“They could havekilledyou.” I’m full on sobbing now, crying so hard all I can do is squeeze my eyes shut and let it happen. “How are you not upset? How are you not mad at me?”
“I could never be mad at you, Raina. Never.” He adjusts himself so he can grab my face, then presses a kiss to my lips. “Do you hear me? I’m not mad at you.” He kisses me again. “I love you. I’m okay, I’m here.”
Suddenly, the onslaught of emotions becomes too overwhelming to control. My body hums with a carnal need for him, while it also attempts to purge the fear and rid the guilt.
“I need you. Make me forget. Take my mind off it,please, Luce. I can’t stop thinking about what could have happened, and it’s haunting me.”
“Nothing will take me away from you. I have spent far too much time denying to myself that you weren’t everything I wanted and more. You’re it for me, Raina, and I’m so fucking sorry that it took me so long to realize it, baby, but you and me, we’re a done deal. I can’t erase the time I wasted, just likeyoucan’t continue to think about the worst-case scenario.”
“Make me stop thinking,” I beg again, my voice a desperate plea. Reaching up, I grab onto him and pull him to me, kissinghim with everything I can pour into it. At the same time, I try to take control of my mind and do my best to rid the thoughts of what happened, and stop worrying about the pain he must be in, because right now he’s not showing any.
I’m about to push him onto his back when he nudges my thighs open with his knee, taking charge in practically one fluid movement. Within a second, he’s sheathed inside of me, pressed to the hilt. I gasp at the sudden fullness, my body adjusting to accommodate his size so quickly, and I feel the weight of my worry start to lift.
Staring down at me, Luciano’s fingertips brush my forehead softly. He gazes at me with intensity—with adoration, love, and promises he’s not speaking out loud.
All I can do is look at him.
This feels different. Like our bodies and our minds are connected in a way that we haven’t shared before.
I can feel him everywhere.
Inside of me.
Embedded in my heart.
Buried in my soul.
It’s absolutely terrifying, but it’s a fear that doesn’t grip me in its clutches like what happened last night.
Slowly, his hips roll in just the slightest movement, and I watch as a full-body shudder moves through him, his head dropping on his shoulders as he tries to restrain himself from succumbing to the desire electrifying around us.
“I love you,” he reiterates with affection. Leaning down, he kisses me again with long, languid strokes of his tongue.
Finally, he begins to move, grinding his hips before slowly pulling out, then plunging back in. Nothing about his movements are hurried, though, and instead, he takes his time.
It’s the first time anyone has made love to me.
But as perfect as it is, the guilt still creeps in and pulls me onto the outskirts of reality. “You’re not in pain? This doesn’t hurt?” I whisper as my fingers trail along his bicep.
“No,” is all he says before he silences me with another earth-shattering kiss, cutting me off from asking any more questions.
As the pleasure begins to build, the spark between us intensifies, starting slow like a wildfire before it truly catches. But still, he keeps his movements controlled and intentional, showing me with his body what his words have already said. Slowly, as if he has all the time in the world.
And maybe he does. Maybe we never have to leave this bedroom again, and it can just be the two of us lost in each other. Truthfully, I’d be fine with that. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the last eight hours, it’s that everything could be gone in an instant, and it’s the uncertainty of thecouldthat I’m not sure I will ever fully heal from.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
When morning finds me nearly four hours later, I wake to the sound of cabinets shutting from a distance. Yawning, I stretch in Luciano’s comfortable bed, realizing he’s not in it with me.
My feet hit the floor almost instantly, and in the same moment, I hear something in the distance shatter. Pulling his T-shirt overhead, I rush from the bedroom and through Luciano’s apartment until the kitchen comes into view.
Halting in my tracks, I’m surprised to see Enzo and Nixon sitting at the island, watching as Luciano cleans up chunks of ceramic from the counter. “What’s going on?” I cross my arms over my braless chest.
Luciano smiles as he looks up, his eyes meeting mine, before they lower down my body. The smile is gone as quickly as it appeared, and I know it’s because I’m half naked in front of his friends.
In my defense, I had no idea they were here.
“Mornin’, sleeping beauty,” Nixon grumbles, taking a drink from his mug.
