Page 77 of Isle of Seduction

The first breath after our shared orgasm feels like a rebirth.

“You did so fucking well. So perfect, so sweet. Mia precioza moglie,” Andrea coos, removing the ropes with expert hands before gathering me on his chest and soothing my limp body with soft touches.

I float in and out of full consciousness, aware that I am moving, yet unable to do it on my own. He makes me sit on the toilet and pee, my legs too much like jello to support myself. I’ll be precious about that when I’ll find the strength to care.

He washes my body with a warm cloth that feels heavenly, then tucks me into bed with a simple kiss on my temple. My lids are too heavy to stay open and I just say the words that need to get out of my chest before I fall into oblivion.

“I love you.”

THIRTY-ONE

SAVING EXES FROM DANGER SHOULD NOT BE ON MY TO DO LIST

“Morning, sweetheart.”

A voice like honey travels to my consciousness and I groan into the pillow. My muscles are sore, the place between my thighs stings with a discomfort that warms my insides and makes my heart flutter in my chest.

Ugh, love sucks. It makes you all gooey inside and shit. I preferred when I had no care in the world.

Except that’s not true. My lips spread into a soft sleepy smile when I smell the coffee Andrea’s using to get me out of bed. I give him the grabby hands and he hands me the beverage that will save me today.

“How are you feeling today, guerrieritta?”

“Sore.”

He frowns and his thumbs rub gentle circles on my wrists. They don’t hold traces of last night’s fun times, but my pussy certainly does. “It’s not anywhere anyone but you will see, marito.”

“Damn right it’s not,” he says while nipping at my bottom lip with his teeth. If I weren’t so tender, I might ask him to fuck me again, but I know my body needs a rest.

“I’ll get you an ointment on my way back. I got to meet with the CEO of my construction company. We’re moving through with the school I told you about.”

“The one you were fighting with Addams about? Did the Mayor give his approval? That’s amazing, amore.” The endearment falls from my lips unbidden. I try to take it back but it’s too late. “I mean, Andrea.”

His lips curl into a dazzling smile that people on the moon could probably see. “Did you forget that you said you loved me last night, sweetheart?”

I slap at his arm, the only thing close to me. “I didn’t! If I did, it was under duress.”

“Can’t take it back now, tesoro.”

His lips slam on mine to shut me up, but his tongue darts out to lick the seam of my lips, begging me to open and relent. And I do, my shoulders caving on themselves.

Gently, with a finger under my chin, Andrea lifts my eyes to his. “I won’t ever hold your love for me against you. Just know that whatever you are feeling, I reciprocate ten fold. You own me, guerrieritta, don’t fucking forget it.”

He leaves, telling me to call my workers. They’re ready to get back to Rouge to finish the project.

The press is still on Andrea’s ass, but it has died down a bit. I had my cousin Lino, Angele’s husband and Kalliste’s media tycoon, dig into the main owners of several journals and media companies across Europe and give well placed threats and invitations to the Moretti’s clubs. Nothing better than the promise of death or sex to quiet rumours. Maybe money, but at the level we play at, it’s the same thing.

When I get to Rouge, wrapped in a dark blue warm wool coat above a pink cashmere cardigan to stave off January's cold, I meet with the site supervisor to go over the delays they caused. With the extra help I’ve hired from Andrea’s team, we should only be a month past the deadline I had given myself. Just before the elections. I’m still hoping Addams will come to spill his secrets to our workers.

I walk in mud in my sturdy black boots and study the construction site as the supervisor explains where they’ll focus first.

My phone rings with Julian’s name on the screen. “Babe, everything okay?”

“Can everyone stop asking me that? For fuck’s sake.”

“Last time I saw you, you were drunk out of your ass, so excuse me for caring,” I retort.

“I’m sober now. And I’ve got something for you.”

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