Page 23 of Ludovico's Vengeance

“I’m fine,Bella, it’s not my blood.” I chuckle at her body's reaction. “I had to,” I weigh my options for a response before I finish. “Teach someone a lesson.”

She whips around, her anxiety dissipates before my eyes; the fierce woman I saw earlier this evening has returned.

“Why do I feel that's not quite the truth?” Her brow arches as she glares at me. Her silver eyes are locked on mine as she studies me.

I can’t pull my gaze away from his warm chocolate stare. My heart beats frantically in my chest when I feel the tent of his towel inching closer to me the longer I stand in front of him. Giovanni smirks as I fight the urge to look down to what’s between us.

“I had a,” his lips twist into a maniacal smirk, “conversation with Rich.” I cross my arms over my chest and keep my eyes trained on him as I silently wait for him to expand on what that means.

He chuckles and shakes his head before he divulges everything that happened after he left. My chest tightens, my hand flying up to my throat to clutch my imaginary pearls as he explains everything that he’s done.

“Giovanni! Why would you?” I gasp, my eyes wide as I stare up at him while I try to comprehend what was just said, “You can’t kill someone for having the flu! Why would you do that!?” My attempts at protesting his methods of dealing with Rich’s mistake are dismissed as fast as they’re spoken.

His fingers lift my chin when I try to look away right before his arms wrap tightly around my waist as he pulls me against him. His large hands press firmly against the small of my back. The hard rod between us presses against my stomach making me shiver with desire? Excitement? Fear? All of the above?

“Bella, the only way to show everyone just how serious I am about your safety is to make an example out of someone. Rich fucked up; he knew the risks.” His hand lazily strokes up and down my spine, sending chills through me. “Had he informed one of us that he was sick, he would have been pulled from his station and Mrs. D would have likely made him soup and force fed him whatever magical concoction she can whip up to force out illness.” We stare at each other for several seconds before he continues, “I will not apologize for making a point in claiming what’s mine.” Giovanni’s declaration comes out in a growl, which sends a kaleidoscope of butterflies fluttering in my stomach.

My cheeks heat as my lips twitch, pulling into a smile no matter how much I attempt to fight the reaction.

“Yes, yours.” I whisper as I lay my head against his chest. His arms tighten even more around me as we stand there for several seconds. I push back, pressing my palms against his damp chest. “I’ll let you get back to your shower.” I giggle as I unfold his arms from my waist and step out of his reach.

Giovanni’s loud groan pulls my attention back to the direction of the shower. I swear I hear him mutter something about joining him, but by the time it registers he’s back under the hot stream of water.

I pad over to find Pinhead sprawled on my side of the bed. He lifts his head as I pull the covers back and I swear, the damn cat rolls his eyes when I slide in. Rolls. His. Eyes. Can a cat even roll its eyes? Shaking my head at the idea, I take my spot. The luxurious feel of Giovanni’s sheets against my thin pajamas sends a jolt of pleasure racing through my body.

I lay on my side as I stroke Pinhead’s long fur while my other arm is tucked under the pillow. Memories of the last twenty-four hours flash through my mind's eye as I melt into the soft mattress. I never thought I’d have a first kiss, let alone a handful over a matter of hours. Every time he’s kissed me it’s felt like fireworks are exploding around us. It's everything I've always hoped for, yet like nothing I could have ever dreamed of. Knowing that I affect him enough to cause the type of reaction he’s so clearly had around me, even if it terrifies me all the same, brings a smile to my face.

Irritation floods through me when light from the morning sun streams through the cracks in the blackout curtain which isn’t doing enough to cover the large window across from our bed. When I try to stretch the sleep from my muscles, I realize strong arms have me caged in against a hot wall of muscle. I stiffen until I open my eyes and realize from the designs tattooed into the skin of the muscular forearms that are tight around my middle, I'm wrapped up in Giovanni.

My lips dance into a smile as I slide my body back closer into his. I wiggle as I relax back into him only to feel the stiff rod that was between us last night stabbing me in my ass. I swallow hard and try to tuck it behind me so I can get closer which only seems to make it angrier and harder. As I try to find comfort in his reaction to me, I feel his arm snake up between my breasts as he grips my neck before whispering in my ear.

“Bella, you're playing with fire,amore.” His voice is scratchy with sleep which does things to me I don’t understand. “I've been barely holding myself back from taking you and filling you with every inch of me.”

My brain misfires and I whimper, he somehow rolls me onto my back and lands on top of me in the blink of an eye. The amusement in his warm gaze has a fire heating between my legs. My lips part as he grinds his length against my core while he presses his lips to mine in a heated kiss. Our tongues tangle together as we greet each other after a night of sleep as if we hadn’t just been wrapped up in one another. His hips press down a few more times which has a moisture pooling in my panties. What is happening to me?

“This is what you do to me, Nina.” He groans into my neck before lifting his face to press another quick kiss to my lips. Giovanni is on his feet and in the bathroom before I have a chance to register what just happened.

I’msprawledoutlikea starfish on the bed, left with a dampness between my legs that has me feeling things I don’t understand. There is an overwhelming feeling, a need at my center that I’ve never felt before. I press my legs together for some relief, the pressure feels like heaven, but I need more. More of what, I’ve yet to figure that out. I’m sitting with my back against the headboard with the covers wrapped tightly around my body to hide the moisture he caused. Not that he could see it unless he was between my legs, why does that thought make me even more excited?

Giovanni exits the bathroom, freshly showered, with just a pair of black boxer briefs covering him. My mouth dries at the sight. He’s so beautiful, and I admire the black ink wraps like vines around every inch of his exposed skin. It ends at the wrist and is usually hidden when he’s dressed in suits. The few times I've seen him in T-shirts or mostly bare like this, the beauty of his art steals my breath.

His lips twitch as a knowing grin pulls at the corner of his mouth. My eyes never leave his body while I watch him dress in his usual uniform of a fitted dark suit with a white button up underneath. He carefully secures a watch to his wrist before turning back to face me. The grin is even more apparent as Giovanni stalks toward my side of the bed. He leans forward and grabs hold of my ankles before dragging me to the edge. I let out a squeal at the sudden forced movement, which quickly turns into a giggle when he pulls me up into a seated position after I’m where he wants me.

“I’ll see you tonight, Short Stack.” His lips press against my forehead before he steps away with a wink that is sexier than should be legal. Giovanni disappears from our room in a matter of seconds, and I’m left wondering with confusion clouding my every thought.

The rest of my morning is much the same between getting lost in a workout before a shower followed by breakfast with Vanna and Jade. Now though, I find myself in the living room curled up on a dark green chaise lounge with Pinhead purring against my chest while I read my favorite book. I’ve just reached the moment the female main character meets her love interest when I hear the clicking of heels against the hardwood floors.

“Hey Sweetheart, Tabatha will be here soon with her inventory.” Vanna announces when enters the room, “What are you reading?” Her question is what pulls me from my book as she strolls closer to me.

After I explain a bit about the book I’m reading, she has a sour look twisting her face. She slides down to sit next to my legs as she pats my ankle gently before speaking.

“Sweetheart, you’re how old?” Vanna’s tone has my insides twisting in knots.

With my eyes trained on my hands I reply shyly, “I’ll be twenty-five on October seventeenth.”

Vanna's expression lightens, a bright smile takes over her face just as Tabatha walks in with several of Giovanni’s men, Abel and Rand included. Racks and racks of clothes and boxes of shoes are brought in. My jaw drops wide as I see she in fact brought all of her inventory. Holy shit.

“Tabatha, you didn’t have to actually bringeverything! This is too much!” I exclaim as I jump to my feet and rush over to her. My arms wrap around her shoulders as soon as I reach her. “Thank you.”

---