“Fuck.” I groan as she continues to ride me. But it’s not enough.
Juliana’s close, so I help her come, lifting my hips when she comes down on me, holding her thighs hard, then, while she’s lost in her ecstasy, I roll her onto her side, pull her leg over my hip, and make sure she’s flush against me as I slow the pace again.
I want to last for her, to give her everything I can. She trembles as her eyes open. “Fuck yes.”
“Should we pull the blanket over us?”
“Hell no.” She giggles and kisses me hungrily. We trade between kissing and moaning as we try to hold out from coming again. I just want to memorize her, to freeze time at this moment exactly.
Where we’re happy despite everything going on, where Juliana and I are feeding on and adding to each other’s pleasure. A moment where nothing else matters but us. No rush, no limits, no thinking.
“Fuck, I’m so close, Gio. Please ... come with me,” She pants. “please.”
I feast on her mouth and increase the pace, holding her hips at just the right angle. She whimpers, hides her face in my neck, then grips my side as she comes apart again. Her pussy tightens around my cock so hard as she soaks me. Her trembling in my arms, moaning against my throat, gripping me tightly, pushes me over the edge.
“I’m-”
That’s all I get before I’m gone, lost in bliss again. I groan against her and ride out the tidal wave of pleasure. When I come down, I’m stroking Juliana’s hair, holding her against me, but I feel breathless, on the edge of crying for some reason, all kinds of raw and vulnerable.
Juliana kisses my chin. We stay like that for a while until Juliana goes to clean up and I change the now wet sheets. We meet again on the couch and Juliana curls against me. “Would your dad approve of me, do you think? In this situation?”
“He swore I’d never get your attention long enough to get a kiss.” I chuckle, then bite my lip. “He’d approve of you. Mom might not. She definitely wouldn’t be okay with me settling for sharing you.”
“You are settling, Gio.” She says seriously. “You, Kon, Max ... all of you could have anyone. You know that, right? None of youhaveto settle for me.”
“I’m smart enough to know when I have something real, Julia. I’m not settling for you.” I gently touch her back, remembering the scars there. “I’m choosing you.”
She sniffs and buries her face in my chest. I’m not exactly sure why she’s crying, but I feel my own eyes water. I groan. “If you cry, I’m going to cry.”
“It’s good for us,” She argues.
“I’d rather make you laugh.” I kiss her gently. “So let me show you my attempt at cooking.”
She agrees but watches me from the couch. I notice Charlie take my place, watching me too, while Nolan escorts me to the kitchen like he’s my bodyguard. Juliana smiles and wipes at her tears.
Yeah. There’s no better woman for me than this one right here.
14
MAX
“Tony,” I say as I walk into his office. He’s pacing aggressively. It takes at least four attempts to get his attention until I refer to him by title. “Major Giovani.”
He looks up and I see him put a photograph down. “Max.”
“I wanted to check in with you.”
“It would be easier if Juliana would answer her phone.”
“That’s not ideal. The signal can be tracked.” I realize I’m actually standing in an army pose and shake it off. Just to prove that part of my life is gone, since I don’t want to deal with that giant can of worms right now, I lounge in one of Tony’s chairs. “Juliana is doing well. She’s staying productive and safe. We are further investigating.”
“Investigating isn’t what I asked you to do.”
I arch an eyebrow at him. That tone may keep Muscles and the Kid in line, but it doesn’t do shit to me. He may have climbed rank in the military quickly, but we were both there, doing the same thing. He isn’t my boss, he’s my friend and I’m not going to let him pull any kind of rank here.
He sighs and rubs his hand through his thinning hair. “Sorry, Max.”
“You’re stressed.”