Endless Love by Bianca Borell
Chapter Twenty-Two
BRIA
When Sophia hops out of the car after leaving the restaurant, I wave and lean into the seat back, pressing my phone to my ear. Damien answers on the second ring.
“Hi, baby.”
“I’m on my way back.”
“I’ll finish here and come home to you.” Home to me. Words with a direct link to my heart.
“Did you find a tuxedo?”
“Let me say, baby, you have a sexy man.”
I giggle and say, “It’s one reason I will marry you.”
“Good to know. What are the others? I’m sure it’s quite an extensive list,” he teases.
“Are you fishing for compliments?”
“Shamelessly, yes.”
“Hurry, and I’ll tell you in person.”
“Such a tease.”
Oh, he will see what a tease I can be when he gets home. I chuckle at the thought.
“See you soon.”
***
I hold my back straight with one leg crossed over the other, my eyes fixed on the entrance of our bedroom. With every passing second, my skin prickles in anticipation of Damien’s reaction to finding me seated in a plush armchair wearing only a black lace cutout teddy and heels.
The door clicks open, and my breath hitches. His deep voice calls my name, echoing in the silent penthouse. My red lips part. His tone rises when I don’t reply, and his steps speed up across the wooden floor.
I ache to answer him, the slight worry laced in his words almost undoes me, but he will find me soon, and all the concern will melt away.
Damien rushes inside and pauses. Our gazes connect. His eyes tell me everything I’m dying to know, that it’s just me, only me, forever only me for him. In this room, there’s only us, love and passion sizzling between us.
Heavy and elaborate breaths heave his chest, and his pupils disappear in the pool of steel blue, swallowing me whole.
I uncross my legs and spread them over the armchair as my hands linger on my exposed thighs and he yanks at his collar.
Damien’s eyes follow every one of my caresses.
Every tick of the clock increases my desire. My skin begs for his touch. My nipples poke through the material, wishing to be freed of their confinement. He sizes me up, leaving no inch untouched from his penetrating stare, and goosebumps erupt over my skin. His lips curve into a mesmerizing smile, and his bald-face arrogance does funny things to my insides.
His gaze is full of promise, and the ache I feel inside increases on its own. I’m slowly imploding with the thick, sexual tension between us. It could have been just minutes or hours. What I am sure of, though, is the hungry way Damien takes me in, assuring me that what’s coming will make my world spin. His muscles strain and flex with his heavy breathing. He yanks at his two upper shirt buttons.
“Tell me, Bria, what were you thinking about a second ago?”
His tone lowers to demanding taking everything from me and asking for more. I shudder and stare him right in his eyes, determination dripping from my lips.
“I thought of you fucking me.”
His eyes turn to vast pools of lust as he sucks in a breath of air.
“Open your legs wider for me, baby.”
I spread for him and I trace one finger along the curves of the laced fabric. The need to play with myself to ease some pressure blinds me, but I have a job to do first. I push the teddy aside and tease my entrance with my fingers and his jaw ticks. Coated in my arousal, I show him my fingers. He gulps in response, his jeans giving in to the pressure of his hard-on.
The image alone increases the wetness between my legs. Damien rips his shirt off as the last shred of patience vanishes from him.
His jeans’ button pops, he discards them and his black boxers, releasing himself, and reaches me in two strides. I raise my hands to touch him, he’s so near to my trembling hands, but he shakes his head in response, commanding, “Touch yourself. I want to see those fingers going in and out of that delectable pussy of yours. Show me, baby.”
“Only if you do the same.”
“You want to see me stroking my cock?”
Always crass, but I love his dirty mouth and I nod, biting down on my lip. I play with myself, lost in the rhythm of touch. I’m captivated by the view in front of me. He hisses, and he grits his teeth as he fists his erection—such a spectacular view.
“Is my baby hungry for my cock?”
“Yes,” I rasp, my voice, a sound of lust and desperation reverberating through my insides, screaming for more until we explode into fireworks of desire.
His fingertips brush my belly and my bare thighs, clasping my bottom. The sensations drive me crazy.
Damien removes the teddy, and he sucks my already hard nipples in his mouth, and a moan parts my lips. He releases them with a pop, and he tips my chin up while I wait for his next instruction.
“Spread your lips with your fingers, let me play with my pussy.”
His dexterous finger grazes over my core, and he takes my mouth in his and licks my lower lip, easing the sting. His fingers circle my bundle of nerves as moan after moan escapes my mouth.
“Come, baby.”
At his command, my body erupts into an earthshaking orgasm. I come back from the height of pleasure, and he lifts me. In one swift move, he throws me on the bed.
“Onto your hands and knees.”
I watch him over my shoulder as Damien stares back at me in adoration and pure hunger. His hands stroke my back, positioning himself behind me, ready to possess me. I grab the sheets as if they can hold me. His lips kiss down my spine, and I moan as he thrusts inside me, spreading me, going deeper than I knew possible.
I feel him everywhere in me, around me. I am dizzy.
My body shudders as Damien touches me, holding me through my release, my limbs turning to jelly. He flips me over and props my legs over his shoulders, sliding a few more times in and out of me. Damien captures my lips once more, and with a strangled voice, he lets my name slip out from his lips on a moan and comes. He gazes dreamingly at me like I’m the key to unlocking the doors to paradise.
“That was . . .” I arch my eyebrow in expectation, and he adds, “Hot.”
“Did I meet your expectations?”
“You exceeded them all.”
I giggle, the sound ringing with love and satisfaction.
“When I came in and saw you looking like a damn fantasy . . .” I tap his lips, and pride laces my next words.
“Goal accomplished.” He lowers his head, kissing me.
“Spin my world off my axis any time you want.”
I rise and our combined essence pours down my leg. He moves between my thighs and spreads it a little as he dips one finger in the mess, and he brands me. He always writes the same word on my thighs, belly, or breasts. Only after he finishes his handiwork does he look up at me, pride etched in his eyes.
“Mine.”
“I’m yours,” I say “I’m sticky, bathe me.” I lock my hands around his neck while his nose brushes mine.
“I like you sticky. It reminds me of where I was a few moments ago.”
He winks at me, and I trace my finger over his straight nose and down past his lips to his neck. I place my hand against his heart.
“It beats only for you, baby.”
I kiss him until we’re both breathless when it ends.
***
The bed shifts and the covers sink to the floor. Damien lifts me and carries me to the bathroom that lights up when we enter. He dips and kisses my shoulder blade while water fills the white oval bathtub. The sparkling black floor warms under my feet as I climb in the now half-full tub. He settles himself behind me, and we let the hot water soothe our muscles.
I cradle my head between his shoulder and neck while my skin yearns and welcomes his caresses.
“I keep losing track of time. You’re distracting like that, Damien.”
“We still have enough time, baby. Let me take care of you.” He nibbles on my ear, and I kiss his jaw.
“If it’s too much, you will tell me, won’t you?” His chin rests on the valley of my shoulder while he slides the loofah over my belly and breasts.
“I’m sure you could see I’m not well from a mile away.”
“I still want to hear it. I need to hear it,” he says, and for a second, the loofah stops moving on my chest. I raise my hand and count on my fingers.
“I take my medicine as I’m supposed to, and I feel rather alive and better every day.” I’m okay for the time being. I survived, I am alive, that is all that matters.
“Can I come with you to your appointment?”
“You asking nicely instead of demanding is a delightful change. I’d love for you to come with me to my appointment, but I can’t remember the exact date.” My smile dies on my lips. “Wait, I have a problem.”
He tenses beside me and I straighten. He won’t like it, but I will remedy it tomorrow morning. I’m losing my capacity to multitask with so much time outside the office and living in a bubble.
“What is it, Bria?”
“I don’t have a follow-up appointment because I couldn’t decide if I wanted to have my check-ups in London or Zürich,” I say and wait for Damien’s response. Instead of anger, I’m surprised by his calm, cool demeanor, which tells me he did something. He’d never be this quiet. I know him too well.
“Do you know something I don’t?”
“I took care of it. It’s on November twenty-fifth at ten thirty with Dr. Irene Goldstein in Zürich. She’s the best according to my sources.”
“Care to explain?”
His expression turns defensive, and he replies, “Don’t be angry. You know how I get with you.”
“You haven’t answered my question. I’m waiting.” What has he done now, and I tap the sides of the bathtub.
He treads a hand through his hair and seeks my eyes, a mix of anguish and apprehension crossing his face.
“When you were gone, I tried to find you. I hired the best in the business. I was a walking ghost, I was desperate, and your absence put me through hell, deserved or not. I felt pain no man, no matter how great his sins are, should ever endure.” Oh, he digresses, so it’s bad, and he continues while I grip the edge of the tub. “When you came back, I couldn’t stand the thought of losing you again. I hired someone to hack the system of the hospital where you had your surgery and . . .”
Anger blurs my vision as I dart to the other end of the tub, water sloshing up over the sides.
“You accessed and read my medical record—a felony, by the way—just so you can sleep in peace. You’ve kept this from me for all this time. All you had to do was ask me and I would have shown them to you. But no, it had to be your way. More proof that you still don’t trust me. Which, let me tell you, terrifies and infuriates me,” I shout, my anger erupting from within me.
His eyes turn to stones, and he snaps right back.
“You can yell and be mad at me all you want, but I’m scared out of my mind about your condition. I won’t apologize. Is it so terrible that I want to take care of you?”
I shut my eyes, and through gritted teeth, I say, “Of course, you won’t apologize because to you, you did nothing wrong. How can I make you see where you were wrong when you won’t see it for yourself?” My anger turns to tears. “I tried to tell you about my surgery, and you shut off, only to find out you knew all along. I don’t understand why you act like this when my medical files tell you my heart is getting better.”
“No, what I know is the surgery you had is cutting-edge, and that patch is still on trial. What I know is your heart is still weak, and I have to protect it at all costs.”
His breaths turn heavy. I press my forehead to his, “I will get better.” He gulps and wraps his arms around me.
“And when I know you’re better, I will calm down, but until then, I’ll make sure nothing jeopardizes your recovery.”
“What if it doesn’t get better?” I hate this uncertainty. He winces, shuts his eyes, and drags me between his legs, sheltering and caressing me.
“Don’t say it. I don’t want to hear that even though you survived, there’s a ticking clock. You’ll get the best care, Bria. Don’t be mad at me. It’s how I cope, and by taking it in my hands, it’s how I gain some control back.”
“You infuriating, stubborn man of mine. Look at me.”
He does, and my heart aches at the vulnerability in his expression.
“You’re the best medicine. Your love is what will make my heart beat in my chest for a long, long time. I know it. I feel it. It’s like it says it will protect me and grant me more years with you than I ever thought possible.”
I grab his hand and plant it on my heart, beating steadily. His lips curve into a timid smile, and the hardness slips from his face. He presses a soft kiss on my scars masked under the tattoo.
“Then I’ll believe it too.”
We finish washing each other, all tension gone. He’s the first to step out of the tub, wrapping a towel around his hips, leaving me to get ready for the night.
I apply makeup, drawing a fine line of black on my eyelids, add some mascara, dab a shimmering blush on my cheeks, and put the same red lipstick on. It’s my kind of payback, which always works better than fighting. I smile, thinking of his reaction. Have a long night, Damien, reminiscing about what my red lips did only a few hours ago.
I finish straightening my hair and emerge from the bathroom. The smell of exotic spices invades my nostrils, and I put a bathrobe on and follow the scent of food. I take a seat across from Damien, while he eyes me, not hiding his smirk.
“I like your lipstick. You chose a memorable color.”
“Thank you, I found it appropriate. I’m going for glamorous tonight.” I take a forkful of hummus and he cocks his head, raising his eyebrows.
“And here I thought you were going as fucked.”
“That mouth of yours.”
I shake my head at him, and he winks at me. Damien points his knife at my plate, and we eat some more.
“I was on the phone with both Filip and Chloe. They’ll wait for us in our private section.”
“Were they together?” I ask as I take another bite of hummus.
“I don’t think so.”
“I’m curious what tonight will bring. We don’t need more drama. It’s like the moment we leave our home, there’s always something about to happen.”
“Bria, baby, I have you. I won’t allow anything bad to happen to you.”
My phone buzzes on the counter. I pick up, but not before kissing him.
I answer, and Sophia’s flowery voice greets me.
“Hi, Soph.”
“Hi, you.”
“We’ll be ready in the next hour.”
“We’re almost done.”
“Great, what about Filip and Chloe?”
“Damien spoke to them. They’ll meet us at the club.”
“Together?”
“I don’t know.”
“Those two . . .”
“It’s their thing.”
“Catch you later, sister-in-law. I’ll text Sarah.”
“See you soon.”
I end the call, and Damien tips my head back, taking my lips into a long kiss. I forget the world around me. No, that’s a lie because this man is my world, and him I could never forget. He’s me, mine.
