Insecurities come to the strongest of us...poor Quinn.
“I promise I won’t be long, topina. I just have to go check this out,” Dante says, still typing into his phone.I figure it has something to do with that call last night—the one where he was yelling at Ronnie.“It’s okay, Dante,” I say, finishing up my hair for the day. We’re in the bathroom of my bedroom. I don’t sleep in here anymore, but all of my things are still here, so this is where I get ready. “I’ll go with Josiah when he gets here.”Dante tucks his phone into his pocket and crosses the room to me just as I bend down to put on my shoes. He kneels in front of me, takes the shoe from my hand, and slips it onto my heel himself. Then he moves to the other, his fingers warm on my skin. His eyes flick up to mine as he leans forward to kiss just beneath my hemline, sending a shiver up my spine.Still on his knees, heat flickering in his gaze, he murmurs, “I want to be there, topina. I want to see you in your dress.”My tongue darts out to wet my bottom lip. His eyes immediately lock
“So, Quinn. How are you enjoying married life?” Pablo asks.I give him my best boardroom smile as I sit across from him at the dining room table. “Dante and I are doing well, thank you for asking. How about you? I didn’t really get to talk to you much at the wedding.”He smiles back—one that might seem genuine if his eyes didn’t keep dropping to my cleavage. He looks me over with a gaze that’s far too familiar. If Dante looked at me like that, I’d be dragging him into the bedroom. But coming from a guy I’ve met twice?Yeah, no. It’s not okay.The look gives me the same oily, skin-crawling feeling I used to get from certain guys in high school—or the business associates my father would bring around and then promptly ask me to leave the room once he realized where their attention was going. It puts me instantly on edge, and I have to fight back a shiver.“Oh, you know. One day after another. Meeting new people. Going to interesting places. The life of a single guy,” Pablo says, popping a
I’m at a little boutique near Central Park. Very exclusive. Which means: very expensive.I’ve only ever heard of this store—never actually been inside. It was always out of my family’s price range.But Dante insists I come here to pick a dress for the gala next week. Our appointment is at ten, and Josiah and I are there right on time.“Dante should be here in the next fifteen minutes,” Josiah says with a smile. “He told me to tell you to grab a couple of dresses and get started trying them on. He wants at least twenty in the fitting room.”I roll my eyes. “Fucking hell.” Josiah knows exactly how much I hate trying on clothes.Still… I can’t pretend I’m not a little excited. They’re gorgeous dresses. And every girl likes to feel pretty.I don’t know how long I spend browsing the showroom and working with the consultant as she pulls pieces from the back, but by the time I step into the dressing room—a spacious space with mirrors on every wall—I’m overwhelmed.“Would you like some help
“Yes, topina. Look how beautiful you are when you come undone,” he murmurs. The hand that was on my breast moves to my chin, turning me to face the mirror.My eyes are glazed with desire, mouth slack, cheeks flushed. I look thoroughly ravaged—and Dante hasn’t even been inside me yet.My gaze meets his in the mirror. The fire in his dark brown eyes, the need there, makes my knees weak. “I need you, Dante. I need you inside me.”He surges forward. One hand grabs my right knee, hooking it over his elbow. The other pulls my thong to the side. “Stick your ass out for me, topina. Let me inside you.”I do exactly as he says, and his cock slides easily between my folds. All he has to do is push.And he does—slowly—letting me feel every ridge, every vein, every glorious inch.“Oh my God,” I moan.“Shh, topina. Not so loud. We can’t have them hearing us, can we?” he whispers in my ear.“I’ll try, Dante, but you feel so damn good,” I whine. “It’s hard to hold back.”“I know, cara mia. Your puss
In the end, I end up getting three dresses. One of them is the actual one I’ll wear to the gala—a floor-length column dress with a slit up to mid-thigh and adorable off-the-shoulder bows. It’s sleek, modern, and just sexy enough to be appropriate for me to wear as the event coordinator and host.The other two were insisted on by Dante. He wanted the original red dress I tried on first. Admittedly, it was gorgeous, but way too revealing for this event—with a plunging neckline nearly to my navel and a slit so high a hint of my hip flashes when I move just right. The second was a navy blue dress with a high-necked halter front, but a back so low it showed the dimples just above my ass.When I asked Dante where he expected me to wear either of these, he whispered in my ear, “Nowhere any other man can see you, topina. I just want you to wear them while I bend you over every piece of furniture in our home.”Well. I guess I got my answer.The rest of the week goes by quickly leading up to the
When I wake up, I’m in Emily’s apartment. I’d recognize the yellow walls and bright pink bedding anywhere. It’s like I’m inside a package of Bubble Yum gum.The question is: how the hell did I get here?I look down and see that I’m out of my workout clothes, now dressed in sweats and an oversized shirt. I still smell like dried sweat and morning breath, so clearly, no one thought to shower me.“Em?” I call out, sitting up in the bed.I hear scrambling down the hall before Emily bursts through the door. “Q! Holy shit, you’re finally awake! How are you feeling? Are you okay?”“I mean, I need a shower, but I’m good. How did I get here?” I ask.She sits on the edge of the bed and brushes a piece of hair from my face. “Josiah brought you. Dante wanted you out of the house, since someone’s been getting in and out with those pictures. Josiah and Pablo are in the living room, and there’s basically a revolving door of like twenty guys coming in and out of the building to keep you safe.”“Where’
I’m some weird combination of fuming and afraid. Anxious and livid. I know mixed feelings are rough, but feeling these two extremes at once is nearly impossible to manage. I try to tamp it all down and just focus on what I need to do to get ready for the gala.“Hey Pablo, my appointment at the salon isn’t for a few hours. We’ve got time to kill. Maybe we could grab something to eat?” I ask, just now realizing—I’m alone with Pablo.Shit. If this is the hormones, I need to get a handle on it. Fast.“Sure, absolutely. I know a great place,” Pablo says, starting the car.There’s a stretch of tense silence before I ask, “Where are Josiah and Emilio?”Pablo clears his throat. “Emilio’s with Dante—they think they’ve got a lead on whoever’s behind this. And Josiah… well, I thought he was at Emily’s. Guess not.”That strikes me as very off. They always know where the other is.“Oh… okay,” I mutter, already sneaking my phone from my back pocket. I text Josiah:Where are you?No answer. I text E
I have no idea how long we’ve been in the car. I can’t see the clock, and the tinted windows keep me from gauging the sun’s position.That must be why no one’s noticed I’m handcuffed. Why no one seems alarmed as we pass. Why no one is helping me.My phone keeps pinging, and I can tell it’s pissing Pablo off.Good. If that irritates him, I’ll be happy to kick the phone under the seat just to make it worse. Fuck him.He pulls into an underground parking garage and kills the engine. Turning in his seat, the gun already in his hand, he vaguely points it in my direction. He doesn’t need to aim it precisely to get his message across.“Now I’m going to open the door so I can grab that fucking phone and get you set up in a… more comfortable position.” That last part comes with a smarmy smile that makes my skin crawl.He sees the reaction. His smile turns predatory, then vanishes altogether.“You will not make a sound. You will not draw attention to yourself or this vehicle. My boss wants you
Hey friends!Thank you so much for reading Yours On the Dotted Line. I hope that you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing. Here are a couple of announcements/interesting information for you.If you are interested in what I listen to while I’m writing, you can find my playlist “Creative Juices” on Spotify. I love all different kinds of music, so there's a little something for everyone.I write all different kinds of books. If you’re interested, you can find my other books on these platforms:GoodNovel:Trio of Mates Series: 4 werewolf books that take on the idea of what would happen if one of the leadership was gay and couldn’t produce an heir. Lots of very graphic smut. (completed)Love in the Time of Quarantine: 4 short stories that look at what happens when you are stuck with someone you didn’t expect during quarantine. Lots of very graphic smut. (completed)Dissonance and Harmony: The story of a high school girl who has to face her rapist at his sentencing hearing and deal
Bora Bora. Our final night. Our favorite kind of storm.“DANTE!” I scream, my fingers curling into his hair, holding him against me as I ride his face.His mouth is locked onto my clit, sucking and tugging just right, while his fingers curve inside me with that relentless, perfect come here motion.I’ve only ever squirted with Dante—and even then, it’s rare. It takes that crushing, desperate kind of need, the one only he can stir up. It’s different than a typical orgasm—pressure building until it feels like I might break—but the release… God, the release is so fucking good. It leaves me limp. Soaked. Ruined in the best way.He knows what he’s doing to me right now. From the way his fingers stroke my g-spot, he’s trying to make sure I’m blissed-out and limp when he finally fucks me.His moan vibrates through me, and I clench hard around his fingers. I can feel the wave rising—hot and fast and inevitable.My grip tightens in his hair, probably painful by now, but he just groans louder, d
Back in Bora Bora. The water. The fire. The man I love.Dante chases me into the ocean—not that I can get very far. Or want to.He’s stripped off everything, tossing his clothes in a careless heap on the sand. The last thing I see flying is his Versace watch, sailing somewhere in the general direction of his pants.Then he’s sprinting into the water after me.I make it to about hip-deep before Dante catches me.“Fuck, cara mia, you’re so sexy,” he growls, his hands immediately on me. He starts with my stomach—tender, reverent—before sliding down to my ass to yank me against him, then up to my breasts, cupping them through the water. “I need you.”“You have me, baby,” I murmur, teasing. “What are you gonna do with me now that you’ve caught me?”He chuckles darkly. “Anything I want.”His hand fists in my hair, pulling just enough to tilt my head back. Then his mouth crashes onto mine, full of heat and dominance.God, I love when he takes control like this. It melts me, makes me ache to g
One week after the spa day. Four and a half months pregnant.“Mama! I want to go play in the pool! Let me go!”Freddie is squirming all over the place, trying to break free from my arms so he can bolt out the kitchen door into the backyard of the Luciano estate.Okay, I can’t blame him. I’ve been holding him for five solid minutes, not quite ready to let go.“Topina, you have to let him go. We’re going to miss our flight,” Dante murmurs against my shoulder, his breath low and warm, sending a shiver straight down my spine.“You own the plane,” I pout. “What’s the point of owning a private jet if you can’t leave when you want?”I know he’s right, though. I need to let Freddie go.But this is the first time I’ll be away from him for longer than a weekend—and he’s always just been a short drive away, staying with Grayson and Rocco, or Emily and Josiah, or Nonna and Nonno. This time, I won’t be able to just jump in the car if he needs me.I finally let him wiggle free, and he sprints outsid
Four months pregnant. One week from our anniversary.After my spa day with Bianca, I went to Freddie’s preschool to pick him up. He runs straight out the door and launches himself into my arms.“Mommy! Mommy! I’m so excited!” he cries as I catch him and hold him tight.I won’t be able to pick him up much longer. At four months pregnant, my OB-GYN would probably have a heart attack if she saw me carrying him right now. But it’s something I know I’ll miss. I’ve decided to carry him until our anniversary next week—when I hit the five-month mark.Yes, it’s completely arbitrary. But I made the decision. And I’m sticking to it.“Hello, amore. How was your day? What’s got you so excited?” I ask as I shift him on my hip and start walking toward the car.Josiah, standing nearby with Emilio, clucks his tongue when he sees me carrying Freddie. But he doesn’t say anything—smart man. Experience has taught him that arguing with a pregnant woman is a fool’s game.“School was great! Conner found a b
One month later…When I first met Bianca, I thought she was stuck-up, petty, and materialistic. I honestly would’ve bet money that she’d want a black-tie affair—no kids allowed—in the most expensive and exclusive venue in all of New York.Now that I really know her, I couldn’t have been more wrong.Yeah, the girl loves to shop. And yeah, she’s never been spotted without her red-bottomed shoes and a Kate Spade bag. But when it comes to what really matters? Bianca is all about family.“Honestly, Quinn, I’d love to just go down to City Hall with the family and then go out for dinner. But you know Papà won’t allow that,” she groans.It’s been a month since my brother proposed, and despite Emilia’s best efforts to drag Bianca into full wedding-planning mode, she’s managed to dodge every attempt so far.Today, we’re having a spa day. Facials, massages, pedicures, and soon manicures. And while we’re soaking our feet, I plan to get to the bottom of this.It took years for Stefan to get to the
Three years later…“Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday, dear Freddie! Happy Birthday to you!”My beautiful little boy—Frederico “Freddie” Dante Luciano—is three years old today. We’re surrounded by family, friends, and sugar-high toddlers, standing in a place I never thought we’d reach.Of course, the second we finish singing and Freddie blows out his candles, he immediately shoves his whole hand into the cake and shouts, “It’s chocolate cake! Mommy got me chocolate cake!”“Oh, Freddie! That was for everyone! You can’t put your hands in it,” I scold gently.“You say that like you don’t have two other cakes in the kitchen, cara mia. Let the boy enjoy his cake,” Dante says, wrapping his arm around me and kissing the top of my head.“Then you can be the one to put him to bed tonight,” I reply, earning loud laughter from Emily, who’s holding her and Josiah’s two-year-old daughter, Violet.“MAMA!” Freddie shouts, not at all pleased with my attention being elsewhere
Quinn’s POVRocco stares at me, completely gobsmacked. “W-w-what do you mean?”I roll my eyes. “Do you really think Grayson wouldn’t tell me everything? Especially after I caught the two of you fucking in the bathroom! Why are you keeping my best friend a secret?”“I’m not!” Rocco insists—but it’s clear neither of us believes that.I don’t even dignify it with a response. I just fold my arms over my very full boobs and even fuller belly and glare at him.“I’m not ashamed of being with Grayson!” he repeats, eyes wide and desperate. “I just…” His words trail off, like even he doesn’t know how to explain it.I glance around and realize we’re in an office. Thank God. I can’t stand for long without the baby pressing on my hips and making my legs go numb. I grab a chair and sink down, eyes locked on my brother-in-law as he begins to pace.“My family knows I’m gay,” he starts. “I came out to Bianca and Dante when I was fourteen, my mom at fifteen, and the Don when I was seventeen. And surpri
Quinn’s POV“It started right after Dante found you—when we were all meeting up at the hospital,” Grayson tells me.We’re sitting in the front seats of my car. He hasn’t looked at me once since we got in. I can tell he’s worried about how I’ll react to the story.That alone makes me sad. That he thinks I wouldn’t be happy for him. That he doubts I’d be on his side.“At first, we were just at the hospital at the same time. I noticed Rocco took his coffee the same way I did, so I started picking up drinks for both of us. Then he started bringing pastries. One thing led to another… and we ended up in a heavy makeout session, dry humping against the alley wall behind a café.”I blink. “And you weren’t going to tell anyone?” I ask. “Didn’t you think we’d be happy for you?”“It’s not that…” He sighs. “At first, we kept it quiet because of everything going on—your kidnapping, the baby, your dad… We didn’t want to add more chaos. And then it had been so long. We didn’t know how to bring it up.