Twenty-Two

 

 

Aria

“How long will you be gone for?” We have been back from the Bahamas for over a month, during which time I have been looking into reenrolling in college for the fall and finding out which classes I will have to make up. Gio asked that I stay living here until the Weston situation gets dealt with. He’s concerned he is waiting for me to slip up so he can take me again.

I made it clear to Gio that I wouldn’t be going anywhere unless he made me. I love spending my days with the girls here at the mansion and my nights wrapped up in Gio. We have gone on several double dates with Nico and Amber and if I didn’t know better, I would think Gio has been in several relationships. He’s that good at it.

“I’ll only be gone for the weekend. Stay here and behave, please.” He picks up his suitcase and gives me a kiss. It ends too quickly so I grab his neck and pull him back down into a more passionate kiss, our tongues exploring each other’s mouths. I suck on his lips and when we finally separate I am panting unabashedly, needing more.

I look in Gio’s eyes and see my entire future standing right here in front of me, and the words escape before I can reign them in. “I love you.” Gio stills but his eyes soften and he pulls me into another punishing kiss. Only he doesn’t stop there. His luggage hits the ground and when he releases me, my lips feel bruised and puffy when I run my tongue along them. He pulls his jacket and shirt off, his pants next. I follow his lead and rid myself of my clothes.

Picking me up by my ass, he throws me onto the bed and says, “Flip over and get on your knees, baby.” I do as he says, my ass lifting in the air, waiting for his next command. Crawling up behind me, he leans down and places a kiss on each cheek. Then continues upwards, pressing soft, wet kisses along my spine. When he reaches my shoulders, he dusts my hair to the side and trails dozens of kisses along my shoulders and up my neck.

“Hand me a condom,” he says, his warm body leaving mine. I reach over to the nightstand and hand him the square foil packet. He nudges my legs open and I can feel the head of his cock seeking entrance as his weight comes back down on me. Tilting my head to the side, my mouth searches for his as he pushes into me slowly from behind, a low moan escaping me. His lips find mine and our kiss deepens as my moan is silenced with his mouth. We stay like this for a few minutes until I wiggle my ass slightly needing him to move in me.

Releasing my mouth, his thrusts pick up. His hands palm my breasts, his fingers pinching my nipples as he fucks me deep. My back arches in pleasure as I push back meeting him thrust for thrust. He pulls back and angles my ass higher, allowing him to go deeper so he’s hitting my G-spot every time he thrusts. My body begins to shake as my orgasm overtakes me, Gio’s following shortly after.

Leaning back down, still inside of me, Gio whispers, “I love you too, Aria.” He pulls out of me, my body already missing the warmth he elicits within me. I turn over to my back needing to take a calming breath before I get up to clean myself. Only before I do, Gio returns with a warm washcloth. He spreads my legs and cleans me up. Throwing the washcloth to the side, he crawls up my body and gives me a soft kiss. First on my lips, then on my throat. He works his way down giving each breast a kiss then trails dozens of kisses down along my torso until he reaches my sex. He places a soft, wet kiss on the top of my mound then looks up at me, granting me with a playful lopsided grin before he works his way back up my body ending where he started, with my lips. Not wanting our connection to break, I wrap my arms around his neck and my ankles around his waist. He chuckles, “I’m late,” then pulls back, peeling himself off me and stands to get dressed.

It’s day two without Gio and I am missing him like crazy. We text all day when he’s not busy and last night we video chatted. He even convinced me to participate in some kinky phone sex! I can’t wait for him to return.

I’m hanging out in the kitchen with Natalie and Giselle when Cecilia walks in. “Veronica, the new girl, had to go home for an emergency. Can either of you take over her date tonight?” Both girls shake their heads.

“Great!” She taps away on her phone for a few minutes and then says, “I spoke with Giovanni and he asked if you could do him the favor and meet with the new member tonight.”

“Gio would never ask that.” I look at Cecilia incredulously. She turns her phone around so I can read her texts. My stomach feels like lead.

Giovanni: Stanley is an important member. Ask Aria to do it. Tell her I’m asking her as a personal favor.

My heart breaks that Gio would even consider me an option. He hasn’t said it since the day he left, but when he told me he loved me, I thought it meant something to him. To ask me to work for him, to be with another man, this can’t be right.

“He wants me to have sex with him?” Cecilia rolls her eyes.

“Of course not. It’s just a meet and greet. He’s booked the private room but it’s only for companionship.”

“I’ll call him and ask him myself.” I grab my phone from my back pocket but it rings once and goes to voicemail. I try again and it does it again. “Fine. If that’s what he wants, then I’ll do it.” I leave the kitchen to go get ready. I send Gio numerous texts asking him why he would do this but he doesn’t answer a single one.

Once I’m dressed and ready to go, I try to call Gio one last time, getting the same voicemail. “Hey Gio, it’s me. I’m about to entertain a new guest for you. Cecilia said you asked me to do it as a favor but I just don’t get it. I know we haven’t made anything official but you asked me to quit working here. I just don’t understand. Ok, well, call me when you get this, please.”

I tuck my phone into my pocket in case Gio calls or texts and head downstairs to greet Stanley. Normally Edgardo tells us where to go, but when I get down there, Cecilia is waiting. “Room one, Aria.” She gives me a tight-lipped smile and I nod and head down the hallway.

I knock once before opening the door and at first I don’t see anyone so I walk further into the room. The door slams closed behind me and when I turn around I am face-to-face with the man who has haunted me every night in my sleep.

“Help!!!!” I scream out hoping somebody will hear me. “Heeeellllpppp,” I scream again. Before I can scream for a third time, Weston’s hand comes down and hits me across my face. I try to run—where? I’m not sure—but he catches me and throws me down onto the ground. The back of my head hits the marble floor and the room begins to spin. I will myself to fight. I kick and punch and at one point, I feel myself bite him, the metallic taste of his blood coating my tongue and lips. He fights me back harder. His hands grab mine, pinning them above my head and I take the opportunity to scream again as loudly as possible until Weston shoves a piece of material into my mouth, gagging me.

“Shut the fuck up, you slutty piece of trash.” I try to kick but his heavy legs are pinning mine down. His hand comes down to my breast and he violently grabs it, tweaking my nipple until I silently scream out. My vision goes blurry as my eyes bleed with pain. His hand goes to my silk shorts and he shoves his fingers into my panties.

Just as his fingers find my sex, light fills the room as the door opens and Weston is flying off me and into the wall. I scramble back against another wall, removing the material from my mouth, and watch as Edgardo beats Weston into a bloody pulp. He punches him repeatedly in the face never letting up. At some point, Rome and Caesar run in, pulling Edgardo off Weston. He’s not even moving anymore. If Weston isn’t dead, he’s damn close to it.

“Come on, Aria. Let’s get you up to your room.” Rome helps me up then picks me up bridal style and carries me into Gio’s room, laying me down on the bed. I don’t let go of him, not wanting to be alone. My body is freezing and I’m pretty sure I am going into shock. “I don’t know what happened, Aria, but I promise you we will get to the bottom of this.” Rome sits up in the bed next to me, petting my hair like one would do to a child. My eyes begin to close, the adrenaline wearing down, but pop back open when images of Weston attacking me come to the front.

Once they start, I can’t stop them. My mind plays like a song on repeat. Him hitting me, attacking me, silencing me, grabbing me, trying to rape me. I don’t know how long these images run on repeat or for how long I’m crying but suddenly I am being picked up. I scream, scared I’m being attacked again, but Gio’s soothing voice calms me.

“It’s ok, Ari. It’s me. I got you, baby. I’m so sorry.” He holds me close to his chest, rocking me as one would do a baby. I feel him push a single pill past my lips and I swallow it dry, and in the comfort of this man’s arms I allow my body some peace, and closing my eyes, let it all slip away.