Page 32 of Isle of Pain

It’s answer enough. My breath hitches, my rhythm picks up and I come with needy sounds that she devours greedily, the edges of my vision turning white.

It takes me a few seconds to come down from my high. I’m drunk on lust, the call for more already having my cock jumpback to life. It won’t ever be enough with her. Without ever touching me fully, or me touching her, I came harder than I ever have. And I’m determined to keep her, forever.

“Show me,” she urges.

The mess left in the wake of my climax makes me wince, the texture of coldness unpleasant, but I’ll hold on for her. I lift my hand from underneath the sheets, my fingers glistening with my release.

Marie simply smiles. “You did so good, Nico. I’ve never seen anyone so beautiful and vulnerable before. Thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me, Marie. I’m the one who came.”

“I know but I needed the distraction.”

Pride swells in my chest and my cheeks heat. “Anytime,luna mia. Now, I really need to shower. I don’t like having my cold cum on my skin.”

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry, of course. Do you need anything from me?”

She moves to sit up but I place my clean hand above her shoulder, shy of an inch. I want to touch her but I’m on high alert and focused on cleaning myself. Nothing else matters but showering and changing into clean boxers. The only reason I’ve held on this long is because the fluid belongs to me and she gave me the best orgasm of my life. “Just sleep. I’ll be back in five minutes.”

“Okay.”

When I’ve scrubbed my skin and changed into clean clothes, I make my way back into Marie’s bed, just shy of an inch between us. Her soft snores send me into a peaceful sleep only disturbed twice by Ember’s cries for feeding. Each time, I fall back asleep a little closer to the woman who’s changing everything.

18

MARIE

IN THE CAPALDI FAMILY, TRACKERS ARE A LOVE LANGUAGE

I’ve been living in Nico’s cabin—though it’s more like a beautiful house in the woods—for a week. We haven’t touched, or become more intimate since the first night. I was not myself that night. In reality, I’m not myself now either.

I’ve been hiding. Hiding from my family, from my grief, from the world.

I can’t go on like this. Especially since I’m out of supplies.

Every night I’ve drunk one of my miniatures I hid in my suitcase before going to sleep, except that time when I asked Nico to come for me instead. God, just the memory of his lips parting on a whimper makes me press my thighs together.

On my phone, I save articles after articles speaking about dominance and submission. I didn’t realise it was such a codified world. I’m so out of my depth but every word has me more aroused, all hot and bothered. It’s a nice change to the cold desire for alcohol. It warms me from the inside out.

I imagine Nico on his knees for me, waiting for my every command, willing to please after he tells everything he wantsme to do to him. We would need to establish what they call “a scene”, talk about limits and safe words. I’ve never had sex, I’ve never even kissed anyone so this all could be too much but it feels right. The absolute control, the choices of what I could do with someone’s submission—not someone’s, Nico’s. That’s what I crave.

“Are you okay?” Nico asks and I jump, a hand to my heart.

He moves like a wraith, silent and graceful, and I can never anticipate where he will be the next minute. I need to sharpen my senses if I ever want to be anywhere close to his skills. The voice inside my head reminds me that the only thing I truly like is when my senses are dulled and muted by sweet liquid oblivion, but I ignore it.

“You scared me. Don’t scare me like this, Nico.”

He cocks his head to the side and I know I’m about to hear another nugget of truth from the man who can’t seem to know how to lie. I pretend that it annoys me but I’m waiting with bated breath. “But your pupils widen so prettily when you’re scared. You have a similar look when you want to touch me. I like it.”

My cheeks heat and I press my hands to them before standing and moving around the room to prepare Ember’s mid morning bottle. She babbles happily in her cot, yet another item Nico made sure he had on hand before we arrived. My heart softens when I watch her touching the mobile above her head and smiling sweetly.

She’s such an easy child. She rarely cries except when she needs to eat or a change. Grief hasn’t tainted her life, resentment isn’t yet part of the range of emotions she’ll experience. I pray she never will have to, but I fear she’ll become just like me. Grey, full of rage and nowhere to put it, because I chose to raise her, and daughters often become their mother.

As I keep my eyes on my precious daughter, I’m aware of a phone buzzing close by. I turn my head to see Nico pick hisphone from his pocket. The corner of his lips lift but I don’t have the luxury of studying him. My phone starts blaring a tune I haven’t changed since I was sixteen.

Giulia’s name shines on the screen and I sigh.

“Don’t even think of not answering, Marie. Giulia’s the most stubborn human I’ve ever met.”

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