Angel’s Trumpet by Sem Thornwood
I hated reality. This morning reality forced me to get out of bed and dress up just so I could leave Mia’s side. The last thing I wanted to do was get away from her. After finally telling her that I loved her, I wanted to spend all day with her so I could tell her over and over.
She was all mine. Heart, body, and soul.
Now she was trying to fill her mouth with some French toast before going to school. Her hair was in a ponytail, and she was not dressed as well as she usually did. It was only natural considering last night. I wore her out, and then we stayed at the bathtub too long, only chatting about our days and holding each other. It was the kind of soft thing my father would never let himself have, and that made me even more proud. I might be brutal against everybody, but Mia deserved my loving soft side. I was not able to give that to her while having sex, but I could at other times.
So, I did. I gave her all my love in every way I could.
Her fast eating was so cute I couldn’t help but pull her to me by her ponytail. Mia’s eyes widened at me, but as she swallowed, the look in them turned to something heated. Not the time, Angel. “Ever went to an underground casino?”
She shook her head. “I asked Antonio to take me once, but my father heard and forbade it.”
A smile pulled my lips. The life she lived was not something to smile about, but the fact that she was still sharing so much of her firsts with me was causing my chest to warm up because I was also sharing my firsts with her. The only difference between us was her experiences were more physical while mine were more emotional.
“Want to go one tonight?” I asked.
Now her eyes filled with excitement. “Really? Can we also play poker?”
“Of course.”
“But I am not talking about you playing poker and me sitting on your lap like a pet. I want to play.”
I figured as much. Mia loved playing poker when we were in the Lake House, and she was good too. It was another thing we both loved, and I was also excited to play with her in a casino. I didn’t tell her, though. I just flickered her nose and said, “Okay, Pup.”
She snarled at the nickname. I called her worse names in bed, yet this was the one that made her snarl. Fuck I should have used that last night.
I nibbled her bottom lip to shut her up. “Be home early, okay?”
“You bet I will, Sally,” she said, earning a slap on her ass which only made her grin wider. “I need to get ready.” She clapped her hands. “I am so excited.”
I couldn’t help but smile at her. It was impossible not to. She owned every part of me, and she gave joy to all of it. I looked into her exquisite blue eyes a little more seriously. “I love you, Mia. Don’t forget that until I am able to remind you once more.”
All of her features softened, and she buried her face to my neck, inhaling me like she also wanted to keep me in her until I was once more at her side. “I love you too. You have all my love, and you deserve all of it.” I opened my mouth to object because there was no way I deserved her anything, but she stopped me. “I don’t want to hear your opinion on that. What I say goes.”
I chuckled and slapped her ass, softer than before yet still hard enough to make her jump. “Come on, go to your school, and don’t let that fuckface near you.”
She pulled back from me, laughing. “Would you punish me again if I did? You know you suck at punishments.”
“That could be the first time I heard those words,” I said and started walking out of the kitchen. Mia followed me. Both of us needed to go to the garage anyway. She teased me all the way there.
When we reached our cars, Mateo was waiting. He was really getting on my nerves, but I didn’t show it since Mia was pleased by him. I also didn’t like how his eyes secretly peaked over to us, but I was not shy to show affection to my wife in front of anyone. I grabbed Mia’s ass and pressed her to my front for a possessive kiss. She gave a little shriek but returned the kiss. When my lips were on hers, she forgot everything around us, and I fucking loved that.
“I love you,” I whispered. It was not something I would tell her in front of any soldier of mine, but Mateo was okay in that matter. Anyone that close to us would know how I felt about Mia anyway.
She pressed another short kiss to my lips and repeated, “I love you.”
Mateo uncomfortably moved in his seat. From my peripheral, I could see his body was tense. “You are driving even more reckless today.”
I shrugged. That couldn’t be it. He was never bothered by my driving. “I do that when I am happy.”
“You are happy?”
What the fuck? Of course, I was happy. He knew that. He was with me all the time. He saw how my relationship with Sal improved and made me happier. I was pretty sure he even heard our sweet farewell today. Why would he think… I felt something ugly on my stomach. “Did you call him yesterday so that we will have a fight?” It was very out of character of him to inform Sal about such a thing.
His body clamped up more, and that gave me all the answers I wanted. “I was just doing my job.”
“You never do your job, Mateo! You always listen to me instead of him.”
“He wanted to up the security.”
“Bullshit!” I spitted. All of those looks and little hints were bearable, but this was too much. He actively tried to ruin my marriage. At the first empty space I found, I parked the car in one swift move and stopped, surprising Mateo. “What the fuck is your problem?”
He looked at me with calm eyes, but his body language was still tense as fuck. “My problem is always you, Mia. I want you to be happy.”
“And you are doing this by ruining my marriage? Which, by the way, is stronger than ever.”
He shook his head slowly, but it almost seemed like he was in pain. “You believe it is, but you are wrong. He is going to break your heart. He is not capable of what you ask of him.”
And now he was an expert on my marriage? I could only laugh. This guy who I have trusted with my life was just too eager to ruin the best thing I ever had. Something squeezed my heart hard, but I didn’t show him.
“Are you in love with me, Mateo?” I asked. For some reason, I hoped for him to say yes because that would make what he did a little more bearable.
To my displeasure, he looked even more uncomfortable. “Why would you ask that?”
“Because I cannot think of any other reason for you to come between my husband and me.”
“I just want you to be happy.”
“I am happy!” I almost screamed to his face. He was being impossible. “I love him, and all I want from him is his love. It is all I ever wanted. You might not trust him, or you might not even trust my judgment, but to me, he is perfect in any way, and nothing is going to change that. Nothing is going to change the fact that I love him, and he loves me.”
“He loves you,” Mateo murmured to himself. For the first time in our argument, there was anger on his face. I could feel him shake with burning rage. “He says he loves you but is he capable of showing it, Mia? I have known him longer than you. I know how he is. I really don’t know how he controlled himself with you for so long, but one day that control is going to snap. One day he is going to hurt you for real and give you bruises you won’t carry with girly giddiness.”
I know what he was talking about by the way his eyes lingered on the hickey on my neck. I was never ashamed by the marks Sal left on me. I was never ashamed of what we have done. It was ours, and everybody with a bad opinion could fuck themselves. Mateo had no right to talk about this or, more so, judge me for this. I knew Sal also didn’t trust himself and still felt bad, but I liked assuring him that he was in control. I loved assuring him how he would never really hurt me.
I didn’t need to assure Mateo. This was not his fucking business.
My jaw flexed under his burning gaze. I took his insane behavior this long just because I have known him for years, but it was enough. The sweet role I played for everyone else spared him long enough. It was time for him to face real Mia, the one who matched Salvatore.
“Mateo, I have known you for a long time,” I started with a voice like ice. “I am grateful for how you protected me with your life all those years, but if you ever say anything about my marriage one more time, I would have to ask for a new bodyguard.” My eyes burned with the same ugly things his did. Now I was not afraid to shrink to his level. “And if Sal asks me why, I just know what to tell him.”
He swallowed thickly. Even though he said he was ready to face his punishment for kissing me, he was afraid. Fucker was just trusting my kindness.
Not anymore.
He nodded. “I understand, Mrs. Vasile. It won’t happen again.”
I smiled and started the car again. “Good.”
My marriage was going great, but my project was not so much. I thought maybe I was just a better artist when I was in pain. I would not give up what I had to get my old talent back, though. It was in me. I could find it again. But apparently not now. I was working on that project so hard, but my professor was not even remotely pleased. My monster was drawn perfectly, but it lacked feelings. I didn’t know what feelings to put it in anymore. I used to put my anger and sadness into them, but I was almost drained of those feelings now. I had nothing.
Even the person who always held a little sadness in her eyes around me was deliriously happy. Bella was a little over six months pregnant, and she was too excited. I knew the baby was not planned, but the way they acted, it felt like it was. Alessio was crazy protective, but he was also crazy happy. I could see how Bella was sometimes a little annoyed by the way he acted, but it didn’t make her sad. She was never sad like she used to be. She still held some fear in her eyes, but Alessio was always there to assure her.
I remembered how I envied them, longed for something similar. I thought Sal was never going to love me like that, but he did. When he looked at me, I could see the same glimmer that I saw in Alessio’s eyes when he looked at Bella.
I had what I longed for years. Actually, I had it better because it was ours. We were more teasing and not as lovey-dovey as them. Yet when we were soft, it was the most beautiful thing.
I loved how Salvatore could go so rough on me in bed and then cuddle me like I was made of glass. I loved how he made me feel both strong and delicate. I loved our little fake fights, and I loved our sweet movie nights.
Yet sometimes, I still heard Mateo’s words. I knew it was not real, but he had a way of getting into my head. Everyone was doubtful about Sal, but for some reason, Mateo’s words stuck. I knew he would never truly hurt me, but I also didn’t have proof.
Luckily, I usually brushed off those thoughts as fast as they came. I liked everything we did both in bed and out of it. We didn’t have a problem, and creating one just because of those stupid words was… well, stupid.
Whenever I have doubts, I just reminded myself of how he always asked me how I was afterwards and examined me to see if I was lying or not. I remembered how he always cleaned me up and gave me sweet kisses with sweet words that he only reserved for a few people in his life. I remembered how he ended every night and started every morning by telling me he loved me.
That was one of the reasons I never went to bed before he came. He sometimes came late, but I was usually working on my artwork anyway. One time when he came late, I still heard how he whispered “I love you” in my ear before wrapping me in his arms, but it was not enough. I wanted to be awake for all of them.
I was greedy when it came to his love.
That was the reason why I stayed up tonight. I was not inspired to work on my painting at all, and Sal was late. So, I just sat on the cigar lounge with a book in my hand. I liked hanging out here. First, it was for smoking cigars with Sal and a few fucking sessions that followed that, but after that, I also came here when he was late, and I just wanted to read a book or watch something from my laptop. The armchairs were extremely comfy, and they had a cozy environment.
Tonight, Sal didn’t answer my texts a lot and only told me that he was going to be late. At this point, I knew that meant bloodshed. He was always too much in darkness on those nights. I usually just wrapped him up with my love to drain the darkness.
Tonight, I was not so sure. Because tonight I was not in the mood for anything. I was sad because of my school and couldn’t even focus on the book I was reading. I needed his sweetness as much as he needed mine.
At one point, I thought maybe it was best to sleep before he came because that was not something he could give me, and he was going to demand more than I could give, but I decided otherwise. Running away was never a good option. We could drain each other’s darkness somehow.
I just knew it.
But when I saw the door open, I realized it was going to be hard. Sal was wearing a shirt that was drained with blood. He did sometimes come home like this. It didn’t bother me. What bothered me was the look in his eyes. He looked like a hungry predator ready to hunt. I could even swear his eyes looked like a darker shade of green.
I immediately got up on my feet, and his eyes roamed over my body. He came closer with fast steps. “Mia,” he said with a gruff voice, but it sounded more like a growl than my name.
I swallowed thickly. I was not afraid of him. I was never afraid of him.
Yet, I needed to figure out how to get him. I wanted to hold him, and I wanted him to hold me, probably after I cleaned all the blood.
One of his strong hands wrapped around my throat, and the other came to my ass. He pressed me to him and angled my face to kiss me harshly. He was greedy. I returned the kiss, but it was almost like he wanted more. He wanted to devour me. I normally loved how he was so desperate for me, but this was not what I needed now. I pulled back to tell him that, but the second my lips left him, I felt both his hand on my waist, turning me.
I gave a surprised cry, but that didn’t even have a little effect on him. Sal simply pushed and bend me over the armchair. “No!” I tried to turn on his hold, but he was too strong.
Sal growled and pushed me down. I was wearing sweatpants, so he easily pulled them down and made a low sound at the sight of my bare bottom. All of that primal act was okay when I was in the mood, but I was not now.
“No!” I squirmed again, but he only made a displeased sound and spanked my ass. I cried out. I heard that he was undoing his trousers. I was not even wet enough to take him. He would probably test that and finger me first, but it didn’t matter. I didn’t want it, and Sal didn't get it.
He didn’t get it because I acted the same way when I felt bratty. I would say him, no, just to play. This was not it.
I felt his thick head on my pussy lips. “No!” I tried to push him away. He didn’t budge but also didn’t enter me. He probably felt that I was not wet. I heard him spit, and then his wet fingers found my folds. I tried to push him again, but he stroked me, earning some of my wetness. I felt his cock again, and I was close to crying. Then it hit me. I never used it, but we did talk about it. “Trumpet!” I shouted. Then because I know he was too far gone in the pleasure, I repeated. “Trumpet! Trumpet!”
Sal went still behind me, and the fingers that holding me flexed on my waist. I gave out a shaky breath, and he got away from me like he was burned. “Fuck!” he cursed.
I pulled my sweats and underwear back on and turned to him. He was already tucked inside, but his pants were still undone. He was pulling his hair. “I am sorry,” he rasped. I stepped closer to him, but he stepped away. His face was all red, and his eyes looked crazy. It was not the kind of crazy he showed in bed. He looked delirious, angry, and broken. The sight shattered my heart.
“Mia, I’m so sorry,” he repeated, and for the first time in my whole life since his mother got sick, I heard Salvatore Vasile close to tears.
I didn’t care that he stepped back. I stepped closer. “Sal, it is okay.”
“It is not okay.” He shook his head. “It was not fucking okay.” Then he fell down to his knees and looked even more broken. “Mia, I am so sorry. I told you I cannot control myself. I almost… God, I can’t even say it.”
I got to my knees in front of him as well. His head was hanging between his shoulders. I cupped his cheeks and brought his tear-filled eyes to mine. “Sal, you stopped.”
“I stopped too late.”
“You stopped when I said the safe word. That’s how it works.”
“You said no!” he shouted with anger that was more aimed at himself than me. Honestly, I would take his anger, but it went away too quickly and was once more replaced by self-hatred. That was something I could not bear looking at.
I brushed my thumbs to his cheeks and kissed his forehead, his nose, and his lips softly. “I say no other times, too, Sal. You could not tell if I was playing or not. You stopped when you needed to. You are in control when it comes to me, Sal. You didn’t hurt me.”
“You didn’t want to stop because I hurt you?”
I shook my head and smiled at him. “No. I was just not in the mood.” Then I kissed his face some more. “You never truly hurt me. Here is your proof. Please don’t doubt yourself.”
“I feel awful,” he said, but he didn’t have to because I could tell from the look on his face.
He didn’t need to, though. It was a challenge we needed to face. He never believed he could stop, even when we decided on the safe word. He was always afraid of forcing me on his blind rage, but he could not go blinder than that. Yet, he still didn’t hurt me. He was more in control than he gave himself credit for. Or at least he was when it came to me.
I wrapped my arms and legs around him on the floor. “Let’s go to our bathroom so I can wash you, Baby. Then we will cuddle. You have nothing to feel bad about this. I love you.”
He kissed my hair and inhaled. “I love you, Mia. I can’t even imagine hurting you. It is…”
“Not real,” I interrupted. “You didn’t hurt me. At least not in a way I don’t enjoy. Now carry me.”
With that, he got up with me glued to his chest. “Are you sure I didn’t hurt you?”
I left more kisses on his face smiling. This was the proof everyone was wrong about Salvatore, but he was still feeling bad about it. He was feeling guilty despite doing everything right. I was the one who used the safe word too late. Sal had no fault in it.
“Let’s get into the shower, and you can inspect me to see if you did.” He loved checking me and making sure I was okay. “Now go. I need a cuddling session full of love from my husband.”
Sal didn’t say anything. He just left another kiss on my crown and started walking. He held me close. He washed and checked every part of me to see if I was really okay, and when we were cuddling, he tried to apologize again. I silenced him with kisses every time. Eventually, he just fell asleep, holding me to his chest. There was nothing better than this in the world, and there would never be.
My big bad devil was so much in love with me, and he wasn’t shy of showing his soft side to me.
Only me.
