Page 40 of A Treasure To Keep

El yelps when the pounding on the door reappears. I remove her from my lap and walk toward the door, opening it and freezing at who stands in front of me.

“What are you doing here?”

Chapter 43

Marco

Ispend another morning in the gym, punching the bag after an hour of lifting weights until my knuckles bleed. Alessandro hasn’t let me collect or beat anyone up, and I’m still not speaking with El or Andrea. My music pounds through my ears, blocking out everything around me, when the red lights from the alarms I installed flash, followed by a notification on my phone.

There are several colors in the system we use, and they all represent different things. Blue: security breach. Green: everyone in the basement for a meeting. NOW! Red: 911 injured personnel.

I shove my headphones off, running to the main entrance while my security staff races to their positions for this type of situation. The door opens as I turn the corner to our medical room, and I see my best friend on the table. No. Domenico and two other security members are placing pressure on the wound in his stomach, blood pouring out of the hole in his body. Normally, I can proudly say that I perform superbly under pressure. Except for when I see Alessandro on that table. Hecan’t die. He’s my best friend. He’s not even thirty. He’s about to become a papa.

This can’t happen. I can’t lose any more family.

A small body shoves me out of the way as Dr. Rossi races past me, saying something about me being a big caveman. It wouldn’t be the first time, or I’m sure the last time I’ll hear that. When I find the courage to move again, I race to get my keys, driving to the only two people who can comfort me.

When I arrive at Andrea and El’s apartment, I skip the elevator, taking the back stairwell three steps at a time. I pound on the door and pause, waiting a minute for an answer. Next thing I know, I hear none other than El’s voice.

“Maybe if we stay really quiet, whoever it is will go away.” Yeah. Like El could ever be quiet.

I pound on the door again, not stopping until the door whips open and Andrea appears on the other side of the door.

“What are you doing here?”

Andrea gasps when I wrap my large hand around his neck. “I’m here because I need you. I need both of you. I’ve lost enough in my life and don’t know if I’ll lose more. I need to keep you two. Now, get on your knees and show me that you’re mine.”

“He’s yours? I disagree. But you could borrow him.” El stalks our way, bringing her arms around Andrea’s body and up his torso. “But if you’re going to borrow him, you have to claim him in ways you haven’t. Fucking him and having him suck your dick isn’t enough.” El walks around me, her left hand wrapping around my bicep. When I look down, I see her hand, noticing how her engagement ring shines in the light. I lock eyes withhers as she raises an eyebrow. I know what she means. She needs me to take this next step with Andrea. One that’s strangely more intimate than fucking. I turn my face to Andrea, my heart racing in my chest when I stare at Andrea’s lips.

Andrea swallows under my hand that’s still around his throat before his lips part. Fuck. I need him. I need both of them.

I tighten my hand around his throat, pulling him to me as our lips clash together. Fuck, he tastes good. His tongue licks at the seam of my lips, begging for entry to mine. El gently gives me a small push on my back, enough that I step closer to Andrea. I hear the sound of the door closing and the click of the lock letting me know she’s temporarily locked us in.

Her bare feet patter around to the other side of us, grabbing my hand that’s clasped around Andrea’s throat. Andrea and my lips separate, and we both face El, one of our hands in each of hers as she pulls us to her and Andrea’s room.

Andrea and I stand side by side when El lets go of our hands, a mischievous smile on her face, and walks into the closet. She turns around, her hands on the door frame.

“Enjoy yourselves. I’ll be back.” And with that, she slides the door shut, leaving us alone with the mystery of what she has in store for us.

Chapter 44

El

I’ve been hoping for this moment between Andrea and Marco since our New Year’s Eve rendezvous. I don’t know what happened to Marco, but it was exactly what he needed to give in to what he wholeheartedly wants.

Tonight will be different for us. I’ve always thought that what I’m about to do would be fun, and I fucking hope it will be. I’ve never been this eager about a sexual escapade. I tuck my bottom lip between my teeth, shimmying my shoulders. My own private dance party, so to speak.

I left the boys in the bedroom when I disappeared into the closet, searching through my lingerie collection to figure out what to wear. Bustier? Bra and panty set? Chemise? Too many options and none of them are quite right.

Suddenly, it hits me. Leather. That’s what I need. Leather.

I throw on my leather bodysuit, more like peel it on, and slide on my thigh-high stockings, the slightest bit of my thighs pushing out from the top. The final touch to my outfit is my black pumps with sharp enough heels that I could step onsomeone and cause the perfect amount of pain. I grab my maroon lipstick, swipe it on, and crisp it up with a slightly darker lip liner meant to contour and help make my lips poutier. The final detail I add is my most expensive perfume that I save for special occasions. Once the final touches are in place, I step back, examining myself in the full-sized mirror. Holy shit. Can we say dominatrix chic?

When I slide open the door, Andrea and Marco are still standing where I left them. They both turn to me, their mouths open and eyes wide.

“Wow.” They both say in tandem as they subtly brush their hands together. The two of them walk toward me, grabbing my hands and try to pull me to the bed when I stop them.

“No, no, no. Not tonight, boys. We’ve had nights where it was all about me. Tonight is alllll about you two. I’m here to guide. And to watch.”