Page 10 of Mourning Wings (Whitmore Legacy #1)

9

RONNIE

I finally push myself off Valeria , the adrenaline still coursing through my veins. I can feel the tension in my muscles as I sheath my knife, sliding it back into its holder around my thigh.

My hand hovers above Valeria , ready to help her up, but she shrugs me off.

“ I don’t need your help,” she spits. “ Nor do I need your protection. I don’t even know you!” she argues, a defiant glint returning to her eyes as she squares her shoulders.

A soft chuckle escapes my lips. “ You might be a little warrior, but you don’t know what you’re up against. We’re alone here, Valeria . Proceed with caution,” I say, noticing the slight tilt of her head and the way her eyes hold mine, daring me. Her skirt is hiked up, and the sight of her bare thighs makes my breath catch.

As she moves to adjust her clothing, her eyes meet mine.

Her hair is tousled, a few strands framing her face, and her cheeks are tinged with a rosy hue.

My eyes follow the angles of her face until they reach her lips.

A strange wave of familiarity hits me, so strong, it nearly knocks the breath out of me. It’s like I already know how they feel—soft, warm—and, God , the taste of her tongue flashes in my mind like a memory that shouldn’t be there. The feeling is so vivid, it’s unsettling. I tear my eyes away, shaking it off, but the pull lingers, like something I’ve forgotten but can’t fully grasp.

Fuck , fuck, fuck.

I’m so entranced by Valeria , I begin to wonder if it was a bad idea to get involved with her outside of observing her through screens. Watching her from a distance, through the safety of a monitor, had seemed much simpler, safer. But here she is, so real.

Get a grip, Verónica . All the stalking and digging I’ve been doing is messing with my head. I’ve gone too deep, watching her every move, reading into things that probably aren’t even there. But still, the sensation won’t leave me, clinging to me.

Valeria straightens, smoothing her skirt with a confident flick of her wrist. Then , she turns on her heels and tries to walk away, but I grab onto her arm.

“ Not so fast,” I say.

I step closer, and the space between us crackles with energy. Her inhales are sharp, and I feel the warmth radiating from her body, so close, I can almost feel her heartbeat.

“ You don’t know what I’m capable of,” she taunts, her lips curling into a daring smile. “ Now , if you’ll excuse me, I need to find Isabel . I can’t just stay here?—”

“ Relax . They won’t hurt her.”

Valeria scoffs. “ How can you say that? This place obviously isn’t what it seems, and they had knives. Knives !” Her voice cracks.

“ I’ve been watching them. They don’t hurt women. They just...like to have fun with them.”

“ Fun ,” she repeats, as if the word tastes bitter in her mouth. “ Isabel’s out there, probably terrified, and I’m stuck here with...with you , whoever you are. I need to check if she’s okay.”

I let out a pent-up breath. She’s not going to make this easy. I don’t move, my gaze holding hers with an intensity that makes her coil into herself. “ Valeria , you need to listen to me. Isabel will be fine, but if you go after her, you might not meet the same fate.”

Her eyes widen. “ What do you mean?”

“ The Whitmores aren’t to be trusted. These game nights are dangerous.”

She narrows her eyes at me, crossing her arms over her chest, causing her perfect tits to push upward. “ Then why are you here?”

I mirror her stance. “ I’m not here as a guest. Like I said, I’ve been watching this family for a while now. Those boys might be harmless, but the others aren’t. So , you either stick with me or end up dead.”

Valeria freezes, my words finally sinking in. “ Fuck . Camila ,” she mutters.

“ Who’s Camila ? I thought your friend’s name was Isabel .”

She shakes her head, as if to dispel her thoughts. “ Uh . Yeah . Camila is…an old friend. I was hoping I could find out what happened to her tonight.”

“ I could help,” I offer, noticing a glint of silver catching the light.

My eyes land on the butterfly necklace around Valeria’s neck. My necklace. It suits her perfectly. Without thinking, my hand reaches out, fingers brushing against the cool metal.

As I touch it, Valeria’s eyes meet mine, and for a second, I’m worried she’ll see everything I’m feeling written all over my face. My pulse quickens, and I swallow hard.

“ Are you sure? I mean…this place,” she says.

I reach up to brush a stray lock of hair from her face, my fingers grazing her cheek. Valeria’s breath hitches. “ Yes , princesa.”

Her gaze darts to the floor. “ Okay ,” she cedes.

I grab Valeria’s hand, feeling her pulse quicken through her skin. She’s nervous.

“ Come on,” I whisper. Her eyes are wide, filled with questions she hasn’t asked yet. She nods, trusting me even though she has every reason not to.

The corridor is narrow, damp, the kind of place that makes your skin crawl if you think about it too much. But I’ve studied the entire layout of the mansion, so I know the way.

I keep moving, one foot in front of the other, leading her through the darkness.

It’s then I hear voices—too close for comfort. I pull Valeria sharply to the side, pressing us both against the cold stone wall. The space is too damn tight, barely enough room for the two of us.

“ Shhh ,” I say. The voices get closer, and I can tell Valeria’s holding her breath, trying not to make a sound.

It’s just a couple of drunk men who have no idea how close they are to us. We stay frozen until I’m sure they’re gone, and then I nod to Valeria . “ Let’s go.” We slip out of our hiding spot and continue down the passage, quicker this time. She’s keeping up, but I can feel her fear, the way her hand shakes slightly in mine. I tighten my grip, hoping to steady her.

Finally , we reach the end, facing an old elevator. It’s rusted, barely functional, and looks as if it hasn’t been used in ages, but it’s our only way up.

“ This way,” I say, pulling open the barrier.

I can see the hesitation in her eyes. “ Are you sure about this?”

“ I know it looks bad, but it’s the only way up without being seen. Trust me.”

She takes a deep breath and steps inside, the floor creaking under her weight. I follow, closing the gate behind us. The space is tiny, claustrophobic, but I push the feeling down and focus on the controls, trying to remember the sequence.

“ Why are you even looking into the Whitmores ?” Valeria asks, her voice cutting through the silence.

I freeze, my fingers hovering over the buttons.

“ The Whitmores have done things—terrible things—and they’ve been getting away with it for years because no one has the power to stop them.” My voice shakes with anger I can barely contain.

“ Yeah . I think they have something to do with Camila’s disappearance,” she mutters.

The elevator lurches into motion, the old gears groaning in protest. Valeria grips the railing, her knuckles white.

“ We were orphans, Isabel , Camila , and me. When Camila turned seventeen, she was adopted by the Whitmores . I was younger… I had no way of keeping in touch with her, so when I left the orphanage two years later, I started looking for her.” Valeria leans back against the cold metal wall, staring down as if she’s watching memories play out on the floor. “ They took her in like they were doing her some big favor, but she didn’t last long. They claimed she tried to run away and committed suicide.”

My head snaps up to look at her. Valeria’s still talking, so I don’t interrupt.

“ They said there was no foul play, that she wasn’t happy and just couldn’t handle it anymore. But Camila was never suicidal,” Valeria continues, her voice growing firmer. “ She was quiet, almost mute, and she kept to herself, but she wasn’t broken. She just needed time, and they never gave it to her.”

Valeria’s hand goes to the butterfly necklace around her neck. She touches it gently like it’s some kind of lifeline. “ We bonded over butterflies,” she says, and there’s something soft, almost tender, in her voice. “ That’s how we got close. That’s how I fell for her.”

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I just stare at her, trying to process everything she said.

“ That’s why I’ve been wearing this necklace ever since you gave it to me,” she murmurs, her fingers still tracing the pendant. “ It’s like I’m carrying a part of her with me. But why did you give it to me?”

I look down, my thoughts swirling. Why did I give it to her? I didn’t know the story then, didn’t know what it meant. “ I have no idea,” I admit, feeling an odd vulnerability in the confession. “ I just felt like you needed to have it. And now, hearing all this, maybe I understand why.”

The elevator jolts, and I grab onto the railing, steadying myself. Valeria does the same, but her eyes are far away, most likely lost in thought. I want to say something to comfort her, but the words just don’t come.

“ Do you still love her?” I spit out, regretting the question as soon as it slips from my mouth.

Valeria nods. “ I do. But I’ve made peace with her absence. I just need to find out what really happened to her. I owe her that much.”

The elevator shudders to a stop, the doors creaking open with a metallic whine that echoes down the hallway ahead. The corridor stretches out in front of us, lined with old wooden doors, each one closed.

“ If we’re going to do this together, I should at least know your name,” Valeria says from behind me as I step out.

Turning back to look at her, I answer, “ You can call me Ronnie .”

“ Ronnie ,” she repeats. Hearing her speak my name in her sweet voice makes me want to hear her moaning it in my ear. Stat .

“ It’s short for Verónica ,” I add.

She nods as if absorbing the information. “ I’ve never seen you around. I mean…before the Halloween party. That was you, right?”

“ Yes ,” I say with a deep breath. “ You shouldn’t have been there.”

Valeria scoffs. “ Why not? You were there too.”

“ Not in the same capacity,” I retort.

She rolls her eyes. “ We were both there for a reason,” Valeria sneers. “ But I’m actually interested in knowing why you were in the basement then proceeded to watch me and Isabel from the tree line like a stalker,” she continues, meeting my gaze head-on.

I’m walking down the hallway backward now. “ A stalker, huh?” I say, eyes narrowed as I abruptly halt my steps, causing her to stop right in front of me. My lip grazes her ear as I lean forward. “ Is that what you really think, princesa?

Ignoring my question, she backs away and lets out a growl of frustration. “ Just answer the question.”

My lip curls upward. “ And what if I was? Would you be scared now?” I whisper in her ear, getting close again. Valeria’s arms erupt in goosebumps as my breath touches her skin, but she doesn’t falter and keeps up her tough fa?ade.

“ You do look really pretty in the mornings, though,” I tease.

Valeria’s expression shifts as she processes my words slowly, connecting the dots with a sudden realization. The color drains from her face. “ What the fuck?” she whisper-yells. “ You’ve been watching me?” Valeria’s voice is sharp as she takes a step back, her fists clenched at her sides.

I hold her gaze steadily, my expression neutral. “ I had to keep an eye on you—for research purposes.”

Valeria shakes her head incredulously. “ Watching me without my knowledge is illegal !” Her voice rises a tad.

I remain composed, unmoved by her accusations. “ I see it differently,” I respond calmly, my confidence unwavering. “ I had my reasons.”

Valeria’s fists loosen slightly, her anger giving way to a sense of incredulity. “ You don’t see how wrong that is?” she asks, her voice edged with disbelief.

I shrug nonchalantly, a hint of a smile playing at the corner of my lips. “ Maybe not from where I stand,” I admit unapologetically. “ But I understand if you don’t feel the same.”

Valeria’s jaw clenches as her hand reaches back. In one, swift movement, she grabs the kubotan stick from her waistband and charges at me.

She lunges forward as I grab my knife from its holder, and she strikes at me with precision. Goddamn . She’s actually trying to hurt me.

With a sudden twist, I manage to deflect Valeria’s strike, seizing her by the throat and slamming her against the wall. Her breath comes out as a wheeze as I press the knife to her throat, teasing the chain around her neck with the blade. “ Minha borboleta linda. I told you not to try me.”

Breathing heavily, our faces mere inches apart, we lock eyes. Valeria struggles against my grip, but I’m not letting her go. I love seeing her at my mercy.

Sensing an opportunity, I wrench the kubotan stick from her grasp.

Before Valeria can react, I spin her around, pushing her over the hallway table forcefully. The trinkets sitting on top clatter to the ground, and I don’t even care that someone might hear us. I dare them to come.

A loud gasp escapes Valeria’s lips as the front of her body thuds on the wooden top. Lifting her skirt, I tear her underwear away in a single, forceful motion.

Her sweet smell invades the air, and I close my eyes momentarily.

“ Fuck , princesa. You’re going to be the reason for a hundred deaths once I get a taste of you,” I groan, not able to resist any longer.

Grabbing her wrists, I secure them behind her back, tying them with a piece of rope I had in my pocket. Then , I sink my fingers into her luscious blonde hair and jerk her head back with enough force to pull her lips apart so I can stuff the torn fabric of her thong in her mouth.

“ Stay put,” I order before I drop to my knees behind her like I’m getting ready for prayer.

Only this is way better.

I spread Valeria’s ass cheeks, and she draws in a breath. “ Ronnie , what are you doing?” she mumbles through her gag.

“ Teaching you a fucking lesson,” I grit out.

I press the pink kubotan stick firmly against her slick folds, and the metal slips. “ Foda -se, princesa. You’re soaked.”

My mouth salivates at the thought of her wetness coating my tongue.

Slowly , I tease her pussy with the stick until the tip slips inside. Valeria lets out a mewl, which turns me on tenfold. I need to taste her.

Without a moment’s hesitation, I push further inside her. Valeria’s body jerks forward at the intrusion, and she lets out a yelp that carries both pain and pleasure.

At the same time, I stick my tongue out, letting the metal of my piercing glide over her swollen clit. Valeria knees buckle on contact. “ Oh my God ,” she mumbles.

I moan as soon as her arousal hits my tastebuds. “ Jesus . You are a fucking delicacy.”

It’s right then that I realize Valeria has to be mine.