Fight Me Little Pearl

Chapter 53

Chapter Fifty-Three

FRANCESCA

A s if realizing that his expression is unguarded, he immediately wipes it from his face. He stands me upright and pulls away so quickly it is as if I have burned him. But I hold on to him and try to drag him back to me.

“Francesca, don’t—” His voice is harsh.

Once I told him I didn’t want him and he showed me that I was lying. Now it is his turn. He says he doesn’t want me, but he is lying. I’ll show him. I stand on the tip of my toes and claim his lips. He freezes in shock, and I pull slightly away, my eyes roaming his face.

“Why do you insist on punishing us?” I whisper. “We’re happier together.”

“I don’t want you,” he grates.

I press another kiss to his lips, and his hand grabs my waist, but he does not push me away.

“Tell me you don’t want me, and I’ll go,” I challenge softly.

I grab his belt and start to unbuckle it.

“Stop it,” he says hoarsely but does nothing to stop me. He could have stopped me if he wanted to.

“I’ll stop,” I say, “when you tell me you don’t want me anymore.”

I fling his belt away and unzip his fly before pulling down his pants and briefs. His hard dick springs free. I wrap my fingers around it, and his breathing changes.

“Don’t worry,” I whisper, taking his arm and leading him back to his chair. “I’ll stop when you tell me you don’t want me anymore.”

I push him into the chair and kneel between his legs. His eyes are hot with desire, even though his mouth is set in a stubborn line. Oh, Valentino. The most stubborn Barone great-grandson.

“Francesca,” he groans as I run my hand along his thick length. “I need you to get away from me now before I call Vance to escort you out.”

Instead of responding, I take him in my mouth, swirling my tongue around his smooth head and swallowing him deeper down my throat. He lets out a feral growl, his hands gripping the armrests until his knuckles turn white.

“Fuck,” he snarls. “Fuck, Francesca.”

Desire races through my blood. What a strange thing, but I might actually get more pleasure from sucking him than he does receiving it. But then I realize, no. What he feels is indescribable.

I watch in amazement at the way he slowly pushes himself into my mouth, his eyes tightly shut and his mouth slightly open with pleasure. I wait until his legs start to vibrate with his intense arousal before pulling away from him, wiping my mouth clean, and rising to my feet.

His eyes fly open, narrowing dangerously at me. “What is this?”

“I don’t want to do anything you don’t want. You told me to stop.”

He growls low in his throat before rushing to his feet and grabbing my arm, pressing me against the table. “Did you stop when I ordered you to?” Roughly, he pushes my dress up my legs before pushing me face down on his desk. “You can’t run away now. I’m going to fuck you until you’re crazy for me.”

I’m already crazy for him. Can’t he see that?

In one move, he rips my panties and plunges deep inside me. I scream, not caring that Vance can hear since he’s outside the door.

“You’re so wet for me, Francesca,” he says in an amazed whisper.

It’s true. I’m so wet; Valentino slides in and out easily, his girth ramming into me until I’m dripping onto his desk.

He wraps his arms around me and I arch my body into his. “Ah. Fuck, I missed this. God, I missed this,” he mutters desperately.

“Does this feel good?” he asks, thrusting nonstop. “Answer me.”

“Yes,” I moan. “Yes.”

He reaches between our bodies to touch my clit and just like that the orgasm takes me. It’s too powerless to stop. Barely a second later, Valentino groans, thrusting one last time before he shatters into a thousand pieces of pleasure. We cling onto each other, our breaths coming in gasps.

When we’re finally sane, Valentino pulls out of me. Now that the sex is over, I can barely look at him, so I busy myself by adjusting my dress and hair. I’m about to step away when he blocks my path, trapping me between the table and his body.

“Look at me.”

My eyes lift to find him. I’m scared I’ll see the cold and hostility. It’s not there anymore, but neither is the warmth. His gaze is guarded, like I'm a wild, unpredictable animal he’s cautious about approaching.

“I told your grandfather to start the divorce process last week,” he says. “Have you started it?”

Tears burn my eyes. So this is it.

“No. I had to go to Italy. We planned to start it when I came back.”

“You’re back,” he said gruffly.

“Yes. Do you want me to start it now?”

“It depends.”

“On what?”

“On whether you meant what you said earlier.” He touches my jaw and tilts my head up to look at him. “Do you love me?”

My heart melts. “I love you so much, Valentino, I thought I would die when you said you never wanted to see me again. You’re my life. I love you with all my heart.”

Right before my eyes, warmth, and love seep back into his eyes, shocking me with the suddenness of it. I feel like I’m in a lucid dream.

“No, I love you more,” he says, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. “I’ve always loved you, Francesca. That’s why you have the power to hurt me more than anyone else. You own me. In every way possible. I’m useless without you.”

“Valentino—”

“I’m sorry for everything I said to you.” His voice warms my skin. “I’m sorry I blamed you for the loss of our baby. I’m sorry I wasn’t there. Of course, it was not your fault. It was mine. I put you in danger. I should have guarded you better. And I shouldn’t have gone crazy over your meeting with that maggot.”

I smile suddenly. “He is a bit of a maggot, isn’t he?”

“Thank you,” he says with a grin. “Finally, you see it.”

“I love you, Valentino. Oh, how I love you.”

“I’d never been in love and I hated feeling so insecure, especially because I thought you were at least a little bit in love with him.”

“Hey.” I grab his face. “I will never make you feel that way again. I promise. Thomas the freckled maggot is dead to me. You’re all I’ve got. You’re all I want. I love you. And I’m so, so, so sorry about our baby.”

“We’ll try again. We have each other. So many opportunities to make more.”

He wraps his arms around me, tucking my head in the crook of his neck.

“By the way, Nonna Isadora showed me the Terra de Barbieri land transfer from my father to you.”

He sighs and drops the document before reaching for me again. “I assume you have questions,” he says, nibbling my neck.

“Not while you’re eating my neck.”

“Go on. Ask away?”

“You made me believe you were marrying me for the land. Why?”

“Because it was the only way I knew to marry you. I had everything I needed and wanted. Except you. But you hated me and everything I stood for.”

I nod, impressed. “Okay. Very resourceful. I’ll give you that. One last question. Be honest.”

“Always.”

“Where did you meet me for the first time?”

He laughs. “Oh, this is my special secret memory. I don’t think I want to share it with anyone.”

“Even me?” I pout.

“Everything of mine is yours, mia perla . Remember when Franco threw a party in Tribeca almost three years ago now? I arrived late and I stayed at the house the whole time so you wouldn’t have seen me, but I saw you. You were dancing with Louisa by the pool,” he says, his eyes shining with the memory. His love for me is evident in his eyes. How could I not have seen it before?

“You were so fucking beautiful I knew right then you were the one for me. I had to have you.”

“I remember that party,” I laugh. “Why did you like me? I didn’t know anyone was watching. We were being crazy that night. My dancing was not sexy at all.”

“It was ethereal. You captivated me.”

“Oh my God. This is surreal. And to think I hate the memory of the party because I lost my Nana’s gold bracelet. She gave it to me before she died.”

Valentino smiles. “This bracelet?” He sinks his hand into his pocket and withdraws a gold bracelet. I gasp and yank it from his hand, studying it.

“This is it! Where did you find it?”

“I stole it,” he says. “It fell off your wrist, and I kept it because I knew you would marry me one day, and I would give it to you then.”

“This is unbelievable!”

“I almost gave it to you on our wedding night, but you were so mean to me, I changed my mind.”

“You thief!” I slap his arm playfully. “So… you’ve had my bracelet with you all this time?”

“I carry it on me everywhere.” He is telling the truth because despite being hostile and angry with me, he still had it in his pocket.

“I kinda don’t want to return it because it’s become my lucky charm. I’d feel quite strange without it now.”

“I am your lucky charm,” I answer sassily.

He nods. “You’re right. It was good to have when I thought I didn’t have you, but I have you now, don’t I?”

“You know what, I want you to have it.” I slip it back into his pocket. “I’m happy knowing it’s with you.”

“Thank you.” He lifts me into his arms. “Now that we’re on the subject of our wedding night, we’ve not had a proper honeymoon. How about a trip somewhere so hot you can walk around naked all day long?”

“Now that we’re discussing wedding nights, there’s something I must do.”

“What?” He backs me into the wall, his gaze roaming my breasts.

“Let’s take a trip to Paris.”

“The world is your oyster, sweetheart. We can go anywhere you want.”

“Paris. I want to go to Paris.”