CIARA
I keep pressing soft kisses to Santiago’s mouth, wanting to show him what he means to me.
He anchors me and keeps my trauma at bay. He sees the real me, beneath the layers of scars, making me feel like I’m the only thing that matters to him.
I bring my hands to his jaw, and tilting my head, I trail my tongue over his bottom lip with the same tenderness he’s shown since the day I woke up in the hospital room.
Santiago lowers his hands to my hips, and gripping me tightly, he takes over the kiss. His tongue sweeps into my mouth, drawing a soft moan from me because he tastes downright addictive.
A cool breeze plays with my hair while Santiago’s lips nip at mine. I’m so focused on him, taking in his woodsy scent, the feel of his hard body, and the intensity that comes from him. His mere presence is so magnetic, you can’t help but gravitate to him.
I want to stay in his orbit.
I want to be the center of his attention.
I want to be the one he loves more than anything else.
The kiss grows wild, but when my body reacts to his and I grind down on him, he instantly pulls away and tightens his grip on my hips so I can’t move again.
His face is tense as if he’s angry, and my heart sinks.
Breathless from the kisses, I whisper, “I’m sorry. It just happened.”
Santiago shakes his head, his voice hoarse. “There’s nothing to be sorry about. I just need a minute. Having your pussy on my cock is pushing my self-control to the limits.”
He’s so direct, heat creeps up my neck, but his words also have my abdomen clenching.
A frown forms on Santiago’s face, making him look even angrier as he asks, “Unless… Is that what you wanted when you straddled my lap?”
I press my forehead to his chest and nod. “I thought it would be okay because you told me I could do whatever I want.”
Instantly, his grip on my hips eases up, and he says, “In that case, ride me all you want, mi sol. Just know I’m not going to keep still.”
I lift my head again, and seeing the grin tugging at the corner of his mouth even though there’s still tension on his face, I feel a little better.
But the moment is gone, and I’m not just going to start grinding down on him.
Santiago lifts his hand and wraps his fingers around the back of my neck, and before I can overthink things, his mouth slams into mine.
Within seconds, he has me drunk on the taste of him as his teeth and lips devour me. I place my hands against his chest, and feeling the warmth of his skin beneath his shirt, I don’t think and begin to undo the buttons. I push the fabric out of my way and let my fingers brush over the dips and swells of his muscles.
So good.
This time Santiago is the one to thrust up, his hard cock rubbing against the valley between my legs. The pleasure is instant, and I let out a ridiculously loud moan. Wanting to feel it again, I push down on him and swivel my hips.
Oh God.
He feels incredible, and when he growls into my mouth, my body trembles, and I whimper from how sensitive and needy I feel.
Santiago’s arm wraps around my back, and I’m crushed against him while he thrusts hard against the exact spot I need him.
At some point, we stopped kissing, our mouths still touching. I open my eyes, and they instantly lock with his predatory ones.
He watches my reaction when he thrusts up again, eliciting another moan from me.
“Christ,” he growls. “If you keep moaning like that, I’m going to come in my pants.”
Seeing the dark desire etched onto his face in hard lines, I press a kiss to his jaw before moving lower to his neck, my hands rubbing up and down his chest while I swivel my hips again.
Santiago grabs hold of my face, and he claims my mouth again, then he sets a steady pace, thrursting and rubbing his cock against my heated core.
Holy shit.
I gasp from the intense pleasure, and my body begins to move with his, my hands roaming over his hot skin and rippling muscles.
Oh my God.
I move faster and faster, moans and whimpers spilling from my mouth to his, and he takes each one with a swipe of his tongue and nip of his lips.
One second, I feel something building deep inside me, and the next, I have to grab hold of his neck as my body bows forward, and the breath stalls in my lungs.
I’m hit with overwhelming pleasure. Santiago keeps rubbing his hardness between my legs, and all I can do is ride the wave of overwhelmingly incredible ecstasy.
“Jesucristo, mi amor,” he grinds the words out between clenched teeth right before I feel him jerk against me, his arms forming steel bands around me. He presses his face to my neck, groaning against my skin as he orgasms.
I hold onto him as the pleasure begins to fade, and for long minutes afterward, we just keep still.
Once our breaths have returned to normal, Santiago kisses the side of my neck before asking, “You okay?”
I nod, and loosening my hold on him, I pull back until our eyes meet.
He looks at me as if he’s trying to see into my soul. “How do you feel?”
The corner of my mouth lifts slightly. “Satisfied. You?”
Giving me a hot grin, he says, “I’m fucking amazing right now.”
I let out a chuckle, and not thinking, I brush my hands down his chest. I lower my eyes, admiring how attractive he is.
“Why don’t you have tattoos on your chest?”
“I’ll have one soon.”
“Do you only have tattoos on your arms?”
He shakes his head. “My back is covered.”
I haven’t seen his back yet. “The same patterns as on your arms?”
“No.” There’s a flash of tension on his face. “My family’s faces.” He lifts his hand and drags his finger from my cheek down to my collarbone. “They’re on my back because they’re in my past, and what happened to them shaped the man I became.” His finger trails to the area over my heart and dangerously close to my breast. “My future will be on my chest. My purpose for living.”
He gives me that look where I’m all that matters, and knowing the space over his heart is reserved for me, I lean down and press a kiss to his pec.
I lift my head again, and giving him a tender smile, I just stare at him.
“I love you, Ciara.”
The words hit me unbelievably hard, my lips parting on a silent gasp.
For a moment, I can only look at him.
“I love you so much.” He thinks for a moment while the corner of his mouth lifts, “People tend to see me as this happy-go-lucky, and maybe a little insane, guy, but…” He takes a shuddering breath, and for the first time, I see how heavy everything weighs on him. “Being surrounded by all the dark shit I have to deal with and the broken people I try to help, you’re the sunlight. You’re the one thing I want for myself.”
He’s mine to take care of.
Reaching behind my neck, I undo the clasp and pull the gold chain from around my neck. I take hold of his hand and place the ring in his palm.
I hold my left hand out to him, whispering, “I’m yours, Santiago.”
His chest expands as he takes a deep breath, his eyebrows pulling together with a look of disbelief on his face. “Are you serious? Once I put this ring on your finger, it’s never coming off.”
I let out a chuckle. “It got stuck on my finger a few days ago, so yeah, I believe you.”
He brings the ring to my hand, and pushing it on, my fate is sealed.
I belong to Santiago Castro.
His eyes lock with mine. “Mía para siempre.”
When he brushes his thumb over the diamond, I ask, “What do the words mean?”
“Mine forever.” He takes hold of my jaw and pressess a heated kiss to my mouth, then growls, “All fucking mine.”
SANTIAGO
I can’t stop grinning as I take the stairs down into the cellar.
Seeing Samuel and Pedro, I say, “Give me five minutes alone with him.”
As I wait for my men to leave, I saunter closer to Nolan, who’s been bandaged up. I glance at his hand hanging from one of the hooks, then say, “Love what you’ve done with the place.”
He grinds his teeth as he glares at me.
“While you were putting up decorations,” I gesture at his hand and the bag of fingers, “I got to tell Ciara I love her.” I let out a happy sigh. “Then she rode my cock until she orgasmed so fucking hard it took her minutes before she came down from the high.”
His features tense with actual pain as if I’ve just cut off another limb, and I find great enjoyment in the sight.
“But wait, there’s more,” I taunt him. “I got to put my ring on her finger.” I turn away from him and saunter around the room before glancing at him. “I’m thinking a Spring wedding. I know it’s soon, but I’d be crazy to wait longer. Mrs. Ciara Castro. Damn, that sounds fucking perfect, don’t you think?”
“You’re lying,” he grinds the words out.
“Yeah, I thought you’d say that.” I pull my phone out of my pocket and bring up the photo Ciara took to send to Grace, where she’s smiling while holding her left hand up to show the ring.
The sisters talked for a little bit, and things seemed to be going better between them.
I turn the screen to Nolan and smile proudly. “Have you ever seen her that happy?” Seeing Ciara has a crazed expression and intense pain of knowing the woman he’s obsessed with belongs to me tightening his features. “Yeah, I guess not. You don’t have what it takes to put that happy, post-orgasmic glow on her face.” I tuck the device back into my pocket. “Anyway, let’s get started. I kind of snuck out while Ciara was in the shower.”
I hear Pedro whistling as he comes down the stairs to give me a heads up, and I glance at my second-in-command. “Which body part do you think I should cut off?”
“You’re fucking insane!” Nolan shouts, yanking against the restraints.
“Remove his feet,” Pedro shrugs.
“Yes. We can take off the shackles then.” I look at Nolan. “You’re not going to try to slither out of here, right? Cutting off your legs takes a bit longer, and I’m pressed for time.”
He lets out a roaring shout that’s filled with a smidgeon of madness.
I pick up the axe. “Don’t lose your mind yet. It will ruin all the fun.” Using all my strength, I bring the blade of the ax down on his left ankle, and it slices through the skin before slamming into the bone.
The screams coming from Nolan have me pulling a what-the-fuck face. “Jesus, who knew you could hit such a high note?”
Pedro’s radio crackles, then we hear Marc say, “Ciara’s in the kitchen. She just asked Astrid where Santiago is. Do I say something?” Pedro quickly replies, “Santiago’s on his way.” Then he holds his hand out. “Give me the damn ax and go to your woman.”
I hand him the tool. “Both feet.”
“I know.”
As I walk toward the stairs, I glance down at my tan colored shit and mutter, “Why does blood always have to splatter all over the fucking place.”
I start to undo the buttons as I head up, and seeing Samuel having a smoke break, I ask, “Have you heard from Eladio?”
“Miguel called to say Eladio’s recovered enough because he’s driving him up the walls.”
I let out a chuckle. “Tell Miguel to suck it up. I want Eladio to take a full two-week break before he comes back.”
Samuel nods as he takes a drag, smoke billowing around his face. He drops the cigarette on the ground and steps on it before heading toward the stairs.
Just then, Nolan’s screams sound up. “Shut the door,” I call out, and I get a thumbs up from Samuel before he pulls the heavy wooden door shut, muffling the cries.
I shrug my shirt off and use it to wipe my hands clean in case I walk into Ciara before I can get to the bathroom.
