Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 24774 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 124(@200wpm)___ 99(@250wpm)___ 83(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24774 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 124(@200wpm)___ 99(@250wpm)___ 83(@300wpm)
I could hardly believe that I’d been lucky enough to meet this wonderful man, and he was all mine.
I tipped my head back and offered myself to him, pledging my future to him with every caress of my tongue against his. He deepened the kiss as we passed beneath the shadow of the arch, laying claim to everything I promised and making silent vows of his own.
I tried to stop my jaw from hanging open as Massimo led me through the pedestrian streets of Capri, struggling not to gawk at the beauty of the setting and the luxury items that filled shop windows. He’d already insisted on buying me a new dress, and a pair of large diamond studs now adorned my ears.
We approached an empty shop, and a woman greeted us in front of the glass door.
Massimo introduced himself and me, so it was clear that the woman was a stranger to him. My brow was still pinched with puzzlement when she unlocked the door and gestured for us to enter.
“Call me when you’re finished, and I’ll lock up whenever you leave,” she said warmly. “Take your time. I’ll give you some privacy, and I’m happy to accommodate any further requests.”
Massimo thanked her, took my hand, and guided me into the empty space.
“What are we doing here?” I asked, confused.
He spread his arms wide to encompass the large, bare space. “Do you like it?”
“The location is beautiful,” I replied, uncertain what to say.
He chuckled and pulled me close. “It’s for you, farfallina. This will be your gallery if you want it.”
“What?” I asked on a little puff of air, not sure if I’d heard him correctly.
“I’ll buy it for you,” he elaborated. “But if you don’t like the space, we’ll find somewhere else.”
I shook my head, my eyes stinging. “It’s too much.”
He cupped my cheeks in both hands, holding me as though I was his most precious treasure. “Nothing is too much for you.”
“But I didn’t earn it,” I protested. My heart tugged toward his. I wanted to accept, but I couldn’t quite shake the lingering sense of unworthiness.
His expression turned stern. “Did you earn your degree?”
“Yes, but I’ve never sold my art. I’ve never been featured in a gallery. You can’t buy success for me, Massimo.”
“I’m not buying your success; that will be your own, and I won’t take it from you. But I can provide the space where you can reach others with your art. Whether you succeed or not will be up to you. But I have faith that you will.”
“I love you.” The words rushed from me in a burst of pure emotion.
His eyes widened with awe for a fraction of a second before he crushed his lips to mine, as though he could taste the promise of my devotion on my tongue.
He stepped toward me, never breaking our kiss as he directed me into the privacy of the back room, away from the large shop window where passersby might see us. He pushed me up against the wall and shoved my dress over my thighs, reaching for my core.
“Tell me again,” he commanded, grabbing my sex in a rough, possessive grip.
“I love you,” I moaned, rocking my hips into his hand, seeking stimulation.
My clit pulsed with pleasure as he ground his palm against it, his fingers dipping between my slick folds. I was wet and ready for him, desperate to feel him inside me, making love to me. I felt his love in every lash of his tongue against mine and in the harsher graze of his teeth over my lower lip.
“All mine,” he growled into my mouth, lavishing me with hungry kisses.
He rotated his hand against my sensitive pussy, and I cried out at the burst of pleasure.
“Your whore is beautiful, but I’d rather see my hands on her.”
I yelped at the new, unfamiliar voice. Massimo whirled, placing his massive body between me and the crass stranger.
Three men crowded into the back room with us. They were all armed, and the one at the center of the group—the man who’d spoken—held a gun trained on Massimo’s heart.
I cringed at the sight of his scarred face, which was twisted in a maniacal leer.
He jerked his chin in the direction of the back wall, and I noted the open door for the first time. It led into a darkened space, and I glimpsed a concrete wall and stairs.
“We’re going into the basement. I wouldn’t want anyone to hear your slut screaming.”
“You’ll be the one screaming,” Massimo snarled, his huge body swelling with protective rage. “You’re a dead man, Rocco.”
The intruder barked a cruel laugh. “Who’s holding the gun here?” he challenged. “I’ll shoot you if you reach for your weapon, and then you won’t be alive to watch me play with her. That would be a shame. I’ve been dreaming of the day I get to destroy you for what you did to my face, and you won’t rob me of the satisfaction.”