Chapter 13

I woke to a fierce throbbing in my left ear. Sitting up, I winced when I touched my bandaged ear, remembering the events of yesterday. I’d passed out quickly after they’d cut off my earlobe and not experienced much of the pain, nor had I seen my cut-off earlobe. I’d only woken when Gray had awkwardly carried me up the stairs and into the bedroom. I’d dragged myself over to the bathroom where Maddox had eventually found me.

“There are painkillers on the nightstand,” Maddox said. My head swiveled around to where he sat on the windowsill, only in jeans. A wave of relief over his presence followed by anger raced through me. This was his fault, and even his worried expression didn’t make him less guilty.

His cut lay beside him. It was never far from him. The cut, his club, they meant the world to him.

“You have every right to give me that look. I’d hate myself too if I were you.”

I didn’t hate him, unfortunately. I was furious but I still didn’t hate him. I shoved out of bed, swaying briefly. Maddox crossed the room in a flash, grabbing my waist.

After a moment, I pushed him away. I needed a shower, to clean myself of the dried blood in my hair and neck, and to feel more like myself again. Maddox didn’t stop me as I stumbled toward the bathroom. Cowering under the streaming water, despair overwhelmed me. I was afraid of what else Earl had planned for me. I was scared for Dad, for my family. I was even scared for Maddox, which didn’t even make sense. I needed to get away here.

When I stepped out of the shower, a clean wife beater and boxers waited on the toilet lid for me. I got dressed, then took my time brushing my hair, trying to calm down and figure out what to do, but no matter how often I looked for an out, Maddox came up. He was the only one who could save me, all of us, even himself, now.

After towel-drying my hair, I returned to the bedroom. Maddox looked as if he too had racked his brain for a solution. He had to see that this was heading in the wrong direction, that it was in his hands to steer us out of the danger zone. He met my gaze and I touched my ear, wondering what he saw now.

“You’re still fucking gorgeous. Knowing you, people will probably soon ask plastic surgeons to cut their earlobes off because you started a trend.”

I let out a hoarse laugh. “You don’t know the people I have to deal with. They’ll have a blast seeing me like this.”

“Didn’t you hear me? You’re still fucking gorgeous.”

“Until Earl cuts more pieces of me off.”

It was a fear I hadn’t allowed more room in my brain but it lurked at the fringes all night, filled my night with horrid images.

Maddox’s eyes flashed with fury. “He won’t. This will be over soon. I swore to protect you.”

I approached him and peered up into his hard face. “How will this end, if not badly? How will you protect me? You didn’t see your uncle when he cut me. He will do it again, no matter what my father does, or you. Your club brothers stood by and watched. They too will follow your uncle down this path.”

He grabbed my shoulders, looking torn and angry and desperate at once. “This club is my life, Marcella. I bleed for it. I know what you want me to do but I can’t betray the club, not for you or anyone. And I won’t spare your father either. He will die, but you will be safe.”

“You will lose me, and then my brother or uncle or someone else will kill you to avenge my father. Is that what you want?”

I could see one thing he wanted more than anything, even if he couldn’t admit it.

“The last few days were more than I ever expected to get with the spoiled princess from New York.” He was good at evading the bitter truth.

“And that’s enough?” I asked softly.

He growled and pulled me against his body, his lips crashing down on mine. Part of me wanted to shove him away, but the other wanted this, him. For many confusing reasons.

I raked my fingers through his hair, tugging hard, wanting him to hurt. He snarled into my mouth but only kissed me harder, his hands roaming my back.

His piercing teased my tongue, sending spikes of pleasure through every inch of my body. Kissing had never felt like this, as if lightning bolts zig-zagged through my body. The world around us and everything that had happened faded away.

He tugged down the wife beater and tongued my nipple, making sure to flick his piercing against it a few times. Then he sucked my nipple deeply into his mouth, sucking harder than I expected. My core clenched. I leaned back, watching his lips around my sensitive flesh. His hand slid down my belly, fingertips teasing my skin. I was already growing wet and desperate to feel his touch between my legs. This was our moment, and my last chance. We stumbled backward against the door.

He cupped me through the boxers, sliding his middle finger between my lower lips over the thin fabric. The additional friction of the drenched material against my sensitive flesh made me pant. He rubbed me slowly, completely ruining my underwear but I didn’t care. He got down on one knee. “This is the only instance I’ll ever kneel before a Vitiello,” he growled, but I could only focus on his lips that were so close to my panties. He hooked a hand under my knee and shoved my leg up. My ass banged against the door, causing the old wood to groan. Maddox slid my panties to the side. “Dripping,” he murmured. Then he buried his face in my pussy. His piercing teased my clit mercilessly.

“Mad,” someone called. I didn’t recognize the voice in my lust-hazy brain. He rattled against the door, almost giving me a heart attack but Maddox didn’t release me. His face stayed between my legs.

“Fuck off, I’m eating out pussy,” Maddox shouted before he noisily sucked at my pussy lips.

I wanted to shove him away but he flicked his piercing over my clit before he sucked it into his mouth and I exploded. My fingers tore at his hair as I ground myself against him, riding his face desperately. This was almost like an out-of-body experience, as if I could all the weight of the past and fear of the future behind.

I knew whoever had called Maddox’s name was still there but I didn’t care anymore. He wouldn’t live to tell the tale anyway. Once my family saved me, everyone would be dead, and they’d take whatever they’d heard or seen into the grave with them. I could only hope Maddox would see reason before he’d have to share their fate.

Maddox straightened, and the look he gave me almost felt like goodbye.

“It’s too soon for goodbye,” I whispered.

“Don’t,” he murmured. I got it. He didn’t want to think or talk about this now.

He pressed into me, his expression morphing into a playful smile. “Is it true that you Italian girls have to stay virgins until your wedding night, Snow White? Or did you give your fiancé an early gift?”

I smirked, matching his forced lightheartedness. “You’ll have to find out for yourself, Maddox. But a word of warning, my father will kill you for it.”

“I think death will be worth it.”

He ground himself against me. God, I’d never been this wet. One look from Maddox aroused me more than hours of making out with Giovanni ever had.

“I won’t be gentle Snow White. Last chance to tell me what I want to know.”

I didn’t need gentle now. I needed him, this. I bit his lip hard in answer. He growled, his eyes becoming feral. He shoved down my boxers and lifted me off the ground so my legs wrapped around him. Then with one ferocious thrust, he shoved himself into me, or as far as my body would let him. I exhaled, my nails drawing blood on his back.

Maddox exhaled, his forehead pressed against mine, his chest heaving, lips parted as he breathed harshly. “Fuck, Snow White. Your old man will definitely kill me for this.”

“Shut up, Maddox.” One of them would die, but I didn’t want to think about it now. Soon enough, the bloody reality would catch up with us.

He did. My inner thigh muscles trembled as I got used to the feel of him inside of me. My body bore down on him, allowing more and more of his length to slide into me. I held my breath when my pelvis settled against his and he was sheathed completely inside of me. His piercing pressed against my clit like he’d promised, but my discomfort didn’t allow me to feel my G-spot.

“Why did your idiot of a fiancé not pop your cherry?”

I dug my nails even deeper into his shoulders but he didn’t even flinch. “Because he was too scared of my father.”

“You’re worth dying for. He was a moron if he didn’t realize it.” Maddox met my gaze, his blue eyes full of challenge and dark hunger. “I’m not scared of your old man. When I meet him, I’ll tell him that I fucked you.”

“No, you won’t,” I growled, but I had to admit it thrilled me to know that this man wasn’t afraid to go against my father. I only wished there were a chance for us, for both of them to live.

His fingers tangled in my hair, tugging slightly until I bared my throat to him. He licked over my pulse point leisurely. “I sure as fuck will, Snow White.”

He grabbed my ass and began to move. I exhaled sharply in discomfort and Maddox briefly paused, his eyes searching mine.

“Don’t stop,” I panted.

His fingers tightened even more on my ass and he thrust into me. I gasped at the sharp pain that was followed by a lightning bolt of pleasure as his piercing bar rubbed against my clit. Maddox began to thrust into me at a moderate pace. Sweat glistened on his forehead from holding me up and the controlled thrusts.

“Don’t hold back,” I got out.

He slammed into me, long hard thrusts that made my core hum with pain. He angled his thrusts so his piercing kept rubbing my clit and then he kissed me. The feel of his tongue as he claimed me only increased the pleasure. Soon it was difficult to determine where my discomfort ended and the low hum of my building orgasm began.

“So wet,” he rasped as he slammed into me over and over again. My eyes rolled back. I was on the verge of coming but every time I was sure I’d topple over the cliff, pain reined me in. He stiffened, becoming so much bigger inside of me, and then he exploded with a muttered curse. His thrusts became even harder but less coordinated. My mouth fell open at the overfull sensation. I held my breath when the pain got almost too overwhelming. He bit into my shoulder as his thrusts slowed. He finally looked up, completely disheveled and sweaty. “Fuck. You were supposed to cream.”

“Most girls don’t come their first time.”

“Bullshit,” Maddox growled. He lifted me a couple more inches and pulled out. I exhaled at the stinging pain. My legs almost gave in when Maddox set me back down on the floor but he didn’t allow me to fall. He pressed up to me, peering down at me with a new possessiveness and raw hunger that hadn’t been there before.

“You’re going to cream and scream for me, Snow White,” he rasped. He rubbed me with two fingers then he slammed them into me without warning and began to thrust into me fast and hard. My eyes grew wide at the new wave of discomfort mixed with pleasure. Maddox slowed suddenly and then he added a third finger. I sucked in a sharp breath, shaking my head. “Too much?” Maddox murmured, sucking my lower lip into his mouth. “Your pretty pussy just took my entire cock. You can take three fingers. It’ll be worth it, Snow White.”

He moved his fingers at an excruciatingly slow pace until I began meeting his thrusts and my eyelids drooped in pleasure.

When I finally came, I clung tightly to Maddox. He wrapped his arms around me even tighter and I rested my chin on his shoulder. Slowly, the exhilaration ebbed away and I became aware of the throbbing in my ear that matched the stinging between my legs.

I pulled back slightly and met his gaze. “You have to save me. Only you can, and you know there’s only one way to do it.”

Marcella lay curled up on her side beside me, her elegant back facing my way. My eyes traced the soft bumps of her spine down to her round ass with the two tantalizing dimples above her cheeks. I fought the urge to kiss every inch of her way too perfect skin.

Her words after we’d fucked repeated in my mind. I had to save her, but the option she had in mind was out of the question. I couldn’t let her run. This was our only chance to get her old man. If I released her, Earl and my club brothers would never forgive me. Fuck, they’d hail me a traitor and cut my balls off and feed them to me, or the Rottweilers. I wasn’t a traitor.

My eyes were drawn to the bandage over her ear. It had started bleeding again during our fuck. I still couldn’t believe I’d slept with Snow White, that I had popped her cherry.

Before getting to know Marcella, I’d often fantasized about having her in my bed, but it had never been like this. I’d thought I’d feel triumphant for having touched Vitiello’s precious offspring. I’d imagined taunting him with every dirty detail, imagined using Marcella as part of my revenge. Now all I could think about was that I wanted to keep her in my bed, in my life. I almost laughed at the thought of Marcella becoming my old lady. Vitiello would lose it. Yet, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t really imagine Marcella as part of our lifestyle. She was from a very different world.

Despite the impossibility of us, I wanted to taste her every day, see lust replace the cold suspicion in her blue eyes. And the last thing I wanted to do was to share any detail of our first night together with anyone. I wanted every moment with, every inch of Marcella for myself. But I also wanted her safe, and she needed to be far away from the club for that, far away from me. I belonged with the club and she couldn’t stay.

I raked a hand through my hair. “Stupid idiot.”

Marcella stirred, twisting her head around to look at me sleepily. “Did you say something?”

“Sleep,” I murmured.

She simply nodded, turned, and fell back asleep. I stretched out on my back, my arms crossed behind my head. Earl was getting suspicious. The others were getting jealous. This was all not how I’d planned it. I didn’t want to let Marcella go, but I had to. I couldn’t hope for Earl to hold back from hurting her further. I closed my eyes, wanting to kick my stupid ass. When had Marcella’s safety become my top priority, even more important than the one thing I’d worked for all my life: revenge?

I stared up at the ceiling. Marcella had said her father would kill me for taking her virginity. Considering all I had done, he had several reasons to end my life as brutally as possible. But this, fucking his daughter, was definitely the tip of the iceberg.

But she was worth dying for. Fuck, I’d die a thousand deaths just for one more night with her.