Chapter 28: NO MATTER HOW FAST, THIS IS WHERE I BELONG
Arianna
It didn’t take long before he threw his head back again, his entire body tensing and jerking as his orgasm slammed into him hard. He grunted, a guttural sound of release, as he clenched on my hair and then suddenly collapsed over me, his weight heavy and suffocating. His cock spasmed uncontrollably inside my mouth until I pulled it free, swallowing his cum as if nothing had happened.
His taste was sweeter than I imagined, a complex blend of salt and musk and something else, something uniquely his.
Vincent hauls me upward, his touch a brand, and his mouth crashes against mine. His fingers knot in my hair, a possessive grip that sends a shiver down my spine. He breaks the kiss, but the intensity doesn’t lessen. He presses me back against the cool tile of the wall, the hardness of it a stark contrast to the heat burgeoning between us. A rough finger traces the curve of my bottom lip, lingering there before dragging a searing path up my cheek.
“I did good, Vince?” The words stumble out, my voice betraying the nerves that always coil tight in my chest whenever he looks at me like this, a predator assessing its prey.
“Yes, baby. So fucking good.” His praise is a guttural growl, a raw sound that vibrates through me. “You’re such a good girl for me.” A shy smile blossoms on my face, the heat in his gaze making me want to hide and revel in it all at once.
The water, now tepid against our flushed skin, offered a small reprieve from the inferno raging within. I closed my eyes for a moment, savoring the sensation before his words shattered the fragile peace.
“I need you to come home with me, Arianna. I need you in my bed tonight.”
Confusion creases my brow. “Home? To your place? The one I broke into?” The guilt, a familiar unwelcome guest, surfaces at the reminder. Yet, even as the shame washes over me, I can’t find it in myself to regret my actions. He was the stalker, after all, the one who first decided to stalk me.
“No.” His voice is low, persuasive. “I live in the capital city. There’s a penthouse I own, personally. I want you there with me tonight, and for many nights to come, if possible. It’s a big place, enough to even have your own art studio, a space just for you to create.” He presses a kiss to my temple, and my mind reels, trying to process the immensity of his request.
Leaving. It meant leaving my small apartment, with its comforting familiarity. Leaving the cozy cafes where I lost myself in books, the familiar streets where I found solace and peace. Leaving the town that had been my sanctuary for years.
Leaving my friends. Leaving my family.
His hand, suddenly heavy on my throat, stops the spiraling panic. He’s watching my face, his eyes sharp and perceptive, gauging the storm brewing within me.
“I don’t want to force you, Arianna.” His thumb strokes my throat gently, a stark contrast to the underlying threat. “You’ll have everything you need. You won’t want for anything. The city is only two hours away from town, so we can visit your family, your friends whenever you want. Since you work from home, you can work from my place. Just…” His voice cracks, a flicker of vulnerability in those dark eyes. “Baby, I can’t imagine myself sleeping alone from now on.” Vincent rests his forehead against mine, holding my gaze captive.
The resolve I had been clinging to begins to crumble. The thought of him being so far away, even with the knowledge that he could watch over me, wasn’t enough. I needed to feel his arms around me, the weight of his presence a tangible shield. I felt safe with him, a sense of security I had never known before. As long as he was there, no one could hurt me.
And I could always visit Nicole when I missed her, or even better, convince her to come to the city.
Nothing was truly holding me back.
“Okay.” The word is barely a whisper, but it’s enough. “I’ll come with you.” A slow grin spreads across his face, his gaze traveling over me like a caress, “But Millie comes with us,” I add, a warning laced with affection.
He chuckles, a deep, rumbling sound. “Of course, baby. She’s ours.” He kisses the sensitive skin of my neck, and I shudder, melting under the weight of his sweet words.
“Then let’s get a quick shower. My skin is starting to prune up.”
With a sigh, I let him guide me, his touch both gentle and possessive as he cleans my body with meticulous care. I reciprocate, my fingers tracing the lines of his hard muscles, memorizing the feel of him beneath my hands.
The thought of being in his bed, in his home, fills me with a giddy, almost childlike excitement. I can’t wait to see his world, to learn every inch of it, just as I’m learning every inch of him. It didn't matter how we got here, how we met, or anything. Fate brought us together, and I was done hiding.
As long as he’s with me, I don’t care where I live. Home is wherever he is.