Chapter 71 FINALLY OVER(2)
Chapter 71 FINALLY OVER(2)
AT THE PENTHOUSE
Two hours had passed since they returned. Matteo, Maya, and Axel had guided their mother, Isabella Moretti, into the spacious lounge. Her frail frame was draped in a soft blanket, her gray-streaked hair messy but her eyes sharp, still carrying the fire of the woman she had once been.
Matteo crouched in front of her, his hands clenched. "Ma… how are you alive? How did Antonio keep you all these years?"
Isabella’s lips trembled as she took a deep breath. "His men… they took me the night he shot me. I was barely conscious. They dragged me to the underground, locked me away, and fed me just enough to survive. Every day, I thought… I thought I would die there, forgotten"
Matteo fists clenched at his sides. "No wonder I never saw your corpse…"
"He wanted to spite your father. But your father… he didn’t care enough to look for me. He let it happen"
Maya’s eyes widened, anger flashing across her face. "So all this time, he... our father did nothing?"
Isabella nodded solemnly.
Matteo’s jaw tightened. He pressed his fingers against the edge of the couch, trying to contain the surge of emotions threatening to consume him.
"And… where is he? Is he… is he alive?"
"He’s dead"
Isabella froze, shock and disbelief twisting her features. "Dead…? How…? Why…?"
"He died of cancer"
Isabella sighed heavily.
Maya stepped forward gently, her eyes softening as she looked at their mother. "Ma… you need to rest. Let me take you to one of the rooms. You’ve been through… too much"
Isabella nodded weakly, her hand trembling as Maya helped her to her feet. The two of them moved toward one of the private bedrooms, leaving Matteo and Axel behind in the lounge.
Axel glanced at Matteo, his usually sharp expression softened by emotion. "Missed you, bro" he said, stepping forward.
Matteo allowed himself a small, almost imperceptible smile. He held out a hand, and Axel gripped it firmly, pulling him into a brief, tight hug.
Matteo patted his brother’s back, his voice low but steady. "Missed you too"
They pulled apart, the hug lingering in memory rather than in gesture.
He stepped away, leaving Axel standing quietly for a moment, watching his brother move toward the rest of the penthouse.
They had their mother back, Antonio was dead, and the underground horrors had been destroyed. For now, at least, the Moretti family could breathe.
•••
TWO DAYS LATER, BACK AT SICILY
Matteo stepped out of the bathroom, the warmth of the shower still lingering on his skin. His hair was damp and tousled.
Aurora appeared in the doorway, her robe loosely tied, steam from the bathroom curling around her. She walked toward him, each step deliberate, eyes locked on his.
"I want it now" she said, her voice low, almost a command, yet soft with the intimacy between them.
Matteo raised an eyebrow, a sly grin tugging at the corner of his lips. "You sure?"
She stepped closer, closing the space between them.
"Hundred percent" she replied, her fingers brushing against his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath.
Matteo chuckled softly, a sound rough around the edges, yet warm. He cupped her face with both hands, leaning in just enough to feel her breath mingle with his.
"Alright" he murmured.
Aurora smiled, eyes glinting with desire.
He finally closed the distance, his mouth capturing hers.
His hands slid down her body, tearing the fragile knot of her robe. The silk whispered to the floor, leaving her bare against the heat of his skin.
He lifted her easily, carrying her the few steps to the ornate marble vanity table. He swept the expensive perfumes and jewelry aside with one swift motion, then placed her squarely on the cool, hard surface.
He didn't pause for breath. His mouth never left hers as his strong hands pushed her legs apart. Aurora had worn nothing beneath her robe.
The sudden, raw contact of his skin against hers, coupled with the cold marble beneath her, made her gasp against his lips.
With a low, guttural groan, Matteo thrust into her in one deep, claiming motion.
The kiss broke as a choked sound tore from Aurora's throat, half pleasure, half shock.
He grabbed her hips, driving into her with a fierce, punishing rhythm that spoke of weeks of internalized rage and guilt.
Her fingernails dug into his shoulders, anchoring herself to the only certainty left in her life... the blinding heat and power of the man who was both her husband and her crisis.
The sound of flesh against flesh filled the spacious bedroom, consuming the silence.
Matteo lifted Aurora again, carrying their intimate collision to the center of the large bed.
He dropped her gently on the silken sheets, ready to continue his demanding pace. But before he could reclaim his position, Aurora moved with the swift, focused aggression of a seasoned operative.
She swiftly reversed their position, pushing him on his back. Her eyes, still heavy with desire but now sharp with intent, locked onto his.
With a deliberate movement, she settled herself over him, straddling his hips.
Matteo watched, his breath catching as he felt the shift in control. He allowed it, a slow, dark smirk spreading across his face.
Aurora took the reins fully, her hands bracing against his chest, her head thrown back slightly as she found her own rhythm.
She began to ride him with an expert, mesmerizing grace, a relentless momentum that demanded everything from him.
She was in complete command, setting the pace, demanding the response, riding him like a pro.
Matteo was forced to follow her lead, his pleasure inextricably tied to her control.
He released her hips, his hands traveling upward, cupping her full brsts. He began to caress and squeeze them gently.
Aurora gasped, the sensation tearing her focus from the relentless rhythm she had established. Her movements faltered, her head dipping back.
She leaned toward him, her body instinctively responding to his need, allowing him to take over this intimate territory. Her mouth was close to his ear, her breathing ragged.
"Suck" she whispered, the command barely audible above their ragged breaths.
Matteo didn't hesitate. He pulled her down, shifting their bodies until her brst was perfectly presented. He latched on her, sucking strongly, expertly drawing a low, guttural moan from her throat.
Matteo shifted, pulling Aurora beneath him. He looked down at her, his eyes dark with an intense, focused intent that promised absolute submission and total pleasure.
He didn't speak. He used his hands, sliding them down her body, guiding her to the edge of the bed.
Aurora understood the unspoken demand. A soft, breathless anticipation replaced the exhaustion on her face.
Matteo moved low, his head descending.
The shock of his mouth on her puy was immediate and consuming. He started gently, then ramped up the intensity, focusing entirely on her. His skills were devastatingly precise, driving all rational thought from her mind.
A soft, broken moan escaped her lips instantly.
"Oh..." she gasped, arching her back, her fingers clenching the sheets.
He deepened the intensity, his control absolute, pulling her further and further away from reality.
"Yes... please..." she whispered, her voice tightening.
The pleasure became a violent, singular focus. Her breathing turned shallow, ragged. Her nails raked helplessly at the sheets as her body coiled tight.
"Ah! God... Matteo! I—" Her words dissolved into a continuous, pleading sound. "Faster... don't stop... please..."
Then, the final, shattering wave hit.
Her head fell back against the pillows, her whole body convulsing with the force of the climax. A loud, desperate cry tore from her throat.
"OH! OH GOD! MATTEO! AHHH—!"
The sound was pure, unrestrained release, a final, total surrender.
Matteo held her through the tremors, only pausing when her body finally went limp beneath him, soaked in sweat and utterly consumed.
He moved up the bed, resting his head on her chest, listening to her heart race back to normal.
The room was silent, save for their ragged, shared breathing and the slow creaking of the luxurious bed. They lay close, skin slick with sweat.
Matteo shifted, settling his weight beside her. He reached out, his hand gently stroking the damp hair from her forehead. He looked at her and he leaned in close, his mouth near her ear.
"I love you" he whispered, the declaration raw, honest, and heavy with everything that had happened and everything they still needed to overcome.
Aurora turned her head, meeting his gaze with a smile.
"I love you too" she whispered back.
They closed their eyes with a smile on their faces.