Chapter Six
Little aftershocks of pleasure still rocked through Sophia. This man was hers.
A part of her still worried he’d break her heart, but she knew that love required risks. With Antonio, she was willing to take them.
His strong body shuddered beneath her, his cock still hard inside her. God, he was gorgeous. And the frenzied sex had been the best of her life. She only wished he could have touched her. She wanted his hands on her.
“More.” Antonio’s voice was husky and his hips thrust up.
God. She pressed her palms to his chest. “I can’t handle more.”
“I want to feel you come again.” He moved his hips again and she swiveled hers.
She lifted up, feeling the drag as his thick flesh moved out of her. She’d never been with a man as big as Antonio, and she felt stretched and sensitive. She shoved back down, taking him back inside her.
Another orgasm caught her by surprise. She gasped, her body shaking as pleasure ripped through her. The room dimmed and she closed her eyes against the onslaught.
When she regained awareness, she was collapsed on top of Antonio’s chest, damp skin pressed to damp skin. His heartbeat was fast and loud beneath her ear.
Antonio had given his body to her, but by surrendering his control, he’d also given her his trust.
“Sophia?” His voice was low, sated. “Are you okay?”
She lifted her head. When she saw his face, she sucked in a breath. His eyes were the clear liquid green she loved. The lines that had carved his face had eased, and his charming smile held an almost boyish edge she’d never seen on him before.
“I think I should be asking you that question.” She raised a hand and stroked his cheek.
His smile widened. “I feel fucking incredible. Thanks to you.”
“The lust?”
“Under control. The whispers are gone.”
Warmth burst in her chest. “I’m so glad.”
“Now—” he jangled the chains “—how about freeing me?”
With a choked laugh, she sat up. “I don’t know. I kind of like having a sexy Italian hunk at my disposal.”
He growled. “Sophia. With or without the chains, you have this Italian at your disposal.” His voice lowered. “Anytime, anywhere, anything you want.”
His sexy voice shivered through her. She set to work undoing the chains, and in minutes, he was free. She turned to face him, but strong hands grabbed her, pressing her down onto the soft mattress.
“Stay here and don’t move.” He stood. “I’ll be back in a minute.” He strode into the adjoining bathroom.
Before she knew it, he was back. His weight moved over her, his arms caging her to the bed.
“You are a frighteningly courageous woman, Sophia Crane.” His lips brushed over hers.
Her heart flip flopped in her chest. “I’ve been the opposite of brave lately. Ever since the affair and my miscarriage, I’ve been hiding. I think you and this crazy situation helped bring out the courage in me.”
His mouth traveled down her neck. He nipped at her earlobe, then pressed kisses to the pulse in her neck. “It was inside you all along.” He pulled back, his face turning serious. “Do you know what you are?”
She frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Does the word Aurae mean anything to you?”
That single word made her freeze. “I’ve seen it in my research. They were the keepers of the seasonal breezes. They were involved with the Warriors of the Winds.”
He nodded. “The Aurae were warriors who helped stand against the Tempest Winds. They were also potential mates for the Warriors of the Wind. My mother was Aurae.”
“Mates?” Sophia breathed.
He played with her hair. “Among the Aurae was a woman who was a perfect match for each Warrior. The other half of his soul.”
“What happened to them?” she asked.
“They died out. Since my mother died, we’ve had no contact with any Aurae for almost thirty years.”
“And that means you have no help controlling vices of the wind.” She sucked in a breath. “You’re saying you think I’m Aurae?”
“Si.”
Could it be true? Sophia had always wondered why she was drawn to the legends of the Warriors of the Wind. Since she’d been young and seen Antonio and his brothers, she’d needed to know more.
Antonio’s lips touched hers again, scattering her thoughts. “There’ll be time to talk more about it later. I saw your eyes and skin glow, I think you have enough Aurae blood to control the breezes.”
She had power? The thought was mind-boggling.
Then his lips slipped over her jaw. “Thank you for saving me, cara.”
She smiled. “It was my pleasure.”
His hands cupped her breasts and then his mouth closed over one nipple. God. She arched into him, sensation hitting her.
“I want to learn how to pleasure you, Sophia.” He sucked her nipple, then kissed across to the other peak. “To discover if you like slow, light caresses or hard, rough tugs.” He gently bit her nipple.
She cried out. “I don’t know. All of it.”
“I want to thank you for what you did.” His mouth moved lower, his tongue sliding into her navel, before he dragged his teeth over her hipbone. He nudged her thighs apart. “I also just want you. And this time, there is only me and you here. Only our pleasure.”
He nipped her inner thigh and anticipation shivered through her. “What are you doing?”
“I want to taste your pleasure, Sophia.” He lowered his head and licked her.
“Oh, God.” She stared blindly at the view of his dark head framed by her thighs. She bucked against his clever mouth.
He lapped and sucked, taking his time to learn what she liked most. Soon she was a trembling mess, pleasure and need running through her like electricity. She sank a hand into his thick hair, holding him to her.
More. She needed more. She heard hungry, frenzied cries in the room and realized they were hers. She pressed her feet to his shoulders and lifted her hips up, needing him closer.
His hands tightened on her thighs and he closed his lips around her clit.
Heart pounding so hard she thought it would burst out of her chest, she screamed. Her back bowed, scalding pleasure crashing over her like a wave.
When Sophia opened her eyes, she blinked. She lay sprawled on the bed, her body still trembling.
Antonio was kneeling beside her, a satisfied smile on his face.
She wrinkled her nose. “Yes, you’re amazing and I think I might have passed out from your clever mouth.”
He kissed her, and Sophia tasted herself on his lips. She grabbed the back of his head and pulled him closer.
Then he sat back. “I’m not done with you yet.”
Her gaze dropped, her eyes widening. “I can see that.” His beautiful cock was rising up, long and thick.
He took a second to roll a condom on, then he kneeled between her legs, his hands clamping on her hips. He yanked her closer and she gasped. She felt the broad head of him brush against her.
“You’d better hold onto something,” he growled. “This time, I’m in control, and I’m going to fuck you, hard.”
Her pulse spiked. “Yes.” She raised her arms and gripped the headboard.
He slammed into her.
A cry tore from her. There was no charm or polish. This was a raw, hard fucking.
“More.” It was a demand. He pulled back.
“Yes. Antonio, don’t stop.”
He thrust back in and the air was forced out of her with a sharp hiss, her breasts bouncing. Then his hips were pistoning, moving with rapid thrusts.
Sophia held on, wrapping her legs around him so her heels pressed into his lower back.
This was a claiming and she loved it.
She looked into his handsome face. It was etched with desire for her, his damp hair clinging to his forehead. His eyes were intense, his mouth set in a firm line as he focused on taking her.
“You feel so fucking good.” His green gaze stayed locked on her.
In those eyes, she saw the swirl of so many emotions. He continued his steady drive, his big body surging into her. He tilted her hips, and whenever he sank deep, he ground against her. She felt it on her clit.
A rush of wind washed over her and she felt his power. Without conscious thought, she answered and she felt a cool breeze entwine with his.
Antonio’s eyes widened and then he was cursing in Italian. His body tensed. “I’m going to come.”
She dug her heels in. “Come.”
He gritted his teeth, his thrusts slowing. “You first.” He slid a hand between them, where their bodies were joined. He pinched her swollen clit.
Lights flashed in her vision and the pressure in her exploded. She gave a hoarse scream and then he thrust back inside her, hard enough to slam the headboard against the wall.
His big body shuddered and a groan ripped from him. When he collapsed on her, she stroked his strong, sleek back.
They were both panting. Sophia had never felt as sexy, used, or good as she did now. She’d always wondered why people were so obsessed with sex. She slid her hand down his skin. Now she knew.
He pressed a kiss to the side of her neck. “Cara, you are everything I thought I could never have.”
Warmth in her chest. Then, before she could chicken out, she said, “I’m pretty sure I’m falling for you, Antonio.”
He raised his head, triumph in his eyes. “Good. I was planning to keep you captive, purchase exquisite pieces of art you couldn’t resist, and make you fall in love with me.”
“I just want you. And the mind-blowing sex.”
He laughed, then his face sobered. “I don’t deserve you. And I still have to destroy Corus.”
Sophia cupped his cheeks. “You do deserve me. And we’re going to beat Corus.”
Antonio’s muscles tensed. “If he hurts you…”
“We’re going to beat him,” she said again. “Together.”
Antonio buried his face in her hair. “Together. Now, rest, cara. As soon as night falls, the hunt begins.”
***
Sophia stirred, silk sliding sensuously against her naked body.
With her eyes closed, she reached a hand across the bed. Antonio was missing, but the sheets were still warm. She smiled into her pillow and stretched like a cat.
She was sore. In a good way. After their frenzied loving, he’d fed her and then made love to her again, slowly and tenderly. God, the man knew a lot of ways to love a woman. He’d taken his time exploring every inch of her and she wondered how many women had enjoyed him before her.
She felt a niggle of doubt, but stomped on it. His past lovers were none of her business, and Antonio wasn’t like James. He was a protector, a good man.
A weight next to her made the mattress dip. She felt the press of warm lips to the back of her neck. They trailed downward along her spine. A hand slid under the sheet, cupping her breast.
When hard fingers closed on her nipple, pinching and hurting, her eyes snapped open.
Corus sat beside her, a small smile on his full lips. She jerked backward, grabbing the sheet and pulling it over her naked body.
“So, the Warrior succumbed to your charms, lovely Sophia.”
Antonio was close. He’d be back soon. She licked her dry lips. She had to keep Corus occupied until then.
The Tempest Wind reached out and caressed her shoulder. “Did you enjoy his lust? Revel in him rutting on you like a beast in heat?”
As Corus’ hand drifted lower, Sophia locked her jaw. Keep him talking. She knocked his hand away. “Don’t touch me.”
“I’d very much like to sample what he had.” Corus shifted closer.
A hot wind curled through the room, dipping and swirling, cunning like its master. It skated over her skin.
“Do you want me?” His hand slid over the silk, his hand coming to rest at the top of her thigh. “Do you feel the burn of lust, sweet Sophia? Will you open your body for me?”
She jerked away from him. “No. And I never will. Your touch disgusts me.”
Corus’ dark eyes widened. “You feel nothing? But you lust after the Warrior—?”
“What I feel for Antonio is something you will never understand. It has nothing to do with lust.”
The Tempest Wind’s face warped. “No! Everyone wants me. I am lust.”
“You are nothing,” she whispered fiercely.
His eyes fired. “I will make you want me.”
In a quick move, he landed on top of her, pinning her down. She kicked her legs and hammered at his back.
He laughed. His hands ripped at the sheet, but she kept a death grip on it. The feel of those fingers on her made her sick.
Ripping the silk away, he stared down at her naked body. Bile rose in her throat. His hands slid down her body, then one palm spanned her belly and he paused.
“Well, well. Venti’s a fast worker.”
Her mind raced for a way to fight him off. She needed something to hit him with. The chains were back under the bed, but she might be able to reach them in time.
Corus’ hands dug into her skin. “You don’t even realize, do you? Oh, it’s going to be my pleasure to take what Venti considers his.”
Sophia felt like a rock was lodged in her throat. No way. She reared up and shoved at Corus with all her strength. He shouted and tumbled off her.
She scrambled off the bed, wrapping the sheet around her and walking backward across the room. “I’ll fight you.”
“Good.” He lunged after her.
She raced across the room. He tackled her and they hit the glossy wood floor together. Pain radiated through her, but she kicked, screamed, and raked her nails down his face. He grabbed her hair and yanked her to her feet.
Then she felt a strange sensation. Like her body was dropping away and becoming the wind. “No!”
“We’re going for a little ride.” The French doors to the balcony slammed open, glass shattering.
Antonio! She screamed, but the sound broke off as they turned into the wind and swept out the doors.