Page 25 of The Devil After Dark

twenty-four

LIANA

I wasn’t expecting to get home from work to find Cassio in my condo.

What was even more shocking was it was still daylight and his mask was nowhere to be found.

Instead, he was only wearing a pair of sweatpants slung low across his hips.

The muscles of his abdomen and his tattoo covered arms and torso had me staring like an idiot, my mouth not finding words to say.

I was convinced I was hallucinating when he guided me to my balcony door and pointed to the rosé in an ice bucket and the charcuterie board on my balcony table.

“Go put on something comfortable, baby. I’m making you dinner tonight,” Cassio whispered into my ear as he wrapped his arms around me from behind. I must certainly be hallucinating.

I am pretty sure I did not say a single word to him as I retreated to my bedroom in complete shock. When I emerged wearing the sweats and cropped shirt that had been laid out on my bed, Cassio poured us both glasses of wine and sat casually in one of my chairs. “Does my Angel speak?” Cassio teased.

I opened my mouth and then closed it again. After taking a deep breath I was finally able to say something. “I think I am in a little bit of shock.”

Cassio’s blue eyes lit with his amused smirk.

“Come sit on my lap,” he said, his voice suddenly demanding.

And this was the Cassio I was more used to.

I slowly stood and found a seat on his lap where his hands slid under my shirt to grasp my naked waist. “Why are you surprised I am here taking care of you?” he asked, his voice bordering on a challenge.

“Because not only did I run into you just this morning, but normally you arrive in the cover of darkness and you don’t really have a track record of sticking around after … you know,” I replied, my cheeks heating.

“Hmm … the ‘you know’ part will come later, baby.”

I laughed. His seriousness and the absurdity of everything we were made me laugh out loud right in his face.

His hands tightened on my hips as his face grew stern.

“You are full of surprises, Cassio. What are you making me for dinner?” I said with a smile and ran my finger along the tattoo on his arm.

His face softened to a smile. This was another side of Cassio I was worried I could get attached to.

CASSIO

I could get used to nights like this with Liana.

I could get used to her small condo too.

Sitting on her balcony together and enjoying the quiet evening was like medicine for my soul.

My entire life I knew what I would become.

It hadn’t ever been a question. But sitting here with Liana over empty dinner plates and a glass of expensive liquor and a cigar on the table in front of me …

well I might be willing to give it all away for more nights like this.

Sure, I wanted Liana to assimilate into my life.

I wanted to shower her in material things and reap the benefits of having her around.

Whatever made her happy would make me happy.

If she wanted to work, I would let her. If she wanted to give up her career and take up some hobbies, I would let her do that too.

My mind wandered to making her pregnant and seeing her belly grow with our child.

Fuck. I wanted her to have my children. I wanted to get her pregnant tonight.

I had toyed with the idea of replacing her birth control pills—hell, I had nearly done it.

I wanted to trap her so that she could never leave.

But, at the last second, I had decided against it.

I wanted her to want to have my children. It would be worth the wait.

I sat enjoying the view of my woman as she smiled and animatedly told me about her family.

She was a little sad to not see them as often as she liked, but her face lit when she talked about them.

They were good people. People who had avoided the likes of me.

And for the first time, I wanted to live up to whatever expectation her family might have for her future husband.

I wasn’t about to give up my reign, but I would do everything I could to keep their daughter safe and loved and happy.

“What is it now?” Liana nearly giggled. “You are practically gawking at me.”

“You know you are going to marry me one day, right?” I tossed back as I lifted my cigar to my lips and took a gentle puff, letting the smoke roll in my mouth before releasing it.

Liana’s cheeks blushed and she bit her lip.

She looked at me through dark eyelashes and let out a nervous laugh. “I mean it, Angel.”

“Whatever you say,” she responded as she tried to hide her smile.

I set my cigar down next to my drink, leaned forward, and grabbed the seat of her chair, pulling her and it closer.

“That’s right, baby. Whatever I say,” I teased before pulling her close and capturing her lips with my mouth.

I wanted to fuck her right here in this chair.

I wanted to rip her pants down and sit her on my hard cock right here.

I pulled back from her lips, feeling my control on everything slipping.

Her small panting breaths just made it harder to hold back.

Fuck it. I wasn’t going to hold back. “Take your pants off. Now,” I demanded, lifting her and tearing at her waistband.

Her initial shock dissipated almost immediately and she shoved at her pants.

Grabbing her by her face I pulled her in for another kiss as she kicked her pants off her ankles.

Then I tore at my own waistband, freeing myself and grabbing her hips to pull her on top of me.

I didn’t hesitate to slide my cock to her entrance and press her hips down.

She cried out an intoxicating moan and I pressed my hand over her mouth.

Her eyes grew wide as I seated myself fully in her and began rocking in and out.

Her hips moved in rhythm with mine and she whimpered against my palm as she desperately held on to me.

“Shhhh,” I warned as I kissed her forehead and another muffled cry was caught by my hand.

I frankly didn’t care if the entire town heard me fucking her, but watching her try her damnedest to hold it in was far more satisfying …

and I was going to make it hard for her.