Luca Vitiello (Born in Blood Mafia Chronicles 0.5)

CHAPTER 18Aria’s sleep was fitful, which in turn led to me being awake most of the night. I couldn’t stop checking on her breathing, worried the roofies would lead to her losing consciousness or worse. The idea of losing Aria, of almost having lost her last night, it left me restless…and furious.

She lay curled up on her side, eyelids fluttering, body trembling. I brushed a strand of hair from her sweaty forehead. A small moan passed her lips—not the beautiful sounds she made when I gave her pleasure but a shuddering sound of discomfort.

Her eyes opened and, for a moment, she blinked up at me before she jerked up, cupping a hand over her mouth and rushing toward the bathroom.

I untangled myself from the blankets and followed her. She was clutching the toilet, breathing harshly.

I flushed the toilet because it was obvious that she was too shaky to do it, then brushed more wayward strands from her forehead.

Aria let out a mirthless laugh, peering up at me with teary eyes. “Not that hot anymore, am I?”

Aria was mine to protect. She was my responsibility and yet someone had dared attack her in my own club. “That shouldn’t have happened. I should have kept you safe.”

“You did,” Aria said feebly, pushing to her feet. I steadied her, worried she’d pass out.

“Maybe a bath will help,” I said. My mind was still trying to come up with ways to pay Grace back.

Aria shook her head. “I think I’ll drown if I lie in the bathtub now.”

I opened the faucet but didn’t let go of Aria in case she passed out. I had no intention of letting her go into the water alone in the state she was in. “We can take a bath together.”

The right corner of Aria’s mouth tipped up. “You just want to grab a feel.”

I stroked her wrist with my thumb. “I won’t touch you while you’re still vulnerable.” When I’d imagined our first bath in the tub together, there had definitely been hot sex involved, but that was out of the question for several reasons. One of them being that my wife was still a virgin…I couldn’t stop thinking about what would have happened if Rick had made it out of the club with Aria, if that had been her first experience. Unreasonable fury burnt through my veins once more, and only Aria’s presence stopped me from going on a rampage.

“A Capo with morals?” she teased.

“I’m not Capo yet,” I objected. But if everything went as I hoped, Father wouldn’t be Capo much longer, definitely not beyond this year. “And I have morals. Not many, but a couple.” And one of them would always be not to hurt Aria.

Aria pressed her forehead against my chest. Her skin was burning up. “I’m only teasing.” Running my hand along her spine, I kissed the crown of her head. Aria relaxed under the touch and released a small breath. Eventually she walked over to the sink to brush her teeth. My eyes followed her every move. She looked tiny in my shirt. Vulnerable.

I turned off the faucet before I tugged the shirt over her head. She held onto my arms to steady herself. Hooking my fingers in her panties, I dragged them down her lean legs, unable not to take in her beautiful body as I did so.

Despite everything, I could feel blood shooting into my dick when I pulled down my shorts. I helped Aria into the tub then got in behind her, pulling her flush against me. My cock slid along her outer thigh. Definitely not a good man. Aria surprised me when she turned around to face me, straddling my legs. The position made her pussy glide over my dick. She grew tense at the feel of me against her. Fuck, the feel of her opening against my tip was the sweetest torture I could imagine.

I shoved my dick back then slid in deeper into the water so Aria lay sprawled out on my chest, no longer pressed up to my erection.

Aria gave me that trusting look I didn’t deserve. “Some men would have taken advantage of the situation.”

“I’m that kind of man, Aria. Don’t kid yourself into believing I’m a good man. I’m neither noble nor a gentleman. I’m a cruel bastard.”

“Not to me,” Aria said softly and buried her nose against my throat, holding on to me tightly.

My heart sped up, remembering her words from last night, and I kissed her head again. “It’s better if you hate me. There’s less chance of you getting hurt that way.”

“But I don’t hate you.”

Emotions had never been part of the deal. This was for peace, for power and money. Aria had been my way to ensure the Famiglia’s success, to make sure I’d rule over a stronger Famiglia than my father had.