Page 42 of Wicked Bloodlines

I lifted my hips into his next smack because I couldn’t help myself. I panted, my nipples tingling and my clit throbbing so hard it bordered on pain.

“Oh, I think someone likes that.” Matteo’s voice had a dark, wicked timbre. “Unfortunately, this isn’t meant to be pleasurable. This is supposed to be a punishment.” The next smack came down harder this time. This time, the pain was a very unpleasant sting.

“Ouch!”

“Yeah. That’s more the effect I had in mind.”

“Matteo!”

He stopped. “What’s your safe word?” He made it more of a demand rather than a question.

“What?”

“Safe word, Sofia. Red?”

I blinked, looking back over my shoulder. Matteo responded by smacking my ass again before rubbing in the heat, kneading and even leaning in to place a kiss on one pink globe.

“Ow! Matteo!” He smacked my ass again. “OK! OK! Red is my safe word!”

“You will use it if you need me to stop. For any reason. Tell me you understand.”

“But, won’t you be mad?”

“I’ll be very angry if you need to use it and don’t. I want you to trust me, Sofia, but I need to trust you as well.”

That shocked me. “I didn’t expect you to say that.”

He leaned in again and placed a kiss on the cheek of my ass again. “Don’t worry. You’ve got a lifetime to learn what you can expect from me. I promise you’ll get it eventually.”

With one last kiss to my butt, he started raining down spanks again until it throbbed. Much as the erotic pain had helped to clear my mind and force me into the here and now, the fact he’d stated clearly what he expected from me and reinforced how much trust needed to be earned from both of us made me feel safe and cared for in a way I’d never had in my life.

Matteo landed another smack on my ass, and I yelped, the sound echoing off the marble floors and windows. My thighs quivered, and every nerve ending in my body seemed to vibrate with heat. He rubbed the sting in, his big hands kneading my cheeks, then spread me wider so cool air ghosted over my drenched pussy. I let out a shaky sound that was probably a moan, but my brain was already scrambled enough that I didn’t care.

“You paying attention, Sofia?” I heard satisfaction in his voice. “This isn’t just about you being reckless. It’s because you still don’t understand. You matter to me.” Another hard slap. “You matter more than anything. My men, my brothers, my own fucking life.” He punctuated each word with another smack, and my hips rocked back into his touch every single time. “It’s you, Sofia. It will always be you.”

I whimpered, trying to catch my breath, but the pain just made me wetter. “Matteo…”

“You don’t ever forget you’re mine. My woman. I swear to God, if anything happened to you, I’d burn the city to the ground.”

His words hit harder than his hand ever could. I choked out a laugh, half sob, half desperate need, and arched for more. “I hear you,” I managed, voice rough. “I do. I’m yours.”

Again, he leaned in and kissed the flesh he’d just abused. He maneuvered me around to face him, framing my face in his hands. He stared at me for a long time, gently stroking hair away from my eyes and feathering his thumb over my cheek affectionately. Then he leaned in with a slow deliberate move to press his mouth to mine.

“I love you, Sofia. We might not have started out as soul mates, but despite the short time I’ve known you, I can not imagine my life without you in it. I’m yours. Whether you want me or not. More than anything, I need you to believe that.”

I could see the truth in his gaze. This man loved me. Like, really loved me. “I believe you, Matteo.” I stroked his cheek and settled more fully on top of him. “I see you.”

He stared up at me like he waited for me to pull back or, or maybe to change my mind. I kind of thought he couldn’t quite buy someone could love him for the wonderful man underneath the mafia under boss. After a while, a slow, wide, wolfish grin spread across his face. Hunger and heat filled his face and he wrapped me tighter in his arms, pulling me back down to kiss me again. My whole body fired up, clit throbbing in time with my heart beat. I whimpered into his mouth, needy and wild, and he accepted everything I needed to give him.

He fisted a hand in my hair and angled my head, deepening the kiss, his other palm cupping my ass. He squeezed, and the sharp pain sent a jolt straight to my pussy.

“You’re trouble,” Matteo growled against my lips. “You liked your punishment, didn’t you?”

I sucked in a breath. “If I said no, would you never do it again?”

He snorted, nipping my jaw before answering. “Not a fucking chance.” The words vibrated against my skin, sinking right into my bones. “I have a feeling I’ll have the pleasure of turning that ass red often.”

My brain was already half-melted from the spanking, but when he flipped me onto my back, I damn near combusted. I spread my thighs for him, shamelessly. I wanted his cock deep inside me so deep I’d never forget who I belonged to. I wanted him inside me so bad I could barely breathe.