AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Placing the bags on the floor by the door, I stride along, unable to keep my distance. I sit on the bed in front of her, and while I could resist earlier, I can’t any longer. Pulling the covers back, I reveal her body and stare at the womanly curves of her slim frame.
To say I’m unaffected would be a lie. The woman has a few scars on her hip, one on her shoulder, and a longer, more recent one on her thigh that I’ll need answers to.
Capo’s warning growl as he places his head on her hip has me looking up. The animal bares his teeth at me until I drop the blanket to cover Nicola back up. Shaking my head, I don’t know whether to toss him out or be happy he’s taking his position seriously.
Needing to wrap my gifts for Nicola, I choose to ignore him and lean down to kiss her lips sweetly. Moist from her breathing, she moves with me, even in slumber as I lick along the seam. I stop only because I want her completely active with me when I bring her to heaven and back.
Standing, I grab the outfit I want her to wear for dinner tonight and place a note on it with the request before grabbing up the bags and leaving. Searching out Esme, she shows me where I can find some leftover wrapping paper, and while I get the job done, it’s a mess.
For now, it’ll do. Next year will be better.
Chapter 3
Nicola
Blinking awake slowly, I can still hear the storm outside. Fear tries to claw at my throat as a streak of lightning flashes in the window. It takes a moment for me to orient myself and remember I’m in Santo’s home. I’m free of the detention center, and Domino picked me up.
I’m safe.
Movement behind me has my breath freezing in my lungs. Thinking Domino has joined me for my impromptu nap, I gradually turn over only to see a smaller, dark body with large brown eyes staring up at me.
“Capo,” I gasp, and he crawls closer until his head is resting on my covered chest. “How did you get here?” I’d been gearing up to ask Santo to adopt the dog for me when I got into the fight at school. After six months, I never imagined he’d still be available.
Gazing around the room, it’s masculine with dark colors and barely anything personal. Obviously not my room, but I know we’re at the Palermo house because the drive hadn’t taken very long. When Santo and I moved from Catania to Palermo, the rumors flew wild about why, after all these years, the Cardarelli family was leaving the Morello home. I knew, of course, but was sworn to secrecy. After everything Santo has done for me, I’d never betray his trust.
So I let as much go as I could until one day I snapped. Santo was being accused of grooming me. Creating me into his young lover. Not by anyone who matters, but disgusting girls in my school who were callous. They were mad because I had no interest in playing their stupid mind games.
From the first time I heard the rumor, I knew Gina Santini started it because she kept calling Santo my predator. They have no idea what would have happened to me if he hadn’t bought me. It’s something I try incredibly hard not to think about, but I still have nightmares over it.
A high-pitched whine pulls me from my thoughts before they can take over and I lose myself down a rabbit hole I don’t want any part in. Patting Capo’s head, I sit up, holding the blanket to my naked chest. A flash of memory hits from when Domino carried me inside and undressed me because I was soaked to the bone.
“Oh boy,” I mutter as I look up to see a white outfit laid out on a chair a few feet away. “Guess I know what the man wants me to wear, huh?” Glancing at the door, I see it’s closed, leaving me free to stand without needing to drag the comforter off the bed with me.
Curious about the outfit I believe Domino chose for me, I pick up the soft material and hold it to my frame. I can’t pretend to understand what the man is doing, bringing home Capo, picking out clothes for me, but I can’t ignore his excellent taste. The silk is soft as butter as it glides against my skin. Draping it across the bed, I head to the attached bathroom to shower and clean up.
Logically, I know I should go to my own room, except I enjoy being in Domino’s space. There’s a musky warmth to the room that screams, I’m safe in here. Or maybe I only want to believe that to justify my desire to stay here.
Showered, I peek into the room to see Capo where I left him and the door still firmly shut. Towel drying my hair, I twist my golden locks into a knot on my head and try to decide if I want to color the roots to match or let my natural nearly black hair grow out again. It’s been years since the real me has shined through.
I’ve been stuck in this weird phase of faking everything. Lots of makeup, constant hair coloring, fancy clothes. I’m an imposter trying to fit into a world I don’t belong in.
* * *
Domino
Prowling backand forth in the family room, I wait impatiently for Nicola to come down after I heard the shower in my room running. Esme took it upon herself to invite some of Nicola’s classmates over for a party tonight, and I’d be remiss if I wasn’t worried, considering how she left school six months ago. And not knowing the name of the girl Nicola was in a fight with puts me at a disadvantage too. I can’t ensure she won’t be here.
It’s been a long ass time since I’ve been concerned over a woman before. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever cared one way or the other. Nicola Salvatore is different, though. There’s something about her unyielding exterior that brings all my protective instincts to the forefront. I want to shield her from the nastiness in the world.
“Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. Nic’s friends will be here in about an hour,” Esme says as she watches me in the entranceway. Giving her a terse nod, she leaves as quickly as she arrived.
Hearing Capo’s nails on the floor above me, I know Nicola is on her way down. Not wanting to appear too eager, I lean against the large window frame in the room and stare outside at the raging storm. It hasn’t let up all day, and from the news, it might not for another day or two. There will be flooding in the city and chaos all around.
I smell Nicola before she makes a sound. I force myself to count to ten after she clears her throat before turning around.
My jaw clenches as I see her in the outfit I chose for her. A white pinup-style dress, tight from the straps at her shoulders to her waist where it flares out and lands softly mid-way down her thigh. Her perky tits are lifted in the built-in cups of the dress and make her appear larger than she is. The wedge sandals with silk ties that climb all the way up her long legs to hide under the hem of the garment’s skirt make my mouth water. The stark contrast of the crisp white against her Mediterranean skin makes my dick stand up, begging to explore her body.
“How does it look?” She clasps the frill of the skirt on either side in two fingers and does a twirl, ending in a feminine curtsy that has me biting the inside of my cheek so I don’t moan out loud.
