Daniela’s curled up on her side when I get back. Her pussy is flaming red, like it’s been well-used. I slide the washcloth between her legs gingerly. I know she’s sore.
She grimaces and moans at invasion.
And my dick twitches, thinking about another round. “I’m just going to clean you up a little.”
“Shower,” she mutters, eyes closed.
“Not now. It’ll leave you wide awake, and you need sleep. We have a long day ahead of us.” A long fucking road ahead, one that might lead nowhere but to heartache. Not just for her, but for me too. I’m not ready to admit that—to anyone—including her. But I rarely lie to myself. It’s too damn dangerous.
Daniela starts to sit up. “Valentina.”
“Is fine.” I guide her shoulders back to the mattress. “I’ll wake you with enough time to freshen up before we land. Until then, sleep, my sweetPrincesa.”
I tuck the quilt around her and brush the matted hair off her face, while wishing I could make it all disappear. Every rotten thing that’s made her soul weep. But even I don’t have that kind of power.
My phone vibrates with a message. I pull it out, and stare at the screen.
Cristiano:Tomas missed two meetings today. Hasn’t left the house since the wedding.
Antonio:That sonofabitch better still be breathing.
Cristiano:He is. Just running scared from what we can tell.
Antonio:Good. I want to look in his eyes when I steal his last painful breath. Activate our man on the ground.
19
ANTONIO
Daniela’s out of her seat before the wheels touch down.
“Sit until we stop taxiing.”
She glares at me, then sits her fine little ass in the seat. It’s the first time our eyes have met since the bedroom.
She slept for most of what was left of the flight, while I worked. I checked on her a couple of times, and she was out cold. I only hope it was a peaceful sleep. I drained every ounce of energy from her, and every reserve I could find, but still, even exhausted, sleep isn’t always restful. Sometimes it’s filled with the worst of our demons.
When the plane stops on the private landing strip, the door doesn’t open fast enough for Daniela. Her lips are pursed, and her well-fucked body is tight as a drum again. I can see it from here.
“If you don’t make a conscious effort to relax, I’m going to drag you back into the bedroom and I won’t let you out until you’re blabbering again. I don’t give a damn who’s waiting on us.”
She scowls at me, lifting her cute little chin. But she doesn’t engage.
“You don’t get to act like a haughtyPrincesaafter you came hard around my cock with my fingers in your ass. You were begging for release.”
“You really are an asshole.”
“I really am. Now breathe. Deep breaths. You’re not getting off this plane until you take a few.”
She draws a breath, and then another, and another. It lowers her anxiety, but not anywhere near as much as I’d like to see.
I put a hand on her back as the airstairs are being secured. Orange blossom floats from her freshly shampooed hair every time she moves her head. “I’m here if you need me. Just throw me a sign.”
She gazes up at me with those whiskey-colored eyes. “Thank you,” she says, earnestly.
“For what?”
“For bringing Valentina back to me.”