"I'm aware."
"Gianni or Lina could come in."
I pick up my phone and send a message to the kitchen telling the staff we're not to be disturbed.
"There. Now nobody will come in."
Violetta looks scandalized. "They'll know what we're up to."
I arch an eyebrow. In the past few weeks we've made love in half the rooms in the palazzo. That we're enjoying an active sex life is not going to be news to our staff. She seems to come to that realization herself when she gets up and walks toward me.
"Are you going to put yourself over my lap or do I have to do it?"
Hitching up her skirt, she drapes herself elegantly over my lap. I draw her black lace panties down. I spank her twice, once on each cheek, just gentle taps to begin with. Then I smack her harder, and she cries out. I establish a steady rhythm, alternating between left and right. With each impact, her skin grows a little pinker, eventually becoming a deep, satisfying red. Violetta whimpers and moans, wriggling on my lap as her need grows.
When I'm finished, I stand, bringing her up with me. I set her on the edge of the table and push her thighs apart. Stepping between them, I curve a hand around her neck and brand her with a searing kiss.
She pushes my jacket from my shoulders, and I shrug it the rest of the way off. Then she tugs my shirt out of my waistband and slides her hands up to pinch my nipples. I groan at the bite of pain then retaliate by latching my mouth onto her neck and sucking hard.
As Violetta tugs me free from my pants, I shove her dress up around her waist. I don't need to check if she's ready for me. The desperate sound she makes when I step closer tells me all I need to know.
With one hard thrust, I bury myself inside her. This isn't going to be slow. Both of us need this hard and fast. I hammer into her like a man possessed. Violetta leans back on her palms, tilting her hips toward me. Accepting the invitation, I rip open the neckline of her dress and yank her bra down. I pull her nipple into my mouth and tease it with my tongue. Violetta moans and pushes herself against me. When I sink my teeth into her breast, she screams and her hips lift from the table.
I drive her through her orgasm, loving the way she spasms around me. It doesn't take long for me to follow. I hug her close, burying my nose in her hair that smells of freesias as I come.
We linger for a moment in our embrace, me breathing in her sweet scent, Violetta running her hand slowly up and down my back.
Eventually I step away, tucking myself back into my clothing. Violetta searches for her panties, which are now on the floor. I pick them up and hand them to her. She doesn't put them back on. Instead, she moves closer and shoves them in my pocket.
"A little reminder for you," she murmurs in my ear.
"A reminder?"
"That if you ever make decisions about my life without telling me again, you'll have to use those panties to get yourself off because you won't be touching me."
With that, she pats my cheek and saunters out the door. For several minutes after she’s gone, I stand there, the scent of her shampoo still dominating my senses. I’ve never allowed anyone to get under my skin but Violetta has managed it without even trying. I’m not sure when I stopped fighting it, but I love her. That scares me more than I’ll ever admit.
TWENTY-ONE
Violetta
The blissful bubbleDamiano and I have enclosed ourselves in for the last few weeks was never going to last. Stefano is driving us to one of Damiano's restaurants so I can advise him on raising its social media profile, when a car veers into our lane from the other side of the road.
Stefano brakes hard, throwing me forward. My seatbelt digs into my chest and my phone slides off my lap. At first I think it's just an accident. I haven't been part of this world long enough for my mind to go straight to ambush, but unfortunately that's what this is.
I'm still processing our sudden stop when a black SUV swings out of a side street to our left and cuts across the road, completely blocking our path ahead. The hairs at the back of my neck stand on end as Damiano tells Stefano to back up. There's something eerie about the cold command in his voice.
Stefano starts to reverse, then slams on the brakes again. As I frantically scan our surroundings I realize we're trapped.Damiano is already on the phone calling for backup when something hits the rear window.
On instinct, I turn to see what happened. The glass hasn't broken but a spiderweb spreads out across it from a central point. I stare at it and realize the window must be bulletproof. It doesn't calm me. I have no idea whether it will hold.
Damiano's eyes scan our surroundings, taking stock of the situation.
"Get down and stay down." He doesn't yell. This is something he's faced before, something he's prepared for. His unruffled demeanor should be soothing but it's not. I see the man I married in a whole new light and I'm not sure I like what I see.
Unbuckling my seatbelt, I slide to the floor. I press myself down as flat as I can and put my hands over my head. Whatever happens I don't want to hear it. I hum quietly to myself, trying to steady my breath, but there's no way to slow my racing pulse.
The doors open and the next thing I hear is rapid gunfire. I don't dare look up to find out what weapons they have. I don't want to know.
