Page 37 of The Mastermind (Mafia Rivals #1)

MADDELENA

‘The Maldives?’

‘Yes. It’s a four-and-a-half-hour flight. Minimum interruptions. And best of all, we’ll be surrounded by water so you can’t get away from me that easily,’ Cesare said.

The hand gliding down my naked back was lazy but his gaze was anything but. Since our heated exchange in the shower last night, his intensity – already head-wrecking – had increased.

He probably sensed I wasn’t telling him everything, and hell, I wasn’t sure he was entitled to know. Or perhaps more accurately, I wasn’t sure how he would react so I was holding on to the fact that my grandfather had all but given me away to some Sicilian stranger like a sack of grain.

‘I see.’

One eyebrow quirked. ‘Not even a token protest? You’re slipping, bedda .’

I shrugged, my muscles protesting languidly at the exercise they’d been put through for the last few hours.

I’d officially joined the mile high club. And yes, there was something wildly decadent about fucking at thirty-five thousand feet.

After boarding, and with a cursory greeting to his pilot and crew, Cesare had bundled me into the back of his jet, where the king-sized bed had been put to vigorous use.

We’d surfaced in the last hour to eat and hydrate at his insistence so I didn’t pass out. Only after eating had he finally divulged our destination.

A four-and-a-half-hour flight was good. There was no risk of falling asleep. No risk of exposing flaws and family secrets. ‘Why protest, when it’s one of my favourite places in the world?’

Scepticism lingered but it was soon overtaken by approval. Satisfaction, even. Before his eyes narrowed and his grip tightened on my ass. ‘When and who with?’ he growled.

Delight shivered through me, and yup, I was accepting that the primal and possessive jealousy Cesare wasn’t bothering to hide any more since the debauched incident in the bathroom last night turned me on.

That any sign that he was as deeply into me as I was into him made my chest fizz with joy. Made all this rebellion worth it.

No, I wasn’t going to think about that.

‘A clutch of siblings and far too much security taking over a resort for my twenty-fifth birthday.’ A handful of months before the deadly incident that had locked the Mancinellis down in our Connecticut compound for the better part of a year, while the Salvatores went on a vengeance rampage.

One of the last times I’d seen Giada smile and laugh and be carefree before she’d been decimated by trauma.

A layer of intensity eased from his face, and Cesare’s caress resumed. He lowered his head and dropped a kiss on my shoulder. ‘I’ll make sure this one is equally memorable.’

I was humming with delight when he asked, ‘Does your uncle make a habit of throwing you under the bus?’

I stiffened at the curveball change of subject. ‘Why do you ask?’

‘Because he seems like the type. And because I’m not going to allow it.’

Yeah, he was wrecking me systematically with these displays of violence-tinged chivalry – an act I would’ve never have seen myself endorsing, but go figure…

I squeezed my eyes shut as his fingers slid between my cheeks, the destination my sopping centre.

If he meant to make me melt, bend me to his will, well, he was succeeding.

And I was plenty pissed with Stefano to say, ‘He hates that I’m consigliere.

I’m a woman and I’m younger than he is. As Bonafacio’s son, he believes the role should’ve gone to him.

So, yes. Throwing me under the bus when it suits him doesn’t cause him too much heartache.

’ I was also fairly sure he would’ve fully endorsed Bonafacio’s plans to have me shackled and bred by next year just to get me out of the way.

‘But why would you want to save me from my pazzo uncle?’ I pushed when maybe I should’ve shut up. Enjoyed the next impending orgasm sweetly and slowly winding towards me. ‘Letting Stefano take his wrecking ball to me is to your advantage, isn’t it?’

A flicker of menacing rage washed over his face, but he didn’t stop his caress. ‘If you deserved it, absolutely. Do you deserve it, bedda ?’

My heart lurched and I squeezed my eyes shut so the excess emotions overwhelming me didn’t show. ‘Stop playing knight in shining armour, Cesare. It confuses me.’

Again, he froze. Long enough that I opened my eyes, met his sizzling stare.

‘What?’ I prompted, my heart picking up its rollercoaster pace.

‘I just tried that on for size. And while I want to say fuck no, I’m no one’s knight… I’m not averse to making an exception. This once. For you.’

Oh. God. ‘Why?’

The corner of his mouth twitched. ‘Fuck if I know, baby.’ His fingers delved deep, curled until I saw stars.

Then he shook his head. ‘That’s a lie. The hunger is still there.

Hell, it’s grown. It’s infuriating as hell, but…

I also like it. Like this.’ His fingers resumed their torture, curling and scissoring, seeking and finding pleasure spots only he could.

‘I love watching you melt into your pleasure, knowing I’m the one to give it to you.

It’s a fucking addicting power I’m not ready to relinquish.

So yes, for as long as I need you fully participant in it, anyone who distresses you feels the full force of my wrath. No exceptions.’

I was climbing him even before his words were complete. Rolling him onto his back and planting my hands on his shoulders.

He didn’t laugh or mock my voracious hunger, the overwhelming emotions driving me to the brink of insanity. Instead his eyes blazed with unhinged hunger of his own, his nails digging into my hips as I positioned him at my entrance and plunged with a feral scream.

The pace I set was blistering, stunning the hell out of myself, knowing I would be sore as fuck when this was over, and not caring a single iota.

‘That’s it. Ride me, baby. Take your pleasure.’

Hoarse cries echoed around the cabin, my madness overtaking me as I bounced on his rock-hard cock with a deliriousness that felt out of this world.

And right when I was on the brink, I wasn’t surprised at all when he shackled me with both arms, dragged me low until my breasts were plastered on his chest.

‘I own you, Maddelena. Don’t I?’

Yes. God above, yes. He did. ‘Yes!’

‘I own this cunt? This mouth? This insanely beautiful body? It’s mine to do with as I please, isn’t it?’

‘Yes! Yes, yes!’

‘Do you want to come?’

‘Please! Yes!’

‘On the count of three. One. Two… Now!’

I exploded.

Triggering his low, animalistic growl that built until it culminated in ‘Mine!’ as he found his own release.

As I struggled to catch my breath, I heard the echo of his claim in the deranged sprint of my heart.

His. His. His.

My nerves were devouring me alive.

I’d banked on the destination resort having more than a suite or chalet and to my relief, it did. Just about. Because the private two-storey, three-bedroom overwater residence was set apart from the main resort and had two smaller chalets attached, presumably for staff.

And even before I opened my mouth to make my request, I knew I’d have a battle on my hands. But exhaustion was seeping at me, so I had no choice.

‘Something bothering you, bedda ?’ Cesare asked.

His stare had grown increasingly demanding over the last hour, after a sublime sunset dinner where I wore the tiniest bikini known to man and he wore briefs that broadcasted how turned on he was.

The residence faced the sea and his staff had been banished to one of the smaller chalets.

‘Need another ride on my dick?’ he half-joked with a smile that set my heart racing for a different reason.

That addiction he’d talked about on the plane was in no way one-sided. Hell, I feared I was more addicted than he was. It would’ve been the most perfect completion to the day to give in, knowing I could fall asleep in his arms after.

But I forced a head shake. ‘No. I mean yeah, but…’ I bit my tongue, cursing my stupid blush as he laughed and rose from his seat. Going to the extensive bar, he mixed another pina colada for me and poured himself another MacCallan 21.

Taking it, I murmured my thanks, then cleared my throat and bit the bullet. ‘I want a separate chalet.’

He froze on his way back to his chair. ‘Over my fucking dead body is that happen?—?’

‘That’s my one request, Cesare. I mean it. I know what I agreed to. And it didn’t include me sleeping in your bed twenty-four-seven.’

His eyes narrowed, and that unique way of single-mindedly focusing on me made my pulse skip.

‘Let me get this straight. You’ll jump on my plane with me to the middle of the Indian Ocean, fuck me whenever you please, share meals with me.

But you won’t sleep in my fucking bed? Is this some independence thing?

Do you turn into a crone at night or something? ’

I shrugged. ‘Or something,’ I said, then forced a huff. ‘Look, I don’t like anyone sharing my space for extended periods, all right?’

Something flashed across his face. Like I’d offended him. Upset him. Which was absurd, right?

‘No, not fucking all right. What are you not telling me, Maddelena?’ he murmured, low and seductive, but deadly serious with it.

‘Nothing. It’s just… what I want.’

‘Look at me,’ he commanded.

I forced my gaze up to hold his, praying I passed this test. Because if I didn’t…

Two fingers trailed over my jaw, his face still hard. Over to the centre of my chin before rising to rub over my pursed lips. When he applied a little pressure, I opened up for him. His gaze dropped to watch his fingers slide over my teeth to flick over my tongue.

‘Suck,’ he ordered.

With a helpless moan, I closed my mouth over his digits, sucked on them like they were my favourite dessert.

I barely heard the clunk of his glass as he set it on the table, but I definitely felt the insistent tug of my bikini top as he bared my breast. Caught my nipple between his fingers. And set me on another road to nirvana.