Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 118245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 591(@200wpm)___ 473(@250wpm)___ 394(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 591(@200wpm)___ 473(@250wpm)___ 394(@300wpm)
Softly, she whispered to me, her voice high-pitched yet shallow, her breathing rapid. “Is she hurt?”
I pushed my fingers under the curve of her ass to tease the center of her cheeks through the heavy folds of her skirt. “Yes. Right now that man’s cock is piercing her in two, causing an unforgettable agony and ecstasy.”
The women cried out again as both men ruthlessly double-teamed her. Pounding into her body as if they were fighting over a rag doll between them.
In that moment, my intended bride came.
I had to wrap my arm around her waist to hold her upright as her knees buckled.
She turned her head to stare up at me.
What could only be described as innocent wonder clouded her desire-hazed eyes.
It was becoming harder and harder not to fall for her wiles, not to believe the lie in her gaze.
I pulled my hand free and pushed my cream-covered fingers into her mouth. “Suck.”
Her eyes widened and she tried to pull her head back.
I placed my other hand around the back of her head. “It wasn’t a request. Suck my fingers.”
The tip of her tongue swirled around my fingers.
Just the sight of her mouth being pried open as I forced her to clean her own cream off my skin almost had me coming right then and there.
I pulled my hand free and slammed my mouth down on hers for a brief, rough kiss, before I threw her over my shoulder and stormed through the crowd.
CHAPTER 5
ELLA
For several dizzying moments, my entire world became swirls of color, flashes of light, and the pounding of drums. Then stars burst behind my eyelids as my stomach connected with his shoulder. It took a second to process what was happening.
“Let me go!”
No response.
I closed my fist and pounded on his back. “Stop! Let me go!”
I gasped at the sharp sting of his open palm connecting with my ass. The heavy skirt fabric did nothing to protect me.
“Settle down,” he warned.
I pressed my hands against his back and tried to lift my torso while turning my head over my shoulder. “Don’t tell me to settle down and don’t you dare spank me again or I’ll scream!”
He spanked my ass again. “If you don’t behave, I’m going to flip you onto your back and do what I’m planning right here and now. Audience or not.”
My mouth dropped open.
His actions in the piazza made it clear that this was no idle threat.
He freaking meant it.
And who knew who would stop to watch as well?
He had a mask on to conceal his identity during any debauchery. I did not.
Since the piazza was already descending into a Roman orgy, another man was more likely to join in than to stop Matteo if I cried out for help.
How on earth had I gotten myself into this mess?
I gritted my teeth. My sister. That was how.
All the trouble I’d ever gotten into in my life could be directly traced back to my sister. Her entire life’s philosophy seemed to consist of a careless, it-seemed-like-a-good-idea-at-the-time point of view, with no thought to the consequences. Consequences were for other people to worry about. The people following in her wake cleaning up her mess.
I curled my fingers into his brocade jacket. “Please! You’re making a mistake.”
“I disagree. Apparently, my only mistake was in letting you run wild this past month. That ends tonight.”
My eyes widened.
How did it end tonight?
The music from the piazza faded the further he carried me through the darkened streets of Palermo, heading to the shore. His footfalls clomped over weather-beaten wooden planks, the hollow sound echoing up from beneath it as he carried me down the dock, out over the water to where the boats were moored.
Sciatiri e matri!
Mother and Savior, he was going to kill me and dump my body in the sea!
The irony of my not thinking through the consequences of what I did next was not lost on me.
I wrenched his jacket up until the tanned skin of his back was exposed. Taking a quick breath, I opened my mouth wide and sank my teeth into his flesh, biting down with all my strength.
Matteo gave a shout and twisted away before I could draw blood.
I kicked forward and launched myself backward out of his grasp, falling onto the hard dock before I rolled onto my knees.
“What the fuck?”
Was all I heard from him before I gathered my skirts and took off.
Unfortunately, in the darkness and in my haste, I ran further out onto the planked walkway instead of back toward the shore.
His heavy-breathed pursuit dogged my steps, spurring me on. My lungs screamed, my thigh muscles burned.
“Dammit, woman! Stop right now!”
My mistake was in looking back at him over my shoulder. My only warning was his suddenly wide eyes. Swiveling my head forward, all I saw was the dock edge, and that I was about to plunge into darkness.