“You’re going to come, and it’s going to be intense,” he murmured, brushing his lips against mine. “Don’t worry, I’ve got you. Let it happen, stella.Fuck, you’re so beautiful...”
I closed my eyes at the blissful pleasure, clutching onto Michael and thankful the piling was behind me. If not for that, I would surely collapse in a pool of lust there on the sandy shore.
“So close now,” he rasped, his hand working in a pleasurable frenzy against my clit and deep inside my core. “Let it happen, Bianca. Remember this moment. It won’t be our last.”
Suddenly, a thousand stars exploded beneath my eyelids, and I crashed into my first orgasm. Taken by the sensation, I struggled to hold on to Micheal as my body quaked and shuddered in his arms.
“I’ve got you,” he whispered, his voice so far away as I emitted several high-pitched whimpers. “I won’t let you fall.”
My body trembled uncontrollably as I drowned in sensation, eventually falling lax against the piling. What felt like an eternity later, I finally gained the strength to open my eyes.
Michael stared back at me, a possessive glint in his eyes that both startled and comforted me. Gently, he removed his fingers from deep inside me and brought his fingers to his lips. Gazing deep into my soul, he licked the evidence of my arousal from his fingers, his skillful tongue lapping up every last drop.
“I can’t wait to taste you again,” he said softly.
Overcome with emotion I couldn’t understand, and still trembling from the orgasm, I remained silent.
“Meet me at the Atlantic Avenue industrial park on Thursday evening at eleven p.m. 1600 Atlantic Avenue. Repeat it to me.”
“Michael...,” I said, shaking my head.
“I’m going to extradite you to the remote village in Italy and assign two men to protect you. On Thursday, I’ll meet you at the warehouse and take you to a safehouse I have in Staten Island. We’ll marry on Friday morning and you’ll fly out that afternoon. I’ll come visit you in Italy when I can, and once I’ve attained more power, I’ll bring you home.”
“That’s insane. Victor will find me. And even if he doesn’t, I don’t want to live a life in a secluded village in Italy, hidden from the rest of the world.”
“It will only be for a few years. I’ll fake your death so Victor suspects nothing.”
The haze of pleasure fell away, leaving me with an inherent sense of doom. Sighing, I cupped his jaw.
“It’s an honorable offer, and I’m grateful, but I don’t see how it can work.”
“You let me worry about that. You’re mine to protect now.”
“I’m no one’s.”
Pressing his forehead to mine, he spoke through clenched teeth. “You’remine...” Capturing my lips, he drew me into a torrid kiss before lifting his head and shaking it, as if to clear the fog of desire.
“I’ve kept you out here too long,” he said, backing away. “Repeat it back to me, stella.”
“1600 Atlantic Avenue, eleven p.m., but I’m not going to come.”
“The offer stands and I think over the next few days you’ll reconsider.” He gave a brief nod. “Bring one bag and I’ll set you up with cash, clothes and whatever else you need.”
A laugh escaped my lips at the ludicrousness of the situation. “This is absurd, Michael. Do you hear yourself?”
“I don’t care.” Leaning forward, he gave me one last desperate kiss. “I’ve never been surer of anything in my life. See you on Thursday, stella. Don’t let me down.”
I stood there, stunned, as he backed away and retreated from the shore. Turning to face the ocean, I stared at the water, shimmering in the moonlight, and rubbed my arms to ward off the chill.
Although I knew his plan was crazy and destined for failure, I contemplated it in the dark corners of my mind that still clung to hope. There was so much that could go wrong. We could be caught on Thursday, or when Michael sent me to Italy, and both options led to our imminent executions.
And still, knowing all of that, I felt an uncontrollable yearning to allow him to try and save me. Would he succeed? The odds were certainly against us. But if there was even one spark of hope, shouldn’t I at least try? Wouldn’t that be better than marrying Victor, a terrible man I detested?
The quiet night held no answers for me as I stared into the darkness, but one thing I knew for sure. Michael had promised me he wouldn’t let me fall as I’d trembled in his arms while he loved me so passionately, but that would be the first lie he ever told me...
For, little did I know then, but my fall had already started, and sadly, it would take many years for me to reach the surface again...
Chapter 3
