My lips tugged in a wry smile, but I chose not to point out that he was experiencing the feeling of relief. It was enough to know that he truly cared about my well-being, even if he didn’t seem to fully understand that.
When he’d first captured me, he’d claimed that he hadn’t been able to replicate the high of fucking me. He wanted to keep me because he attained an elusive level of pleasure with me that was more intense than simple sexual ecstasy.
I suspected now that he hadn’t shared an intimate connection like this with anyone else. When he’d seduced me all those years ago, he’d ruthlessly demolished my emotional barriers and forced me to submit. In the process, he’d inadvertently torn down some barriers within himself, as well.
I pushed up onto my elbow, shifting to sit upright so I could reassure him with a kiss.
His dark eyes flared, and he met me halfway. His mouth was gentle on mine, an apologetic promise that he would never harm me.
But he couldn’t seem to restrain the part of himself that needed to dominate me. He guided me back down, settling his weight over me to ensure that I couldn’t escape his tender kiss.
I arched into him, inviting him to claim me more deeply. I didn’t want to escape.
He took everything I offered and pushed for more, his big hands easing beneath the hem of my silk nightgown and tugging it up my body.
I met his aggression without hesitation; I didn’t fight down my desire to touch him. Since he’d captured me, I’d been lured into engaging with him in the heat of passion, but my actions hadn’t been of my own volition. Now, I was hungry for him, and I no longer cared to deny my instincts.
Stefano had stripped away my defiance in his merciless game last night, and I found that I didn’t feel compelled to rebuild the wall between us. I was tired of fighting not only him, but myself as well.
I wanted Stefano. My body had always ached for him, and my mind was starting to accept that I desired him for more than helpless physical pleasure. He’d promised that I didn’t have to be miserable with him, and he was right. I could choose to let go of my misery, my bitterness, and my fear.
My fingers worked at the buttons on his shirt, hungry to finally indulge myself in his powerful body. He pulled my nightgown over my head, and I compliantly lifted my arms just long enough for him to strip me before I resumed my exploration of his corded muscles. His abs rippled beneath my touch, and he growled into my mouth.
I fumbled at his belt, my hands shaking from the riptide of desire tearing through me. My core ached for him, my body primed by his ruthless conditioning.
He cupped my breasts and pinched my nipples, the pain sending hot lines of pleasure directly to my throbbing clit. I whimpered, and he caught the sound of my tormented ecstasy on his tongue, consuming me.
I continued to work at his belt, and my hand brushed his hard cock through his slacks.
He broke our kiss with a curse, lifting his weight off me so that he could retrieve a condom from the nightstand drawer. Standing by the edge of the bed, he grasped my thighs and pulled me toward him, arranging my body where he wanted it. He dragged my ass to the edge of the mattress and lifted my legs into the air, spreading me wide and resting my calves on his shoulders.
He paused there for a few seconds, his intense gaze pinning me in place as he drank in every naked inch of me. My skin flushed with warmth in response to his hungry attention, and my inner walls contracted, aching to be filled.
“Please,” I panted. “I want you, Stefano.”
A snarl slipped between his teeth, his expression sharpening to something savage. The flutter in my belly had nothing to do with fear. I craved his harsh intensity, his single-minded determination to possess me.
He freed his cock from his slacks and sheathed himself with the condom. Not bothering to finish removing his clothes, he grabbed me with impatient hands. His strong fingers dipped beneath my ass cheeks, biting into my tender flesh as he jerked my hips toward his, impaling me on his thick cock.
A sharp cry left my lips, the flare of pain at his sudden thrust shocking me. He stilled inside me, and his fingers began to toy with my clit. He rubbed me with expert attention, circling the needy bud and stoking my lust. My inner muscles danced around his shaft, and slick arousal eased his penetration.
“More,” I moaned, shifting my hips in an effort to make him move inside me.
His hand cracked across my breast, and I shrieked as stinging pain bloomed on my tender flesh. He showed no mercy, capturing my nipple and pinching hard while his other hand continued to toy with my clit.