I snickered. The mischievous grin on his face showed a different side to him, a playful side…a human side.
I dropped the towel I had wrapped around me, and as Castello continued to watch me, I slowly pulled the dress on. It was a sleeveless dress with sparkly beads creating a belt around the waist. And unlike the one I wore earlier, this one had a flair from the waist down. I closed the zip on the side when Castello went on his knees.What is he doing?
Softly, he wrapped his hands around my ankle, caressing my skin. I couldn’t take my eyes off him crouched before me as he gently slipped the stiletto-heeled shoe on my foot. It was something I never thought I’d see—Castello on his knees in front of me. This big, powerful man was on the floor kneeling, placing a shoe on my foot like he was the slave and I the mistress—the queen. The sight took my breath away, and it made my heart feel too big for my chest. The moment felt so surreal.
Fingertips caressed my skin, setting my body on fire inch by inch, his touch burning straight through to my soul.
No words were spoken, yet the silence felt light, calm, as if for those few minutes everything between us was right…normal. There was no role playing, yet it seemed like he had given up the dominance he yielded over me for so long, showing me that a part of him was submitting to me. A part of him needed me—needed to please me. I knew for as long as we were together he would be my dominant, my master, my king—and I wouldn’t want it any other way. But now I realized that I meant more to him than I thought. There was no way a raw, alpha man like Castello Fattore who was driven by his most primal desires would go on his knees for anyone…unless that person meant something to him.
Imeant something to him.
His fingertips caressed my skin as his touch moved up my leg, leaving burning flesh in its wake. With ease he placed my foot down before wrapping his fingers around my other ankle. This time I closed my eyes as he placed the shoe on my foot, fingertips travelling up the inside of my leg. Slowly his touch moved up…and up…and up. His hand wasn’t yet between my legs, but it felt like he was already caressing me, touching me, causing my body to weep tears of lust and desire. He was still on his knees, making me feel like his queen in every way, and by God, it felt euphoric. Castello was right when he said that some things couldn’t be said with words, because right now he was telling me everything I wanted to know by showing me one simple act of submission.
I felt the subtlest touch of his fingers against my slit, and I moaned, my head falling back.
I didn’t even notice he had straightened in front of me, not until I felt his lips placing a tender kiss on my shoulder.
“Perfezione.” Perfection. “Tu sei la bellezza nel mio mondo oscuro.” You are the beauty in my dark world.
I leaned my head to the side. “E tu sei il mio Dio.” And you are the God of mine.
A low, heady growl escaped him, and he cupped me hard between my legs.
“Do not speak such words, little mouse.”
“Why not?”
His finger entered me, and I moaned as my body welcomed it inside me.
“Because a devil like me would use those words to justify the claim I have taken over you. A claim that was taken without your consent.” His finger kept its slow rhythm, only going deeper, pushing harder.
I grabbed ahold of his shoulders, my legs threatening to give way beneath me. “No,” I whispered. “You have not taken anything from me without consent.” I leaned closer, my lips brushing against his ear. “I give it…freely.”
“Cristo, aiutami.” Christ, help me.
He pulled me hard against him, one finger joined by another. My body was being rushed toward the edge by his brutal touch. Breaths escaped me in huffs of greedy desire, the feeling of his cock pressing into my hip causing me to ache with the need to feel it inside me.
“Nessuna donna.” No woman.
It felt like he ripped his fingers from my body, the throbbing ache forcing a desperate moan from my mouth.
He took my face in his hand, gripping tight. The evidence of my desire coated his fingers, the scent of my lust assaulting my sense of smell like a potent aphrodisiac.
“You will seduce me to my own death, woman.” His jaw ticked, his teeth clenched. The elongated pupil in his eye showed the anger and the lust—anger because I almost made him lose control and lust because hewantedme to make him lose control.
He wiped a wet finger across my lips, and I could taste the sweetness of my depraved desire for a man who once dreamed about my death.
“Tonight, I won’t give you what you need. Tonight, little mouse, I’ll take from you whatIneed.”
Chapter 14
TATUM
Castello and I stepped out on the deck, and suddenly all eyes were on us. The only people I recognized among all the guests were Doc and Uncle Gino. Doc and I gave each other knowing looks, and my stomach turned.He has to keep my secret.
I walked beside Castello as he held my hand. It felt good—being at his side, dressed and feeling like a worthy woman. Every glance our way—my way—wasn’t filled with hate or disdain as I was used to getting from the Fattore family. But of respect and acknowledgement. It made me feel confident, as if I might actually be where I belong.
Castello stopped by a table stacked with glasses of champagne. “Here.” He handed me a glass, and I hesitated just for a second before taking the glass from him.