Twisted Hearts by Cora Reilly

Savio and I enjoyed the same things, we laughed together. Everything could be good if he didn’t keep that invisible wall up. Whenever I tried to have a serious conversation, the smirk, or a joke was his reply. I could tell he was trying in his own idiotic way by making me feel at home, taking me to fights and working out together.

It wasn’t a bad foundation for an arranged marriage, but it wasn’t something I wanted to settle for.

I could tell that he was getting increasingly irate because of our lack of intimacy, and if I was being honest, it became more difficult to resist him every day. My body, unlike my mind, wasn’t in favor of making him pay. I was definitely punishing myself too, how Toni kept pointing out.

Her advice to take matters, and him, into my own hands to improve my position sounded like something that could work in general, only I wasn’t sure if I could pull it off.

One night, almost two weeks after our wedding, I decided to try and rattle Savio. He’d showed more restraint than I’d expected from him, and I wanted to see if I could change that.

It was a bad plan, of course.

Savio had just finished brushing his teeth when I entered the bathroom in my robe, ignoring the nervous flutter in my belly. His eyes followed me as I headed toward the shower and shrugged out of the bathrobe.

It was the first time I was naked in front of him and my cheeks throbbed with embarrassment as I stepped into the shower and turned the water on.

The triumphant smile working its way onto my face at the look on Savio’s face lasted exactly until he reached for his boxers and shoved them down. Naked, every muscle rippling, and with that insufferable smirk, he came closer, opened the stall and stepped inside.

I stared. He was already growing hard, and I had to resist the urge to feel him, to find out if he was as silky as he looked.

“I’m a big boy, Kitty.” He braced himself to both sides of me and the tip of him almost touched my belly. “You think you can rattle me by showering in front of me?”

I swallowed thickly, torn between desire and nerves. I had definitely rattled him, only not in the way I’d anticipated.

Savio reached for me and I froze. His eyes rested on my face as he touched his palm to my waist. Despite the hot water, goose bumps flashed across my skin.

Savio tilted his head with an intense look as he very slowly slid his fingers higher, stroking my ribs lightly.

My tongue felt heavy, like a useless lump in my mouth. I wanted to keep the upper hand in this, but I could feel my composure slipping. Why had I ever thought it was a good idea being naked around Savio?

“Won’t you push me away and tell me to stop, Kitty?”

“Don’t,” I choked out, and his fingers at the underside of my breast halted and then I ruined everything. “Don’t call me Kitty. It makes me feel like a stupid little kid.”

“Oh Gem, you aren’t a fucking kid,” he growled as his dark eyes roamed the length of me and then he bowed his head and snatched my nipple between his lips. I gasped, my hand flying up to grip the back of his head. Squeezing my eyes shut, I leaned back against the shower. What was happening?

Every tug of his lips sent a spike of pleasure through my center. Soon arousal pooled between my legs as they grew heavier and heavier. A hard suck made my eyes fly open. Savio cast his gaze up, watching my face while he sucked my nipple. Even in my dirtiest fantasies about him, and even knowing the rumors about his skills, I couldn’t have imagined how amazing his mouth would feel on my breast. Dragging his mouth away with a lazy smirk, he licked a trail to my other nipple before that, too, disappeared between his lips. His hand came up and he began rubbing my breast.

I was panting, could do nothing but focus on breathing and standing upright. Savio pulled away, and I almost whimpered. His expression said he knew of the effect he had on me.

“Have you ever touched your tits?”

I nodded.

He kissed my nipple, then smiled darkly. “And?”

Why was he talking? I wanted his mouth back around my nipple. My core was throbbing like crazy.

“It didn’t do anything for me,” I pressed out.

“What a shame,” he drawled then suckled my nipple softly again, keeping his eyes on me. He let my nipple slide out of his mouth. “I suppose then this isn’t doing anything for you either and I should stop?”

One day I was going to murder him, but not today, certainly not before this tension in my core was gone.

I shook my head.

“I’m afraid I need you to say it.”

“Don’t stop.”

“Stop doing what?” His lips were so close to my nipple, it was driving me completely insane.

“What you did before?”

He shook his head. “Not going to cut it. Say what you want.”

“Keep sucking my nipple,” I gritted out as heat shot into my face.

“Your wish is my command.” He started sucking leisurely again and I closed my eyes, drowning in the sensation. I lost all sense of time until his fingers ghosted down my belly and they brushed the sensitive skin right above my pubic bone. My eyes shot open.

“Do you feel my sucking down here?” he rasped close to my nipple.

His thumb lightly grazed the triangle of trimmed hair and I shuddered. I felt it there and everywhere. He set me aflame in a way I hadn’t considered a possibility.

His fingers moved lower, and finally I snapped out of my trance.

“No,” I said, sounding less sure than I wanted as I gripped his wrist. I’d let this go way too far already. When it came to Savio, I had such a hard time resisting.

“Why do you keep this up, Gem? I could make you feel good, better than you’ve ever felt. What do you want from me?”

I wasn’t sure, not right now. Not with his naked body so close, with his hungry gaze branding my skin, with his fingers so close to where I was aching. “I don’t want this to be a game for you. I want you to take this marriage as serious as I do. I…” I wanted him to trust me enough to share his darkest thoughts and fears with me, wanted him to love me like I’d loved him for so long, I could hardly remember how it was before.

His eyes softened. “I married you, Gem. That’s not a game, I fucking know that, okay? You make me laugh. You are the only girl who ever made me slack-jawed in the gym. You are the only girl I can watch cage fights with. You don’t screech or puke when you see blood. You are tough and soft, heaven and hell. You’re the full package. That’s why I wanted you.”

My lips parted in surprise.

“Only because I like to joke and play around doesn’t mean I don’t know what kind of responsibility I have now. I do know and it’s new for me. As new as all of this is for you. I’ve never had a relationship. I’m fucking winging it, and I’ll mess up over and over again, probably until we’re old and wrinkly, or Botoxed and face-lifted in our case.”

I allowed him that joke because his words before had been more than I had expected from him at this point. Standing on my tiptoes, I kissed him.

Maybe it was to get into my panties, probably, but his words were honest, I could see it in his eyes.

For a long time, we only kissed under the spray of water, then I pulled back and whispered shyly. “Can we get into bed?” Savio didn’t need to be told twice. He pushed open the door and grabbed towels for us, helping me dry off.

His eagerness was almost amusing, if I hadn’t been so nervous. He linked our fingers and led me into the bedroom. I lay down on the bed, feeling my heart slam against my ribcage. Savio stretched out beside me.

His eyes dilated with a hunger that sent a thrill through me as he cupped my cheek. His musky scent flooded my nose and sent another wave of moisture down my center. “This is your show, Gem. Whenever you say stop, I’ll stop. I’m a big boy, I can deal if you stop at any point.”

Why did he have to say things like this in moments like this and make me want to kiss him senseless? I curled my fingers around his neck and kissed him with so much enthusiasm that our teeth clanged. I cringed, embarrassed at my lack of skill.

Savio wouldn’t have it. He grinned. “Playing rough already?”

I laughed. Then I tried again, and this time our mouths molded perfectly. Savio propped himself up, leaning over me, never stopping the kiss.

His fingers stroked their way up from my ribcage to my breast again and soon I was a boneless heap, bucking my hips almost desperately. I couldn’t control myself. Savio pulled out of the kiss as his fingers traced down my abs to my triangle once more.

I sucked in a breath and gripped Savio’s bicep, tensing so much I was sure tomorrow I’d be sore as if I’d done a workout.

“Is that a stop?”

I shook my head jerkily.

Savio brushed lower, still not where I ached. His eyes held mine and then he dipped down, parting me, feeling how desperately my body longed for his touch.

He groaned deep in his throat. “You’re so fucking wet, Gem. I knew you’d feel perfect…” His fingertip slid lower, brushed the sensitive insides of my folds. “And damn, you are. What are you doing to me?” He stroked over my heated flesh, gentle but practiced movements that halted my breath in my chest. My hand on his arm became slack as I let Savio take control over my body, forgotten my resolve not to give him this—not yet. But I couldn’t push him away, couldn’t deprive myself of the magic the pad of his thumb was wielding between my legs with gentle touches and swipes.

His lips found mine for a languid kiss that stole the remainder of my senses. I was rendered a panting, trembling mess beneath his capable hands as he stroked me. He wasn’t even touching my clit, a place I’d always focused all my attention on whenever I’d tried to give myself pleasure. It hadn’t been like this, not even close.

Savio’s gaze was consuming me, his scent and heat embracing me into a blissful cocoon I never wanted to escape from.

“How is it, Gem?” he growled as his thumb parted my folds once more, but this time, he flicked it over my little nub, his nail grazing me in a way that made my hips buck. For a moment, I was sure my eyes were going to roll back and I was going to pass out from the current of pleasure radiating through me.

Did he really need an answer to that question? He knew exactly what he was doing to me.

The sly curl of his mouth made that clear.

I narrowed my eyes, but his thumb flicked my clit again and I sucked in a sharp breath. His lips closed around my nipple. Sounds fell from my lips I’d never heard before. Gasps and choked moans as I was trying to rein myself in. What if someone overheard us?

“Don’t hold back,” Savio demanded. “Nobody can hear us.”

Was he a mind reader now too? I wasn’t sure if I believed him. I was gone too far to care, though. Savio resumed his assault of my nipple while his finger swiped faster and faster, spreading my moisture everywhere. One of his fingers slid lower, brushing my opening. My hand shot out, grasping his forearm to stop him because my mouth wasn’t functioning to actually say the words.

Savio peered up and for a moment, I was sure he’d ignore my silent command or pretend not to understand it, but he didn’t.

Soon I couldn’t hold back anymore, too overwhelmed by his touch between my legs and the suction of his mouth on my nipple. I arched off the bed and cried out my release. “Savio, God.”

I didn’t even care that he watched me like I was the newest blockbuster. His fingers guided me expertly through my release until they stilled and so did I. I stared up at the ceiling, stunned by the force of my orgasm.

“I told you you’d scream my name one day. And as an added bonus, you even called me God,” he said with a chuckle as he kissed my lips before hovering over me. His fingers were still between my legs and the look on his face was a mix between insufferable smugness and breathtaking ownership.

The heat in my cheeks intensified. “I did not call you God.” But I was mortified that I’d uttered the word while in the throes of passion. That was an abuse of the word if there ever was one.

“You uttered my name and God without pause, that’s as close as it can get if you ask me.” There was a subtle growl to his voice, an undercurrent of possessiveness, that was almost enough to make me ask for another round. I didn’t know this wanton thing could be inside of me.

His hand slid out from between my legs, making me shiver. Then he took my hand and pushed it between my legs. I tensed, unsure of his motive and acutely aware of the fact that I was dripping. I’d never been this wet. Savio guided my fingers along my folds, and I was sure I’d pass out from embarrassment any moment, but still I couldn’t avert my eyes from his. He lifted my hand from between my legs and to his face. My skin was coated with my juices. I tried to pull away, not able to believe what he was going to do, that he wanted to taste me.

“Relax, Gem,” he murmured.

I forced myself to do as he said. He was a big boy, he’d know if he wanted to do this.

Then he proceeded to grip each of my fingers and licked them clean, not once taking his eyes off me and letting out a low hum. My core throbbed with every stroke of his tongue, completely mesmerized, mortified and aroused. Just imagining how that tongue and mouth would feel between my legs almost sent me over the edge again. He pushed my hand between my legs again.

“Gather your juices,” he ordered.

My eyes widened at the command in his voice, but I allowed him to guide my fingers. Then he brought my hand up again. This time he held it before my face. I gave him a questioning look. “Taste yourself, believe me, you’re fucking delicious.”

I parted my lips and let Savio push my index finger into my mouth. It was the first time I tasted myself. It was a heady, slightly sweet flavor.

Savio’s eyes seemed to darken as he watched me. My skin burnt fiercely. This wasn’t something I’d ever considered doing, definitely nothing my strict catholic upbringing would condone.

“We’re going to hell for this,” I whispered thickly when Savio had pulled out my finger again.

“Trust me, if this already gets you a ticket to hell, heaven isn’t a place you want to spend eternity in.”

I laughed. Trust Savio to say something sacrilegious and make me feel good with it.

His mouth pulled into a smile, for once neither arrogant nor teasing before he pressed a kiss to my mouth, moving even closer until his front was molded to my side and I could feel the very apparent proof of his desire for me against my hipbone. His tip slid over my skin, spreading the hint of moisture there that stunned me.

My brows snapped together. Had he come watching me?

“What?” he asked in a low voice.

I darted my eyes down, despite my shyness, and indeed his tip was glistening. “Did you…?”

His own brows pulled together, obviously not following my train of thoughts.

A subtle pulse throbbed in my temple as the words tumbled out of me. “You are wet. Did you…” I lowered my voice. “…come?”

Savio blinked and then his head fell forward, his nose burying in my throat. “Oh Gem. You’re killing me.” And he laughed.

He laughed at me.

Mortification washed away the hazy after-orgasm glow and I jerked away from him, trying to get out of bed. Savio wouldn’t have it.

His arm snuck around my waist, pulling me against him once more and holding on tight. I didn’t look at his face, instead I focused on the way the muscles in his shoulders flexed. Our naked skin touched in several places—his strong thigh against mine, his erection against my waist, his muscled arm against my belly—and it was impossibly wonderful. Even in my mortification, that fact didn’t go unnoticed.

His finger nudged my head up so I’d look at him. I glared.

“I keep forgetting how little you know.”

Was that supposed to make me feel better? It didn’t. Toni had talked me through most of the important things, but obviously she’d left out equally important information.

“Stop making fun of me. You know how I grew up.”

Angry tears burned the back of my eyeballs. One day I’d get a grip on my emotionality, but that day wasn’t today.

“Yeah,” he murmured, low and dark, as his eyes traced my face. His fingers brushed across my cheek and I caught the whiff of myself still imprinted on his skin. “Do you know when it really hit me that I needed to have you?”

I couldn’t see why it mattered now. I shook my head.

“When I saw you in your choir uniform after church two years ago.”

I huffed. “I think you mean when you saw me in the Arena in those tight pants.”

A slow smile, still with that dominant edge, curled one corner of his mouth upward. “That’s when I really took notice of you, but later in that pleated skirt and that modest blouse and Amish updo, I knew I needed to own you.” He paused. “I needed to corrupt my good innocent choir girl in every way I could.”

I blinked and swallowed. Savio ran his nose along my jawline then kissed the corner of my mouth before his possessive gaze hit me like a tsunami and pushed the air straight out of my lungs.

“I didn’t know you had a schoolgirl fetish,” I said, surprised I got a single word out of my tight throat.

Laughter rumbled in his chest. “I don’t. Not until you. But, damn it, Kitty, you make me leak like a fucking schoolboy.” He emphasized the words by nudging his tip against my waist once more, spreading more of that wetness, and reminding me of the reason for our strange conversation.

“And no, I didn’t come,” he rasped against my ear. “Yet. But be my guest if you want to change that. My cock’s all yours to do with as you please.”

I swallowed, my eyes gliding down his body once more. Savio was gorgeous with clothes and without them. There was no denying it. Half of Vegas’ female population could attest to it. It took hard work and sweat to get definition, even more sweat and discipline to work up to the hint of a six-pack. Savio had an eight-pack that wasn’t just hinted at. It rippled down his stomach, earned by hours in the gym and just as many in the cage, led down to that V millions of women dreamed about but never got to see firsthand.

My eyes finally came to rest on that infamous bull tattoo. I still remembered the initial shock and embarrassment I’d felt seeing it. Now, I had to admit I kind of liked it. My gaze dipped even lower, and my mouth ran dry. Toni had briefly talked about freaking out when she saw Diego naked for the first time until I freaked out because she told me something like that. Now I got it.

“Breathe, Gem. He’s not going to bite.”

I tried to laugh, but it sounded a bit like a very embarrassing gurgle.

Savio didn’t push me, calmly rolling onto his back. I began tracing his abs, a safe place, enjoying the hard planes, then slowly moved lower. I followed the outline of the bull’s horns, to its narrowed eyes and provocatively twisted mouth. I curled my hand around his length. He felt good, hard but smooth and impossibly warm.

Savio’s abs flexed, but he didn’t make a sound.

Fight training had taught me to ask for advice if I didn’t know what to, so I did. “Can you show me how to touch you the way you like?”

I covered Gemma’s hand with mine and showed her how to stroke me. Her cheeks were pink but an expression of intense focus lay on her face. Trust Gemma to want to be the best even in this.

My balls were already throbbing. Fuck, they had been throbbing from the second I’d seen Gemma naked and when I’d finally touched her pussy, I’d been sure I’d shoot my load. I didn’t even remember my last premature orgasm.

Watching her beautiful body, seeing her fingers on my cock, I soon began pumping my hips to meet her hands. A goddamn hand job made me unravel, a fucking disgrace, but Gemma drove me completely crazy, without much effort, without much thought.

Her eyes widened when my cock became even harder and I came with a groan, causing a mess on my thighs and stomach because she kept pumping a bit too enthusiastically. Chuckling, I let my head fall back.

I reached for tissues I’d stashed beside the bed to be safe and handed a few to Gemma before I began cleaning my jizz off. Gemma was biting her lip, lost in thought. I’d never bothered wondering what girls were thinking. It had seemed like a waste of time and energy, but with Gemma, I would have given anything to get a glimpse into that pretty head.

Wrapping my arm around her waist, I pulled her against my side. She looked insecure, almost guilty. That traditional bullshit was probably messing with her head again. How could pleasure ever be sin? I ran my fingertip along her temple. “Dollar for your thoughts.”

Gemma pressed into me, depriving me of the chance to see her expression.

“Gem, come on. Say something. This silent treatment makes me feel like I forced you to do something you didn’t want.” I didn’t often feel guilty, and mostly in relation to Gemma, and my sleepless nights definitely weren’t the result of my conscience, but the idea of having pushed Gemma bothered me more than I thought possible. I wanted her to want it, want me.

“You didn’t force me to do anything. I wanted it.”

Thank fuck.

“Then what? Do I have to get sex isn’t sin tattoo across my butt to drive the message home?”

Gemma choked out a laugh, slapping my chest before she began to idly trace my eight-pack once more. “Don’t disfigure your behind.”

“My behind…” I shook my head with a smile before I peered down. “Does that mean you enjoy the sight of it?”

She met my gaze. “Are you really fishing for compliments? You are the only person I could ever imagine getting a tattoo with their own name.”

I grinned. “Don’t change the topic.”

She gave a shrug. “It is nice to look at.”

“I like your ass too, Gem.”

She pursed that kissable mouth. I stroked my fingers along her waist and hip, enjoying how her eyes fluttered shut under the sensation. “I always imagined things to be different…”

“Different how?”

“Being intimate with a man. Mom never talked to me about it but my aunt saw me in my jeans and T-shirt once, and told me that I was asking for men to touch if I dressed like that, and that men are driven by their urges and wouldn’t be able to hold themselves back if I didn’t cover myself.”

I scoffed. “What a load of bullshit,” I growled. I tipped Gem’s face up. “No matter how you dress, only an asshole would think you’re asking for it. And that men can’t hold back after a certain point is complete and utter bullshit, Gemma. There’s no point of no return. That’s an urban myth that sick fucks use to justify rape. Even if you were lying naked under me, my dick already pressed up to your pretty pussy, I’d be able to stop if you told me so.”

Gemma smiled.

“I mean, I’d cry fat tears and my balls would explode, but I’d stop without hesitation. You can trust me at any point.”

Gemma wrapped an arm around me, her body softening against mine. “Thank you.”

I wasn’t exactly sure what for, but I enjoyed the feel of her relaxation.

“Tell me one personal thing about you that no one else knows.”

I tensed. My first reaction was to resort to sarcasm. I hadn’t bargained for so much talking, especially about emotions, but I wanted things between Gemma and me to work. I really wanted that, and not because I wanted to pop her cherry, not only because of that.

I didn’t want to dive into the black hole that was my early childhood and it wouldn’t really have been something no one knew about.

I thought back to the early days of my life in Las Vegas after we’d claimed back power. Suddenly after years of fighting and running, I’d had a home and the chance to live a life that came as close to normal as being a Falcone allowed, which was still a far cry from everyone else’s normal. “When I first became friends with Diego, it was because I loved spending time at your house. It was the first time I witnessed a normal family, one that wasn’t fueled by hate, pain, and fear. Don’t get me wrong, Remo and Nino did their best to raise Adamo and me. They did everything in their power to protect us, to care for us, but… you know Remo and Nino.”

Remo had taken care of my brothers and me since he was fourteen and our father had sent us to boarding school in England to get us out of the way. Dealing with our crazy mother, his sadistic hobbies and us, had simply been too much. “For a while, I really wanted a family like that, a life like that…”

“And now you don’t?”

I hesitated. “I like my family’s brand of crazy and things have changed since Kiara and Serafina are here. At first, I was pissed because I couldn’t act like I was used to, but now I really enjoy it, even the little monsters. I guess I like our version of a normal family.”

“Do you want kids?”

I brushed her ear with my lips. “Don’t you think we should master the first step of having sex before we use it the way God intended?”

“I don’t mean now. I mean someday.”

That was probably a topic we should have broached before we married. “I do, but not in the next ten years. I want Remo’s and Nino’s kids out of the crazy age.”

Gemma laughed. “Does the crazy age ever end?”

“With Nevio probably not,” I muttered. “What about you?”

“I want kids, but like you, I’m not in a hurry, even if it’ll break Mom’s heart. She’s already dreaming about getting her first grandkid next year.”

Relief flooded me. With Gemma’s traditional upbringing, it would have made sense for her to pop out a baby soon. “Then Toni and Diego better get it going because we sure as fuck won’t produce little Gemmas anytime soon.”

She raised her head. “What about little Savios?”

“Too much work.”

Gemma grinned and kissed me.