Page 22 of His to Keep
“Never mind me. I want to know about you.”
Gio blows out a slow breath. “It was at a party for my brother Leo and his new wife, Vinnie. She left her purse in the ladies’ room, and I went to grab it for her.”
“Go on,” I say when Gio pauses for a moment too long.
“We were at Emilia’s hotel, so I thought the location was secure.”
“Emilia?”
“My brother Alessandro’s wife.”
I run through the list of his brothers he mentioned earlier. Alessandro is the third oldest, if I remember correctly. “Okay, so you went for the purse. Then what?”
“I wasn’t paying attention. I thought I was safe. A man stepped out into the corridor and shot me. I got hit three times in the head, chest, and thigh.” At my shocked gasp, he smiles weakly. “Well, the head was just a graze.”
“Do you know who the shooter was?”
“An ex-employee. He got too old to do his job properly, so Leo fired him. He got us mixed up.”
“So, you and Leo look alike, then?”
“My brothers and I all do. Five peas in a pod, my mom used to say.”
I try to imagine what five Gio Volantes in one room would look like. It’s either incredibly hot or seriously intimidating. I decide it’s the latter.
“You were badly injured?” It seems like a silly question. Getting shot in the chest is no laughing matter.
“I guess.”
Since he clearly doesn’t want to elaborate, I don’t push him.
“Do you often have nightmares?”
“Sometimes.” He scrubs a hand through his hair. “Shit. I don’t know what I dreamed about tonight, but I still feel…”
“I know.” I’ve experienced the same thing. Some nights I wake up disoriented, afraid, but unable to recall what horrors my nightmare held.
There’s an air of vulnerability about Gio I suspect he doesn’t show too often. Suddenly, I feel the urge to comfort him. He wouldn’t appreciate a hug and words of reassurance, but I know a way to take his mind off things.
“Stand up.” Does that husky voice belong to me?
Gio gets to his feet, and I drop to my knees.
“What are you doing, kitten?” he asks as I reach for the waistband of his boxers.
“Making you feel good.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I want to.”
Shuffling forward on my knees, I pull down his boxers and his erection springs free. I wrap my lips around him. This isn’t something I have a lot of experience with, so I listen carefullyfor any audio cues from Gio that will let me know I’m doing this right.
As I flick my tongue over the head of his cock, I grab his ass to anchor myself. I dig my nails into his flesh, and he hisses.
“Watch those claws, kitten.”
I draw more of his steely length into my mouth and suck. He tastes vaguely of something citrus. Slowly pulling back, I let my teeth scrape over him, just to see if he likes it. His moan suggests he does. I bob my head back and forth, wetting his cock with my tongue. Then I take him as deep as I can, almost to the back of my throat. Sliding a hand between his butt cheeks, I press a finger to his anus, just enough to apply a gentle pressure.
