ERICAIt’s been two days since that night in his study. Since he revealed all the secrets and the pain he was hiding. Since the night when both of us came so close to confessing our feelings in those three words that mattered. We almost said everything except those three words. And yet the confession didn’t help with the situation we were in. I almost wished that I was still living in the dark without knowing why he hated Gabriel, at least then I was happy with his arms around me and my heart filled with all the warm emotions that were now so chaotic with dread and the hint of loss that came with every second, minute and hour we didn’t talk or touch each other. Yes. Two days. And Antonio hadn’t touched me. Two days, since we had a proper conversation. Maybe it was because we both didn’t know what to say to each other now everything was in the open. Now, we were like a couple in an estranged marriage. He wakes up in the morning and leaves like he couldn’t breathe in the castle. I wake
ERICA My fingers tingled from where Antonio was holding on to my hand like he was afraid I’d run away. But all I could think about was how to make this mess go away so I could stay with him. Gianna and Ephraim were walking in front of us. We were in a mall with all the branded stores from around the world and like always, and this one was really over the top— the mall was empty except us, and at least a dozen men of Antonio’s were around us, including three of my personal bodyguards that walked just behind us. It was strange to walk in a place where people were always around but if anyone could make it happen I believe Antonio is the only one. Gianna paused and turned to look at us, “Erica, come on, let’s go see some of the handbags. You don’t even have one.” I shook my head. “No, it's not necessary. I really don’t need one.” I hadn’t ever carried one, to be honest. I wasn’t carrying-purses kind of woman. And even though, Gianna had been nothing but nice since the breakfast I still
ERICA The shot rang out in the small room and my fingers flexed around the gun I was holding. Antonio wrapped his arms around me from behind and I leaned back into him. My heart was racing from the adrenaline of taking someone’s life. Especially one of those dark shadows that had given me nightmares. And despite our unresolved argument, I was thankful to Antonio for making this happen, for bringing my demons here so I could kill them with my own hands. I blamed the adrenaline and the gratitude, but not my heart who missed Antonio like crazy, when I tilted my head back and let him claim my lips in a deep hungry kiss. For a moment, in this torture chamber with a bloody corpse a few feet away from us, I forgot everything but my need for this man. With a deep grumble that vibrated through my whole body and settled between my legs, Antonio pushed me against the closed door of the room and said, “I want to taste you. I promised to fuck you, today I want to do it with my tongue.” I nodded
ERICAAntonio kept his word. He did fûck me, but it was while we were in the car driving toward the hotel. His arms were wrapped tightly around me as I straddled his lap, our lips fused together while our bodies met in continuous harsh rhythm. He fucked me like he couldn't get enough. With every thrust he touched my womb and I remembered how he had told me that he wanted to fûck a baby inside me. And it seemed that he was trying to do it when he grabbed the back of my neck and bit down on my throat as he hammered into me from below. I whimpered as pain and pleasure mixed together, making me want more and more. Grunting and cursing under his breath, telling me how much he wanted me, Antonio filled me full of his come as he reached his orgasm.By the time we reached the hotel I felt sleepy even though it wasn’t even four in the evening. Antonio wrapped the coat around me and bundled me up in his arms as he stepped out of the car and made his way to the hotel entrance. As we passed the l
ERICA“Excuse me,” I murmured as I stood up from the table. Antonio grabbed my hand, stopping me before I could leave. “Where are you going?”Our earlier conversation hadn’t ended well and the strain of it had followed us downstairs to where we joined Gianna and Ephraim for the late lunch. I met his eyes, saw the distrust in them and swallowed against the tight knot in my throat. “You didn’t ask your daughter where she was going when she excused herself.” I said to him, jerking my hand free as I glared at him, trying to hide my hurt. We were really backtracking to the time from where it all started.He sighed, his fingers raking through his hair. And in his eyes, I saw that he really didn’t trust me at the moment. He thought I was going to try to escape. And I wish I was, but before that I’d try everything and first was to talk to Gabriel. “I am going to the restroom.” I had drunk three glasses of red wine and it was catching up to me. “You can send your men if you want, go back to b
ANTONIO“What’s going on?” Ephraim asked as we waited on the terrace for Gianna and Erica. Surprisingly, both of them seemed to have called a truce on their animosity for some reason. And even though I knew that Erica didn’t have any other agenda, I didn’t trust Gianna. She was really my daughter for all the things that mattered, and if she had a grudge with someone she didn’t let it go so easily, so for her to be smiling and talking with Erica like she hadn’t told me to get rid of her was alarming. I had to warn Erica unless she does something to hurt her.I looked at Ephraim and answered, “She knows about Gianna. And about my reason to hate Gabriel Wolfe.”Ephraim looked at me with a shocked expression on his face. He said, “You told her everything.” It wasn’t a question but I nodded. “About your emails, and the exchange you discussed with Gabriel?”“She isn't going anywhere.” I gritted out.“Yeah, I know. But it's the reason he will be coming here like a lamb to a slaughter. Did yo
ERICAI heard Ephraim’s and Antonio’s conversation, and I might’ve missed some parts but I understood it well enough so when we stepped down from the chopper, even though I was angry I couldn’t banish the spark of worry that came alive in my heart. I stopped and turned around. “Antonio!” I called out his name over the noise of the chopper. He looked back at me and then walked toward me. I erased the remaining distance between us and looked up at his handsome face. “What is it?” He asked.I licked my lips, suddenly hesitant after the tension between us. When I placed my palm on his chest, feeling his strong heartbeat an image of him in a hospital bed flashed in my mind. He was there then because he had gotten shot while saving me and the bitter helpless feeling from that time coated the back of my tongue. I didn't want the repeat of that, so I said, “Please, be safe.”His golden eyes sparked yellow and he slipped his hand at the back of my nape as he replied, “Don’t worry, little devi
ERICA “Are you cheating on my papa?” “What?” I stared at her and realised she was totally serious. I scoffed and a chuckle left me as even the prospect of cheating on a man like Antonio was laughable to me. I met her eyes and replied, “No. I’m not cheating on him. And I can see that you’d like for that to be the case, but unfortunately for you I am not that kind of a woman. Neither I’m a cheater and nor I’m a gold digger of which you accused me without knowing me.” “Then why did you ask for my phone? Who are you calling behind my father’s back?” I looked down at the phone in my hand that I had slipped out to check again, it was unlocked and on the screen as a wallpaper there was a picture of her with Ephraim and Antonio. As I watched the picture, looking at their happy faces, I couldn't help but miss my own family. I drank more from my mug and in a moment of weakness which was probably because of the whiskey that seemed to be rushing to my he