FIFTY

FIFTY
RAFFAELE

The last thing I wanted was to see was Celestia. Instead, I deliberately avoided her after the scathing altercation we had yesterday morning. And time seemed to have stretched and widened for an eon since then.
In that duration, so much happened—so many fuckups that I have lost count.
By the time I returned, the barely leashed rage just sprang out of control, taking a spin. It triggered so many things at once that it ended up in a violent outburst as I punched the mirror. And even when the gash bleed and stung, it seemed to be no match against the burning ache inside my chest.
And if I thought the outrage calmed whatever storm roiling inside me, the biggest fear and shattering revelation awaited when I wrenched open the door and found her standing in the middle of the room.
For one moment, I skipped a heartbeat and forgot to breathe.
Celestia should have bolted right then and there, and I would not have blamed her for that. Instead, she rooted in her spot and uttered something I did not expect.
“You’re…bleeding. I mean, let me at least clean it.”
Celestia was gentle, peaceful, kind—and peered at me with a generosity of spirit that I knew I definitely lacked. Once again, I behaved like an ass and dispassionately rejected her help.
But when she was about to leave, I could not bear the pain anymore. A better sense prevailed, I stopped her. Conflicting emotions flittered around as Celestia took it upon herself to care and wrap the wound, which was the least of my concern. As long as she was around, I felt good, centered. She was like a sunny rock in a snow storm.
When was the last time I ever felt so content amidst a temper outbreak?
With the utmost care and gentleness she could afford, she cleaned my wounds. Each knuckle, crevice, and corner. I noticed that she winced more than me as if she could acutely feel the pain on my behalf. Fuck, she was…perfect.
She is not yours, my conscience glared, but I badly wanted to deny.
For a long time, my hand rested on her knee, and I had to bite back the urge to feel her soft skin against the rough of my touch. All of a sudden, she was done and preparing to leave. And I didn’t know how to stop her without barring the soul.
For the first time in my life, I made myself vulnerable because the alternative was much, much painful.
I shot up to my feet and snagged her hand in need of desperate solace. “Celestia, don’t leave me,” I implored. “Please, don’t leave me.”
Indecision danced in the eyes as she regarded me with both caution and kindness. I was clueless as to how she wore every emotion on her face so vividly and unapologetically. I envied her at times like these.
“And if I stay,” she murmured, almost quivering—“would you make me regret it in the morning?”
“No, I promise I won’t,” I whispered, brushing a free hand down the side of her soft cheek and twirled a wayward lock of hair around my finger.
As a reward, a flashed a grateful smile that took the entire weight from my chest. “In that case, I’d like to stay.”
I sighed in a heavy breath laden with relief. “Thank you. For everything.” Swallowing the lump formed around Adam’s apple, I carefully ventured, “I honestly thought you would refuse to stay.”
Celestia winced a little, wriggling out of my hold. A cloud of something dark fell over her and made me worry. At this point, my mind was so fragile that I only trailed off too extreme ends. And the suspicion only deepened when she regretfully uttered those words. “I thought so too.”
“And what changed your mind?” I asked curiously. A fraction of me knew it was a pity that she stayed back to soothed the wounded and broken.
She threw me a hesitant glance and then shook her head. “I am not going to lie because I am terrible at it. But you don’t want the naked truth right now.”
“I want the naked truth,” I pressed. I have been marred enough for one day; another slash at my pride in the form of pity might as well spin the anger again.
“Fine.” She huffed in an exhale. “I don’t want to stay mad at you, Raffaele. I mean, it’s hilarious, twisted and confusing, but you kind of make me happy. You also make me spitting mad.” Emotions curved up and down her face as she laughed joylessly. “Maintaining the distance doesn’t help either. None of this makes sense.”
There was something utterly poignant about the way she spilled her words that mirrored my feelings, only I didn’t know them. And now that she told me, it felt familiar.
A deepening bond—like an age-old tree spreading its roots firmly to the earth.
I stepped closer, almost towering her. “That makes two of us.”
Her eyes held mine as if she was looking for hidden salvation in them. Didn’t she know we were both damned? If not, then she was inching closer to damnation with every step she took towards me. And like the selfish bastard I was, I gladly pulled her in.
In a bold move, she brought her lips closer to my mouth as I held myself still—daring her, letting her take the lead. And she did. Her nimble fingers entwined against the back of my head and brought me closer.
Mouth against mouth.
Everything burned, scorched, and annihilated. Planets collided, stars fell, and earth titled off its axis as our lips swirled in liquid desire and lust. The moral thoughts left my body the second I felt her small curves, warm and supple, against my palms.
We finally pulled apart and stared into each other for a long breathless second.
“You have a very strange look on your face,” I murmured. Wild possibilities ran through my mind, except I didn’t want to make her uncomfortable.
Celestia bit her lips at first, then wrapped her arms around me and gently looked up. “I was happy the other day, but when I woke up and found you gone, there’s this feeling that hit me…a feeling of being lost.” She closed her eyes and shook her head, and I noticed how her lips trembled when she said the next words. “I don’t ever want to feel that way again.”
I pressed her closer to my chest, holding her. “I promise that I would never make you feel that way again.”
Celestia nodded and gave me a serene smile. The savory-sweet smell of her enveloped me—floral, sweet, and a hint of something I knew would be an addiction.
“Umm...give me the naked truth now,” she requested, meeting my eyes. “What was with the mirror-punching?”
I raked the other hand through my hair and pushed down my face. “I ruined two good deals that should have been a breeze. Had Amadeo not arrived on time, God…” I trailed off and sighed.
“It’s okay.” Her fingers trailed down the side of my face. And then with an equal amount of boldness and graceful, Celestia stood on her toes and peppered kisses down my throat.
Fuck. I groaned and grunted. Tonight, of all nights, my resistance was threadbare. And she really had to do that?
I hated how easily she controlled me. At the same time, I fucking loved every little touch and kiss she spared.
It was a blessing to discover a fierce desire and unmoving that it only fuelled your fire instead of quenching your thirst. Touching her, feeling her…holding her. It all seemed like I had dreamt of her long before I knew her name. And that would not be entirely untrue because Celestia Donovan had me wrapped in her thrall long before I could see her coming.
“I can’t think, fuck, Celestia. Ah—”
The little minx just bit my neck.
There are some things that a guy could only dream of, fantasize and drool over, but we would never say it out loud. Having her, a beautiful, confidant woman kissing me down, all the while nip and play, was probably was wet dreams were made of. And as a dominant, someone who had never let the control slip away, everything was too much to bear
I rushed her to the bed, pinned, and climbed on top. “I wanted to take this slow…” I was already panting midsentence and fumbled with the zipper. The bloody bandages were really some hindrance.
“We can do slow tomorrow.” Celestia grinned, as I balanced myself on the good hand and dragged down her panties. Next was the protection.
“Being brave, huh? I don’t think you’d be walking straight tomorrow,” I promised. Before she could register the words, I slammed into her, allowing her to have all of me at once.
“Ah!” It was between a gasp and shriek as her head twisted back in pleasure.
“You were saying tomorrow?” I asked, pulling back only to thrust harder.
“Oh. I…Please!” Every word that came out of her was incoherent.
It was things like this that made me feel as though she was a dream. I hooked up with women as often as I pleased, and while sex was great, it never felt complete.
Damn you, Celestia. I might just never let you go.
I only I could not tell her that.


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