Page 24 of One Savage Union (Crimson Bonds #1)

ROCCO

B aby girl is tired.

I may have underestimated the complexity of this hike and overestimated her ability to complete it.

The thing is, it's not her body holding her back. I know she thinks it is. She’s hard on herself and I fucking hate it.

Her body is beautiful and full of curves that I obsess over.

However, since she’s not a model’s size, society has her doubting herself, and that doubt is what’s causing this hike to take almost twice as long as it should.

She thinks she’s going to fall.

It’s her anxiety causing her to stumble.

She’s nervous about every step she takes, and that causes a double-take at every motion forward.

Upon taking a look around, I can see that this hike is not for beginners.

There is little to no railing to protect you from the sea thousands of feet below you.

The trail is not as polished as I remember.

The last mile has been rocky and unblemished mountain terrain.

She’s anxious and her fear exasperates me.

As if I would ever let anything happen to her. She’s mine.

I won’t even let Mother Nature have her.

The crazy thing is, I no longer have a clear picture of why she’s mine or what she’s here for.

I‘ve got her father by his balls. Mario informed me that their follow-up meeting went on without a hitch. There’s a plan to take out Leo through a fake drug exchange with Ricci.

Leo still thinks that Ricci is on his side and will supply him with the first shipment of drugs he needs to break into his line of business.

Ricci is only charging him 25% of the profits in perpetuity since he’s getting to sell on our turf.

The deal also includes him lending Leo some soldiers when he assassinates our don, his father.

Leo knows that there will be a bloody war after he takes out his father, and he needs Ricci’s support. But he will never get that far. When he goes to the docks to meet Ricci’s capo Enrico, he will instead meet Enzo, Mario, and the barrel of my gun. It should all be wrapped up within a week.

Today, it is all about endearing Lucia to me even more. I need her thoroughly fucked and high off my cock before all this goes down. I want her emotionally tied to me so her loyalty is with me and not her father after the smoke clears.

Technically, she’s still in a lot of danger until Leo is dead, and no one will keep her safer than I will. I don't quite trust Ricci to do right by her.

Enzo discovered some suspicious deposits in Leo’s bank accounts.

It makes sense to see one or maybe two transactions from Ricci to him.

After all, the sham drug deal takes some capital.

But Enzo found deposits that date back over a year.

The depositor is a shell company owned by none other than Matteo’s capo, Enrico Manetti.

What could he possibly be paying Leo for in the tune of two million dollars? Does Matteo even know?

Something is off.

Other than my paranoia, I have no real reason to keep her from her father. I could arrange a meeting, or at least let her know I've met with him. But I won’t. I need her to be dependent on me for just a bit longer.

I'm a selfish bastard. I want her to feel as crazy and off balance about me as I do about her.

I try not to think about how arousing her smell is.

When I sneak out of my bed early to leave her, I sniff her hair to get a hit.

I refuse to acknowledge how I look forward to our dinners at home.

Seeing her in my element, in my favorite place on earth, does things to my chest I don’t recognize.

She belongs here, and I like it this way.

The campaign to make her want to be mine starts now.

She won’t leave this mountain the same way she arrived.

“Rocco, I hate this. Why did you make me hike this stupid mountain? I could die out here with any step I take. Why isn’t there any railing? Is this a public trail? I’ve only seen one other pair of hikers. Do you plan on abandoning me out here or something?”

I’m trying not to laugh at her feisty stance.

She’s sweaty and tired but still has enough fire to place her hands on her hips and give me a piece of her mind.

Her hair has flown from under her carefully tied silk scarf and sweatband, and I can tell she’s just over it at this point.

I don’t laugh because I know it will only anger her further, so instead I give her the most serious face I can muster as I close the distance between us.

“No, my Lucia. I would never leave you. We only have about a quarter of a smile to go before we get to your surprise. Just be patient.

“Yeah, Ok,” she huffs. “You’ve promised me some big reveal for the past two miles, and all I see is more of this stupid mountain.

My body aches, and I’m sure my hair looks like a bird’s nest at this point.

I don’t like being afraid to fall every minute of this hike, and it’s also a bit warm.

I'm sweating like a man, and no part of this is enjoyable. I hate to sound like a complaining brat, but that’s where I am at the moment. ”

I don’t reply. Instead, I turn around and keep trekking down the mountain. Engaging her while she’s in this mood will do me no good.

We continue in silence for about thirty minutes until she catches a glimpse of twinkling lights ahead.

“What’s that!” she gasps. “ I hope it’s somewhere to sit down!

I snicker. “ It’s even better than that, Lucia. It’s somewhere to lie down.”

I feel her hand on my shoulder, and she slips a bit, trying to gain her footing. “ I don’t sleep outside Fieri!”

She shouldn’t make sudden movements when she’s this close to the mountain’s edge, especially since she’s scared of heights. I grasp her hand from behind to steady her. She turns and grabs me onto me for dear life. The bear hug takes me by surprise, but her trust pleases me.

“Be careful, piccola ragazza,” I whisper. “I can’t have you falling to your death.”

She nuzzles into my shirt more. “You always save me. Why? Why do you care at all?”

I have no answer that I’m prepared to give.

I can't tell her that she’s become my air; the real reason I wake every morning.

I haven't earned the right to imprint upon her heart that way, and I’m not even sure I can hold up my end of a love bargain.

It's better if she’s left in the dark; that way her heart won’t get involved.

I bite down gently on her shoulder and raise my eyes to mine. “You know why piccola ragazza. What is the only reason a man like me would keep a woman like you alive and breathing? Why won’t I let anything hurt one hair on your head?”

She huffs. “Because if I’m hurt, then you can’t use me as a pawn in your little mafia games. You want me to stay alive long enough for that, right?” She shoves away from me, careful of

Her venom irks my nerves. I don’t want her to fall for me, but she can show some respect.

I know she’s uncomfortable, but she also has front seats for one of the most sought-after views in the world.

If she got out of her head, she would realize that.

Getting her out of her thoughts is precisely what I’m here for.

“No, I want you to live long enough for me to properly fuck you. That tryst on my dining room table was just an appetizer.”

I don’t miss her sharp intake of breath. That sound is blood to a shark like me. In time, I will reroute her energy to better use.

I smooth the back of my hand down her jaw and neck.

“I am determined to fill every hole you have with my dick Lucia. You will be completely mine in every physical way possible. You will scream my name in pleasure and have no doubt of who owns this beautiful body before you see your maker. Don’t even think about dying before I get my hands on you. ”

I wrap my hand around the nape of her neck and pull her in for a hard kiss.

She doesn’t resist me; instead, the little vixen grinds her body against mine.

My words made her hot. My Lucia doesn't need poetry and flowers. The cold hard truth paired with a hot hard cock turns her on. I’m more than happy to oblige.

When I release her, she stabs me with a glare. “You’re an asshole Fieri.” She walks ahead of me towards the twinkling lights, and I rub my bottom lip, laughing. She’s mad that she wants me. I can’t be blamed for that. Her body wants what it wants. It should be addressed to me, her husband.

When she gets to the mouth of the cave that holds the shepherd's house, her entire body reacts. The space has been completely transformed into a five-star glamping experience. I have colorful Turkish carpets laid across the stone floors and at least 100 cream and gold pillows strewn around.

In the center of the rug, there’s an ice bucket with Dom Perignon and those silly Izze drinks she likes-apple flavor only, along with an extensive charcuterie board.

Café lights illuminate the space, and soft music plays from the Bluetooth speakers my team left for us.

I made a playlist of her favorite love songs.

Sure, I hacked into her phone to find out what they were, but I think the end justifies the means.

“This is an exquisite space, Rocco.” Seeing her face light up tells me I made the right decision. “ Oh my gosh! I love this song!”

Aretha Franklin belts out the words to “Call Me,” and I smile.

In my line of work, this is a song Lucia may hum to herself quite often.

When your husband is consigliere to one of the biggest mafia outfits in the country, you tend to want him to call the moment he gets wherever he’s going.

But will she ever call me her “dearest of all,” or declare “I love you?” Do I even want that?

I take her hand and lead her inside the cave. “Come and rest your feet. You can sit or lie anywhere you like.”

She bites her bottom lip and throws me a shy smile. “OK, are you joining me?”

I nod. “ Of course. With you here, where else would I go?”

She shrugs and drops her crossbody bag and water bottle on the rug before flopping her sexy body down.

I look down at her and feel ravenous. Lucia is the curviest woman I’ve ever had the pleasure of touching.

Her full breasts, narrow waist, and full hips make me want to slam into her until she begs for mercy.

She was made to be pleased with a firm hand and soft touch.

Right now, I could lick every inch of her toasted almond skin and then eat her alive.

Patience.

I sit against pillows on a rock opposite her and gesture for her to stretch her legs. “Bring your feet to my lap, piccola ragazza. You’ve complained the last four miles about how much your feet hurt. Let me make it up to you.”

She gives me a wary look. “ Rocco, my feet are sweaty, and they may stink at this point. It will repulse you.” She laughs.

I shake my head. “ I don’t care about sweat. You could never repulse me, Lucia. I’m obsessed with every inch of you in any state. Now don’t make me ask you again. Give me your feet.”

She obeys, and I gently remove her shoes and socks before getting to work.

I start with her heels to ease the pain.

She moans in relief, and that only makes me want her to moan in true pleasure at my hands.

Reflexology raises arousal, so I target points on the bottom of her feet that bring joy.

One foot at a time, I carry her to the point of bliss.

“My God, you're good at that, Rocco.” She closes her eyes and lays her head back on the pillow behind her.

I smirk. “ I’m good at a great many things, Lucia. Remember how I made the rest of your body feel? You will get that and even more tonight if you just let go.

Her right eye pops open. “You brought me here to fuck me didn’t you? How much is this foot rub going to cost me?”

I don’t flinch. “Everything.”

I zero in on the pulse point at the base of her throat and observe her increased breathing.

She’s either nervous or horny. Maybe a bit of both.

Either way, I can’t give her too much time to think herself out of this.

Tonight is the night. Not only do I need to cement our marriage further before her father gets in her ear, but I need her like I’ve never needed another woman before.

I can’t wait another minute to get inside her.

When I finish her foot rub, I pull my jacket and T-shirt over my head.

My eyes never leave hers, and I pin her to the ground.

She receives the message and quickly removes her pullover.

She hesitates with her shirt, but once she gets her courage, she moves quickly.

The black sports bra I bought her is as sexy on her as a $500 piece of lace from La Perla.

I pour her a glass of the Dom, and while she sips from her glass, I take a swig from the bottle.

She giggles. “Animal.”

I wink and drink another swig before refilling her glass. A nice buzz will do her well tonight. Once she’s finished that glass, I pour her another half a glass and finish the bottle off myself.

When I stand, her eyes follow my every move.

First, I remove my shoes and socks. Then, I drop my pants and boxer briefs in one swift movement.

My semi-hard cock salutes her and she responds by licking her lips, never taking her eyes off my manhood.

The attention only makes me harder, and I know I need to feel her warm mouth on me.

I reach down and pull her by her hands to her knees.

Leaning over, I unsnap her sports bra by flicking the front latch.

Thank God for front-hooking bras. When I stand back up, the tip of my cock brushes her lips and I swear I hear her moan.

The touch makes me hiss, and I know if I don't take care, I’ll blow my load way too early tonight.

“I want you to suck my dick Lucia. Do you want me to fill that pretty mouth of yours with my cum?”

Her dilated eyes tell me all I need to know, but I appreciate the nod all the same. “I can’t be gentle,” I warn her.

“I don’t expect you to be. Just don’t expect me to be gentle either.”

Well fuck me…

“Take care piccola ragazza. That mouth may write a check your throat can’t cash. Open wide for me, I won’t wait any longer.”

Slowly I feed her my dick until I feel the back of her throat and hear the sexiest gagging sound on earth. Once I know she can take me, I slip out, and she drags her tongue against my length.

“Fuck,” I hiss. Then I wrap my hand in her ponytail and pull her mouth back onto my dick. I thrust and jam my throbbing cock back down her throat and try not to cum like a sixteen year-old.

This woman may be the death of me.