Chapter 20

Just an FYI it gets a tiny bit steamy, but nothing super wild in my opinion ;) ENJOY my most amazing readers! :)

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CHAPTER 20: Natalie stripped off her clothes slowly, wincing with the movement. She couldn't believe how sore she already was and didn't even want to think about how it would feel tomorrow.

Steam filled the large bathroom in billowing folds and she stepped under the hot fall of water. She had made sure the water wasn't overly hot, but it still made the small cuts sting and she hissed in between her teeth.

Slowly, and carefully she began to wash her body off of all the dried blood. Her mind filled with thoughts of her father and she felt the urge to cry grow strong, but she pushed it away with force. How had he known they were going to be out?

Surely, he must know that Giovanni knew of him now and Natalie thought he wouldn't take a risk like that, but then again she didn't understand a lot of things right now.

It was odd.

Her entire life, even with the unstableness of having her mother be a drug addict and alcoholic, she still always knew what to expect. Not once in her life had she not known what was going to happen or not once had she not been in control.

It was unsettling, to say the least.

Now that she was with Giovanni, she knew that it would probably be happening more often. Giovanni was the type of man who was control in everything.

He had to be, she conceded, to be a mafia boss.

She figured that she needed to trust in him to not let her fall, and if she did she had to be sure and have trust that he would catch her. But, could she really trust him? He was a mafia boss for hell's sake.

He was best at lying and she worried that her heart would be shattered by the time he was done with her, because as much as she didn't want to admit it, she was scared that he would just up and leave as soon as she had 'done her job' and provided him with an heir.

She knew she was falling for him, or maybe she had already fallen.

She had never been in love before so she didn't know, but right now she couldn't picture a life where Giovanni wasn't in it. He didn't even have to be her husband, but she did admit to herself it would kill her inside to see him with another woman.

Pushing the thoughts away, she stepped out of the shower and dried herself off with a towel, softly-careful of all her cuts and bruises. She stepped up to the large mirror and wiped the layer of steam away with a hand and tilted her head to the side, watching in the mirror as the girl did the same.

Natalie perused her body, grimacing. It was mainly the left side of her body from where she was standing and where she had landed when the guard threw her to the floor. From along her ribs to the side of her hip was puffy and bruised, shades of ugly blue, black and yellow. Her arm had small cuts lining the side all the way up to her collarbone, each small cut framed by a small blue bruise.

She had a long, but not very deep cut on the high of her cheekbone that was finished off by a light ugly shade of yellow purple.

She looked like she had just been put through the ringer, and she supposed she had. Her father wanting her dead and all.

She shook her head and turned away from the mirror, unable to stare at the girl who looked back at her anymore. She pulled on some light pink panties and then pulled on some baggy sleep shorts and a white V-neck t-shirt.

Sighing heavily, she swung open the bathroom door.

She immediately felt the change in the air as the steam-free crisp air caressed over her now-clean, but much bruised flesh. She stepped further into what was now her and Giovanni's bedroom and her eyes instantly honed in on the large form standing in front of the large glass window.

Her throat dried and her breath hitched. Giovanni stood, staring blankly out and she had a feeling he was more staring into memories then the scenery before him.

He had a glass of what appeared to be whiskey in his hand.

He blinked and he turned his face slightly so he could stare at Natalie. Just his gaze sent heat whispering over her skin to warm her insides. He slowly lifted the glass to lips and downed the rest of the drink in one swallow.

He didn't so much as grimace as he set the glass down on a small table off to his right.

"Feel better, mi amour?" he asked and just his voice had her quivering like a lost leaf in the wind.

She swallowed to work some moisture in her mouth. "Yes." She whispered and he nodded as he turned to her. She noticed that he had changed into pajamas as well.

He work black silk pajamas pants and a grey short sleeved V-neck t-shirt that was stretched tight over broad shoulders and a wide chest. Natalie felt restless under his intense gaze as he just stared at her, so she broke the stare and moved over to the bed to pull off the decorative pillows and pull back the covers. She felt his gaze on her as if it was a physical touch. She finally stopped at the end of the bed and spun to face him.

"What?!" She snapped.

His eyes flashed and her chest heaved as she panted.

He stalked to her, all grace, all sex, all danger.

He stepped forward and reached back to pull his shirt over his head. She swallowed hard as she watched muscles flex underneath beautiful olive-tone skin.

He took another step forward and she resisted the urge to take one back.

She lifted her chin and his lips quirked before they settled again and his eyes darkened as they moved over her body.

She shivered.

He bent his knees slightly to pick her up and throw her on the bed, seeming like she weighed no more than a feather.

She let out a squeak of surprise and it quickly caught in her throat as his body covered her own. She tried to lift her arms, but Giovanni let out a low growl and took both her wrists in his grip and held them above her head.

Not even a moment later, his mouth covered hers in a fierce, hot kiss that had her whimpering.

She felt that her body was on fire and all she knew was Giovanni. How he felt against her, how he tasted, how he smelt.

He was divine and he was all hers.

She gasped against his mouth, he used it as an advantage to explore her mouth with his tongue until she was shaking with lust from his exploration. She moved against him, trying to release the energy that she felt so hot, and so tight in her belly.

Giovanni groaned low and deep against her mouth and the goddess inside of her let out a loud 'whoop' and a fist bump.

He pulled back, tore his mouth from the temptation that was only centimeters away. They both panted heavily, roughly against each other. Natalie wanted to scream at him

"Why did you stop?!" But, she knew why he did and deep down under the layers and layers and haze of hot thick lust she knew it was for the best.

"We have to stop now, or I will not be able to, mi amour." He whispered in a thick hoarse voice.

Natalie wasn't able to hold in her whimper of disappointment, but she nodded.

Giovanni chuckled against her skin, and laid down so that his head was resting against the flat of her belly.

They both were breathing hard, trying to tamp down the desire that had swamped the both of them so heavily.

Soon, it dissipated and Natalie was left running her fingers through the soft strands of Giovanni's hair.

He rumbled with approval against Natalie's belly as he traced small circles onto the skin of her hips where her shirt had ridden up.

Sighing heavily, Giovanni pulled himself up and pulled them both under the blankets. Natalie stifled a yawn, suddenly so exhausted she felt it in her core, a lulling wave begging to sweep her under its current. Giovanni reached over and turned off the lamp so the room was bathed in darkness except for the pale milky glow that streamed in through the window. Giovanni's arms snaked around Natalie's waist and pulled her hard against him so her chest was to his back.

He nuzzled her neck and she let out a sigh of sleepy pleasure.

"Goodnight mi amour." Giovanni whispered against her skin.

"Night, Giovanni." She murmured.

"I'm scared." She whispered in what she thought later was a sleepy haze of stupidity. Giovanni's grip tightened infinitesimally as he whispered

"I know, I will protect you. You're mine."

Natalie nodded and a moment she was drifting off to the soft "Mia...mine," Giovanni whispered over and over again...

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Done. Done. DOOOOONE! I really hope you liked this chapter. I hope this story gets more reads. I love looking and seeing how many more people have read what I wrote each time. Thank you so much for reading! Chapter coming soon! Vote. Comment. Follow. Share. And all that jazz. XX :D