La Sposa (5 page)

The door opened.

Dominic carried in a tray of cheese and fresh
thinly sliced prosciutto. There were cubes of leftover baguettes
and a small decanter of olive oil. Catalina sat up, with her hands
at her sides. She didn’t bother to cover her nudity. Her large
breasts with extended nipples rose and fell with each excited
breath, and she shook them at her lover teasingly. Dominic noticed
and chuckled. Her stomach muscles clenched at the sight of the
food. They’d been making love and cuddling for over five hours
straight and she was famished.

“
Yum!” she said when he placed the
tray across her lap. Dominic plopped down causing the decanter to
tip over.

“
Domi!” Catalina squealed with
laughter.

He grabbed a cube of bread, swiped it in the
oil spill and tossed it into his mouth. He grinned at her, and she
couldn’t help but grin back. Happiness, and more times like this
was what her heart needed. “What took you so long?” she asked as
she poured the olive oil over the cheese and sprinkled a tad bit of
salt on the mozzarella, the way he preferred it. She’d feed him
from her fork.

“
Phone call.”

“
Oh? Yea, I heard the phone. Is it
good news?”

Dominic chewed, not bothering to answer. That
was how these men were. You could never ask them a direct question
and expect a direct answer. Catalina stuffed her mouth, deciding to
abandon the subject altogether. They had taken down several bites
before the conversation resumed. “It was Lo. Giovanni is
back.”

Catalina’s breath seized in her lungs. She
blinked up at him and her hand froze half way to his mouth. He
leaned in and ate from her fork and then he winked.

“
Do-ah-does he know I’m here?”
Catalina stammered.

“
He knows.”

“
Does he know that Mira approved?
She said you didn’t have to leave for America. That I could bring
some things over and…”

“
Catalina, it’s okay. Giovanni
knows. Nothing goes on without his consent.
Tutto a
posto
.”

Relieved, she released the breath she held.
Catalina pressed her lips together, afraid to ask the next
question. Dominic didn’t seem worried, but her appetite had soured.
“Can you tell me what Lo wanted? Was it about us, I meant to
say?”

Dominic fell back on the mattress and put his
hands behind his head. “Giovanni is ready to see us. Not punish us.
He wants to talk about the future. I think he’s going to make me
consigliere
again. After we get the blessing to
marry.”

“
Really! Marry?” Catalina
exclaimed.

Dominic nodded. “He had to conduct business
without me the past few days with the
Ndrangheta
. I know I
was missed. Lorenzo and Carlo are too bullheaded to be of use, and
Santo is out of practice. Plus there is the wedding to Mira. He’ll
want to go on holiday with her, and he insists on taking little
Evie with them. I’ve arranged for Cecilia to be her caregiver.
There are so many things he’ll need managed while he is with his
new
famiglia
. Lo said he would return to Milan to handle our
affairs in the north.” Dominic’s gaze cut over to her. “This is it,
Cara
. This is the new beginning. We’re going to have it
all.”

Catalina picked up the tray and sat it over to
the side of the bed, and then went to him. He laid horizontal
across the king size mattress, so she straddled him. Immediately
his hands cupped her breasts with his thumbs, playfully flicking at
her nipples.

“
You’re going to be a very powerful
man, Domi.
Consigliere
is as
importante
as the Don
himself. We’ll buy a villa bigger than this one. And we’ll make
babies, lots and lots of
bambinos
. We’ll have it all. And
there’s something else. Mira is always whispering to me about what
if the family goes legitimate. What if Giovanni steps down and
gives the family to you,” Catalina lied. But with her close
influence with Mira, she could plant the seed, and possibly, her
brother could retire.
Then Dominic could be Don!

Dominic roared with laughter. Catalina frowned
and hit his chest playfully. “It could happen.”

“
Not in a million fucking years
would it happen. I don’t want to be the boss. I want to work with
Giovanni, be worthy of being his confidant. That’s who I will be.
The next leader of this family will be the son Mira carries for
him. That is the order of things and you know it.”

Catalina nodded, having to accept the fact
that her children will never have the honor Mira’s babies
would.

“
Listen to me,” Dominic said,
reaching to touch her cheek softly. “We only need each other,
Catalina, not power. Giovanni loves us. He has forgiven us. Let’s
focus on the new year.”

“
Of course,
amore
mio
.”

“
You’re so sexy,” Dominic said. He
pinched her nipple and Catalina shook her breasts at him once more.
His eyes lowered to the brush of her now wet sex against his
pelvis. Catalina tingled in her clit and she felt the ache of
wanting every inch of him buried deep. She licked her lips, and
with a slow and easy glide, pumped her hips back and
forth.

“
Mmm,” a deep groan rumbled in his
chest. With her hands braced, she could feel the race of his
heartbeat.

“
Sono bagnata per te
. I’m
wet for you, Domi,” Catalina said with a voice hoarse with
desire.

“
Succhiami
, and let me suck
you,” he smiled, his eyes opening upon the last part of his request
and narrowing on her intent on fulfilling his promise. The deep
authoritative command in his voice nearly made her climax. Catalina
had to catch her breath. She shuddered so hard with anticipation
before she obeyed the request. She leaned in and dipped her tongue
into his mouth. Dominic received her kiss in his usual fashion,
hungry, demanding, and she gave him what he sought. Catalina
grabbed him by the throat and forced her way out of the kiss. She
smiled down at him, and reached between them to wrap her hand
around his shaft. Dominic arched a brow at the slow tug she gave to
his cock. “You know what I want,” he said.

“
I do.”

She rose and plucked her nipples. He patted
her thigh for her to get on with it. Catalina turned with her hands
and knees so she could put her sex in his face while his erection
stood up in salute out of a nest of dark wavy pubic hair. Dominic’s
hands were warm and strong as they both slid up her thighs and drew
her further back so she could sit on his face. He played with her
first. His tongue stroked her labia then teased her clit before
dipping inside her hole.

“
Dio mio!”
she exclaimed.
Her mind nearly slipped into madness with the rush of pleasure
thrusting up her channel. Catalina rolled her tongue over the top
part of her lip and moved her ass in a circular fashion, absorbing
all he gave her. It was her job to give as well as receive. She
parted her lips to welcome his large cockhead into her mouth with
his tongue. And her baby was long and thick. His veined shaft slid
over her tongue, and she exhaled noisily out of her flared
nostrils, trying to relax herself to take him all the way to the
back of her throat. Catalina held him with her fist and her head
bobbed as she sucked him off the way he preferred, hard and slow
with no teeth. This was no easy feat. Her pussy convulsed with his
thrusting tongue and her clitoris felt like a lightning rod of
pleasure as it brushed over the prickly hairs of his unshaven chin.
Dominic released the familiar grunts and she increased the suction
and bobbing on his dick. She would suck and fuck him all
night.

This is what love felt like. Second
chances.

*****

Mira heard the shower as soon as she entered
the room. She placed the baby monitor on the nightstand and checked
on Eve first. Their daughter slept peacefully. Mira pressed her
hand to her daughter’s little chest and felt no congestion with her
breathing. Maybe the worst of it had passed. God knows Zia had used
every home remedy from an herbal mixture with Eve’s oatmeal, to
cutting a large white onion and placing it in Eve’s crib to absorb
the fever and cold. In such a short time, Eve and she had both
become very dependent on Zia’s mothering. Mira had faith in the
homecare, but if Eve didn’t improve she’d be taking her to the
doctor.

She left Eve’s room. When she opened the door
to their bathroom, a cloud of moist steamy air blew over her. He
had to be showering in boiling water for the bathroom air to be so
dense. Mira closed the door behind her and leaned against it. For
several long moments she stared at his form beyond the shower
glass. The suds rinsing down his broad back and smoothing the fine
hairs along his Adonis-like thighs made her heart beat a bit
faster. She shed her robe and removed her nightgown. Before she
stepped forward, the shower door opened, and his hand extended for
her to join him. Mira accepted his invitation and
entered.

“
That’s my girl.” Giovanni tugged
her hand to draw her closer and eased the door to the shower closed
when she was his.

“
Abbracciami
.” Mira
whispered. She asked him to hold her. He brought her up against his
chest. There were no words to express how much he adored her.
Silent contentment stretched between them. Nothing was heard over
the rushing water out of the showerhead. And then he captured her
chin to draw her face up and she blinked at him with liquid brown
eyes he could drown in. “I have missed my Mirabella,” he smiled.
“
Sono allupata
,” I’m starving for you,” he said. “I can’t
wait to make you my wife. I think sometimes I forget how to convey
this without becoming an asshole. Do you understand my meaning?
Should we discuss what happened upstairs further?”

She didn’t release him from the twinge of
guilt he felt over being stern with her. She met his gaze and held
it. And though he didn’t bother to voice his thoughts aloud, he
wished her to be submissive. The blame was his and the man who
raised him. Some things a son can’t help but learn from his father.
And some of the blame was hers. Losing her and finding she had
effectively escaped him with another man made him both selfish, and
distrusting.

There was something else.

The baby growing inside of her struck a
protective streak in him he couldn’t dismiss. Her health and the
safety of her and his
bambina
sleeping in the other room was
his number one priority. What should she expect from him? After
all, she was the one to convince him that he could have the life he
didn’t deserve. And now he wanted all the sweet things she
whispered in his ear, about their life and future as husband and
wife. He’d do
anything
to keep her to that
promise.

At some point, she’d understand the danger and
sacrifice made when choosing to love a man like him. There would be
no turning back, shifting priorities, or others competing with him
for her affection. Never.

Tonight, a little reassurance is all he
needed. He waited for her to speak, to submit, and her answering
silence made the muscles in his heart constrict.

Mira lifted her hand and eased it up his chest
over his shoulder and around his neck. She drew his mouth to hers.
One kiss and the soul tie that forever bound her to him
strengthened. Her darting tongue was as seductive as her touch.
Unintentionally, he stepped forward into the shower of steamy
water, and she didn’t shy away as she sometimes did to avoid
getting her hair wet. She wrapped both arms around his neck and
deeply swept her tongue into his mouth. Every glorious curve made
her an undisputed goddess in his life, pressed up against his body,
rushing the blood in his veins to his erection. Giovanni chuckled
in her kiss. This response would do.

He drew her back under the water and she
fought him a bit. “I can’t!” she said jerking and gasping when too
much water covered her face. She’d complained before about her hair
becoming wet, which was ridiculous to him, but the panic in her
eyes and voice was different this time. He released her.

“
What is it?”

She gagged and coughed. “I can’t.”

“
What? Get your face
wet?”

She looked up at him on the verge of
tears.

“
Bella? Talk to me?
Che si
dice
?”

“
I can’t swim.”

“
Swim?” he nearly laughed. If she
weren’t trembling in his arms he would have. “You’re not swimming.
We’re taking a shower. The water just covered your face. Why is
that scary?”

“
It is okay! Dammit, just forget
it.” She made to leave but he swiftly pinned her to the shower
wall. She had to look him in the eye and finish the tale. “I nearly
drowned at four. I’ve always been terrified of being submerged
under water. It just triggered an old fear. That’s all.”

“
How is it I don’t know this about
you?” he asked, looking deeply into her eyes. “I would never do
anything to harm you.”

“
I know. You didn’t know. It’s
stupid and I’m asha—”

He kissed away her apology. Then dropped his
forehead to hers. “There is still so much to learn, for us both to
learn.”