Page 16 of Secret Revenge

I hurried to my room to freshen up. I whipped the apron off and quickly changed into a form-fitting black dress. I brushed the flour out of my hair and put on a new coat of lipstick.

Before I finished, he joined me. “It amazes me how you can go from cook covered in sauce and flour to elegant woman in the time it takes me to walk up here.”

He grabbed me, crushing me against his chest. His burning lips descended on mine in a wild kiss, hungry and passionate. I groaned in desire as my hand moved to the back of his neck, pulling him closer to me with a desperate need. My lips parted eagerly, inviting his tongue to explore my mouth. Sparks ignited inside me as our tongues danced together, consuming us both in a wildfire of passion. “Mmm, you taste delicious,” he said against my mouth. “Maybe we should go eat dinner before we forget all about it.”

At that moment, I had no interest in food, but I knew I’d get what I wanted later on that night.”

“You know you don’t need to repay me for anything, right?” The question hung in the air, heavy and laden with unspoken emotion as we walked arm in arm to the dining room.

“Nicholas, I feel like I owe you for so much. You saved my brother, you rescued me from Antonio Bianchi, you kept my promise to Jocelyn.” My heart pounded in my chest, the vulnerability in my words leaving me exposed.

“Listen to me, Liliana.” His voice was low, a storm brewing beneath the calm surface. “You owe me nothing. I am your husband, and I would go to the ends of the earth to keep you safe and happy.”

The air between us crackled with electricity as he pulled me to him again, his touch igniting a fire that had long been smoldering beneath our carefully crafted facade.

Our lips met in a passionate dance, tongues tasting and exploring each other’s depths, the heat of our bodies melding together as one. As we broke away, gasping for breath, the intensity of our connection threatened to consume us both.

“Serve me, Liliana,” he commanded once we reached the dining room. His eyes locked onto mine, a silent challenge that sent a shiver down my spine.

“Very well.” With trembling hands, I plated the chicken parmigiana, each forkful a symbol of the power I held within myself - power that I would no longer cede to the men who sought to control my life.

He began to eat and I stared, watching for any sign he didn’t like the food.

He looked up from his plate. “Delicious. I had no idea you could cook.”

I grinned. “Of course I can. Can’t everyone?”

He shook his head. “No. My mother never set foot in the kitchen, not even to get herself a glass of water.” He took another bite. “I’m not sure Gina’s chicken is better than yours. Did she teach you how to make this?”

I flushed under his praise. “No. I showed her the recipe and she told me the order to cook things in. Then she left and I got to work.”

“It’s delicious,” he said. “Since my mother never cooked, I assumed... Well, I shouldn’t have.”

“Never assume anything about me, Nicholas.” I replied with a hint of defiance, the fire within me beginning to smolder.

He grinned. “Lesson learned.”

As we finished our dinner, the silence between us became charged with anticipation. There was an unspoken understanding, a raw need that could no longer be denied.

“Come with me.” His voice was gentle, yet commanding as he rose from the table, extending his hand to me. I placed my hand in his, feeling the familiar shiver of desire course through me.

Nicholas swept me up into his arms and carried me to the bedroom, his eyes never leaving mine. Our connection deepened, the air thick with passion and longing.

“Tonight, I want to be tender with you,” he whispered, his breath hot against my ear.

Nicholas’s hands caressed me, tracing the lines of my silhouette in the dim moonlight that filtered through the curtains of our bedroom. His fingers grazed me, reverent and achingly tender, as if I were something precious and fragile.. He undid my dress’s clasp and let it slide off my shoulders, revealing my lace-trimmed bra. He leaned down and kissed my neck, the heat from his breath sending shivers down my spine, before reaching for the clasp of my bra. It fell away at his touch, followed by my panties, which I couldn’t wait to get out of. I was now completely exposed. I trembled under his gaze, my breath catching his warm hands continued to caress my skin.

He pulled back, looking down at me with a mix of adoration and possession. I was his, I ached to be his, and I would always be his.

Slowly, he removed his clothes, each movement deliberate and calculated, revealing his powerful build, his muscles tensed with need. He stepped closer to me, his heat warming my skin. I shivered as he lifted me and laid me gently on the bed. His lips brushed mine, soft and tender at first, then demanding as he claimed my mouth with a fierce passion.

“Cara mia,” he said as he trailed kisses down my neck and collarbone, his stubble tickling my soft skin. His teeth nipped at my earlobe, sending goosebumps along my flesh.

I arched into him, begging for more. “Please, Nicholas.”

He chuckled darkly, the sound rumbling in his chest as he continued his descent to my breasts. His tongue circled my nipple through the lace of my bra before tugging it away, his breath hot against my sensitive skin. I gasped as he took it into his mouth, sucking hard while his hand eased the lace off my other breast, revealing them both to his hungry gaze.

His tongue flickered across both nipples, driving me wild with desire. “Nicholas,” I moaned, barely able to think.

---