Page 152 of Wicked Rivals

“Good. I think you’ve finally learned your lesson. Now I’ll let you come in my bed… and it’ll be so hard you’ll scream my fucking name.”

Then he made love to me in his bed.

But he was sweeter about it, almost gentle as he trailed hot, lingering kisses down my body, careful to avoid the bruises and cuts and my patched-up wounds. There was no more force in his touch. No demanding pleasure from my body. He coaxed it out gently instead.

While I wouldn’t have called that pleasure more intense than when he fucked me on his desk, it satisfied me more than anything I’d ever experienced.

The first time he made me come, he sucked on my clit with two fingers buried in my pussy and another circling my asshole, pushing in just a tiny bit every few passes.

It felt dark, different, forbidden.

It felt like Valentina.

And I loved every second of it.

The second time, he’d insisted I sit on his face. The orgasm was fantastic, made even better when I realized I could lean down over him and suck him while I rode his mouth.

It didn’t take me long to come—and scream his name—then I slid down his body, lowered myself slowly and achingly onto his cock, and rode it.

He pulled me into his arms, on our sides, my back against his chest, and kissed my neck and my shoulder as he pushed back inside me, turning my head with the lightest touch to look into my eyes and whisper his promises until he roared through his own climax.

Being with Stefano felt inevitable, like I’d belonged there with him all along.

I’d been born for this life, and with him it would be perfect.

Sure, we would fight often, but that only meant we would fuck just as much or more to make up for it. As soon as my wound healed, I intended to start a fight in the middle of the day, in his office, until he bent me over his desk again.

Then we would rebuild the café and christen every surface before its grand reopening.

I wanted to start each morning with him inside me.

Lying naked with him, inside the warmth of his arms, I wanted to make this life work, the three of us together as an actual family.

Enzo deserved that.

Stefano deserved it.

And so did I.

“Valerie.”

I winced. I wanted to hear my real name on his lips. The name my mother had given me. Before that could happen, though, I had to figure out how to tell him the whole truth.

We had so much to talk about, and we would soon. But in the moment, he was the only thing in my life that had been missing, and I couldn’t stand the idea of losing him again.

“Stefano?”

“Marry me.”

“Yes,” I hoarsely whispered.

The easiest answer I’d ever given.

He leaned over me and grinned.

“I’m glad you said yes. Our engagement announcement came out while you were sleeping.”

I froze.

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