His Love (4 page)

His body trembled with rage as she banged his door shut.
How could she?
She didn’t have the right. Rayne didn’t know how much he had lost. He stared at the screen of his laptop. Maria’s smiling face warmed his heart. Antonio smiled back, and a second later his fist connected with the laptop. Then only the darkness he felt was staring back at him.

***

“Keep your knickers on.” Rayne yelled at the assailant banging on her door.

She stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her, tucking it in between her breasts. She fought to push her wild hair back and out of her eyes. Growing more irate as the fists on her door went on pounding, she swore. “Morrison if that’s you, I swear—”

Rayne pulled the door open and met Antonio’s black eyes. They were filled with anger and lust. She staggered back as he reached for her. She quickly realized that her attire wasn’t the best, especially since her body was begging for his touch. He kicked the door shut and pulled his t-shirt over his head. The muscles in his chest, shoulders, and arms tightened and flexed as he moved. Biting down on her lower lip she wondered how such a simple thing could be so seductive. He was staring at her, his breath ragged, a calculating expression on his face.

He was like a predator and his eyes had zeroed in on his prey. Rayne wondered how it would feel, sucking on Antonio’s plump bottom lip. The thought of feasting on him clouded her mind, by the time she saw him advancing toward her it was too late. She was trapped as his hand pressed on her lower back, holding her against him, his other hand sneaking through the towel and cupping her between her legs. Rayne gasped at the feel of his gentle fingers working feverishly on her nub. She whimpered when he stopped.

Antonio looked into her eyes and growled, “Do you want me to stop?”

“No,” she hissed out. She wanted to feel how crazy he could drive her, needed him to fill her up, and drive her to the edge of orgasm.

The muscles at the edge of his lips began to stiffen as his fingers dipped inside her and his thumb massaged her nub. She gasped. His lips crushed into her, his tongue finding hers, tasting and teasing. Alarm bells went off in her mind, but her body seemed to be disconnected from the rest of her body. Showing its defiance, her leg hooked around his, giving him better access to her center.

Rayne’s lungs were about to give in as her climax came crashing into her, wringing every need of satisfaction, and filling the neglect of the past couple of years. She held on to him as her legs crumbled beneath her. Antonio’s hand that was planted at her lower back was now on her rear. He hoisted her up. Rayne gasped in excitement as another orgasm rushed through her, when he slammed her against the wall.

Her towel fell aside and Antonio’s mouth claimed her nipple, pleasuring it with his tongue and teasing it with his teeth. Her fingers buried in his hair as her moans urged him on. She knew he had large hands, but she didn’t know how big and strong they were or how talented, until they were kneading her rear and holding her up at the same time.

“Look at me,” he demanded, and she had no choice, but to obey.

The second their eyes locked he plunged into her. She held on to his shoulders as her legs scissor-locked at his back. Her body tightened. He hammered into her, faster and harder with her moans urging him on. Trying to stifle a scream, Rayne bit into his shoulder and shuddered at his grunt of approval. She could feel it from the tip of her toes to the top of her head as her third orgasm shuddered through her. Each wave stronger as Antonio’s momentum built. She thought she would die from this never-ending pleasure.

***

Antonio knew that she needed a second to relax, but he couldn’t stop. He wanted her to want and need him as much as he did her. He rocked into her, his hands tightening on her flesh as his own body stiffened. His forehead pressed against hers, he mustered all his strength to hold them both up as he spilled into her.

He filled his lungs with much needed oxygen as Rayne kept on shuddering against his body. Trusting himself, he lifted her, and carried her toward the bed. Laying her down, he watched her slick, sexy body as it came down from its high. He felt happy; proud even, that he was the one to drive her to this point of helplessness. The beast inside her had heeded to his every command, but he knew she wasn’t tamed. He watched her writhe in pleasure, parting her legs. He wanted to taste her, make her come all over again. Hear her moan for him as her hands caressed his body with need. He wanted to see the satisfaction in her eyes one more time.

***

Rayne could barely think straight.
What the hell was that?
She watched Antonio under heavy lids as he stood over her. His body was all strength and muscle. He was built to please, to tempt, and to break. His unblinking stare made her feel weak and aroused at the same time. She wanted more of him. But when she saw the desire that burned bright in his eyes, reflected on his body, she tried to squirm away, sure that this time his building need would certainly kill her. He moved so quickly that she only had a second to suck in one shocked breath.

The second his tongue touched her center, her body arched off the bed. She grabbed at the bed covers to anchor her. He pleasured her with his tongue just as his fingers had done moments before. Her fingers fisted in his hair. She rocked herself against him, trying to quench the pent up desire he was building inside her with a single touch. Her heart beat in quick bumpy jerks and she listened, waiting for it to stop at any second. This time she didn’t try to hide the sound of her pleasure, she threw her head back and a scream escaped her lips as her orgasm slammed into her.

Soon his lips covered hers, swallowing her scream. His mouth curved into a smile and he chuckled. He had moved on top of her, pushing her legs apart and flat on the bed. He settled in between her thighs. Her body tensed up one more time as his hard length filled her, impaled her. She didn’t think she could take any more. She was ready to come without him making a single movement. His fingers weaved with hers as he pinned her hand up next to her head. He moved inside her, his mouth feasting on her neck, his hot breath scorching her skin.

“Look at me,” he demanded.

Something in her own heart broke a little when she saw the need in his eyes. Somehow they would both fill this emptiness in each other. But now she wanted to see his eyes roll back in his head as he drove her to her limits. He lifted her hips to meet him as he increased his pace. Flesh pounded against flesh as the sweat trickled down from him and bathed her. Antonio grunted his approval when her body stiffened and she coiled. She was almost there and so was he. She could feel him restrain his orgasm as much as he could, giving her time to reach hers. And when her body arched off the bed he let his own pleasure flow out of him.

Rayne’s body went limp, as his weight pressed against her tiny frame. When he tried to move she scissor-locked her legs and arms around him and held him in place. He mumbled something to her, but she didn’t hear. Her body felt like a feather, his weight comforting as she slipped into slumber.

She wasn’t surprised when she woke up alone the next morning. She had expected it, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t disappointed. She pulled on her long sleeved t-shirt and her sweat pants and headed for the main house. She wanted to check on Alessandria and somehow avoid Antonio, but unfortunately once the little girl woke up and saw Rayne, she wouldn’t let her leave. Rayne didn’t want to risk bumping into Antonio so soon after their sexcapade. She picked up the little girl and took her to her apartment.

Chapter Four

The next morning Antonio tried to get out of the house before his father awoke or Rayne turned up. He had snuck out of her room like a thief. He laid claim on what he wanted, drove them both to the edge of madness, then left when she was asleep. When he got to the dining room for his early breakfast, Jacqueline stumbled in. She was drunk, which wasn’t uncommon, and Antonio wondered how he and his sister managed to take two completely different paths in life. Jacqueline sat at the table with him, but they didn’t speak a word to each other.

Moments later as if the world was against him, Rayne walked in. She had a sleeping Alessandria in her arms. Where was Rayne coming from with his daughter so early in the morning? And what time had she woken up to get her? He had left her around five that morning sleeping peacefully. It broke his heart to have to tear himself from her embrace, but what would happen after she woke up? He tried to shrug off the unwanted guilt clawing at his heart when she shot him a furious look.

“What’s going on?” His voice was stern, but he made sure he didn’t wake the sleeping girl in her arms. The picture of her and Alessandria looked so beautiful. It broke his heart that he couldn’t love her the way a father should.

Before Rayne could answer Jacqueline cut in. “Since Rayne is here, and mom and dad decided we could keep the kid, “Goodwill” will just have to settle for taking in all the other riff raff from the street.” Jacqueline got up from her seat. She kissed the sleeping girl and smiled up at Rayne. Slurring out her words she said, “She’s sweet isn’t she. Too bad her father is taking after his father.”

Antonio cringed as if someone had driven a chainsaw into his chest. If he thought that Rayne hated him before, now he was sure of it.

“Goodwill?” Rayne asked in an accusatory tone.

“I never meant it that way.”

Rayne rocked back and forth when Alessandria begun to stir. “She’s four years old. She doesn’t listen for the punch line or read in between the lines. She only hears the words and takes them as they are. You are disgusting.”

Antonio wanted to say something. He wanted to shout at her, fire her for her defiance. But it was her defiance that had driven him to her bed and Rayne Mathews was the only person who seemed to be completely in love with his daughter. And he lusted for her. Not knowing where she was would only drive him crazy. He needed to feel her writhing underneath his body, and moaning in pleasure at his touch. His appetite gone, he pushed his breakfast aside and headed out for work.

Antonio had a long day filled with meetings and thoughts of Rayne. The memory of her taking her pleasure from him made him rock hard for the most of the day. He took his jacket off and turned on the air conditioner to full blast. His office chilled him for the duration of the time, but then he remembered the next day was Alessandria’s birthday and the anniversary of Maria’s death. The guilt, rage and unfathomed despair clouded any joy he should feel as a father celebrating the day his child was born. He thought of taking his pity party to his condo in Manhattan, but he needed Rayne close to him, just in case he got out of hand.

He went home and did his best to avoid everyone in the house, but his father summoned them to the dining room with his authoritative bark. This was Alessandria’s birthday dinner. In consideration for Antonio, Sofia held the dinner a night before her actual birthday. He sat at the table and saw the two empty seats that he had no doubt Rayne and Alessandria would occupy. He wanted to cry out in pain.

Antonio could hear the singing and the clatter of skipping feet. Alessandria and Rayne appeared in the dining room in a cloud of laughter, party hats on their heads. The second Alessandria spotted him she froze. Antonio’s heart broke from the fear he saw in the depths of her innocent brown eyes. He remembered the evidence of her fear, Rayne’s soiled shirt, that Rayne had seen fit to leave with him. He swore that he would try to be nice to her, if not for Alessandria, for Rayne and maybe for Maria. He took the velvet box from his pocket and moved toward her. He almost gave up his attempt when Alessandria hid behind Rayne’s leg. His own child was running away from him.

“I got you something.” Antonio took the chain out of its box, hoping that its sparkle would appeal to her. It did. After Rayne urged her forward, Alessandria moved toward him, her hands neatly folded in front of her, her eyes glued on the chain. “It used to belong to your mommy,” he said as he slipped it over her head.

“Thank you.” Her voice was a like a sweet whisper, if he hadn’t seen her lips move, he was sure he wouldn’t have heard her.

“You are welcome.” He returned to his seat and watched Alessandria pull her chair out so that she could sit closer to Rayne. For a split second he thought he saw a smile in Rayne’s eyes, though the moment was lost when Alessandria tugged at her arm. The little girl pointed and scowled at the vegetables on her plate. He chuckled when he thought he saw a hint of her mother. Maria’s face never hid what she felt.

“You don’t have to eat it if you don’t want to,” Antonio said.

Alessandria stared at him with saucer eyes full of disbelief.
Was he that much of an ogre that any attempt to reach out to his daughter was met with disbelief and mistrust?
He looked up at the rest of his family and his answer lay in their shocked expressions.

“Melody,” Antonio called out. “Get Alessandria whatever she wants. It is her birthday after all.”

He noticed that Alessandria wanted to say something, but immediately shrunk back. It wasn’t her birthday and Alessandria knew it. His mother’s attempt to celebrate the occasion a day early hadn’t fooled the little girl. She was smart. She reminded him so much of himself and sometimes Maria. He knew that there was too much of himself in her and he didn’t like it.

“What do you want?” Rayne urged her on.

“French fries and fish fingers,” she whispered to Melody.

“Are you sure you should be eating that?” Sofia asked.

“Mother, she can have whatever she wants,” Antonio said, not willing to let his daughter second guess herself. And when she smiled at him, a little piece of him broke.

“Where’s my party hat?” Jacqueline asked.

***

Rayne handed Alessandria the party hats. She wanted the little girl to have some interaction with her marble-stone family. Alessandria hesitated. She made as if to head toward Jacqueline first, but changed direction and walked to Antonio. Rayne saw the emotion in his eyes as his daughter’s trembling hand extended a party hat toward him. She didn’t expect him to wear it. She thought he would just nod and put it on the table beside his plate. But he didn’t. Antonio reached down and kissed her cheek and put the party hat on.