three days ago,¡± I pointed out before I could stop myself.


    Leslie¡¯s lips stretched out in a wide grin. I guess she was waiting for me to admit Matteo and I slept together, and I already did. I guess she was happy.


    Hell yeah, she was. From the look on her face, it was undeniable.


    I stepped towards the window, pulled up the curtains, and breathed out as the frigid air wafted my hair around my face.


    Then I turned to her, folding my arms across my chest, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°What? I can¡¯t visit you any longer?¡± She asked him, sounding as though she was hurt by my question.


    Her eyes narrowed at me, ¡°That¡¯s not how to act towards your best friend, D. You left abruptly in your sick state. I saw your husband taking you out of the room without even saying where he was taking you to, and I was really worried.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know I wasing here either,¡± I said.


    ¡°I forgive you already,¡± Leslie said, ¡°Don¡¯t just do that anymore. Keep in touch.¡±


    It was weird. Perhaps she assumed I was going to remain on the ind with her forever. Also, I couldn¡¯t tell her we would have left, and she wouldn¡¯t have seen me if she hade searching for me.


    I wonder how she would feel.


    ¡°By the way, how did you get here? Coffee?¡± I asked her.


    Leslie shook her head and patted her stomach, ¡°I¡¯m high on caffeine; I think I can handle water. Besides, your husband mentioned that you are here and bored, desperately looking forpany.¡±


    ¡°He did?¡± I asked, amused.


    Maybe he was right about being bored, but I wasn¡¯t desperately looking forpany. All my thoughts from being bored had diverted to Kendall. My daughter¡¯s thoughts had been the only thing keeping mepany as well as giving me hope ofing out of this ind soon, despite how impossible it was looking.


    ¡°He did,¡± Leslie said, ¡°So, I dly epted to keep youpany because why not? We are best friends!¡± Leslie said.


    She seemed really enthusiastic and positive. I wished I could share in her positivity and high energy, but then, we were two different people.


    Leslie had made a home for herself here. She wasn¡¯t looking forward to going to the real world, while I, on the other hand, wanted out as soon as possible.


    I moved around towards the tabletop fridge. It was closest to the nightstand, and it was the one thing that made the room seem better, because it wasn¡¯t in brown or yellow color which was the dominant colour in the room. It was a white fridge with pink stripes, and several stickers were on the body.


    Also, there were some drawings on it, making me wonder if the previous upants of this room had a toddler who scribbled things.


    I brought out a stic bottle of water and handed it to Leslie, ¡°Sorry, no cup.¡±


    ¡°No worries. I am a jungle queen, totally fine with drinking directly from the bottle,¡± She uncapped it and took a huge sip.


    When she stopped drinking, there was barely any water left.


    Leslie grimaced, ¡°I must have been too tasty to have noticed that I needed water.¡±


    She set the almost empty stic bottle on the centre table before looking back at me.


    ¡°I didn¡¯te here so we can spend the entire day indoors,¡± She said.


    ¡°Then, what do you have in mind?¡± I frowned as she stood to her feet, stepped out of the room, and returned with arge duffel bag.


    She patted the bag, grinning wildly, ¡°Take a guess.¡±


    ¡°Very awful at guessing,¡± I said to her.


    ¡°Just guess,¡± She urged.


    ¡°Swimming?¡± I asked her.


    Leslie snorted, ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Then say it,¡± I said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what to guess anymore.¡±


    Leslie unzipped her bag and emptied the entire content on the floor before I could protest, ¡°We are going hiking, baby!¡±


    ¡°Hiking?¡± I snickered. That was thest thing I could ever think of.


    I had never hiked before, and guessing that wasn¡¯t even part of the options in my head.


    ¡°Yes, sweetheart,¡± Leslie affirmed. ¡°And don¡¯t worry, your husband approves.¡±


    What was with Matteo approving everything Leslie says to him that we¡¯d be doing together? He had never not had a second if I approached him about going to somece solo.


    Perhaps he trusted Leslie more than he trusted me.


    ¡°With that face, you are making, I presumed you are not about to reject me,¡± She pouted, her eyes going big, ¡°I can be really persuasive when I want to.¡±


    ¡°Please, Deirdre,¡± She murmured, sniffling.


    ¡°Stop,¡± I stifled a giggle. ¡°And I can¡¯t hike. So, stop doing that face.¡±


    ¡°Do you find it cute that you can¡¯t resist?¡± She asked, jutting out her lower lip even more. Her eyes brimmed with unshed tears, and she blinked rapidly.


    I did find it cute. She looked like a big puppy begging for thest piece ofsagna after the owner told her no.


    ¡°Say yes, Deirdre,¡± She said.


    ¡°I have never hiked before,¡± I pointed out.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that; I am the perfect hiking tutor on this ind,¡± She boasted, then asked again, ¡°Is that a yes?¡±


    ¡°Fine, it¡¯s a yes, and please, can you now stop with that expression,¡± I said.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll since you already agreed,¡± Leslie grinned, her facial expression returning to normal.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Then she jumped in front of me, gripping my hand, ¡°This is going to be the best day out!¡±


    ¡°I hope so,¡± I murmured with a sigh.

 It’s a boring tale

    DEIRDRE POV


    ¡°Do you know hiking boosts the immune system and reduces stress, amongst other characteristics that it has?¡± Leslie said.


    I groaned, pushing myself up the hills. I wasn¡¯t feeling any of the boost; rather, my legs ached, and likewise, my hands, even though I was barely using them.


    Perhaps it was because I had swung them around; that was why they ached.


    ¡°Spending time outdoors allows you ess to fresh air and vitamin D, and it increases your white blood cells. It even reduces your cortisol level because, hey, you are spending time in a natural environment and not being holed up in that room.¡± Leslie said, and she turned.


    She shrugged, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t look at me like that. I might be blonde, but I am not ditzy.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I wasn¡¯t saying you were,¡± I said.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to say; your expression says it all. Just so you know, I got my mother¡¯s features as well as her brain,¡± Leslie grinned.


    ¡°I see,¡± I muttered, continuing forward as she started to speak again.


    She was really enjoying this. It definitely wasn¡¯t a first for her, and she hadbelled herself as the hike queen, so it meant she had taken a lot of hiking.


    But it didn¡¯t even look as much fun as she was making it. I wouldn¡¯t deny the beautiful scenery. We had passed by many areas that seemed surreal, especially the trees. I had seen some variety, the Deciduous Conifers. They shouldn¡¯t be beautiful because if I were to see them in the real world, I wouldn¡¯t have taken a second nce, but my gaze had lingered on them.


    I presumed it was the colouring of each tree differing from the others that made them even better.


    ¡°When we get up there, let¡¯s take a break,¡± Leslie pointed above.


    I could barely see anything except for rocks. Nevertheless, I continued walking with her because I desperately wanted to rest my limbs.


    Eventually, we got to the top, and it wasn¡¯t as bad as I had thought.


    It was even more lively than before, and I realized we weren¡¯t alone.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    I could count ten other hikers around, and they sat, forming a circle with threerge baskets behind them filled with food.


    ¡°Hey, Leslie,¡± A blond called out, waving. He grinned, standing from where he sat, dusting the red pants he wore before walking towards us.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while,¡± He said.


    I turned in time to see Leslie¡¯s face break out in a grin. She rushed towards him, meeting him halfway, and jumped into his arms, ¡°Yes, Jared, it¡¯s been a while,¡± She affirmed.


    They stayed wrapped in each other¡¯s embrace for a while, and I thought they wouldn¡¯t let go until Jared¡¯s toffee-brown eyes locked on mine.


    ¡°Oh, hey,¡± He said, ¡°Who¡¯s your friend, babe?¡±


    Babe? I mused, watching Leslie go red.


    Narrowing my eyes at her as she avoided eye contact, I nodded, reminding myself to bombard her with questionster.


    It was a first for me, seeing her all red and being shy. She acts silly most of the time, but right now, she seems to have suddenly lost her silly side.


    ¡°She¡¯s Deirdre, my best friend,¡± Leslie added with a wide smile, then she turned to me, ¡°Meet Jared. He¡¯s my frie¡­¡± She started but winced, perhaps realizing what she was about to say.


    Jared cocked a slender brow as she turned to stare at him, and he shrugged.


    Then he stepped towards me and extended his hand, ¡°I¡¯m Jared; I¡¯ve known Leslie for a while. It¡¯s nice to see she rtes with another woman other than guys.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± She red at him. ¡°I do have female friends. Kate and Kendra are my friends, too.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, but they don¡¯t count when you see them only once in a while,¡± Jared said.


    ¡°It¡¯s not my fault they live on the other side of the ind, and I can¡¯t take a day trip just to see them all the time. It¡¯s quite demanding, you must admit that.¡±


    ¡°I see how thoughtful you are about us; good to know what your stance about our friendship is.¡± A brte chimed in.


    From the tone of her voice, she didn¡¯t sound as though she was furious. Instead, she sounded yful, and Leslie rolled her eyes.


    She didn¡¯t seem to give a fuck if she offended them with her choice of words.


    ¡°I missed you both,¡± Leslie said, walking towards whom I presumed to be Kate and Kendra. The brte was joined by a dark haired woman.


    They looked somewhat simr, with their pointed chin, olive skin, big almond-shaped eyes, and pearly white teeth. Their hazel eyes were of the same hue, and their smile was very much simr.


    The only difference was in their hair, except for that, they could be mistaken.


    Without asking, I believed they were twin, and one had purposely dyed her hair for easy identification because, from the dark hair, I could see brown roots.


    ¡°We do, too, you silly girl,¡± The dark-haired woman smiled, and she and her twin wrapped their arms around Leslie as they did a group hug.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing this was organized because I was already getting sick of not being able to see you,¡± Brte-haired said when they broke the hug.


    They went further to discuss what they had been up to.


    While I just stayed watching them. I looked like the third wheel, and it wasn¡¯t a veryfortable feeling.


    Everyone seemed to know each other, while I, the stranger in the group, seemed to havee to disrupt the peace; that was what I felt.


    Leslie nudged me, and I jumped. I realized the others had returned to their previous seating ce, only Jared, that was still in front of me. And then Leslie.


    ¡°Sorry about that; I should have warned you I wasing to see old friends,¡± She smiled sheepishly.


    ¡°Well, you have a lot of exining to do, Leslie, and I won¡¯t take no for an answer,¡± I replied sternly.


    Leslie rolled her eyes, ¡°Fine, whatever you want to know, just don¡¯t ask me about Jared,¡± She whispered his name.


    ¡°And that is exactly what I need to know,¡± I whispered back.


    ¡°Ugh, no,¡± She groaned.


    ¡°Ugh, yes,¡± I mirror her expression, scrunching up my face and pushing a hand through my hair, ¡°That¡¯s for bringing me here without letting me know what to expect, and I am curious as well.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be curious about,¡± Leslie murmured.


    I knew she was trying to talk me out of having the discussion with her, but I doubted anything she did would work.


    ¡°Leave me to be the judge of that,¡± I said.


    Leslie shook her head, ¡°You won¡¯t let this go, would you?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not,¡± I said.


    ¡°Fine, just know it¡¯s a boring tale, and I can only narrate when we are returning,¡± She said, ¡°Right now, we need to join them to y whatever game they are into.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine by me, and I am always up for boring tales,¡± I grinned, earning an eye roll from Leslie.

 Can I keep you?

    DEIRDRE POV


    The game was in full swing, although I was barely participating. It was a truth and dare with some slight twist. Considering thest one I had participated in, I had to sit this one out.


    Also, when a question isn¡¯t answered, if you were short on money to pay for bailing yourself out, you need to remove a piece of your clothes, which was weird.


    Perhaps I was the only one who saw it as weird, as everyone was engrossed in it.


    Leslie had taken a piece of her clothes off already and it was a good thing she was wearing manyyers underneath, rather than Kate, the brte who only had a camisole on.


    ¡°Can I keep you?¡± A voice said from behind me, and I frowned, turning to stare into the pale blue eyes of Nathan.


    He was the tallest of the group and the most toned. He looked like a typical jock with his brown hair cropped short.


    His muscles rippled in the t-shirt he wore, and his face was overly perfect. Prominent cheekbones, full lips, a straight nose, and strong jawlines that could easily catch the attention of many girls.


    I noticed all the females except for Leslie and me had taken a liking to him. He seemed to be enjoying all the attention he was getting and didn¡¯t mind.


    Nathan nudged Leslie, who was beside me, and she scooted, giving him a chance to sit in between us.


    Then he leaned into me, making me lean backward.


    ¡°I asked you a question, but you didn¡¯t respond,¡± He said.


    ¡°Sorry I didn¡¯t get you,¡± I murmured.


    ¡°Do you have a name, or can I call you mine?¡± Nathan questioned. A smirk adorned his lips, and he winked at me.


    ¡°What?¡± I snorted, suppressing my giggle.


    Turning to Leslie to see her do the same, she shook her head.


    ¡°Hey,¡± She said, nudging him, but he didn¡¯t respond to her. Instead, he kept staring me up and down as though he¡¯d like to jump on me, which was starting to make me feel ufortable.


    ¡°Aside from being sexy, what else do you do for a living?¡±


    Okay, that did it. I couldn¡¯t suppress theughter any longer. So, I tossed my head back andughed while snorting at the same time.


    It must have sounded like a pig grunting, but I didn¡¯t care. It was funny and weird that he was hitting on me.


    I was fucking wearing my wedding ring, yet, he had overlooked that and decided to say random pick-up lines.


    That did nothing to me. Maybe if Matteo had said it, I must have felt something, but definitely not from Nathan.


    It was weird and cringe as fuck.


    ¡°What?¡± Nathan asked, smiling. ¡°I know we are just seeing for the first time, but my mind is so full of you, and I can¡¯t seem to get you out of it.¡±


    ¡°Dude!¡± Leslie eximed, swatting his head.


    ¡°Not the goddamned hair, Les. I put so much work into it.¡± He turned to re at her.


    ¡°Perhaps if you had spent less time on your looks and the embarrassing pick-up lines and taken the time to really study her, you¡¯d see that ring on her finger,¡± Leslie said.


    ¡°What ring?¡± Nathan asked, eyeing me.


    ¡°She¡¯s fucking married, dude, and she¡¯s a mother. Unless you want to see yourself buried 6 feet underneath, then I can only urge you to go ahead with flirting with her.¡± She said.


    ¡°You¡¯re married?¡± He asked, not bothering to conceal the surprise in his voice.


    ¡°I am,¡± I nodded, lifting up my ring finger for him to see.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± Nathan winced, pushing a hand through his hair. He gazed down, then nced back at me, ¡°I didn¡¯t know that. I was so fixated on your beauty and didn¡¯t remember to check for that little detail. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine; I am indeed tter,¡± I giggled.


    Nathan nodded and stood, ¡°That¡¯s the clue for me to run away. I don¡¯t want to be buried by your husband.¡±


    Nathan walked away before I could respond to him, and I turned to Leslie.


    ¡°Why did you say that to him?¡± I asked her.


    ¡°It¡¯s my duty to watch over you. Matteo said that, and imagine him seeing Nathan flirting with you. I don¡¯t want to imagine all that he¡¯s going to do with Nathan. The poor boy is only eighteen years old.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I whispered. He didn¡¯t seem like it. Instead, he looked older, but then age was only just a number.


    I didn¡¯t look my age as well. At least, when I was eighteen, people tended to think I looked way older. However, after Kendall, I didn¡¯t think they really bothered about my age that much.


    ¡°Yes, and he¡¯s Kate and Kendra¡¯s little brother.¡± She added, and I turned to look at both girls, who were both engrossed in the game.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s partake,¡± Leslie whispered, and I shook my head.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Ops, I forgot.¡± She muttered, then added, ¡°Watch mee out victorious.¡±


    That I did, however, she barely escaped from being bare. While many of thedies were in their bras alone, Leslie still had ayer of clothes on.


    I wondered if she had worn all the clothes on purpose, knowing what was going to happen. I believe she would have been smart if she had done that.


    When we set out again, the sun had begun to set.


    Jared and the others wanted to camp and had invited Leslie again toe over the next day as they¡¯d be going to an unknown location.


    Leslie seemed pumped up about it, and she had agreed for both of us without asking me if I wanted to be part or not.


    I turned to Leslie as we descended. ¡°So, about Jared. How long have you been in a rtionship with him?¡±


    ¡°Geez, I said when we returned to your room, I¡¯ll tell you everything,¡± She whispered, frantically gazing around.


    She red at me, shaking her head.


    ¡°Hey, we are almost closer, and I don¡¯t think anyone is listening to us at this moment,¡± I said.


    ¡°When we get to your room and besides, aside Jared, you¡¯ll be the first to know what I am going to say. So, it¡¯s better to say it in a better environment where no one can hear. The trees have ears, you know.¡± she muttered.


    ¡°Do you mean the walls?¡± I raised a brow.


    ¡°Whatever, D,¡± Leslie replied, earning a giggle from me.


    She had seeded in making me even more curious. Now, I badly wanted to know what secret she was harboring and didn¡¯t want the others to find out.

 Sixty-nine positions

    DEIRDRE POV


    ¡°What, no way!¡± I yelled, taking the fourth bite out of the spicy grilled chicken with me.


    Taking a sip of the serenity sunset chardonnay wine directly from the bottle to wash it down, my eyes closed momentarily, savoring the rich, smooth, and creamy vors of ripe pear, vani, and a touch of toasted oak.


    It spread warmth throughout my body, rxing my tensed-up muscles as well as giving me the ability to think properly.


    Well, I was not much of a drinker, but this wine had to be one of the best I had ever tasted.


    I set the bottle down to see Leslie watching me, ¡°And you don¡¯t drink?¡±


    I shook my head, ¡°I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re taking it better than I imagine. But then again, it¡¯s not as though it¡¯s sour.¡±


    ¡°So, continuing with what I was saying, I literally fled the scene, refusing to see him afterward. He¡¯s kept in touch, but I was too embarrassed to see him on one.¡±


    She winced.


    I tried to imagine being in her shoes. Just a few days after getting to the ind, catching an ind boy¡¯s fancy and decided to give him a trial, only to get caught while in the act.


    Yes, it was pretty embarrassing. I remembered Matteo, and I had almost experienced something simr on Thanksgiving day. Luckily, whoever had been approaching had a change of mind.


    I couldn¡¯t imagine being the talk of the whole ind. Even as it was arge environment, the same people still upied it.


    It was easy for news to travel faster.


    ¡°You handled that pretty well,¡± I murmured. Shaking my head as she extended a toast to me, I grabbed the box filled with choctes instead.


    Jared had given us most of the things we were having while the wine was Leslie¡¯s. I guess she had nned on having it anyway, whether we went hiking or not.


    Amused as I started to undo the red and yellow ribbon that was used to design the box, I said, ¡°It¡¯s just a chocte box; why waste time to have it wrapped?¡±


    ¡°Jared is well, always careful when he¡¯s doing things. He¡¯s perfect, you know, and doesn¡¯t like making mistakes.¡±


    ¡°Perfect in making ribbons? I mean, it¡¯s not necessary,¡± I pointed out.


    Leslie shrugged, ¡°He probably wanted me to have something to remind me of him until we get to see him again.¡±


    ¡°Both of you should get together already,¡± I said, undoing thest ribbon.


    Opening the box lid, I frowned, looking at the choctes that were done in different weird designs and colours. Whoever had done this design was definitely an amateur.


    Where most would have done flowers or some cartoony figures, I couldn¡¯t decipher the message Jared was trying to pass across with the horribly designed choctes. Well, that was if he did design it. A note was ced on it, and I gripped it, opening it.


    ¡°I guess this is for you,¡± I said.


    ¡°What does it say?¡± Leslie asked.


    ¡°Indulge in these sinful delights; let each taste linger on your lips like a lingering kiss, leaving you craving for more, just like the pleasures I yearn to explore with you.¡±


    ¡°PS: I wish to put you in 69¡­¡± I paused, turning the paper upside down as that was the only way I could read the number. Then continued, ¡°69(Sixty-nine) positions I designed in there. Love, Jared.¡±


    ¡°Oh my goodness, what the fuck did I just read?¡± I murmured, gazing back at the chocte.


    Now, I could see it clearly. Jared had fucking designed sex fucking positions that could ever be known to man with the choctes.


    Sixty-nine fucking positions.


    I turned to Leslie with wide eyes.


    She blushed profusely, attempting to hide the redness of her cheeks with her hair. ¡°That¡¯s insane,¡± She groaned. ¡°Why would he say such a thing?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s sweet,¡± I responded, smiling. ¡°He sure does want to fuck you so bad. Both of you should get together already!¡±


    Grabbing a piece of the chocte, which I believed was in the all-four position, Leslie gripped my hand before I could take it to my mouth.


    ¡°Don¡¯t eat it!¡± She eximed.


    ¡°Why not?¡± I raised a brow at her.


    ¡°It¡¯s sinful,¡± She mumbled, frowning.


    ¡°What makes it sinful?¡± I questioned.


    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s a chocte that a guy you don¡¯t even know gave to your friend, mentioning his sinful intentions.¡±


    Shrugging, I removed Leslie¡¯s hand with my other hand and tossed the chocte into my mouth before she could stop me.


    ¡°Goodness, this tastes so good,¡± I moaned.


    ¡°You¡¯re not helping!¡± Leslie snatched the chocte box away from me.


    ¡°Hey!¡± I said.


    ¡°He¡¯s a stranger, D. Are you not worried about what he might do to me if he eventually finds me?¡± She asked, with curiosityced in her tone.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Tilting my chin, my brows furrowed, ¡°Well, if he happens to find you this instant, depending on his patience level, he might fucked you against the tree or just get a room for both of you to avoid unwanted distraction.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not helpful, Deirdre,¡± Leslie grimaced. Her cheeks had even gotten redder.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay with him being a stranger to me because my best friend already knows him in-depth. I don¡¯t need to know him.¡± I said.


    ¡°Ugh, you¡¯re annoying,¡± She said.


    ¡°I know,¡± I shed her a wide grin.


    Eyeing the note once more, I handed it to her, ¡°You should get going, Leslie, he¡¯s waiting to receive your call.¡±


    I pointed to where he had left his number, as well as a location where they both could meet.


    Jared wasn¡¯t kidding. I knew he wasn¡¯t since he had sat down to craft that note, but I didn¡¯t know it was this urgent.


    Leslie shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t even know what our rtionship is, and sleeping with him?¡±


    ¡°No doubts, Leslie, this is the time for you to ask him. I¡¯m not asking you to go fuck him, but you can start with a conversation to know your stance. It¡¯s as easy as that, and I don¡¯t think Jared is a beast that would want to take advantage of you without hearing what you have to say.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s calm,¡± Leslie said.


    ¡°You see? You know him more than I do,¡± I pulled her up from the sofa, helped her pick up her things, and moved her towards the door.


    ¡°Go get that dick, babes, and give me the full storyter.¡±


    ¡°Are you sending me off? We had barely spent half the day together.¡± Leslie protested.


    ¡°I¡¯m sending you off, so you won¡¯t remain single forever and start moping when you find him going to another woman. You want him, and he sure does want you; why hesitating?¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°No, buts,¡± I cut her off, pushing her out of the door and doing the lock.


    ¡°Some friend you are, Deirdre; I am going to get you for this!¡± I heard Lelsie yell before she retreated from my door.


    Walking back into the room, I grabbed the bottle of wine and continued feasting with myself, as well as imagining what would happen with Leslie and Jared.

 Touch me

    MATTEO POV


    Today seemed to be better than most days. Having left as early as I could with Vittorio, we had gotten some information about some unknown people lurking on the ind.


    Although the information wasn¡¯t as in-depth as I would have wanted it, it was still something, and it had given us a headstart. So, we moved about the ind.


    Even though we hadn¡¯t gotten anything tangible, I guess the reason was because we only started the search. Perhaps tomorrow was better.


    Wrinkling my nose as the scent of Rose wafted into my nostril as soon as I stepped into the room, I gazed around the darkened room in search of Deirdre.


    I couldn¡¯t find her.


    ¡°Babe,¡± I called, moving towards where the light switch was. Pressing it down, I jumped slightly as Deirdre materialized in front of me.


    ¡°Babe?¡± She murmured. Her voice was unusually low, and she lifted her head; a nonsensical grin was stered across her face as she zombie-walked towards me.


    ¡°You¡¯ve never called me that before,¡± She said, ¡°And I like it.¡±


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± I asked as she stumbled forward.


    Grasping her hand before she could fall as it seemed she couldn¡¯t bnce herself, my eyes narrowed, staring into her dazed eyes.


    ¡°Did you drink?¡± I asked, seeing the empty bottle of Chardonnay that was on the table.


    Deirdre nodded, still smiling. She held her hand up, pointing to her pinky to emphasize the amount she had taken. ¡°Just a tiny bit.¡±


    ¡°I told her to stay with you and not get you drunk,¡± I said.


    ¡°Not her fault,¡± Deirdre whispered. She wrapped her arms around my neck and stood on tiptoes. Puckering her lips, she moved them towards mine, and I shook my head.


    ¡°You¡¯re drunk, Deirdre,¡± I said, hoisting her and leading her towards the bed.


    Deirdre squealed, her arms spread out wide. ¡°I¡¯m not that drunk.¡±


    cing her on the bed and turning away from her, she jumped up abruptly, gripping my hand before I could leave.


    ¡°Could you y with my hair?¡± She questioned.


    Scoffing, I rolled my eyes at her, ¡°You need some water to get fucking sober. I have some news that might entail us getting out of here, but I don¡¯t think you are in the right state of mind to listen to me right now.¡±


    Deirdre shook her head, ¡°You are right.¡±Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Pushing her hands into her blouse, she lifted it above her head and tossed it on the floor.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I cleared my throat, eyeing the beautiful globe of her breasts.


    She wasn¡¯t wearing a bra. I wondered if she had left the room in this way. She wouldn¡¯t have dared to.


    For some reason, her breasts look fuller, and her nipples even rosier. I noticed that yesterday after cupping her breasts. They fit perfectly into my hands.


    Although they did fit before, they were much more fuller.


    Deirdre climbed down from the bed slowly; she walked towards me and turned her back, leaning forward.


    She stepped out of the jeans she wore, pulling off her panties as well, and she sat on the floor, her legs spread apart.


    ¡°Deirdre,¡± I whispered, squatting in front of her while trying to hide the fact that my dick was responding to her naked body.


    She was fucking drunk and absolutely didn¡¯t know what she was doing, but fuck. I couldn¡¯t control my body. I couldn¡¯t control how I felt about her at this moment.


    ¡°Touch me, Matteo,¡± Deirdre purred; she gripped my hand, leading it to the entrance of her pussy.


    I tried to pull away, or maybe I didn¡¯t try enough, but Deirdre didn¡¯t let go. She ced my hand on her entrance, and she shuddered, tossing her head back letting out a throaty moan.


    ¡°You¡¯re drunk,¡± I said.


    It felt as though I was reminding myself about the fact that she was rather than taking what she was offering.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll,¡± She said, licking her lower lip.


    She ced her hand on her pussy, and began to rub while making a tiny moaning sound.


    Pushing a finger inside herself, she closed her eyes, ¡°Oh, fuck Matteo, this feels so good. I wish you can enjoy this as much as I am.¡±


    ¡°Deirdre,¡± I murmured.


    Deirdre pulled out her finger and lifted it to my lips, pushing it inside before moving in for a kiss.


    I didn¡¯t push her away; instead I weed it. The sweet juice from her pussy, coupled with the taste of Rose, made the kiss even sweeter.


    She pushed me down to the floor, straddling me. Deirdre grinded into me while trailing soft wet kisses down my jawline.


    She pushed her hands into my shirt, rubbing at my chest, and her lips found my earlobe.


    Deirdre bit down on my earlobe. It wasn¡¯t a gentle bite, and it wasn¡¯t a hard one to make it fall off as well; then she moved to my tragus andved on it, her tongue flickering towards my ear canal.


    ¡°Fuck, Deirdre,¡± I groaned, my hands moving to her waist


    ¡°You like it?¡± She asked, smiling coyly as she felt me shudder.


    ¡°Like it?¡± I grunted, ¡°Fuck, I love it, you little she-devil!¡±


    Standing to my feet with her legs still wrapped around me, I moved her towards the bed and set on her.


    Going to the tabletop fridge, I opened it, pulled out a stic bottled water, and uncapped it.


    I grabbed Deirdre¡¯s face, pushing the water to her mouth and forcing it down her throat.


    ¡°You want me to fuck you so bad, don¡¯t you, darling? Then, you need to be fucking sober so you watch me do sinful things to your body. I want all that I do to you on this fukcing ind to forever remain imprinted in your head because I owned you, Deirdre. I owned your goddamned body!¡±


    Removing the water from her lips after she had taken enough, Deirdre gasped, her eyes widened.


    ¡°What the hell, Matteo? Are you trying to choke me to death?!¡± She cried out, gripping her throat.


    ¡°Repeat that when you have my dick inside your mouth,¡± I replied with a smirk.

 Safe word

    MATTEO POV


    Deirdre jumped out of bed, her eyes roaming around the room briefly, and then they locked on mine. She seemed to be sober, which I was grateful for because there was no way I was going to fuck a drunk woman.


    ¡°Oh, my goodness,¡± She whispered, pushing a hand through her hair. ¡°I didn¡¯t finish that, did I?¡±


    She pointed to the bottle of empty Rose.


    ¡°You can regret your actionster about drinking. Right now, I have a better way to make you even more sober.¡±


    Slipping out of my pants, I groaned as I pulled down my boxer briefs, my dick twitching, d it was freed from the restraint.


    Stroking the erected length, I turned to Deirdre. She stood transfixed, ogling my arousal.


    I wasn¡¯t bothered. If anything, it fascinated me that she was mesmerized by my dick, the dick that would soon enter inside her slick wet fold.


    ¡°You caused this, Deirdre; you should get back to bed,¡± I pointed to the bed. ¡°We need to finish what you started.¡±


    ¡°I did?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Are you still drunk?¡± I asked, ¡°I can¡¯t hold this any longer.¡±


    I continued stroking, and despite the disbelief that was on her face and my thoughts of her being still drunk, my erection didn¡¯t soften. Instead, it even hardened the more.


    Deirdre moved towards me slowly, as if she walked too fast; she would fall t on her face.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    She sped a hand over mine and nced up at me. ¡°Can I touch it?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s all yours, Deirdre,¡± I said through gritted teeth as I felt her hand wrapped around it as soon as I let go.


    She went to her knees, her gaze still locked on mine as she moved her hand slowly up and down.


    My dick pulsated in her hand, and I shuddered violently.


    ¡°Take me in already, Deirdre!¡± I growled out.


    Instead of doing all that I said, Deirdre giggled and then squeezed hard.


    ¡°Shit!¡± I gasped. ¡°You¡¯re going to fucking kill me with that squeeze.¡±


    ¡°Let me please you, Matteo,¡± She murmured. Her tongue peaked out, and she licked my dick from the tip down to my fucking balls.


    Shit!


    Shutting my eyes, I grabbed a fistful of her hair, hissing, ¡°Where did you learn how to fucking do that?!¡±


    I snapped my eyes open to see her wide yet innocent smile.


    ¡°Forgive my lips, Matteo; they tend to find pleasure in the most unusual ce.¡±


    ¡°Where the fuck did you go and¡­¡±


    Deirdre lips wrapped around my balls, sucking lightly, taking my breath away.


    I stumbled slightly and was d the sofa was there to break my fall.


    ¡°Fuck, Deirdre,¡± I groaned, pushing a hand through her hair and inciting a moan from her.


    ¡°Wanna bet, Matteo? I can make you scream out real loud,¡± Deirdre said.


    ¡°W-what?¡± I furrowed my brows. What the fuck had gotten over her?


    Did she take something else other than that damned alcohol? Deirdre was never this open.


    And whenever we fucked, I made her say things, and most times she was always reluctant. But her speaking freely was something I would never get used to.


    ¡°Deirdre¡­¡± The words died down in my throat as she took in my full length in her mouth without gagging.


    Fuck!


    Her mouth had been on my dick before, but this wasn¡¯t the kind of feeling it incited inside of me.


    This was different. This Deirdre, sucking on my hard dick, was determined to make me scream her name as she had said.


    ¡°Fuck, fuck, fuck, your mouth feels so fucking good,¡± I whispered, shoving the full length of my dick inside her mouthpletely.


    Deirdre gasped, attempting to pull away, but I held her mouth in ce.


    ¡°Make me scream,¡± I said through gritted teeth as her wide eyes met mine.


    Deirdre¡¯s lips mped around my length even tighter, sucking, pulling, urging me toe for her.


    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± I whispered, grabbing her head with both my hands as she bobbed up and down my length.


    ¡°Faster, don¡¯t let go,¡± I hissed.


    Deirdre worked her ttened tongue up and down my cock delivering pleasure with the same finesse that drove me to trembling orgasms.


    I shot my cum inside her mouth, and she swallowed all without leaving a drop.


    ¡°You see?¡± she smiled a triumphant smile. Then, gazed at my dick with lust. She wanted more.


    Likewise I.


    There was no way I was letting her take the lead to tease me again. Except I wish to be a trembling mess underneath her, which I didn¡¯t mind.


    However, I wish to be inside of her.


    Her mouth moved towards my dick, but I sped her face, halting her.


    ¡°My turn, darling. And I hope you¡¯re sober enough.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Came the single response from Deirdre, and I swooped her off her feet towards the bed and dumped her on it.


    ¡°Tell me what you want, Kitten,¡± I whispered, pulling her legs towards the edge of the bed.


    ¡°Anything?¡± Deirdre questioned, biting her bottom lip.


    ¡°Anything, and don¡¯t fucking bite your lips,¡± I narrowed my eyes at her.


    She did again. Well, she was naturally defiant.


    ¡°Eat me, Matteo,¡± she whispered, but her voice was loud enough for me to hear.


    Her face was flushed, and she gazed away. She was the one who had pulled me off earlier. How could she look like a fucking seductress one minute and the next, like an angel that knows nothing?!


    ¡°Say it louder,¡± I said gruffly.


    ¡°Eat me, Matteo. Make me cum over and over again!¡± Deirdre yelled.


    I swear, whoever was passing by our door would definitely hear what she had said, but I couldn¡¯t care less. She was my fucking wife and not some random whore that I¡¯d be embarrassed about.


    Pushing her legs up and setting them apart, I knelt at the edge of the bed, my head moving into her inner thigh. Inhaling deeply and sighing at the sweet savoring scent emanating from her pussy.


    ¡°Safeword, Deirdre.¡± I rubbed at her pussy slowly.


    I didn¡¯t want to hurt her. Even as she had given me the go-ahead to do as I pleased with her, taking her with caution was my utmost desire.


    ¡°Just say anything to make me stop when it hurts,¡± I said.


    ¡°Thunderstorm,¡± Deirdre let out.


    ¡°Thunderstorm, it is,¡± I replied, ¡°And never forget that Deirdre, that shall be the word to stop me.¡±

 I missed this

    DEIRDRE POV


    I was sober and extremely aware of all that was going on. From the moment Matteo had shoved the water down my throat till when I had willingly sucked him off, and now, fuck.


    His hot breath inside my inner thigh made my pussy cry. I felt moisture gathering in between my thighs, and my pelvic walls clenched involuntarily.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know how good that feels, Matteo,¡± I gripped his hair as he continued to breathe inside of me.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll make you feel better,¡± Matteo rasped, kissing my thigh, leaving hot, tantalizing desire in its wake.


    He moved up, trailing kisses, till he was at the very core of my pleasure.


    The ce where I needed him most.


    He blew air into it, and I shuddered, moaning out his name.


    ¡°Oh god, Matteo,¡± I gripped the bedsheets as I arched my back, trying to control the sensations.


    Matteo gripped my thighs, forcing them open wider, and I felt his mouth on my pussy.


    Fuck!


    I cried out as he suckled on the sensitive bud, and I felt myself lose all control.


    Matteo sheathed two fingers in my throbbing pussy, pushing in and out of me slowly.


    ¡°You¡¯re so fucking tight, Principessa.¡± His breath wasing in fast and furious.


    ¡°Fuck, you¡¯re so fucking hot. You¡¯re soaking my fingers,¡± he grunted as he pushed a third finger in.


    I threw my head back, gasping. The pain was a wee relief.


    ¡°Yes, give me that pain. Make it hurt, Matteo.¡±


    His lips found the swollen bud of my clitoris. His tongue flicked at the nub. He began sucking, making my pelvis thrust up into his face as he fucked me with his fingers.


    He took his fingers from my pussy, licking them as if savouring the taste.


    ¡°God, you¡¯re perfect,¡± his eyes darkened with lust as his tongue continued to torture me, pushing me further and further to the edge.


    ¡°Come for me, baby,¡± his husky voice sent shivers down my spine as his fingers dug deeper into my thigh.


    ¡°Oh my god,¡± I screamed,ing all over his face.


    He pulled away, his mouth glistening with my juice.


    ¡°You¡¯re still dressed,¡± Iined, wanting to see more of him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take care of that then, shall we?¡± he grinned.


    He pulled off his shirt, unzipping his pants. His hard cock, stood upright, and he pumped his hands up and down, stroking his length, his eyes never leaving mine.


    I wanted him.


    I wanted him to fuck me.


    ¡°Are you ready, Deirdre? Are you ready to take my dick, deep inside your little cunt?¡± he asked, his eyes boring into mine.


    ¡°Yes, yes, please,¡± I pleaded.


    Matteo pushed me on my back.


    I felt his hot flesh against mine.


    ¡°Put me inside of you,¡± he rasped.


    I grasped his hard, thick dick, rubbing it against my folds as he teased me with the head.


    ¡°Put my dick inside of you, Deirdre. Beg for it. Tell me you want my dick,¡± he demanded, his voice full of lust.


    ¡°I want you,¡± I gasped as his dickhead entered me.


    ¡°Say it. Say, I want your dick,¡± he said as his cock slid another inch.


    ¡°I want your dick. Give it to me,¡± I begged.


    ¡°As you wish, darling.¡±


    He thrust his entire length inside of me, filling me, stretching me.


    He felt so good.


    His thickness, his length, his girth, every fucking thing.


    Matteo gritted his teeth as he withdrew and thrust back in again.


    I wrapped my legs around him, digging my nails in his shoulders as his hips pistoned, thrusting his length deep inside of me, making me cry out.


    ¡°You¡¯re a fucking goddess, Deirdre.¡±Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    He kissed me as he pound into me. His tongue mirrored the rhythm of his thrusts while his dick hit my G-spot, making me gasp in pleasure.


    ¡°Yes, baby, oh, oh, oh, ah, oh.¡± My cries came faster and louder. My hips met his thrusts.


    ¡°Fuck, fuck, fuck,¡± he rasped as I felt his dick swell inside of me.


    His fingers dug deeper into my thigh.


    I knew it would have a markter, but I didn¡¯t care.


    I was lost in the throes of passion as he pounded inside of me, his eyes never leaving mine, and I held on to him as if for dear life.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonnae,¡± I said, gasping.


    ¡°Come for me,¡± he ordered as his hips mmed against me.


    I felt his warmth spread through me as he thrust onest time, spilling his seed, his orgasm rocking through his body, and his weight copsed on me.


    His dick was still buried inside of me.


    He rested his forehead against mine, his eyes still locked with mine.


    ¡°You¡¯re beautiful, Bambolina. I hope you know that,¡± he said, kissing my neck and nuzzling my breasts.


    If there was one thing about Matteo, he always made me feel beautiful. Despite hearing him say it all the time, it ignited the same feelings of warmth and pleasure in me.


    ¡°You¡¯re not so bad yourself,¡± I joked.


    ¡°Mmm,¡± he groaned as his tongue swirled around my nipple, teasing the tip until it became a hard pebble.


    ¡°Round 2?¡± I asked, giggling.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d never ask,¡± he smiled as he withdrew his softening dick from my soaking wet pussy.


    I felt empty without him.


    ¡°I missed this. I missed us,¡± he said, his eyes boring into mine. ¡°I missed seeing your face each morning before I wake and when Ie awake.¡±


    I wanted to believe him.


    I really did.


    But I knew better.


    ¡°No more talking. Kiss me,¡± I whispered.


    And he did.


    And we lost ourselves in the throes of passion once more.

 No special occasion

    DEIRDRE POV


    DAY ELEVEN


    Groaning, as I rolled on the bed, my hand patted where Matteo should be, and I drew closer, only to open my eyes as it felt cold to my touch, and also, I didn¡¯t see Matteo there.


    I sat up on the bed, slowly, ignoring the ache spreading through me, from my pussy, down to my nipples. However, my pussy wasn¡¯t the only ce that was sore. Every part of my body.


    I remembered every bit of detail that happenedst night, embarrassingly so. Yet, I craved Matteo¡¯s touch more than ever.


    I was only embarrassed that I had gotten drunk and initiated the whole thing without an iota of shame in me.


    Maybe I shouldn¡¯t be ashamed, but I couldn¡¯t help it. Also, I was lucky to bypass hangover.


    I guessed it was due to the water Matteo had forcefully shoved down my throat that didn¡¯t make me wake up feeling nauseous this morning, but that didn¡¯t mean I didn¡¯t feel a headache.


    It could easily be ignored, but at the same time, it was still there.


    Matteo stepped into the room, casually dressed,id-back, yet stylish, and was very much befitting for a walk.


    He was wearing a light blue linen button-down shirt, its sleeves rolled up to his elbows, showing off his muscr inked arms. Paired with the shirt, he opted for beige chino shorts that hit just above the knee; on his feet were brown leather sandals toplete his look.


    Frowning, I looked up at him as he pushed down his aviator ss down his nose.


    ¡°Baby,¡± He said, walking towards me.


    I flushed, shaking my head. He had called me many endearments, and I had never for once blushed whenever he said them. But the term Baby seemed to hit differently, and I wouldn¡¯t deny liking it.


    Matteo seemed to be aware of the fact that I liked it, too, as he smirked.


    He bent towards me, gently gripping my chin with one of his hand and bringing it towards his lips.


    ¡°No,¡± I muffled, pushing him.


    ¡°Why not?¡± He asked, furrowing his brows. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me we fuckedst night for you to reject me this morning? I literally poured all my feelings to you, Deirdre.¡±


    If saying I missed you meant pouring feelings.


    I rolled my eyes, covering my mouth, ¡°I haven¡¯t brushed, Matteo. Stop trying to kiss me whenever Ie awake.¡±


    ¡°You always let me kiss you as soon as youe awake, what changed? Even if you have a smell breath, which I wouldn¡¯t mind, I¡¯d still want you.¡± He said, his tone serious.


    ¡°Do I have a bad breath?¡± I asked him, climbing down from the bed and stumbling slightly.


    Matteo caught my hand, steadying me.


    ¡°You don¡¯t,¡± He said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to make me feel better,¡± I murmured.


    ¡°You don¡¯t Deirdre. I¡¯m big on hygiene, and no, I wouldn¡¯te close to anyone with a smelly breath.¡± Matteo responded.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°But you said even if I do have a smell breath, you wouldn¡¯t mind,¡± I pointed out, folding my arms.


    Matteo stilled, and his eyes locked on mine briefly before he shook his head, ¡°I know what you are doing, Deirdre, and no, I won¡¯t respond to that. You should freshen up and get dressed.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the asion?¡± I asked, stepping towards the bathroom. I stayed by the entrance, gasping as I gazed at the several roses that lined the entrance of the bathroom to where the bathtub was.


    ¡°This is¡­¡± I whispered, turning around to where Matteo was, but he was no longer in the room.


    My gaze caught a glimpse of a rose bouquet on the bed, and I stepped towards it, grabbing and inhaling.


    Pulling out the note stuck in it, I read, ¡°Every petal symbolizes a moment I cherish with you. Looking forward to creating more memories together. Love, Matteo, your darling husband.¡±


    It was only a simple statement. But I couldn¡¯t resist giggling and blushing. Matteo¡¯s kind gesture warmed my heart. He could be a beast sometimes, but he surely did have a heart.


    Setting the bouquet down, I walked back to the bathroom. The bathroom was transformed into a romantic oasis, with flickering candles casting a soft, warm glow over the room and the air filled with the sweet scent of roses. The trail of petals leading to the bathtub beckoned me closer, enticing my step into the luxurious bath that awaited her.


    I halted as I felt another presence. His presence. I didn¡¯t bother turning because I doubted there was a need for that.


    Matteo¡¯s voice broke through my reverie, drawing my attention back to him.


    And that instant, I turned to face him, my heart fluttering at the sight of him in his outfit. For the second time, staring at him today, he made me mentally swoon for him.


    ¡°There¡¯s no special asion,¡± Matteo said with a smirk, his eyes twinkling mischievously. ¡°I just thought we could use a little rxation and pampering afterst night.¡±


    I felt a blush creep up my cheeks at the memory of our passionate encounter. Despite my earlier embarrassment, I couldn¡¯t deny the thrill that coursed through me at the thought of spending more intimate time with Matteo.


    ¡°Well, in that case, I suppose I could use a nice soak,¡± I replied, unable to hide the excitement in her voice.


    Matteo grinned, his gaze lingering on me. I stripped slowly out of the bathrobe I wore in front of him, yet he was still staring.


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel a rush of warmth at the way he looked at me as if I was the only woman in the world.


    As I lowered myself into the fragrant bath, I let out a contented sigh, feeling the tension melt away from my muscles.


    Matteo¡¯s presence filled the room, his gaze never leaving mine as she leaned back against the porcin tub, basking in the romantic ambiance that surrounded us.


    I didn¡¯t want him to leave as well; I craved his presence as much as he craved mine.

 Piggyback

    DEIRDRE POV


    Matteo and I were out of the house as soon as I finished bathing. I still didn¡¯t know where we were heading, but I trusted him.


    However, I didn¡¯t trust my feet. I wondered how long we were going to walk as they were already aching.


    Matteo stopped abruptly, and I stumbled into his back. He turned slightly to stare at me.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    I nodded, ¡°I am.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re panting,¡± he pointed out.


    ¡°It¡¯s normal for me to paint. We¡¯ve been walking,¡± I said.


    ¡°It means you are not fit,¡± Matteo pointed out, ¡°Perhaps enrolling you in a gym as soon as we get out of here would be best.¡±


    I shrugged, ¡°Are we closer to our location?¡± I didn¡¯t care about enrolling in the gym; and I cared about getting to where we were heading so I could rest my aching legs.


    I should have worn sandals; Matteo had warned me and asked me to be in one or take it along with me.


    But I had stubbornly declined and had worn an ankle boot.


    Even though the sole wasn¡¯t very high, it was still high for a long walk.


    ¡°Fuck it,¡± I muttered, unzipping the ankle boots and slipping out of them.


    I flexed my legs, letting out a sigh at the relieved feeling that washed over me.


    Preparing to walk, Matteo halted me.


    He frowned, staring from my legs to my face. ¡°Are you aware that it¡¯s dangerous to walk around barefooted? There are so many spikes around here as well as traps, I don¡¯t want the mother of my child to move around limping or worse have her legs cut off.¡±


    ¡°Matteo,¡± I shook my head, rolling my eyes at him. ¡°I can¡¯t see any spike that would try to prate my sole; besides, I can¡¯t walk with these shoes. I should have listened to you.¡±


    ¡°You should have,¡± Matteo agreed with a nod, then he squatted before me. ¡°Get on.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I asked him as he pointed to his back.


    ¡°Get on, Deirdre.¡± He repeated.


    ¡°No,¡± I shook my head.


    ¡°Why not? I am giving you a free ride.¡± He said.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been piggyback,¡± I muttered, eyeing his back.


    Matteo frowned at me, then he smirked, ¡°Consider yourself lucky. My back, I believe, is the smoothest ever. You¡¯ll get the utmost experience while on it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m scared of high.¡±


    ¡°Height?¡± He snorted, ¡°You¡¯ll be very muchfortable wrapped around me. I should be the one afraid because I don¡¯t know what you might do to me from behind.¡±


    It was true that I was scared of high ces. Matteo was really tall. Being on his back could make things below look low.


    But then again, he was right. I¡¯d be wrapped around him. It wasn¡¯t like he was going to drop me with the little chance he got.


    ¡°Get on, Deirdre, or I force you on it. We are runningte.¡± Matteo let out. I heard the impatience in his voice, making me wonder how important the ce we were going to was to him.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°Fine, if you drop me, just know you have Kendall to answer to,¡± I muttered.


    ¡°Kendall will believe whatever I say to her,¡± Matteo chuckled, wrapping his arms under my legs.


    He stood up with a suddenness that made me squeal, and I red at his back. ¡°Matteo!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I was test standing,¡± He replied. I heard the amusement in his voice.


    ¡°Is that even a real word? Test standing?¡± I snorted, ¡°You¡¯re weird.¡±


    ¡°It can be a real word if you want it to be, and besides, you bring out all my weirdness.¡± Matteo turned his head at an awkward angle to look at me.


    I pushed his head back, ¡°Please, don¡¯t sprain your neck.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll happily do that for you,¡± He whispered.


    ¡°What?¡± I asked him. Even though I had heard what he said, I wanted him to repeat it again.


    He, indeed was strange. I didn¡¯t know what had gotten into him.


    It was only three days ago he hade back demanding to know what was going on between Vittorio and me. And now, it seemed all thoughts of Vittorio had vanished from his head.


    All he ever did was act weird around me. Almost like I was the only one he could ever think of. Like yesterday, the flower and the romantic bath it was so unlike Matteo.


    He had made me feel something I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d feel. Or maybe the feelings had been there, but I had been trying to ignore it because why not?


    Matteo wasn¡¯t as sweet as this. He was an entirely different person the first time we met. He barely cared about the littlest detail, and all he ever wanted was to fuck.


    Yes, we barely cuddled, but we had been doing that a lottely.


    I wasn¡¯tining anyway. I could use as much feeling as I could get from him because, to be honest, if we weren¡¯t in this together, I was sure I¡¯d have gone insane.


    This ind would have driven me crazy with its soreness.


    Don¡¯t get me wrong, I loved a serene environment, but not one without Kendall.


    ¡°Deirdre,¡± Matteo murmured, snapping me out of my thoughts.


    ¡°Yes?¡± I murmured back.


    ¡°Your breasts,¡± He said.


    ¡°What about them?¡± I asked him, confused.


    ¡°They are¡­¡±


    ¡°They are what?¡± I added as he stopped.


    He seemed to be struggling toe up with words to describe what he was feeling.


    ¡°Matteo?¡± I called as he shuddered.


    ¡°If they keep pressing against me in that manner, I might be tempted to fuck you against one of these thorny trees,¡± He rasped.


    ¡°What?!¡± I questioned, bewildered.


    ¡°I¡¯m hard, Deirdre,¡± Matteo simply said.


    It only took me a few seconds to understand what he was saying.


    ¡°You pervert!¡± I pped his back. ¡°W-why?¡±


    ¡°Why what?¡± he asked gruffly.


    ¡°Why would you have such a thought? I mean, this should be an innocent walk, and you offered to carry me and¡­¡±


    ¡°I never said I wouldn¡¯t fuck you doing the walk, did I?¡± Matteo asked, and I found myself shaking my head.


    ¡°No, but¡­¡±


    ¡°You are my wife, Deirdre. I can do as I desire with you. Besides, your body on mine feels like torture when I am not into you, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop,¡± I murmured.


    ¡°Why?¡± he asked me.


    ¡°Just stop, and let¡¯s keep walking,¡± I told him. If he didn¡¯t stop, I sure was going to take him on his offer. Perhaps he was trying to turn me on so I¡¯d ept to what he wanted.


    I felt my nipples tightening, and with how thin Matteo¡¯s shirt was, I was sure he¡¯d feel the pointy end, seeing as I wasn¡¯t wearing a bra.


    I wondered why I hadn¡¯t worn one.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll keep moving, but know this, Deirdre, when I need to, I¡¯ll take it. Don¡¯t stop me.¡± I heard the promise in his voice.


    It made desire surge through me, and my pussy dampened.


    I should be sore down there. It was barely twenty-four hours since Matteo had fucked the living daylight out of me, yet, it felt ready again.


    Ready to take him in.


    Groaning, I rubbed my face against his back, sighing, ¡°I hope you don¡¯t feel the need to because I don¡¯t think I have the willpower to stop you.¡±

 We might be cursed

    DEIRDRE POV


    I thought we¡¯d walk a little longer, but Matteo¡¯s announcement broke through my thoughts.


    ¡°We are here,¡± He said.


    I peered around the forest area, not seeing anything significant except for the deciduous tree covering and tall shrubs.


    ¡°What exactly am I supposed to see?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°Oh, right,¡± Matteo said, stepping forward towards a signpost that read, ¡°Do not enter except ready tomit.¡±


    ¡°Matteo,¡± I murmured as he continued to walk towards the signpost. ¡°I don¡¯t think we should be here.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± He questioned, but he wasn¡¯t stopping. I didn¡¯t think he had the intention to stop.


    ¡°Because I just read that we shouldn¡¯t enter unless we are ready tomit,¡± I said.


    ¡°Are we not ready tomit?¡± Matteo asked me. I didn¡¯t understand what he meant by that term, and he didn¡¯t even exin further.


    Instead, he crouched and ordered me to get down, which I did, albeit disappointed I wasn¡¯t feeling the muscles at his back.


    Yet, it was better, seeing as I wanted to feel my legs on the floor.


    ¡°Come on, we open this at the count of three.¡± He whispered, pointing to therge leaves that seemed to cover where we were going.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my questions, Matteo,¡± I replied.


    ¡°I will after getting in,¡± He said, making me nod.


    Matteo counted to three, and on the third, we opened the leaves at the same time.


    And what was before me stole my breath away.


    The sheer beauty of it all was overwhelming yet strangelyforting. The waterfall, a majestic curtain of cascading water,mands attention at the center of this natural sanctuary.


    Its roar filled the air, drowning out any other sound and drawing me closer with an irresistible allure. Each droplet glistened in the sunlight, casting rainbows that hopped across the rocks below. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and wildflowers, mingling with the invigorating mist that rose from the rushing waters.


    The sun cast its golden glow upon the scene, painting thendscape in hues of warmth and illuminating every leaf and stone with a soft, ethereal light.


    Surrounded by the lush greenery of the ind, I felt small yet connected to something greater than myself. The sheer power of the waterfall reminds me of the force of nature, of its ability to both create and destroy with equal measure.


    But amidst this raw power, there was also a sense of peace-a quiet reverence that settled over me like aforting embrace. It was as though this ce held the secrets of the universe, waiting patiently for those willing to listen.


    ¡°Deirdre,¡± Matteo¡¯s voice came out in a rasp, and I shivered as he gripped my waist, pulling me into him.


    ¡°Should we be here?¡± I asked, unable to look away from the waterfall.


    ¡°We should,¡± Matteo affirmed. ¡°Or maybe we shouldn¡¯t.¡±


    I raised my brows, staring at him.


    Matteo shrugged, ¡°This ce is hidden. I stumbled on it by mistake. So, I did some research on it, and I learnt it possesses mystical powers.¡±


    ¡°You believe in magic?¡± I snorted, unable to stop the giggles from slipping out.


    ¡°I am here for something else. You saw what was written before we came in?¡± He asked me, and I nodded.


    ¡°Do not enter except ready tomit,¡± I said.


    Matteo nodded, and then he cupped my face. ¡°This ce is said to mend even what seemed to be impossible. It thaws even the strongest of hearts¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you saying you want to test the authenticity of our rtionship?¡± I asked him with wide eyes.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Matteo grinned, a wicked delight in his eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s forbidden,¡± I admonished him. ¡°Something can go wrong!¡±


    ¡°It being forbidden is what makes it the more exciting.¡± He said, then he pulled my hand, moving towards the waterfall.


    When we stopped, he gripped the strap of my dress, pulling it down, ¡°I am going to fuck you in this forbidden territory Deirdre.¡±


    ¡°Matteo,¡± I swallowed, shaking my head. We had enough space in the bedroom to do so.


    Yet despite my protest, it sounded exhrating, and my pussy was already twitching, ready to be fucked.


    ¡°Deirdre,¡± He growled my name. His fingers brushed against my skin as he pushed the dress down, exposing my breasts to the cool, misty air.


    ¡°So fucking beautiful,¡± He murmured, his eyes locked on mine. His hands cupped my breasts, squeezing them lightly.


    ¡°You are so sexy,¡± He continued, his fingers pinching and teasing my nipples.


    I moaned softly, arching into his touch.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to fuck you hard and deep,¡± He said, his voice low and rough. ¡°I¡¯m going to make youe so fucking hard.¡±


    His words sent a thrill of excitement through me. I could feel myself getting wetter by the second.


    ¡°Please,¡± I whispered, not caring if I sounded needy. I wanted him. I needed him.


    ¡°Not so fast,¡± He grinned, ¡°I want to enjoy this moment.¡±


    I let out a frustrated groan, ¡°Matteo, please. I need you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry, you will have me.¡±


    His lips crashed down onto mine in a fierce kiss. His hands tangled in my hair, pulling me closer.


    I melted against him, surrendering to his touch.


    He broke the kiss, his breath ragged.


    ¡°Get on your knees.¡±


    I dropped to my knees without hesitation.


    His fingers worked quickly, undoing his pants and freeing his hard dick.


    ¡°Now suck my dick.¡±


    I wrapped my lips around the tip of his cock, swirling my tongue around the head.


    Matteo groaned, his hips bucking slightly.


    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± He urged, his hand fisting in my hair.


    I sucked harder, taking more of his cock into my mouth.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± He cursed, his hips thrusting forward.


    I felt him pulsing inside my mouth.


    ¡°Fucking hell,¡± He muttered, his voice strained.


    He gripped my hair, pushing my head back as he pulled his cock out of my mouth.


    ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡± I asked.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s perfect, it¡¯s just I¡¯m not going to cum until I am inside you.¡± He said, pulling me up to my feet and leading me towards a t rock.


    ¡°Put your hands on the rock, Sirena.¡± He ordered.


    I did as he instructed, cing my hands on the cool stone.


    ¡°Spread your legs.¡±


    I spread my legs, the cool air hitting my pussy.


    Matteo ced a hand on my back, pressing me down until my chest was against the rock.


    ¡°Perfect,¡± He said, his voice full of approval.


    His fingers traced a line down my spine, sending shivers through me.


    He trailed his hand down my backside, gripping my ass.


    ¡°Sexy,¡± He murmured, his hand moving to cup my pussy.


    ¡°Matteo,¡± I moaned, arching into his touch.


    His fingers dipped inside me, stroking my wetness.


    ¡°God, you¡¯re so moist,¡± He said his voice husky.


    ¡°Please,¡± I begged, needing more.


    He teased me for a moment longer, his fingers circling my clit.


    I moaned, my body trembling.


    ¡°You want me to fuck you?¡± He asked, his voice low andmanding.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I breathed, my hips rocking against his hand.


    ¡°Say it,¡± He growled, his fingers sliding inside me.


    ¡°I want you to fuck me,¡± I cried out, the pleasure almost too much to bear.


    ¡°Good girl,¡± He said, his voice dripping with desire.


    He slowly pressed his dick inside me, his thickness stretching me.


    ¡°Oh god,¡± I moaned, the pleasure nearly overwhelming.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± Matteo hissed, his hands gripping my hips as he thrust deep inside me.


    ¡°That¡¯s it, baby,¡± He murmured, his voice strained.


    Matteo growled, his dick pumping in and out of me.


    I could feel him hitting the deepest part of me, the pleasure building with each thrust.


    ¡°Oh god, baby, you feel so fucking good,¡± He grunted, his hips mming into me.


    I could feel him reaching ces I didn¡¯t even know existed.


    ¡°Oh Matteo,¡± I cried out, the pleasure overwhelming me.


    ¡°Come for me,¡± He ordered, his voice hoarse.


    ¡°Oh fuck,¡± I screamed, my body shaking as the orgasm tore through me.


    ¡°Yes, yes, oh god, Sirena!¡± He roared, his dick pulsing inside me.


    My pussy clenched around his dick, milking him as he came deep inside me.


    We both copsed against the rock, our breathing ragged.


    ¡°Matteo, we might be cursed for this,¡± I said.


    ¡°It will be worth it,¡± He replied.


    Would it? I mused. We were already going through difficult times as it was, adding a curse to it¡­


    No, I didn¡¯t want to imagine that. Perhaps being as positive as Matteo was what I needed.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

 So forbidden, so good

    DEIRDRE POV


    It only took a few minutes for us to catch our breaths. I thought we were done. Matteo had said he brought me here to fuck me, and he had done that, or so I thought.


    Matteo had other things in mind.


    Wrapping his arms around me, he stood me down to where I could easily see the water, and he nudged me inside.


    ¡°Matteo!¡± I screamed, my eyes widening at the suddenness.


    He started to chuckle.


    ¡°I can¡¯t fucking swim!¡± I cried out, my hands iling in the air.


    ¡°Jokes, Jokes, Jokes,¡± He let out, rolling his eyes. ¡°Do I need to remind you I am aware of everyone you tranted for in the past? And one of the criteria of being a trantor is being an expert swimmer.¡±


    He was right. Damned Matteo. But there was no way I could let him win. Of course, I wish to lure him inside the water as well. I guess he caught on to what I was doing.


    Still, I wouldn¡¯t let him off easily.


    ¡°I c-can¡¯t,¡± I gasped out, releasing my body and letting it go down the water.


    ¡°Don¡¯t joke with me, Deirdre,¡± Matteo said. ¡°You¡¯re obviously teasing me.¡±


    But I didn¡¯t respond to him; instead, I kept pulling myself down while screaming.


    ¡°Deirdre,¡± Matteo called. His eyes were narrowed.


    Yet, there was no response from me.


    ¡°Are you being serious right now?¡± He asked, and I didn¡¯t reply to him.


    Before my head got covered with the water, I saw the fear in his eyes, as well as him preparing to jump in.


    ¡°Fucking hell, I¡¯ming to get you!¡± He growled.


    Matteo jumped into the water, and I swam to where he was, gripping him by the waist and feeling him shudder.


    Then, we both swam to the surface, ¡°Got you!¡± Iughed hard.


    Matteo¡¯s surprise was instantly reced with a scowl. He didn¡¯t share in my amusement.


    ¡°You fucking scare me, Deirdre. You y too much!¡± He grunted.


    ¡°That¡¯s a payback for throwing me in,¡± I said.


    Matteo narrowed his eyes, then he said, ¡°And I am going to punish you for that.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I eximed, ¡°How can you say that? I just yed a harmless trick.¡±


    ¡°Oh really?¡± ¡°Then wait until I spank your ass until you are unable to sit for a week!¡± He threatened.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I mumbled, biting my lip. Despite the threat and the seriousness of Matteo¡¯s words, I wouldn¡¯t deny how hot that sounded.


    ¡°But if you¡¯re a good girl, I might give you a chance,¡± Matteo said, a yful smirk tugging his lips.


    ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯m a good girl,¡± I said.


    ¡°Prove it to me,¡± he responded.


    ¡°How do I prove it to you?¡±


    ¡°Kiss me, Deirdre.¡±


    And so I did.


    Our lips met, and our tongues shed in a hot battle.


    After the kiss, I said, ¡°I¡¯m a good girl, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he replied, his eyes shing with desire. ¡°You¡¯re a very naughty girl.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a good girl, though,¡± I whined.


    ¡°Not yet,¡± he growled.


    ¡°Please, Matteo, don¡¯t spank me,¡± I begged. I didn¡¯t know how it would feel if he spanked me inside the water. Despite my mouth being against it, my body wanted it.


    Likewise, I¡¯ve not been fucked inside a waterfall before.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do something better than that,¡± Matteo smirked, grabbing my hand and taking me to the edge of the waterfall.


    I felt like I was going to be pushed. And Matteo seemed to read my mind.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯re not going to jump. We¡¯re just going to climb up.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I let out, relieved.


    ¡°Follow my lead,¡± Matteo said, and I did.


    In less than 20 seconds, we were atop the waterfall.


    The view was breathtaking.


    ¡°Wow, the view is beautiful,¡± I murmured.


    ¡°Of course, but nothing canpare to your beauty,¡± Matteo whispered in my ear, sending tingles down my spine.


    He pulled away, giving me a mischievous smile.


    ¡°I want to be on top,¡± he said, his hands on my hips.


    ¡°What?¡± I shrieked.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to be fucked by me. You¡¯ll have all the power, babe,¡± he said, a wicked grin on his face.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    In a quick movement, he lifted me and positioned me on top of his cock.


    I let out a squeal.


    ¡°You¡¯re so sexy when you make that sound,¡± Matteo said.


    I moaned as he lowered me onto his dick.


    ¡°Matteo,¡± I groaned, closing my eyes.


    Matteo grunted. ¡°Ride me like a good girl.¡±


    I began to move slowly, up and down, as his hands roamed my breasts.


    ¡°So big,¡± he said. ¡°Your tits are perfect.¡±


    I increased my speed, riding him like a pro. Like a fucking whore.


    ¡°Fuck, baby,¡± Matteo groaned. ¡°You feel so fucking good.¡±


    ¡°You like that?¡± I moaned.


    ¡°Yeah, baby, fuck me,¡± Matteo growled, his fingers digging into my hips.


    I leaned forward, pressing my chest against his, grinding my hips.


    ¡°Damn,¡± he muttered. ¡°Talk dirty for me, Cara.¡±


    ¡°Fuck me, Matteo. Harder, faster, please,¡± I pleaded.


    Matteo began thrusting his hips up, meeting me as I rode him.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I whimpered, my pussy tightening around his dick.


    ¡°You like that, baby?¡± Matteo grunted.


    ¡°Yeah, baby,¡± I breathed, my heart pounding.


    Matteo flipped me,ying me down on my back, and he pounded into me, his balls pping against my ass.


    ¡°Oh, yes!¡± I cried out, arching my back.


    ¡°So good, baby,¡± he said, his voice hoarse.


    ¡°Fuck, I¡¯m going toe,¡± I whimpered.


    ¡°Come for me, Sirena,¡± he growled.


    ¡°Matteo!¡± I shouted as my orgasm hit me. My body trembled as I came, waves of pleasure crashing through me.


    ¡°Deirdre!¡± Matteo shouted, his cock pulsing inside me as he found his release as well.


    ¡°So forbidden, so fucking good,¡± I moaned.


    ¡°I agree,¡± Matteo said, smiling at me.


    Matteo pulled out andid beside me. For a brief moment, we stayed in that position, and then Matteo sat upright.


    ¡°And now, I think it¡¯s time to leave,¡± Matteo said.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Hold my hand, Deirdre,¡± Matteo said softly.


    I held his hand.


    It took a long time for us to climb down the waterfall. It was difficult to keep my footing. But with the help of Matteo, I finally managed to climb down.


    ¡°That was tough,¡± I said, wiping the sweat off my forehead.


    ¡°Well, climbing up the waterfall isn¡¯t as easy as it looks,¡± Matteo agreed.


    ¡°But I¡¯m d we did it,¡± I giggled, my body still humming from our sex session.


    Matteo nodded, returning my smile. ¡°And now, we can leave,¡± he said after we were done putting on our clothes.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I responded, feeling a little sad yet fulfilled.


    We left the waterfall, hand in hand, walking through the forest.

 You’re dead

    MATTEO POV


    DAY TWELVE


    As I walked through the forest, the sound of cicadas surrounded me. It was barely morning. Vittorio and I had set out again.


    Even though our search had been futile previously, I believed it would be better today.


    It was my suggestion to leave as early as this because when the sun had risen, I doubted we would be able to catch any of them.


    ¡°These things are fucking too loud,¡± Vittorio groaned, cing his hands over his ears.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I muttered, rolling my eyes. I didn¡¯t care if it was too loud or not. It was nature, and there was nothing we could do about it.


    It wasn¡¯t as though insects understood humannguage that when we yelled, they¡¯d be able to listen to us.


    Their sounds might even get worse.


    ¡°This is really dumb,¡± Vittorio muttered.


    ¡°What is dumb?¡± I asked him, frowning as he halted.


    ¡°The walkie-talkies that are barely working, and us walking this way each day without any tangible information gotten. I mean, why waste our fucking time when it¡¯s very much evident we won¡¯t be leaving here anytime soon. When Giovanni and Ricardo see fit, they can organize a search for us. Other than that, we are barely wasting our time.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t wait until Giovannies to the rescue to do what¡¯s necessary. I need to get my wife out of this fucking Ind. I have a daughter waiting for me.


    ¡°Are you married, De Luca?¡± I asked, using hisst name.


    ¡°No, why thest name, Ferrari?¡± He asked, raising a brow.


    ¡°Do you have a child?¡± I asked him again, and he shook his head in negation.


    ¡°Then, that settles it. You don¡¯t know how I feel one bit. If you had both, then you wouldn¡¯t wait for the bosses to take action before you do.¡± I muttered, moving forward.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡°Even if this looks futile already? I mean, I don¡¯t think we are ever going to meet these people or find a way out. It¡¯s useless to keep walking. I suggest sitting and nning.¡±


    ¡°Sit and n then, Vittorio. I¡¯ll do what¡¯s best for myself and my family,¡± I grunted.


    I continued walking, and I heard him walking behind me, grumbling.


    It was his choice to follow. It wasn¡¯t like I had forced him. He could have declined earlier before we got deep into the forest.


    But then, he had said nothing, and now that it seemed we were almost halfway, he wanted us to return. Fucking idiot.


    It took only about thirty more minutes to get to the opening of the forest.


    The opening didn¡¯t lead us to another vige as I had imagined. Instead, several huts were built around them. They looked deserted, yet at the same time, they didn¡¯t.


    The smokeing from the bonfire at the center could only mean, they were indoors asleep, or they had only recently left.


    Turning to Vittorio as he nudged me, ¡°What do you think we should do?¡± he asked me.


    ¡°Use stealth to get to the hut. Avoid alerting anyone. Thest thing we want is for the whole gang to be on just the two of us. We will definitely be at a disadvantage.¡± I let out, and he nodded.


    Judging by the number of huts present, I could predict three people in a room due to the size. Then, multiplied by ten, that means we would have thirty enemies.


    And they could be carrying more weapons than we were. I only had a penknife and my shotgun-hooker with me, while Vittorio had a pistol-M9.


    Both of us couldbat with our hands, but of what use would it be if all thirty of them had loaded guns while we depended on our fists to help us do the work?


    We¡¯d be dead in no time.


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯d suggest. However, I don¡¯t think taking the frontage would be best,¡± he said.


    We were thinking alike. I wouldn¡¯t suggest going through the front, too.


    Vittorio continued, ¡°We should take another route, let¡¯s split. I¡¯ll take the left side, and you can take the right-hand side.¡±


    ¡°Great,¡± I said. ¡°Any help, holler my name.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to imagine myself being in a position I¡¯d want to call you out,¡± Vittorio said.


    ¡°Be careful,¡± I mumbled as he started walking away.


    ¡°Back at you, Ferrari. You have a wife waiting on you; I don¡¯t want to carry your corpse to her.¡± Vittorio winked at me.


    ¡°As if,¡± I grunted. There was no way I¡¯d be defeated easily. Not to boast, but I had been in a far more horrible situation, and I hade out of each victorious. This wasn¡¯t any exception.


    We weren¡¯t here to fight exactly. We wanted information, and I hoped we would be getting one.


    Vittorio and I burst out into the opening at the same time, and he opened the door to the hut in front of him slowly, his hand on the gun on the back of his jeans pocket.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± I hissed, shaking my head.


    ¡°Why not?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Someone could be waiting indoors for you and would definitely catch you off-guard,¡± I replied.


    Vittorio frowned briefly, then he nodded and shook his head at the same time, ¡°Nah, I am good.¡±


    Vitorrio rushed inside the hut before I could stop him. ¡°Fucking impulsive idiota!¡±


    I counted to three, waiting for him toe out as well as a gunshot. And as he didn¡¯t, I moved towards the hut, training my gun forward. I kicked the door opened stayed at the entrance briefly. It was dark.


    How had Vittorio seen anything? And where the fuck was he? Was he being held hostage? Definitely not.


    If he had been, his capturer should havee out with him as bait.


    ¡°De Luca?¡± I called, stepping in cautiously.


    But I received no response from him. When I was fully inside, I stiffened as I sensed a presence behind me.


    A gun to my head and the cool voice of Vittorio, ¡°You are dead,¡± He said.


    He moved closer to me, and I could feel his breath on my neck. ¡°You shouldn¡¯te into the enemy territory without being prepared.¡±


    ¡°I could say the same for you,¡± I muttered, nudging him from behind with my elbow and turning abruptly, knocking the gun out of his hand before training mine on him.


    ¡°Rule number one, do note closer to your captive; you can be the one dead at the end.¡± I let out.

 A map

    MATTEO POV


    Vittorio groaned, stumbling out of the hut. Then he straightened, ¡°I could have killed you!¡±


    ¡°No, I could have killed you,¡± I retorted, then narrowed my eyes at him, ¡°I thought we were a fucking team. Why the fuck did you take off in that manner?!¡±


    ¡°I fucking had everything under control, and I knew no one was in there; that was why I ran inside.¡± He said.


    ¡°Whatever, De Luca,¡± I said, ¡°You should have responded when I called you. And the mistake you made was pointing a gun at me. If you weren¡¯t someone I knew, you should be in your pool of blood right now.¡±


    I walked away from him, hearing him curse. But I wasn¡¯t fazed.


    He did deserve to be shot. I wished I could shoot his ankle at least to teach him a fucking lesson, but I couldn¡¯t.


    There would be consequences.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s check the rest hut. We¡¯d definitely find something.¡± I said to him.


    Vittorio and I searched the remaining huts, and we did find something: a map. Also, we realized that they didn¡¯t actually leave because their belongings were still intact.


    There was no way they could have left the map behind. They must have gone hunting or something.


    ¡°A map,¡± Vittorio¡¯s eyes widened as he stepped closer. ¡°What does this mean?¡±


    ¡°Our freedom, De Luca,¡± I grinned. ¡°However, we need to decode it first.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t read it. It was in anguage that I didn¡¯t understand. It wasn¡¯t as though I didn¡¯t understand it at all. I could speak the basics, but that wasn¡¯t enough to be able to read a map.


    ¡°Whatnguage is it?¡± Vittorio asked.


    ¡°Armenian,¡± I murmured.


    Vittorio frowned, ¡°Armenian? What exactly are they here for? Also, we don¡¯t have anyone who can speak that. Perhaps waiting for one of them to arrive, capture them, and force them to trante.¡±


    I shook my head, folding the map neatly into my pocket, ¡°I think I might know someone who can.¡±


    ¡°Who can?¡± Vittorio asked.


    ¡°My wife,e on, let¡¯s leave here,¡± I said.


    ¡°Deirdre?¡± He asked stupidly, as if I had more than one person I called a wife.


    ¡°Of course,¡± I said.


    ¡°Wow, she¡¯s really smart,¡± He muttered.


    ¡°She is,¡± I grinned. ¡°Really smart and amazing.¡±


    Deirdre was many things other women in my circle weren¡¯t. Even though she might not pass for the sophisticated women that were in my ss often were like, she was still very much refined to me.


    She was intelligent, gorgeous, headstrong, and above all, she was pure when I first met her.


    I was her first. That alone kept my interest in her for a long time before her disappearance.


    Right now, I couldn¡¯t exactly tell what dream me to her after meeting her. Was it her sexual allure? The child I was dying to meet? Or the need to punish her for what she had done?


    Perhaps it was all threebined. I had punished her, taken my child, and tasted her over and over again. Yet, I wanted more.


    She made me greedy, yet after each sex, I became satisfied until I became aroused again.


    Snapping my head towards Vittorio as he tapped my shoulder, he sighed, ¡°I wanted to know if she¡¯s going to do it now or if we could find somewhere more private and¡­¡±


    ¡°I need to get it to her first. I am not very much certain she can, but she should be able to, and one doesn¡¯t just decode a map that easily.¡± I said.


    ¡°You¡¯re not even certain,¡± Vittorio groaned, ¡°But you sure do trust her a lot.¡±


    Of course, I trusted Deirdre. Even more than I trusted myself, but there was no way I was going to tell her that.


    We arrived at the vige an hourter. The journey was even faster than when we set out. I believed it was due to the urgency of the situation that made it that way.


    Vittorio and I parted ways. I went indoors directly, and the door was locked.


    Knocking and waiting for Deirdre, she unlocked it some secondster in a towel wrapped around her tiny body.


    ¡°You were bathing, off to somewhere?¡± I eyed her as she dropped the towel to the floor, ignoring my questions.


    She stepped towards the bathroom, and her attention snapped back to me, care to join me?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Certainly,¡± I said. It was an invitation I couldn¡¯t reject.


    I stripped out of my clothes hastily and jumped into the bathtub with her.


    Deirdre moved closer to me, her legs wrapping around my waist. Her nipples hardened against my chest as I grabbed her ass, pulling her close.


    My lips moved down her neck, then down her breasts.


    I sucked one nipple into my mouth, tugging the bud and rolling it between my teeth.


    Deirdre¡¯s nails dug into my skin, and I moaned against her flesh.


    The water sshed over the bathtub, her legs tightened around my waist, and her head fell back.


    I released her nipple with a pop, then took the other in my mouth.


    I pulled back, and her lips caught mine, sucking my tongue.


    My dick jerked, hard and ready.


    I pulled my lips away from her, and she stared up at me, her lips swollen, cheeks flushed, and eyes sparkling with lust.


    ¡°Ride me, baby,¡± I whispered against her lips.


    Deirdre kissed me briefly, and her hand wrapped around my cock.


    She positioned my dick at her entrance and slowly lowered herself onto my dick.


    I moaned, loving the tightness and warmth surrounding me.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    She moved slowly, taking me in fully.


    Her breasts pressed against my chest as I captured her lips.


    The water in the bathtub sloshed around us as her pussy swallowed me, squeezing me tight.


    Her moans echoed in my ear, driving me insane.


    My hips buckled, mming up into her.


    ¡°Matteo¡­ Matteo,¡± She cried, her fingers digging into my skin.


    My thrusts increased, and my mouthtched onto her breast again, tugging at her nipple.


    ¡°Oh yes,¡± she gasped.


    My body tingled as I felt my release close.


    I reached between us, finding her clit.


    As my thumb rubbed against her clit, she moaned, and her hands tightened around my body.


    Her hips rocked faster as her head fell back.


    I captured a nipple between my teeth, and her pussy spasmed around me.


    ¡°Deirdre,¡± I grunted my own release close.


    She screamed, her orgasm tearing through her, and I followed, my cum spraying into her.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I groaned.


    She sagged against me; her eyes fluttered shut.


    My dick was still hard inside her.


    I didn¡¯t want to stop.


    I wanted her over and over again.


    Deirdre pulled away from me and climbed off me.


    ¡°Are we done?¡± I asked.


    ¡°No,¡± She said, then pulled the plug and got out of the bathtub.

 Possessive much?

    MATTEO POV


    I followed her, watching her wrap another towel around her.


    Then she looked up at me and grinned, ¡°We should go to bed. It would be easier.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true,¡± I said.


    Deirdre dropped the towel to the floor, thenid on her back and spread her legs wide.


    I couldn¡¯t help but stare at her pussy.


    It was already glistening, dripping wet.


    ¡°I believe it is only fair if you eat me; I would do the same.¡± She said.


    ¡°Eat me, Matteo.¡± She ordered.


    My mouth watered at her words.


    She was offering me her pussy.


    How could I say no to that?


    ¡°Fine, baby,¡± I said, then moved towards her, ¡°But first, we¡¯ll try something else. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re going to love it.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± She shrugged.


    I got on the bed and knelt in front of her.


    Then, I gripped her thighs, pushing her knees against her chest, her feet by her head.


    ¡°Keep your legs that way,¡± Imanded, ¡°No matter what happens.¡±


    Deirdre nodded, and I pushed her thighs further, opening her pussy more.


    I moved closer and blew at her entrance.


    She moaned, her hips moving slightly.


    I pped her pussy, earning a squeal.


    ¡°Stay still,¡± I said and licked her slit.


    Deirdre shuddered, her body quivering.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    My tongue flicked against her clit, then down her slit.


    My finger circled her entrance, her hips moving.


    ¡°Matteo, please,¡± she whimpered.


    I pped her pussy again, and her hips jerked.


    Then I plunged a finger into her, and her walls clenched.


    ¡°Oh fuck,¡± she gasped.


    I pumped a finger in her, and she rocked her hips.


    My mouth captured her clit, sucking it.


    ¡°Matteo, yes.¡± She gasped, her hands gripping her knees.


    My free hand gripped her ass, lifting her more.


    I added another finger, thrusting in her.


    My tongue and fingers worked together, bringing her closer.


    My balls ached, but I didn¡¯t want to stop.


    She was almost there.


    Deirdre¡¯s breaths came out short; her head thrashed on the pillow.


    ¡°Come for me, Deirdre,¡± I said.


    She moaned, and her body tightened.


    Her juices coated my fingers, dripping down.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± she screamed.


    I slowed down, pulling my fingers from her.


    ¡°Taste yourself,¡± I said and ced my fingers in her mouth.


    She sucked, her eyes on mine.


    She tasted so fucking good.


    I pulled my fingers away and licked my lips, ¡°Now, you should do the same.¡±


    Deirdre¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a deal, baby,¡± I said and got on the bed, my legs dangling off the edge.


    She stared at my cock, her lips slightly parted.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be too harsh, baby,¡± I said and patted the bed.


    Deirdre crawled closer, and I gripped her hips, positioning her above me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t suck it yet,¡± I said, ¡°Just lick, and I will let you know when you can suck it.¡±


    Deirdre nodded and leaned forward.


    I watched her lick her lips; then, her tongue darted out.


    It swirled around the tip, and my hips jerked.


    ¡°Fuck, you¡¯re good.¡± I groaned.


    Deirdre looked up at me, and her eyes were zing with hunger.


    She wrapped her mouth around the tip, and I gripped her hair.


    ¡°Oh shit,¡± I gasped as she sucked, her tongue licking the underside.


    ¡°If you ever have another man¡¯s dick in your mouth, I am going to kill the man, then punish you before killing you,¡± I hissed.


    Deirdre¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Possessive much?¡±


    ¡°You are my wife; don¡¯t ever forget that,¡± I rasped.


    She rolled her eyes, then dipped her head, swallowing my cock. ¡°Then what should I do when you¡¯re with other women?¡±


    ¡°Fuck, oh fuck.¡± I groaned, my hand gripping her hair. ¡°I¡¯m fucking loyal.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to know,¡± Deirdre¡¯s throat bobbed, her tongue licking the underside as she sucked me, her mouth tight.


    ¡°Shit, fuck, Deirdre,¡± I gritted as her head bobbed, taking more of me in her mouth.


    Her hands cupped my balls, squeezing gently.


    ¡°Holy shit,¡± I cried as my body trembled.


    My cock swelled, and her mouth moved faster.


    ¡°Baby, baby,¡± I gasped, then yanked her head back.


    Her mouth slipped out of my dick with a pop, and her eyes met mine.


    ¡°Sit on me,¡± I said.


    Deirdre grinned, and her ass rose, positioning herself above me.


    She lowered her pussy, and I groaned, loving how her walls mped down on me.


    ¡°So good, Fiore mio,¡± I grunted as she mmed down, taking me in fully.


    She rocked her hips, riding me, her pussy swallowing me.


    ¡°Fucking amazing, yes,¡± I hissed, meeting her thrust.


    Deirdre¡¯s eyes were wild, her body rocking, her breasts bouncing.


    My hands moved up her thighs, cupping her ass, and squeezed her flesh.


    ¡°Matteo,¡± she moaned.


    ¡°Fuck, keep calling my name.¡± I gritted.


    ¡°Matteo, Matteo.¡± She cried.


    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± I moaned.


    Deirdre¡¯s hands gripped her breasts, squeezing her nipples, and her hips mmed harder.


    I moaned, my own release close.


    My hand smacked her ass, her hips rocking faster.


    ¡°Matteo,¡± She moaned.


    ¡°That¡¯s it, baby,e for me,¡± I hissed.


    Her body stiffened, and her head fell back, and she shuddered.


    My hips bucked, my cock mming into her.


    ¡°Deirdre,¡± I groaned and filled her.


    She sagged on top of me, and I gripped her chin, my mouth catching hers.


    ¡°I have something to show you, but for now, let¡¯s rest,¡± I whispered against her lips and pulled out of her.


    Deirdre only nodded, without saying a word.

 Are you rejecting me?

    DEIRDRE POV


    A whileter, Matteo walked towards me with arge paper in his hand.


    He sat on the bed, making me rise slowly and gazing at his hand.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I asked.


    ¡°The oue of today¡¯s search,¡± He said, then opened it slowly and turned it to face me.


    It was a map. My eyes widened, and I sat up straight, ¡°Does that mean we can¡­¡± I trailed off.


    I didn¡¯t want to be too excited for fear that it might not really mean what I was thinking about.


    ¡°Yes, darling. We can finally leave here. However, we need help with decoding it. And you are the trantor here.¡± Matteo pointed out.


    ¡°Whatnguage is it in? And do you realize I don¡¯t know all thenguage of this world?¡± I asked him.


    Matteo shrugged his big shoulders, ¡°I am sure it¡¯s nothing you can¡¯t handle,¡± He said.


    Then he added, ¡°I believe it¡¯s in Armenian.¡±


    Matteo set the map before me, looking at me with expectation-filled eyes.


    ¡°Tell me it¡¯s one of thenguages you are fluent in, Deirdre,¡± He said.


    ¡°Well, today is our lucky day,¡± I mumbled, cing a hand on the map.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡°That means yes, I presume?¡± Matteo questioned, and I nodded.


    ¡°Yes, and this might take a few hours. I am the only one, and this is a veryrge map. As if it¡¯s the world¡¯s map.¡± I said. But then, it wasn¡¯t the world¡¯s map. It was merely the ind map.


    I didn¡¯t know the ind was asrge as this, and I could see many ces on the map we hadn¡¯t even ventured to.


    I didn¡¯t care about going there at this moment. All the ces I had visited were enough. I wanted out, and this was exactly the best way out.


    ¡°Of course, love. Take your time. I¡¯m going to go meet Vittorio to see if we can find other things that will make our leaving easier. If you need me, call me.¡± He cupped my face, brushing his lips over mine gently.


    As he prepared to leave, I mped my lips over his, deepening the kiss.


    Matteo groaned into my mouth, his hand moving around my body before resting on my nipple.


    ¡°Deirdre,¡± He whispered.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± I replied, gripping his hand and moving it towards my pussy. ¡°It¡¯s ready.¡±


    I let go of his mouth, biting my lower lip, then staring at him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll get anything done if I decide to take you on your offer,¡± Matteo said, standing to his feet.


    ¡°Are you rejecting me?¡± I asked him, and he shook his head.


    ¡°I am offering you another deal. Why don¡¯t you finish working on the map, and I¡¯ll do whatever you desire,¡± he said.


    ¡°You¡¯ll?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°Of course, anything for my little minx.¡± He said.


    Folding my arms in front of me, I continued to stare at him.


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I do,¡± I whispered.


    ¡°Then, stop giving me that look.¡±


    ¡°What look?¡± I questioned.


    ¡°The look that makes me look as though I am a liar.¡± Matteo stepped towards the door, and he turned. He blew me a kiss.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back before you know it,¡± He chuckled as I tossed a pillow toward him, which he skillfully dodged. He gripped it and dropped it on the couch before leaving the room.


    As soon as the door closed, I fell back on the bed, pushing a hand through my hair.


    ¡°Really, Deirdre?¡± I muttered. ¡°Since when are you insatiable?¡±


    Since I started sleeping with Matteo again, my subconscious responded.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± I agreed. No matter how sore my pussy was, I still wanted his dick inside of me.


    That was how great the sex felt with him. But at the same time, I knew it wasn¡¯t only the sex.


    I enjoyed Matteo¡¯s attention on my body. The way he slipped into me with care and fucked me exactly how I desired. The way he worshiped my body and whispered vulgar and sweet words in my ears.


    Ugh!


    The promises I see in his eyes sometimes. The promise of us being together and never being apart. The promise of us loving each other and¡­


    Yes, I loved Matteo. I didn¡¯t know when it started. Or perhaps I never stopped loving him. I was only furious with him and had fled the first chance I had gotten.


    I had fallen so hard and was afraid for myself. I had built a wall in my heart, an imprable wall, I presumed, but Matteo seemed to have prated it once again.


    I was in love with him. The same mistake I had made before. The realization hit me so hard, and I was d I was sitting on the bed, else I¡¯d have stumbled and mmed my face on the ground.


    Matteo surely didn¡¯t feel the same way about me. He was sure ready tomit. He was caring and doing everything right by me because of Kendall. Matteo didn¡¯t love me else; he would have said the words to me without hesitation.


    Maybe he only saw me as an object of his pleasure. He only wanted my body as he had always wanted it.


    Shit!


    Was there a way to escape this mess I was in once again? I doubted there was.


    Kendall would be the one on the receiving end. No matter how caring Matteo was now, I knew he could switch whenever he detected something odd.


    He could be a beast and would definitely punish me if I did something against what he wished.


    I needed a tangible reason to leave him. Love should be one. But Matteo would definitelyugh at me if I presented that to me.


    I could guess what he would say.


    ¡°Who needed love when we can just get naked and fuck each other¡¯s brains out? We are attracted to each other. That should be enough, shouldn¡¯t it, Tesoro?¡±


    I groaned, ¡°It isn¡¯t enough, Matteo. The sex is great, but that isn¡¯t enough,¡± I said to myself.


    DEIRDRE POV


    A whileter, Matteo walked towards me with arge paper in his hand.


    He sat on the bed, making me rise slowly and gazing at his hand.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I asked.


    ¡°The oue of today¡¯s search,¡± He said, then opened it slowly and turned it to face me.


    It was a map. My eyes widened, and I sat up straight, ¡°Does that mean we can¡­¡± I trailed off.


    I didn¡¯t want to be too excited for fear that it might not really mean what I was thinking about.


    ¡°Yes, darling. We can finally leave here. However, we need help with decoding it. And you are the trantor here.¡± Matteo pointed out.


    ¡°Whatnguage is it in? And do you realize I don¡¯t know all thenguage of this world?¡± I asked him.


    Matteo shrugged his big shoulders, ¡°I am sure it¡¯s nothing you can¡¯t handle,¡± He said.


    Then he added, ¡°I believe it¡¯s in Armenian.¡±


    Matteo set the map before me, looking at me with expectation-filled eyes.


    ¡°Tell me it¡¯s one of thenguages you are fluent in, Deirdre,¡± He said.


    ¡°Well, today is our lucky day,¡± I mumbled, cing a hand on the map.


    ¡°That means yes, I presume?¡± Matteo questioned, and I nodded.


    ¡°Yes, and this might take a few hours. I am the only one, and this is a veryrge map. As if it¡¯s the world¡¯s map.¡± I said. But then, it wasn¡¯t the world¡¯s map. It was merely the ind map.


    I didn¡¯t know the ind was asrge as this, and I could see many ces on the map we hadn¡¯t even ventured to.


    I didn¡¯t care about going there at this moment. All the ces I had visited were enough. I wanted out, and this was exactly the best way out.


    ¡°Of course, love. Take your time. I¡¯m going to go meet Vittorio to see if we can find other things that will make our leaving easier. If you need me, call me.¡± He cupped my face, brushing his lips over mine gently.


    As he prepared to leave, I mped my lips over his, deepening the kiss.


    Matteo groaned into my mouth, his hand moving around my body before resting on my nipple.


    ¡°Deirdre,¡± He whispered.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± I replied, gripping his hand and moving it towards my pussy. ¡°It¡¯s ready.¡±


    I let go of his mouth, biting my lower lip, then staring at him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll get anything done if I decide to take you on your offer,¡± Matteo said, standing to his feet.


    ¡°Are you rejecting me?¡± I asked him, and he shook his head.


    ¡°I am offering you another deal. Why don¡¯t you finish working on the map, and I¡¯ll do whatever you desire,¡± he said.


    ¡°You¡¯ll?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°Of course, anything for my little minx.¡± He said.


    Folding my arms in front of me, I continued to stare at him.


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I do,¡± I whispered.


    ¡°Then, stop giving me that look.¡±


    ¡°What look?¡± I questioned.


    ¡°The look that makes me look as though I am a liar.¡± Matteo stepped towards the door, and he turned. He blew me a kiss.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back before you know it,¡± He chuckled as I tossed a pillow toward him, which he skillfully dodged. He gripped it and dropped it on the couch before leaving the room.


    As soon as the door closed, I fell back on the bed, pushing a hand through my hair.


    ¡°Really, Deirdre?¡± I muttered. ¡°Since when are you insatiable?¡±


    Since I started sleeping with Matteo again, my subconscious responded.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± I agreed. No matter how sore my pussy was, I still wanted his dick inside of me.


    That was how great the sex felt with him. But at the same time, I knew it wasn¡¯t only the sex.


    I enjoyed Matteo¡¯s attention on my body. The way he slipped into me with care and fucked me exactly how I desired. The way he worshiped my body and whispered vulgar and sweet words in my ears.


    Ugh!


    The promises I see in his eyes sometimes. The promise of us being together and never being apart. The promise of us loving each other and¡­


    Yes, I loved Matteo. I didn¡¯t know when it started. Or perhaps I never stopped loving him. I was only furious with him and had fled the first chance I had gotten.


    I had fallen so hard and was afraid for myself. I had built a wall in my heart, an imprable wall, I presumed, but Matteo seemed to have prated it once again.


    I was in love with him. The same mistake I had made before. The realization hit me so hard, and I was d I was sitting on the bed, else I¡¯d have stumbled and mmed my face on the ground.


    Matteo surely didn¡¯t feel the same way about me. He was sure ready tomit. He was caring and doing everything right by me because of Kendall. Matteo didn¡¯t love me else; he would have said the words to me without hesitation.


    Maybe he only saw me as an object of his pleasure. He only wanted my body as he had always wanted it.


    Shit!


    Was there a way to escape this mess I was in once again? I doubted there was.


    Kendall would be the one on the receiving end. No matter how caring Matteo was now, I knew he could switch whenever he detected something odd.


    He could be a beast and would definitely punish me if I did something against what he wished.


    I needed a tangible reason to leave him. Love should be one. But Matteo would definitelyugh at me if I presented that to me.


    I could guess what he would say.


    ¡°Who needed love when we can just get naked and fuck each other¡¯s brains out? We are attracted to each other. That should be enough, shouldn¡¯t it, Tesoro?¡±


    I groaned, ¡°It isn¡¯t enough, Matteo. The sex is great, but that isn¡¯t enough,¡± I said to myself.

 Man of many talent

    DEIRDRE POV


    I was exhausted by the time I finished tranting thest word on the map. It was tiring, yet at the same time exhrating.


    Thest time I did something like this was three years ago, and everything had ended instantly after meeting Matteo.


    I barely went to functions, and I didn¡¯t have any clients as well to ask for my service. At that time, I had believed Matteo had a hand in it.


    The way he red at men who stared at me whenever I walked by, I believed he had gone behind my back to say things he shouldn¡¯t.


    He was very much possessive and meddling. I remember we had gotten into an argument after he had used me of flirting with a client just a week after we started seeing each other.


    Yes, it wasn¡¯t only Vittorio he had used me of flirting with, and I had taken it at that time to be jealous.


    I had thought it cute, but I had ignored the deep red g waving in front of me. It was obvious.


    To be honest, I guessed I was into Matteo¡¯s overall personality. Domineering, arrogance, controlling, possessive, and dominance all had been ringly obvious.


    I was too in love and naive to think straight. Yet, I was making the same mistake.


    The door opened, and Matteo stepped in.


    ¡°Did you do it?¡± He asked me, and I nodded, sighing.


    Matteo came towards where I sat on the swivel chair, a wide smile on his face.


    ¡°That¡¯s amazing, sweetheart,¡± He said, then added, ¡°What do you want as a reward?¡±


    ¡°Exhausted,¡± I whispered, yawning.


    ¡°I can make you rx,¡± Matteo offered.


    ¡°How?¡± I asked him, feeling slightly suspicious.


    He was up to something.


    ¡°A massage,¡± He told me, and I looked up at him, my eyes wide with disbelief.


    ¡°Seriously?¡±


    ¡°I am a man of many talents,¡± He informed me.


    ¡°Sure, if you say so,¡± I shrugged, still feeling weary.


    I wasn¡¯t sure about what I was agreeing to.


    I got up, and he moved me over to the bed. I had to sit with my back to him.


    ¡°Where did you learn to give massages?¡± I asked him, and he answered me with a shrug.


    ¡°I have had a lot of practice.¡±


    My heart sank as I imagined Matteo massaging another woman¡¯s back.


    I felt like a fool.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± I whispered, not wanting him to hear how affected I was by his admission.


    ¡°Rx, baby,¡± He told me.


    I was trying.


    His hands touched my neck, massaging my shoulders, and I had to stop myself from moaning.


    He had massaged another woman. I wondered what they had done afterward. Was it recently, or when? I couldn¡¯t help but imagine further.


    ¡°Rx, baby,¡± Matteo whispered.


    I couldn¡¯t; I wanted to scream at him and demand who the bitch was. But it would be silly if I did.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± he asked, stopping.


    I shook my head, ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Matteo asked with a frown, then his eyes narrowed, ¡°Wait, you assumed I massage other women, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    I heard the amusement in his voice, but I didn¡¯t look at him. Also, I didn¡¯t confirm his words.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s just a skill, and I used to massage my father,¡± He said.


    ¡°Your father?¡± I asked him, and he nodded. Matteo hadn¡¯t really spoken much about his family, so I barely knew anything about him, and I didn¡¯t bother to do a thorough background check as well.


    Maybe I was too eager to jump into bed with me to have reasoned that much.


    ¡°Now tell me, did you assume I massaged other women?¡± he asked again, and I nodded reluctantly.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s cute to see you jealous,¡± He chuckled, making me roll my eyes.


    ¡°Now, I am going to start over again, and you need to rx your body, okay?¡± He instructed, and I nodded.


    There wouldn¡¯t be any reason for me not to. At least, he had cleared my suspicion.


    Matteo continued to massage my shoulders, and I sighed, finally rxing.


    His hands felt so good. I could feel the tension leaving me and a new feeling building in my core.


    My breasts felt heavy. My nipples had already turned hard and were pressing against the cotton shirt I wore.


    He slowly moved his hand downwards. He started kneading the sides of my breasts, then he took them in his hands, caressing them.


    I moaned as he pulled the top down, exposing them.


    He leaned down and took one of the nipples in his mouth, sucking, licking, and nipping them.


    My hand went into his hair, holding him close to me as his hands continued to touch my body.


    ¡°Matteo,¡± I whispered, moaning as he continued.


    He pulled me back, his hands now touching me through the material of the dress.


    I had no underwear on. The material felt rough against my pussy. I was so wet, so ready.


    He moved his hand beneath my skirt, and I moaned loudly. His finger brushed against my clit, and I gasped.


    ¡°Matteo!¡±


    ¡°Tell me what you want, sweetheart,¡± He whispered.


    I bit my lower lip, and he pushed a finger inside of me.


    ¡°Tell me what you want,¡± He said and added another finger, thrusting in and out of me.


    I was moaning and arching my back.


    ¡°I want to cum,¡± I said in a soft voice.


    ¡°Beg,¡± He whispered in my ear, and I closed my eyes as his finger brushed my clit.


    ¡°Please,¡± I whimpered, ¡°Please, Matteo, let me cum.¡±


    He rubbed my clit faster, and I could feel the orgasm building inside me.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I moaned, ¡°Matteo!¡±


    ¡°Scream,¡± He told me, ¡°Scream as you cum.¡±


    I did just that.


    ¡°Matteo!!!¡± I screamed as I came.


    He kept on rubbing me, pushing me through my orgasm, and I could only gasp.


    After a moment, he stopped and pulled his hand out of me. I leaned against him, still feeling weak and breathless.


    He kissed my neck, and I could feel the erection pressing against my back.


    I slowly turned around to face him, and he smiled at me.


    ¡°You are a vixen,¡± He said, and I smirked.


    ¡°You started it.¡±


    He grinned, ¡°We should go take a shower.¡±


    I nodded, ¡°Okay.¡±


    He kissed me again, and we got up.


    We stripped out of our clothes and got under the spray.


    I stood facing him, looking up at him.


    ¡°You are so beautiful,¡± He told me, pushing my hair back.


    ¡°You are not so bad yourself,¡± I said, making himugh.


    ¡°Thank you, baby.¡±


    He held my waist and brought me close.


    ¡°Matteo,¡± I said, and he looked down at me.


    ¡°Yeah, babe?¡±


    ¡°I love you.¡±


    Matteo didn¡¯t respond. Instead, he turned me around so that I was facing the wall of the shower, his hand on my ass. I was disappointed at myself especially. Of course, I knew he wouldn¡¯t say it back, I didn¡¯t know why I had bothered saying it.


    Matteo¡¯s hand collided with my ass making me wince in pain. Despite the pain, I felt my juice running down the length of my leg.


    I guess it was only sex I was good enough for. He pped my backside again, making me groan and my teeth grind together.


    His hand cupped my pussy from behind, and I heard him murmur, ¡°You¡¯re ready to take me in.¡±


    He pushed my head against the shower wall, gripped my neck, and thrust into me swiftly.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± I groaned.


    ¡°Do you have any idea what you do to me?¡± he growled.


    ¡°Tell me, Deirdre. Do you have any fucking clue?¡±


    He mmed into me with his full length, his balls pping against my pussy.


    ¡°Matteo,¡± I whimpered, unable to speak.


    ¡°Tell me,¡± He demanded.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t,¡± I replied.


    ¡°You have no idea,¡± he said and gripped my hips tighter, thrusting harder, ¡°No fucking idea.¡±


    I groaned as his dick mmed into me over and over again.


    ¡°Matteo!¡±


    He pped my ass once more, his hips pping against it.


    ¡°Matteo,¡± I whined, but he wasn¡¯t listening.


    He fucked me hard and fast. My body was pressed against the wall, and I could feel his chest brushing against my back.


    His hand slipped into the gap between the wall and my stomach. He started to rub my clit, making me moan.


    ¡°I¡¯m so close, Deirdre,¡± he growled.


    ¡°Me too,¡± I said, and he rubbed me faster.


    ¡°Oh,¡± I whimpered as my second orgasm came, ¡°Oh, Matteo!¡±


    He came with a loud groan, his dick pulsing inside me.


    Matteo leaned down and kissed the back of my neck.


    ¡°So beautiful,¡± he murmured before pulling out of me.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked, and I nodded.


    ¡°I am,¡± I whispered, pressing my back into his. DEIRDRE POV


    I was exhausted by the time I finished tranting thest word on the map. It was tiring, yet at the same time exhrating.


    Thest time I did something like this was three years ago, and everything had ended instantly after meeting Matteo.


    I barely went to functions, and I didn¡¯t have any clients as well to ask for my service. At that time, I had believed Matteo had a hand in it.


    The way he red at men who stared at me whenever I walked by, I believed he had gone behind my back to say things he shouldn¡¯t.


    He was very much possessive and meddling. I remember we had gotten into an argument after he had used me of flirting with a client just a week after we started seeing each other.


    Yes, it wasn¡¯t only Vittorio he had used me of flirting with, and I had taken it at that time to be jealous.


    I had thought it cute, but I had ignored the deep red g waving in front of me. It was obvious.


    To be honest, I guessed I was into Matteo¡¯s overall personality. Domineering, arrogance, controlling, possessive, and dominance all had been ringly obvious.


    I was too in love and naive to think straight. Yet, I was making the same mistake.


    The door opened, and Matteo stepped in.


    ¡°Did you do it?¡± He asked me, and I nodded, sighing.


    Matteo came towards where I sat on the swivel chair, a wide smile on his face.


    ¡°That¡¯s amazing, sweetheart,¡± He said, then added, ¡°What do you want as a reward?¡±


    ¡°Exhausted,¡± I whispered, yawning.


    ¡°I can make you rx,¡± Matteo offered.


    ¡°How?¡± I asked him, feeling slightly suspicious.


    He was up to something.


    ¡°A massage,¡± He told me, and I looked up at him, my eyes wide with disbelief.


    ¡°Seriously?¡±


    ¡°I am a man of many talents,¡± He informed me.


    ¡°Sure, if you say so,¡± I shrugged, still feeling weary.


    I wasn¡¯t sure about what I was agreeing to.


    I got up, and he moved me over to the bed. I had to sit with my back to him.


    ¡°Where did you learn to give massages?¡± I asked him, and he answered me with a shrug.


    ¡°I have had a lot of practice.¡±


    My heart sank as I imagined Matteo massaging another woman¡¯s back.


    I felt like a fool.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± I whispered, not wanting him to hear how affected I was by his admission.


    ¡°Rx, baby,¡± He told me.


    I was trying.


    His hands touched my neck, massaging my shoulders, and I had to stop myself from moaning.


    He had massaged another woman. I wondered what they had done afterward. Was it recently, or when? I couldn¡¯t help but imagine further.


    ¡°Rx, baby,¡± Matteo whispered.


    I couldn¡¯t; I wanted to scream at him and demand who the bitch was. But it would be silly if I did.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± he asked, stopping.


    I shook my head, ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Matteo asked with a frown, then his eyes narrowed, ¡°Wait, you assumed I massage other women, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    I heard the amusement in his voice, but I didn¡¯t look at him. Also, I didn¡¯t confirm his words.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s just a skill, and I used to massage my father,¡± He said.


    ¡°Your father?¡± I asked him, and he nodded. Matteo hadn¡¯t really spoken much about his family, so I barely knew anything about him, and I didn¡¯t bother to do a thorough background check as well.


    Maybe I was too eager to jump into bed with me to have reasoned that much.


    ¡°Now tell me, did you assume I massaged other women?¡± he asked again, and I nodded reluctantly.


    ¡°It¡¯s cute to see you jealous,¡± He chuckled, making me roll my eyes.


    ¡°Now, I am going to start over again, and you need to rx your body, okay?¡± He instructed, and I nodded.


    There wouldn¡¯t be any reason for me not to. At least, he had cleared my suspicion.


    Matteo continued to massage my shoulders, and I sighed, finally rxing.


    His hands felt so good. I could feel the tension leaving me and a new feeling building in my core.


    My breasts felt heavy. My nipples had already turned hard and were pressing against the cotton shirt I wore.


    He slowly moved his hand downwards. He started kneading the sides of my breasts, then he took them in his hands, caressing them.


    I moaned as he pulled the top down, exposing them.


    He leaned down and took one of the nipples in his mouth, sucking, licking, and nipping them.


    My hand went into his hair, holding him close to me as his hands continued to touch my body.


    ¡°Matteo,¡± I whispered, moaning as he continued.


    He pulled me back, his hands now touching me through the material of the dress.


    I had no underwear on. The material felt rough against my pussy. I was so wet, so ready.


    He moved his hand beneath my skirt, and I moaned loudly. His finger brushed against my clit, and I gasped.


    ¡°Matteo!¡±


    ¡°Tell me what you want, sweetheart,¡± He whispered.


    I bit my lower lip, and he pushed a finger inside of me.


    ¡°Tell me what you want,¡± He said and added another finger, thrusting in and out of me.


    I was moaning and arching my back.


    ¡°I want to cum,¡± I said in a soft voice.


    ¡°Beg,¡± He whispered in my ear, and I closed my eyes as his finger brushed my clit.


    ¡°Please,¡± I whimpered, ¡°Please, Matteo, let me cum.¡±


    He rubbed my clit faster, and I could feel the orgasm building inside me.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I moaned, ¡°Matteo!¡±


    ¡°Scream,¡± He told me, ¡°Scream as you cum.¡±


    I did just that.


    ¡°Matteo!!!¡± I screamed as I came.


    He kept on rubbing me, pushing me through my orgasm, and I could only gasp.


    After a moment, he stopped and pulled his hand out of me. I leaned against him, still feeling weak and breathless.


    He kissed my neck, and I could feel the erection pressing against my back.


    I slowly turned around to face him, and he smiled at me.


    ¡°You are a vixen,¡± He said, and I smirked.


    ¡°You started it.¡±


    He grinned, ¡°We should go take a shower.¡±


    I nodded, ¡°Okay.¡±


    He kissed me again, and we got up.


    We stripped out of our clothes and got under the spray.


    I stood facing him, looking up at him.


    ¡°You are so beautiful,¡± He told me, pushing my hair back.


    ¡°You are not so bad yourself,¡± I said, making himugh.


    ¡°Thank you, baby.¡±


    He held my waist and brought me close.


    ¡°Matteo,¡± I said, and he looked down at me.


    ¡°Yeah, babe?¡±


    ¡°I love you.¡±


    Matteo didn¡¯t respond. Instead, he turned me around so that I was facing the wall of the shower, his hand on my ass. I was disappointed at myself especially. Of course, I knew he wouldn¡¯t say it back, I didn¡¯t know why I had bothered saying it.


    Matteo¡¯s hand collided with my ass making me wince in pain. Despite the pain, I felt my juice running down the length of my leg.


    I guess it was only sex I was good enough for. He pped my backside again, making me groan and my teeth grind together.


    His hand cupped my pussy from behind, and I heard him murmur, ¡°You¡¯re ready to take me in.¡±


    He pushed my head against the shower wall, gripped my neck, and thrust into me swiftly.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± I groaned.


    ¡°Do you have any idea what you do to me?¡± he growled.


    ¡°Tell me, Deirdre. Do you have any fucking clue?¡±


    He mmed into me with his full length, his balls pping against my pussy.


    ¡°Matteo,¡± I whimpered, unable to speak.


    ¡°Tell me,¡± He demanded.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t,¡± I replied.


    ¡°You have no idea,¡± he said and gripped my hips tighter, thrusting harder, ¡°No fucking idea.¡±


    I groaned as his dick mmed into me over and over again.


    ¡°Matteo!¡±


    He pped my ass once more, his hips pping against it.


    ¡°Matteo,¡± I whined, but he wasn¡¯t listening.


    He fucked me hard and fast. My body was pressed against the wall, and I could feel his chest brushing against my back.


    His hand slipped into the gap between the wall and my stomach. He started to rub my clit, making me moan.


    ¡°I¡¯m so close, Deirdre,¡± he growled.


    ¡°Me too,¡± I said, and he rubbed me faster.


    ¡°Oh,¡± I whimpered as my second orgasm came, ¡°Oh, Matteo!¡±


    He came with a loud groan, his dick pulsing inside me.


    Matteo leaned down and kissed the back of my neck.


    ¡°So beautiful,¡± he murmured before pulling out of me.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked, and I nodded.


    ¡°I am,¡± I whispered, pressing my back into his.


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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!