Page 62 of Vicious Impulses (The Capo and Ballerina)
“Nope. No one.”
I roll my eyes again and set my attention to piercing my left shoe with a safety pin.
Caelian pauses long enough from his book to ask, “You answer your own question. Who would you choose,bella?”
“Easy,” I say immediately. “My father.”
“You miss him very much. I can tell because your throat goes hoarse when you speak of him.”
I swallow against the hoarse throat he’s called me out on. “He was taken away from me very suddenly.”
“How did he die?”
“I… I’m not sure.” I blink against the sudden onslaught of tears. “It happened just a few years ago. I was away from home.”
“Dancing for the company.”
“He was still working for the Vorones. There was some kind of business transaction that went wrong. My father never made it out.”
“His body?”
“Never found. Sorry.” I pop up off the floor and attempt my escape.
Caelian’s faster. He moves at a shocking level of speed considering his titan size. He cuts me off and brings me back against the wall when I fight him on it.
“Don’t run from me. You don’t need to hide your tears. Your sadness. I want to fucking see it all. Isn’t that what you wanted? You wanted me to see the real you.”
“Cael,” I sniffle, shaking my head.
“Yes, Nevi,” he growls, gripping my chin. He bows his head and hovers his mouth over mine as if about to plant a passionate kiss on my lips.
I sputter out a shaky breath and peer blearily into his eyes. My own are watery, suddenly overcome by my grief for Dad, but also something else—the intense feelings that he’s bringing out of me.
These feelings I wasn’t supposed to have for him.
I’m Caelian Ziccardi’s wife. He’s a violent brute of a mafiacapo,and yet instead of disgust and loathing, I’ve developed affection for him.
Real affection.
“Kiss me, Cael,” I beg in a whisper.
“Cael,” he repeats, then the corner of his lips quirk. “You’ve started calling me this. Is that my pet name,mia bella ballerina?”
My expression almost takes on a pout. “Yes. You have about fifty pet names for me. It’s only fair.”
He releases a wolfish laugh that’s earnestly given. Always such a rough sound to the ears, but I know better than to find it cruel or believe it’s bad. It’s the purest reaction from Caelian in moments like this. His laughter. His attentiveness and affection.
He grants me my wish. He claims my mouth while holding me up against the wall. His hands touch every part of me ’til I’m panting and my nipples are painfully hard. Then he’s throwing me over his broad shoulder and tossing me down on the first piece of furniture available—which happens to be the armchair he was seated in mere minutes ago.
I’m naked from the waist down before I can comprehend what’s happening, hanging off the armchair as he ploughs straight into me.
He fucks me hard to the sounds of our skin slapping together and the crackle of the flames.
I squeeze my eyes shut, moaning and trembling, caught up in a whirlwind of intense pleasure.
And when he’s done, I’m carried upstairs, where he takes me again in our bed.
We fall asleep twisted among the sheets, a pulse of pleasure humming through my body. The last thought on my mind would’ve surprised me only weeks ago.