Chapter 56
Afterwards, Vitale took something out of a velvet box from the bedside table.
Moonlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling window, illuminating the diamond necklace in his hand.
The main stone was a rare blue diamond, surrounded by smaller diamonds, still shimmering like stars in the darkness.
"This belonged to my mother," Vitale said, his voice unusually soft as his fingers gently caressed the necklace, "It represents all my sincerity."
Isabella sat up, the silk sheet slipping down to her waist.
The brilliance of the diamond was so dazzling that she instinctively wanted to refuse, "This is too valuable, Vitale, I..."
Vitale wrapped his arms around her from behind, fastening the necklace around her neck.
The cool metal touched her skin, and as the clasp clicked shut, it felt like some kind of eternal promise.
He nibbled on Isabella's earlobe and whispered, "It has to be yours. This isn't a deal, not a reward, and it won't be taken back just because you don't want to sleep with me."
Isabella's fingers brushed over the blue diamond, feeling its heavy weight, "I know. I'll do my best to help you legitimize the company, but..."
She paused, turning to face him, "I don't know how long our relationship can last. This feeling of possibly falling too deep scares me."
"Like right now, we're naked and holding each other. I can feel your desire pressing against me from behind, and instead of being scared, I'm excited. Is that normal?"
Vitale chuckled, his hand sliding down Isabella's spine, resting at the small of her back, "With me, you never need to hold back."
His thumb gently rubbed her sensitive skin, "If you want, you can show me right now."
Isabella bit her lower lip, holding back a moan that almost escaped.
Her hand moved downward, touching his still-hard erection, and she gathered the courage to say, "No, I really need to focus on work. So, can we move my office somewhere else?"
Vitale raised an eyebrow, "You see me and want to kiss me. Isn't that a good thing?"
"It affects my work," Isabella said, turning her head away as he tried to kiss her again, "I mean, life can't just be about sex. You can't show up in the middle of the night, or in front of my sleeping friends... You know what I mean."
"And I don't want too much contact with your mafia guys. You should understand that."
Vitale's erection throbbed in her hand, aching for release.
But Isabella held firm, her eyes telling him.
This issue had to be settled now.
"Fine," Vitale took a deep breath, "I admit I can't stay calm around you, but you're right. We can't think about this all day."
Isabella leaned in and kissed his lips, "So, please control your urges and let me work properly. I need to earn that salary, don't I?"
"God," Vitale gave a bitter laugh, "You're here to torture me. I'm so hard I could explode, and you're negotiating with me?"
He wanted so badly to pin her down, to have her ride him, but Isabella's expression made it clear.
Unless he agreed to her terms, there was no way.
Finally, Vitale gave in, "Alright, I agree. I'll move your office."
Isabella's eyes widened in surprise, "Really?"
She thought it would take a few heated arguments at least.
"Really," Vitale nodded, his fingers playing with her blonde hair, "I put your office there for selfish reasons at first. I wanted to kiss you anytime, to have you against the window."
His expression turned serious, "But I promise, outside of normal work interactions, I won't bother you. You can work independently. Is that okay?"
Isabella's eyes lit up.
Suddenly, she flipped over, pushing Vitale onto the bed and straddling his waist, "Then a good boy deserves a reward."
She guided his erection and slowly lowered herself onto him, their breaths growing heavy at the same time.
Vitale's hands gripped her waist, feeling her move up and down on her own.
"God," he gasped, tilting his head back, "This feels even better, but I have one condition. Henley stays as your bodyguard. Is that okay?"
Isabella nodded while moving, her hair sticking to her sweaty cheeks, "Y-Yes, he's very professional."
Vitale held her hips, speeding up the pace, "And privately, call me Vito. Like right now, when I'm making love to you, call me by my nickname."
Isabella's moans came in broken gasps, "Why?"
"It's important," Vitale said, his movements becoming deeper and slower, each thrust hitting her core, "Only the people I love most can call me that. Like my mother. Like you."
Those words made Isabella's body tremble intensely.
She leaned down to kiss him, murmuring that name between their tangled lips, "Vito."
Vitale's response was a fiercer possession.
He flipped her onto her back, thrusting deeply, whispering in her ear over and over, "Say it again, Isabella. Call my name."
"Vito... Vito..."
At the most intense moment, just as Isabella felt herself nearing climax, Vitale suddenly pulled out.
Isabella looked confused.
Vitale's fingers brushed over the blue diamond necklace around her neck, the pendant glowing softly under the light.
"This belonged to my mother," he said in a low voice, with a rare tenderness, "It's the only thing she didn't take with her when she left."
Vitale removed the necklace, the delicate chain dangling from his fingertips.
Isabella held her breath, watching the thin chain slide slowly along her collarbone, the cool metal brushing against the sensitive skin of her chest.
"She said this necklace would protect the person I love," Vitale said, lowering his head, taking the pendant into his mouth, his warm breath grazing Isabella's bare skin.
Then he guided the necklace, letting the pendant trace circles along the curves of her chest, the friction of metal against skin creating a strange sensation.
Isabella trembled, trying to pull back, but he held her in place.
"Open your legs." he commanded, his voice husky.
She obeyed in a daze, parting her thighs.
Vitale gently placed the pendant against her most intimate area, the coolness of the metal mixing with the warmth of his saliva, creating a conflicting sensory jolt.
"Hold it there," he whispered in her ear, his fingers brushing over her folds.
Isabella complied, feeling the thin chain rest against her skin, bringing a strange yet intimate coolness.
The next second, Vitale thrust into her hard, both of them letting out stifled moans.
"God." Isabella arched her head back, feeling the necklace pressed between their bodies.
His movements were as forceful as ever, and the necklace shifted lightly with each thrust, the friction of metal against her sensitive flesh delivering a sensation she'd never experienced.
"You're insane..." she gasped between breaths, "That's... your mother's gift... you can't do this..."
Vitale gripped her waist, thrusting even deeper, "She'd be happy. She knows I've found someone worth cherishing."
The necklace moved slightly with each thrust, the friction of metal against her tender skin nearly driving Isabella over the edge.
She clung to his shoulders, her nails digging into the muscle beneath.
"Can you feel it?" Vitale panted, his red hair damp with sweat, "She's blessing us."
Isabella couldn't answer, biting her lower lip to suppress the scream about to escape.
The necklace felt like a secret vow, marking her with each of Vitale's movements.
At the peak of intensity, Vitale leaned down to kiss her, swallowing her moans into his mouth.
And that heirloom, at the most intimate point of their connection, bore witness to this wild and passionate union.
When everything calmed down, Vitale gently retrieved the necklace, the pendant glistening with moisture under the light.
He put it back on her, then leaned down to kiss Isabella's sweaty forehead.
"Now," Vitale whispered, "she has witnessed our love."