"No," I whisper. "I gave up nothing, to get everything I wanted."

Her breath catches, and then she closes the space between us, her lips soft and warm against mine. The kiss is slow, tender—not rushed, not desperate. Just her sweetness, and softness.

When we pull apart, I rest my forehead against hers.

"Careful, you'll start something kissing me like that," I murmur.

"That was my intention," she answers getting up to come straddle me. "You smell good," she says kissing my neck.

"Thank you." I sigh, her tongue grazing the skin on my neck. I shiver, and she giggles before kissing me more. Soft kisses, little bites that make it hard to think straight. My cock is aching hard inside my pants—every touch making it worse. I know she can feel it; I can feel her warmth through the fabric where she's rubbing against me.

She starts to unbutton my shirt, one by one—really slowly, I look at her in the fading light. God, she is fucking gorgeous. "So beautiful," I whisper and smile, leaning in to kiss me again as she pushes my shirt off my shoulders. Then she slowly starts kissing down my bare chest. "Fuck." I sigh, holding back my urge to take control. It's all so sexy, I feel spoiled having a woman like her.

"Pants off," she says with a cheeky grin as she unbuckles my belt.

"Yes, Queen," I reply playfully, opening the button, and sliding the zipper down to free my throbbing cock for her.

"Hmm, I like Queen." She says, leaning back to wrap her fingers around my cock. Her hungry eyes watch as her hands pump it up and down. Her hips roll forward sliding her wetness against my shaft.

"You want to fuck me?" I ask, watching her skin blush a deep red.

"Yes," she sighs rubbing against me, her hands expertly teasing my cock. "Please." She pants breathlessly using me to pleasure herself. Swiping the bead of pre-cum off the tip, she licks her finger and moans. The sight of her tongue tasting me, and the wetness of her pussy right there is driving me feral.

"Then do it," I growl, gripping her ass and pulling her against my cock, shifting so I am pushing into her, just the tip. She kisses me hard, biting my lip and grinding against me, but still not taking me inside her. I watch her mouth fall open as she slides herself down on my cock, taking all of me, so deep her moans become silent. She starts running her hands all over me, the sensation only fueling my desire to grip her hips and fuck her senseless—but I am enjoying the way she is taking control.

When she starts moving faster, we fuck like animals, hard, uncontrolled passion. Serafina rides me to two orgasms, coming all over my cock twice. On the third one, I grab her hips and thrust up into her, matching her every move until I finish deep inside her.

"Fuck, that was sexy," is all I can mutter as I try to calm my racing heart.

"I'm sorry," she whispers blushing a deep red.

"What do you mean?"

"I just attacked you and took over. I was so turned on I couldn't stop." She covers her face with her hands.

"You don't have to be sorry for that—ever," I say taking her hands away, kissing her again. My cock starts to get hard again, just from a kiss.

SERAFINA

The low hum of the jet's engines fills the cabin, steady and unrelenting. It's a sound I've never liked. It's too final. Too much like a door closing behind me. I glance at Alessandro, his broad shoulders leaning slightly as he stares out the window. His expression is calm, resolute—the look of a man who has made his peace with what's behind him.

I wish I could say the same.

My gaze drifts to Leo. He's singing softly to himself as he colors, utterly unaware of the gravity of what we're doing. His innocence is a gift, but it's one I don't take lightly. Leaving the city, leaving everything, was for him. To give him a life where he'll never know the weight of what I've lived through. Yet my chest tightens at the thought of everything I've left behind.

My business. My independence. The life I built with my own hands after Leo was born. It wasn't perfect—God knows there were cracks I tried to ignore—but it was mine. It was my proof that I could survive. That I could thrive, even with the odds stacked against me. Letting it go feels like giving up a part of myself. The part that fought to stand tall after everything was taken from me.

I curl my fingers into the armrest, trying to focus on the present. On the safety, Alessandro promises me. But doubt creeps in like a shadow, whispering questions I can't answer.

What if Marco's allies don't care that he's gone? What if they want revenge?

What if Matteo D'Angelo doesn't really let us go? Men like him don't just walk away. They don't let others walk away, either.

Alessandro said he's severed ties. That we're free. But my body doesn't believe it. Every muscle is taut, every nerve on edge, waiting for the shoe to drop. Freedom is a beautiful word, but it's one I don't trust yet.

My eyes burn, and I blink rapidly to keep the tears at bay. Crying won't change anything. It won't bring back the life I've left behind or silence the fears I can't shake. It won't guarantee that Leo's laughter will never be stolen from him.

"You're quiet." Alessandro's voice pulls me from my thoughts. I glance over to find his eyes on me, searching, concerned.