Page 163 of Their Reckless Thief
The tension built quickly, my body trembling as they surrounded me, consumed me. I was theirs, completely and utterly.
“Look at her,” Vincenzo said, his voice muffled against me but still commanding. “She’s fucking perfect like this. Coming apart for us.”
Luca’s hand cupped my cheek, his thumb brushing over my skin as he thrust deeper into my mouth. “You’re incredible, Celeste.”
Dorian groaned behind me, his grip tightening on my hips as his pace quickened. “You’re everything, love,” he whispered, his breath shaky. “Everything.”
My orgasm hit like a tidal wave, tearing through me with a force that left me breathless. I screamed around Luca’s cock, the vibrations making him moan as he spilled into my mouth.Vincenzo groaned against me, his grip tightening as he drank me in, his tongue relentless as he extended my pleasure.
Dorian followed, his body tensing as he buried himself deep, his groan low and rough as he found his release.
When it was over, we collapsed together, a tangle of limbs and heavy breaths. Vincenzo wrapped his arms around me, his lips pressing soft kisses to my thighs as he whispered, “You’re ours,dolcezza. Always.”
Luca and Dorian joined him, their touches gentle as they held me, their words quiet but filled with love. And in that moment, I was finally, completely whole.
51
CELESTE
The dayof the heist had finally arrived. It was time to see if all the time we spent preparing would work the way we intended.
The cold hit me as we stepped through the Veil, a shiver cutting straight to the bone as we crossed from the charged atmosphere of The Below into the muted world on the other side. The human air—thinner somehow, lighter, and devoid of the thrumming energy I’d grown used to—tasted flat on my tongue, and the only scents I caught were that of the asphalt and damp city grime.
It felt oddly unsettling, as if the Veil had taken something from me in exchange for passage. I pulled my jacket tighter, not just to stave off the chill but to ground myself in the familiar warmth of fabric against my skin, a small armor against the disorientation the human world now brought.
My heart raced. There was a lot riding on this. Failure wasn’t an option. Not for them, not for me. For years, I’d trusted no one but myself and Vivian, but now… now I had Luca, Dorian, Vincenzo. They believed in me in ways I was still learning to believe in myself.
“Celeste.” Carl’s voice pulled me back, and I turned to face him, catching sight of polished leather shoes shining under thedim glow of the alleyway lights. Far too refined for the gruff gatekeeper I knew. I took full inventory of him: new suit, shiny new watch on his wrist, and an air of confidence I’d never noticed before.
“Well, well, Carl,” I said, a smirk tugging at my lips. “Look at you, dressing up for us.”
Carl glanced down, his smirk mirroring mine as he tapped one of the shoes on the ground, looking far too pleased. “You like them? I got a raise.” He winked at Vincenzo, who stood nearby with his usual unreadable expression, though I caught the faintest twitch at the corner of his mouth, a ghost of amusement.
“A raise, huh?” I cocked an eyebrow as I shot a look at Vincenzo.
Vincenzo’s face softened a shade, his gaze briefly warming. “Even guardians need incentives and rewards for loyalty.”
I smiled. Vincenzo must have pulled some strings to get Carl a raise after his assistance with Roderick.
Carl chuckled, nodding in farewell.
Vincenzo gestured for us to follow, his stride purposeful as he led us through the narrow corridor between the Veil and the city. The dim light from the human world seeped in slowly, casting a muted glow over our small group, and the noises of the city washed over us—the muffled drone of traffic, footsteps echoing off nearby buildings, and the smell of concrete and rain. All familiar yet completely unnerving.
A sleek, black sedan waited at the curb, the engine purring quietly. The driver, faceless behind tinted windows, sat motionless, a silent sentinel ready to bear us into the heart of our mission. I took a deep breath, centering myself and letting the chill of the human air seep into me as a reminder of the stakes—the line between worlds we had crossed.
“This the getaway car?” Dorian asked with a mischievous grin, though I could see the tension in his eyes. He shot mea look, an attempt at humor that did little to ease the thick atmosphere around us.
“I didn’t want to use a vehicle that could be traced back to us. The driver will wait for us and then disappear. He’s been compensated well.” Vincenzo sounded calm, almost detached, but I knew better than to take his tone at face value. This was as close to caution as he ever let himself get.
Luca moved forward and pulled open the door, his hand brushing against mine as he waited for me to slide in. His touch lingered, warm and solid, as I got in. He settled beside me, his presence unwaveringly steady amid the growing unease crawling beneath my skin.
Dorian was next, filling the space on the other side of me with his familiar warmth, his knee brushing mine in the tight confines of the backseat. Vincenzo took the front seat, his profile sharp against the glow of the city outside, like he was already calculating the path we’d have to take, the lines of attack and escape forming in his mind.
Silence fell over us as the streets passed in a blurred smear of light and shadow. I watched as the city unfolded outside the window. This place used to be familiar, yet now it felt distant. The people on the sidewalks were oblivious to the hidden world only a few steps behind us. They moved through their lives, unaware of what lay just beyond, of the creatures lurking in the shadows or driving quietly down their streets.
“Bet you missed all of this, didn’t you?” Dorian asked. “The human world and all its chaos.”
A small smile tugged at my lips, but it felt brittle. “Maybe a little, but right now? It just feels like a battlefield.”
