The screaming.
I’d never forget the sound of it. Or how helpless I’d felt. How after a while my wife’s voice was so raw, she barely made any sound at all, even though her mouth was wide open and I was afraid she would permanently damage her vocal cords. Yet still, she screamed. Her eyes bulging with horror. Her body shaking with the force of it.
Alessandra’s screams still haunted my dreams.
I lurched up and off the couch where I must’ve fallen asleep, a sick feeling in my stomach and my wife’s shock and heartbreak still fresh in my ears. Sweat dripped down my face and spine, soaking through my white dress shirt and making it stick to my back. My eyes were wild as they shot around Luca’s office until gradually my heart slowed and my breaths became less labored.
A dream. It was only a fucking dream. I’d fallen asleep on the couch in Luca’s office.
Checking my phone, I saw it was 3:17am. I tossed it down on the couch and went over to pour myself a whiskey. It wouldn’t help keep me awake, but that was okay. There were so many alarms set on this house a cat couldn’t walk across the yard without me knowing about it. And maybe it would help ward off the nightmares. My wife was dead now, as was the son we’d had together, yet recently, they wouldn’t stop haunting me.
For good reason.
They’d died fifteen years ago, when I was a very young man. I couldn’t save them. They’d left me all alone, as my parents had before them. And if it hadn’t been for Luca and Tristan, I would’ve followed them from this world. But eventually, the pain and loneliness became bearable, if not forgotten. The paralyzing terror that it would happen again, however, that shit was still very much alive.
Taking my glass with me, I walked around the house, double checking the security system and checking in with the soldiers outside. All was quiet as Luca and Veda slept.
By the time I made it back to the office for a refill, the screams that had woken me were nothing more than a vague memory I’d stuffed back down into the compartment of my brain I reserved for them. The one I never, ever, opened when I was awake and conscious. They only pushed their way out when I was asleep. It had happened often right after the funerals, but I hadn’t dreamed of them now for a long time. And I knew it was Sera that was bringing them back. And the way I felt about her.
I turned my mind to what had been discussed at tonight’s meeting with Luca and Gino to distract myself. Yet my skin still felt too tight. My mouth dry, despite the whiskey I was chugging like water. I was too fucking restless. I needed something more. Something to take the edge off.
Grabbing my phone off the couch, I opened the screen and tapped in the number I knew from memory. For both of our safety, I didn’t have it in my contacts. After a few rings, she answered, her voice soft with sleep.
‘Hello?’
‘Where are you?’
There was a pause on the other end of the line. ‘Home.’
‘Tell me what you’re wearing.’
This time, she didn’t hesitate. ‘Dark gray sleep shorts and an old concert T-shirt I found at Goodwill.’ She yawned into the phone.
‘What band?’
‘Guns and Roses.’
‘The Appetite Tour?’
‘I think so.’
I knew exactly the shirt she was describing. ‘Are your clothes tight or loose?’
‘Loose.’
Good. Walking over to the door, I checked the hall, listening for anyone who might be up and around, then closed it and turned the lock. ‘Are you wearing anything underneath?’
She was beginning to sound a little more awake now. ‘No.’
‘Are your feet bare?’
‘Yes.’
‘Hair up or down?’
‘Down.’
I sat on the couch with my knees spread wide and leaned back against the leather cushions, unbuttoning the top five buttons of my dress shirt. ‘Are you laying down?’
‘Yes.’
‘On a bed?’
‘A couch.’
A cold feeling swept through me. ‘Do you always sleep on a couch?’
‘Yes.’
I didn’t like the thought of her crashing on somebody’s couch. She deserved to be in a bed with an expensive mattress, fancy sheets, and a soft comforter with pillows piled around her. But right now, I had other things on my mind, so I put that away for later. ‘Blanket?’
‘Yes.’
‘Good, keep it on you.’ I closed my eyes, imagining her just as she said. The picture was near perfect. ‘I want to make you come, Sera. Will you let me do that?’
There was a sharp intake of breath. ‘Um. I don’t think that’s a good idea. Jade is here. She’s in her room, and I don’t know if she’s still awake.’
So, she was living with Jade. ‘Then you’ll just have to be quiet.’
‘And if I don’t want to do this?’
‘Then I’ll consider our agreement null and void, and your father’s goons will be on their way to fetch you within fifteen minutes. Your choice, Sera.’ I gave her a few moments to decide.
I heard her heavy sigh, and then she said in a resigned voice, ‘What do you want me to do?’
‘Lay the phone on the pillow by your ear.’
‘Okay.’
‘Can you still hear me?’
‘Yes.’
‘Are both of your hands free?’
‘Yes.’ Her voice was barely more than a whisper.
‘With your right hand, find the hem of your shirt and slip it underneath. Then slowly…slowly…slide it up over your stomach until you find your breast. And Sera?’
‘Yes?’
‘I’ll know if you’re faking. So don’t fucking lie to me about what you’re doing or feeling. Understood?’
After a moment, she said, ‘Understood.’
‘Is your hand on your breast?’
‘Yes.’
‘Close your eyes and tell me, what does it feel like?’
‘What?’
‘What does it feel like? Soft? Hard? Does it fill your palm?’
‘Um, soft. And…uh…’ She cleared her throat. ‘It’s too big to fit in my palm.’
So, she wasn’t wearing any kind of push up when she wore that pink dress. I wanted to ask her to give me a detailed description of her breast, including the areola and nipple. Or, better yet, to send me a picture. With her pink hair and pale skin, it seemed obvious they would be a light pink. However, Sera was Italian. So I would bet money they were a darker mauve. My mouth watered at the thought.
‘Is your nipple hard?’
‘Yes.’
‘Pinch it between your thumb and forefinger and tell me what you feel. Not too hard,’ I told her. ‘Not yet.’ I heard her intake of breath. ‘What do you feel?’
‘Pain.’
‘And what else?’
‘Um…it made my stomach tighten. Low in my stomach.’
I shifted on the couch and adjusted myself in my pants. ‘Take both of your breasts in your hands and squeeze them, then roll your nipples between your fingers.’
‘Okay.’ Her voice was quiet and a bit breathless.
I scrubbed my hand over my face. ‘Tell me what you’re doing,’ I ordered in a hard voice.
She cleared her throat, and in my mind, I could see the blood coloring her face and chest. ‘I’m…um…’
I heard her hesitation to voice the words out loud. ‘Sera, don’t be shy with me, baby girl. Just thinking of you like this has me so fucking turned on. Tell me, so I can see you.’
‘I’m…I’m lifting my breasts in my hands and squeezing, then letting them go and rubbing the center of my palms over my nipples.’
‘Thank you. How does that feel?’
‘It feels good.’
It will feel so much fucking better when I’m doing it. ‘Keep doing what you’re doing, but now imagine it’s my hands touching you. Wet your thumb and rub it over your nipple and imagine it’s my tongue.’ I listened to her breathing change. Every breath coming closer together, faster and shorter. ‘Am I there with you, baby girl? Can you feel me?’
‘Yes,’ she said breathlessly.
‘Is your heart pounding? Are you getting wet for me? I want you soaking wet, Sera.’
Her moan was my answer.
With one hand, I opened my shirt the rest of the way so it fell to the sides, then unfastened my pants and shoved down the front of my boxer briefs until my cock was free. I was already fucking hard, the tip dripping with pre-come. I’d wanted to make this last, but she was so fucking responsive, I didn’t think it was going to be possible this time.
Throwing my head back against the couch cushion, I fisted myself in my free hand. ‘I’m so fucking hard for you, Sera. I’m about to come imagining you touching yourself. Do you want to come with me?’
‘Yes,’ she whispered.
‘Do you still have the blanket covering you?’
‘Yes.’
‘Take off your shorts,’ I told her. ‘Tell me when they’re off.’
I heard her rustling around. ‘Okay,’ she said after a few seconds. ‘They’re off.’
‘Good girl. Slide one foot up and bend your knee. Leave the other leg down. Now put your left hand back under your shirt and squeeze your breast again. With your right hand, slide your middle finger between the folds of your pussy.’
There was a sharp intake of breath. Ahh…fuck me. I gripped my cock near the base in an effort to keep myself in check. ‘Are you wet, Sera?’
‘Yes.’
‘Are you wet enough to spread it up to your clit?’
‘Yes.’
‘Do that,’ I ordered. ‘Do you want to add another finger?’
Her breath caught. ‘Yes.’
‘Okay, baby. Go ahead. Do you feel how wet you are?’
‘Yes.’
‘Run your fingers through your pussy for me, Sera. Spread it all over, then come back up to your clit.’ I knew when she was there by the sweet sounds she made. I didn’t even have to ask. ‘Touch yourself the way you like. Is your other hand still on your breast?’ My voice was low and rough.
‘Yes.’
‘When you feel the first wave of your orgasm, I want you to pinch your nipple hard. Do you understand?’
‘That will hurt.’
‘Yes,’ I told her. ‘It will. But it will be worth it, baby. Just trust me.’
For a few seconds, I just listened to her breathing as I fisted my cock, rubbing it up and squeezing the head, then back down to the base. ‘Go a little bit faster now. Are you ready for that?’
‘Yes.’ Her voice was needy. ‘Oh, god.’
I jerked myself off faster. ‘That’s it, baby. I want to hear you come for me.’
‘Enzo…’
My name left her lips on a sweet, whispery moan, and I wanted to jump through the goddamn phone. ‘I’m here, Sera. Come on, baby. Come for me. I want to hear you come for me because I’m about to fucking bust out of my skin here.’
‘I’m so close.’
This time I heard frustration. ‘I want to touch you, Sera. So fucking bad. I want to taste the skin on your throat, and suck your nipples into my mouth so I can roll them between my teeth. Then I want to kiss every fucking inch of your body. I want to taste your sweet pussy until you feel so good, I have to hold you down. And then I want you to come in my mouth, baby. I want to taste you. Fuck, Sera.’
I heard her whimper quietly, and I could tell she was trying to keep quiet.
‘Sera.’
She made a small noise.
‘Come for me, baby.’ I ordered, my own orgasm powering down my spine. ‘Come for me NOW.’
As soon as I heard her breath catch, I let myself loose. ‘Fuck. Fuck!’ Hot spurts of come landed on my stomach, over and over as I moaned her name.
After, I sat there with my hand on my softening cock and listened to her breathing.
‘Enzo?’
‘Yeah, baby?’
There was a long pause, and then she said quietly, ‘I wish you were here.’ And then she hung up the phone.
Next time, I will be, Sera.
Tossing the phone back onto the couch, I got up and went into Luca’s bathroom to clean myself up. I thought about getting on the computer and finding out where Jade’s place was. But then I reined myself in. Jade respected my privacy, the least I could do was respect hers. Besides, I was on duty. Knowing where she was would just make it that much fucking harder to keep my ass here, where it belonged.
Throwing some water on my face, I washed my hands and grabbed the small towel off the rack to dry off my face and stomach. My hands had stopped shaking, and I felt calmer, if not completely back to normal.
When I was finished in the bathroom, I went over and unlocked the door and did another check through the house. As I walked, I thought about what I was doing, trying to figure out why I was risking my life for this woman. What it was about her that made me unable to leave her alone. But I couldn’t give it a name. All I knew was that from the moment she showed up at my door in that tacky pink bandage dress, I’d felt a rush of possession like nothing I’d ever felt before. Sera was mine. And this time, no one was going to take her away from me.
I just had to figure out a way to keep her without making her hate me.
