Break (17 page)

“I want you, too. All the time and everywhere.”

I could feel his heat descending on me like fog. His fingers touched my lip gently, my jaw, my ears, as if he could hardly believe that I existed. His lips hovered over mine and barely touched me. It was sensitive; unlike the passionate fury he had shown me in London. It made my skin flame.

It only lasted a few seconds, our fatigue transformed into barely suppressed desire; we clung to each other like the two desperate, lonely souls that we were. His tongue swept inside my mouth as a fire leapt inside my chest. He reached up with one hand and tore apart my blouse with a violent jerk; several of the buttons snapped off and darted across the hardwood floors.

The ruined blouse fell to the floor in a crumpled heap and Luke unapologetically reached around my back and unsnapped my bra, a thrill scorching my skin as he covered my breasts with his hands, groping them roughly. I reached under his shirt and felt his abdominal muscles shiver. He unstuck his hands from my breasts so that I could pull the shirt over his head.

I had no idea how he had the time to maintain his flawless body. I ran my fingers along his clavicle, around his shoulder and back towards the taut muscles on his chest. He pulled me in and my breasts flattened against his chest, both of us thrilled at the contact. He grabbed my hair and tugged sharply; then his lips were caressing mine, sucking on my bottom lip as his hands fell from my head. He stroked my back with his fingers until his hands anchored over my ass. He lifted me slightly, his hardness grinding against my mound.

“Jessica, take off your pants.”

I clenched inside as he gave me the order. A vicious voice echoed inside my head.
Shut up and take off your pants. Bend over. That’s it.

I’m with Luke. He would never hurt me. He’s not like him.

I blinked and my eyes refocused. His face wore a concerned look as he tilted my head with a finger.

“Are you okay?”

I wasn’t sure. I was consumed with desire for him and yet there was still a prickle of fear. There was doubt when I knew there shouldn’t be. I hated how that bastard somehow managed to ruin every intimate moment I had with a man I really wanted. Would this ever go away?
No, I won’t let him ruin this for me. I’m not broken.
I reached down and pulled my jeans off.

His face softened. “God, you’re gorgeous.”

Luke knelt down and his fingers played with the thin cotton of my panties. His middle finger curled underneath, stroking the slightly damp mound, riding between my lips. I gasped as I felt him and widened my stance. It was like a ball of electrical current pounding between my legs.

He planted wet kisses on the inside of my thighs, gently teasing the fabric. Fingernails scraped my skin as he pulled the panties down, and then I could feel his warm breath billowing over my mound.
Oh, Jesus.
My legs trembled and I actually let out a moan. His lips kissed my mound and his tongue quickly darted out, sliding between my lips.

“Luke—oh!”

No one had ever done this to me. The wet, slippery tongue nudged my clit, penetrating me as his mouth closed over it all as if he wanted to devour me. Then he sucked hard and I fought the urge to grind myself against his mouth. It just felt so goddamn good, and my juices were flowing all over his mouth, making wet, obscene noises that made my chest flush. Then his mouth pulled away and cold air stung my wet core; he planted another kiss on my mound before I yanked him to his feet.

He was smiling in a self-assured way, brimming with the confidence that had first drawn me to him. “I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist me.”

I pulled his head close to me, so that we could both feel each other’s breath. I kept sliding my hands up and down his gorgeous neck, sliding my thumbs over the bump on his throat, loving every inch of him.

“You couldn’t resist me either.”

His slightly swollen lips beckoned me. I couldn’t resist any part of him; I was addicted. My mouth crashed against his and I didn’t care that I could taste myself on his lips; I wanted him to know how much I wanted him. My palm ran along the hard bump in his jeans.

The first button popped out easily and my fingers moved deftly, unzipping his pants and slipping off the tight, black briefs so that I could cradle the whole length of him in my hands. Suddenly, a dark thought entered my mind.

“Let’s go in the bathroom.”

“Sure.”

Luke’s face was glowing as he followed me into the tiled bathroom. He had no idea what was happening inside my mind. I stood in front of the mirror above the sink, watching myself in fascination as a handsome, dark-haired man enveloped his arms around my belly and kissed my neck.

I sighed with every hot kiss he planted on my neck, melting away some of my anxiety. With every glance in the mirror, I felt dread rising in my throat like vomit. “Help me, Luke.”

“With what? Your heart’s beating really fast.”

He could feel it pounding under my left breast. I turned around and gripped Luke’s waist, trying to bury myself in his comforting warmth. I couldn’t. I kept feeling the palm of Vincent’s hand, slamming into my back. I grabbed the edge of the sink as I was thrown forward and looked up, marveling at the cruelty of someone with such a beautiful face.

No, don’t!

He spread me open with his hands and I felt the hard, piercing pain of something thick being forced inside me, splitting me open. My screams echoed in that small bathroom, loud enough for anyone inside the house to hear. When I twisted my body to get away, he grabbed my long hair and yanked hard. When it was over, he left me bleeding on the floor and my mouth gaped in a silent scream as I buried my face in Luke’s chest.

The man who said he wanted me held me against him, whispering things in his soothing voice that made the pain and violence slowly fade away. I never told him about any of it, but somehow, he knew. Instinctively, he knew when I was hurting and how exactly to comfort me. I sniffed as my chest filled with a feeling that I couldn’t yet place. I wanted to cry, but I wasn’t upset.

“Jessica, maybe you’re not ready for this. We don’t have to do anything; I’m happy just to be with you.”

It was such a perfect thing to say, but I shook my head. “No, I want this.”

He looked at me doubtfully, but I took his hands and I let him feel how wet I was.

The cocky grin was back on his face. “You do, don’t you?”

My core heated as his eyes lingered over my breasts. He backed me against the cold wall, drinking every square inch of me with his eyes. My eyes fell on the thickness between his legs, which stood at attention like a soldier. I wrapped my fingers around him and tugged gently, remembering how incredible it had felt to have all of him inside me. His arms snaked around my back and suddenly lifted me onto his waist.

I giggled as my legs wrapped around him, marveling at the strength in his arms. His eyes were full of that irresistible, frightening intensity and I knew that he couldn’t wait another moment. I saw his powerful back in the mirror, my legs locked around him. He crushed me against the wall and thrust upward, his cock impaling my needy warmth. The pleasurable shock of it erupted through my mouth in a guttural moan.

Every thrust made my thighs tighten around his waist. Every roll of his powerful back rocked through me, grinding my back against the wall. Something was shifting inside as his thrusts became more urgent. I gripped his shoulders and dug my nails in his flesh, not caring about anything in the world except this wonderful feeling shooting through my body. He plunged into my depths, our mouths meeting and parting in gasping breaths, and I felt the pressure building. I trembled and came hard, my core contracting around him.

Luke’s breathing was fast and he might have said something, and then his deep groans filled the small bathroom. His hips slammed me against the wall, and he buried his face in my neck, breathing hard. He stayed there for a moment, his thickness buried deep inside me, and then his arms shook as he lowered me to the floor.

“God, Luke.”

He gave me a shaky laugh. “That was pretty amazing.”

I glowed as he leaned forward to kiss me again.

“Do you want to take a shower?”

Moments later, we stumbled into the shower together, laughing. I shrieked as he turned on the shower and the water struck me with a cold blast, but Luke moved in front of it, biting back laughter.

“Sorry about that,” he said with a playful grin.

I swatted at his shoulder, but he caught my hand and kissed it. My heart thudded against my chest as I felt his lips on my skin.
I’m crazy about him.

The glass shower quickly filled with steam as the hot water sprayed across our bodies. Luke grabbed a bar of soap from the shower and began soaping up my curves. My desire for him, which could never really be satisfied, shot up sharply. I was in awe of him, and full of so much happiness that I thought I would burst. He wanted me, for all my flaws, he wanted me. And I needed him.

It wasn’t a fake relationship anymore, was it? I looked up at him and tried to decipher it from his face. No, it wasn’t enough. I needed him to tell me explicitly—or I’d never believe it.

“Luke, what does this mean?”

The water sprayed over his head, dripping down his face, making him look more youthful and beautiful. His lips were red from kissing me. “I’m not sure,” he said honestly. “Let’s play it by ear and take it slow.”

My face fell.
What did you expect?
An indignant voice inside me said.
Did you think he would bend on one knee and propose? You’ve only known each other for a couple months.

He noticed. I pulled against him, unable to disguise the hurt on my face. He trapped me. “Jessica, I
want to be your boyfriend
. I really do, but you must understand that I have my own demons to deal with. I don’t trust easily, and it will take time.”

Luke wasn’t promising anything, but at least he was willing. I nodded. I could understand that. If I wanted him, I needed to be patient.
He’s worth it
, I thought as his lips caught mine again.

Chapter 9

A muscular arm snaked around my bare waist. My eyes snapped open and my chest froze as I felt a body behind me. It wasn’t until I recognized Luke’s voice, husky with fatigue, that I relaxed. I turned over on the bed as he ran his hand up and over my curves.

His face was wrinkled slightly with sleep lines, but his eyes were full of energy. “Good evening, beautiful.” His bright eye winked at me.

My face flushed. I couldn’t believe I was in bed with him. I touched his chest and he stroked my back lightly with his fingertips. It was as though we were a real couple. “I just want to stay in bed. I don’t want to get up.” I yawned. “Just tell them I’m sick.”

“If I have to go down there, so do you. Appearances, Jessica.” He swung out of bed with boundless energy.

I sighed as I rolled out of bed. Meeting Luke’s family was the absolute last thing I felt like doing. Every time I thought about it, I imagined myself sprinting out of this gigantic house to hide somewhere in the trees surrounding it.

“When does this thing start?”

“I don’t know. Guests will probably start coming at around five.”

I glanced at my phone and felt a zapping sensation shoot up my arm. It was already three in the afternoon. “We need to get ready.”

“Let’s go downstairs first.”

After running a brush through my hair, we slowly made our way downstairs. During our nap, the house had been decorated with streamers and balloons. There were vibrant, beautiful flower arrangements laid out in a row on the giant kitchen table, with intricate, gold dishes that seemed to sparkle, porcelain soup bowls and polished silverware. The flowers were like a splash of color among the black and silver balloons. What I liked about it all was that it was minimalistic. None of it was overdone.

Luke’s aunt was sitting in the breakfast nook, sipping a cup of tea. She smiled at us. “Come, sit!”

In front of her was a plate with a neat pile of cucumber sandwiches. I sat down in front of her and took one. It was light and delicious.

“Thanks so much for making these.”

“Don’t mention it.” She reached over and pinched Luke’s cheek affectionately. “Your uncle is going to be so thrilled that you’re here for his birthday. Did you visit your father?”

All the humor evaporated from Luke’s face. “Yeah, I visited him. It wasn’t pleasant.”

She smiled knowingly. “The poor man is in a lot of pain. People can be nasty when they’re suffering.”

“Aunt Beth, he’s always been nasty.” The sandwich crumbled in his fingers. “You should have heard the things he said to Jessica.”

She looked at me for my reaction, but I simply shrugged. “It doesn’t bother me. I don’t think he really meant it.”

“Your father has always been a complicated man. When I first met him, I found him abrasive, but then your mother passed and I saw a side of him I’d never seen before. He was very devoted to your mother.”

His clenched fists were balled on the table. I reached down and touched his leg.
Don’t make a scene, Luke.

“He’s cutting me off,” he said suddenly. “He’s going to give everything to Uncle Dominic and your kids.”

“What?”

I couldn’t help but notice how his aunt’s face registered very little shock. The sandwich in my mouth suddenly tasted foul. Was this whole ‘nice aunt’ thing for show?
‘Course it is.

Luke had seen it, too. His face was a mask of pain; I don’t think he realized that his aunt might be in on it until now.

“But I suppose you know that already.”

The teacup rattled inside the saucer as she set the cup down, looking upset. “Luke—listen. Your uncle and I talked about it. We both agreed that you should have your inheritance. Even if Giacomo’s will leaves everything to us, we will transfer everything back to you.”

“What if your sons don’t want to part with their millions? Isn’t that why they’re visiting him all the time?” Luke’s eyes flashed dangerously.