• Antonio's POV •
Was it bad that I felt more for her then I should be allowing myself to?
She drowned my thoughts 24/7, not one second I did not think about her. The way her eyes crinkled when she laughed too much. Her bright eyes mischevious whenever she teased me or taunted me, defying my orders and pushing me to my limts. Her silk skin that brought heaven to me whenever it touched my skin. Her voice which was angelic, blessing me with her words that praised and teased me. She was additive and I was a man obsessed.
I wanted to be with her, love her, protect her and I couldn't help but do so. I held her in my arms after another night of tasting her fantasy, my eyes memorizing every inch of detail of her features, from her lush lips to her soft eyelashes that his away those hazel eyes.
Her hand placed on my chest, just above where my heart paced rapidly at the sight of her, her legs in a tangled mess with mine, her hair sprawled out across the pillow ehislt she spelt peacefully and even then she looked like a goddess.
There was something hypotnising, addictive about her, something that I couldn't get my hand on but something I wanted badly, to feed my cravings. I traced her face softly so I didn't wake up, remembering this beautiful woman laying beside me. She existed, bringing life into my soul. And this feeling rooting within me, I knew exactly what it was but for now I wanted to enjoy the moment.
"Why do you haunt my thoughts, Xenia? Why must you remind me that I can never have you?" I whispered gently, sighing in distressed before placing a soft kiss on her forehead, causing a smile to find it's way onto her face. She curled closer to me, sleeping peacefully, and I held her.
A few more minutes, I promised myself, bringing her closer into my arms.
Just a few more minutes.
• Xena's POV •
I was in love with him.
That was my first thought when I woke up in a empty bed.
I love Antonio.
I didn't know what was scarier; the fact that I was Russian or the fact that I loved him. I opened my eyes, noticing Antonio to be seen nowhere, sighing before sitting up where I saw a note placed where he slept, a message written in neat italic writing.
Off to the office. Get dressed and go have breakfast, beautiful. I'll see you soon.
Antonio x
I couldn't help the smile on my face, no matter how many times I told me this charade wasn't going to last. I ignored everything and got out of bed, starting my day with a light heart for the first time since Vera's death.
It was during the afternoon when I got a call from Nikolay so suddenly whilst I was talking with Coco and Rosetta. My eyes furrowed, which made Coco send a look of concern.
"Excuse me, I have to take this call." I said with a smile, ignoring the look she was sending me before I left the living room, heading into the kitchen where it was empty fortunately.
"Niko?" I answered. "What's wrong?"
"Xena, I didn't think you'd pick up." He replied. I noticed an edge to his tone, making me wary of what was to come.
"Why wouldn't I?"
"That's what I've been asking for weeks, months as well. I didn't understand what made me feel like that. I mean you always answered my calls, you always came to me, whenever and wherever I wanted you to."
I clenched my jaw at his underlying message but didn't respond in fear of slipping up.
"How are you, moya lyubov?"
"I'm fine." I replied cautiously. "Is something wrong?"
"Not at all, just wanted updates on the mission." He replied but I knew there was something else. With my suspicions that Nikolay was a traitor, I didn't want to risk ruining Antonio's plans. So I lied.
"Its been a dead end. There's a couple of men dead but all have reached dead ends, it seems they knew that they were going to be caught and removed any existence of themselves before their existence was actually taken away from them."
He hummed in reply. "Is that all?"
"Was there something I missed?" I answered back instead.
I could almost hear his smile when he replied back to me. "No, not at all. I'll be waiting for your call, Xena. I've missed you, my queen. Hurry with this mission and once you're done, hurry back to be. We have a lot of time to catch up on and I can think of plenty of ways to waste that time."
I ignored the disgust that grew within me when the message became clear to me.
"Understood, Nikolay, I'll be back soon." I whispered.
"See you soon, moya lyubov." Then he hung up.
I exhaled shaking, tucking my phone away into my head pocket, leaning against the kitchen desktop to collect my thoughts. I knew that Nikolay knew I was lying, he knew me too well. But it was the same for him. I knew he didn't call to know about the mission, he wanted to know about Travis and it confirmed my suspicion.
Nikolay was betraying the Russians.
"Xenia, is something wrong?" My uncle asked with concern lacing his tone. Straight after Nikolay called me, I went to bedroom and called my uncle, Alexi, and the Russian Mafia Boss.
"The Petrovs, or more specifically Nikolay, I think they- he's betraying us." I said.
"What?"
I sighed, taking a seat on my bed whilst explaining to my uncle the entire situation and he listened carefully without interuppting. When I was done, I exhaled shakily, a fear rushing over me.
Then my uncle spoke for the first time in half an hour.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes, uncle." I said, releasing a shaky laugh.
"I'll look further into the exports and imports in the West and other docks owned by the Petrovs and look further into the situation. But you, Xena, you're in enemy territory. When Antonio finds out who you are, he won't hesitate to kill you. You and Coco. You'll be seen a traitor."
"I know." I whispered sadly, my heart clenching. "Uncle, I have something to tell you."
He was quite for a moment, not answering me that I thought he had hung up.
"Uncle-"
"You've fallen for him, haven't you?"
The rest of my words were suddenly stuck in my throat, my eyes widening in shock. My heart began racing rapidly and I clenched onto my phone tightly, not replying back. He sighed, shuffling something about before speaking.
"I love you, Xena. And you have always been so bright, strong and brave. I know after Vera, brother and your dad that you refused to allow yourself to let in even a pinch of happiness. I might be a merciless man, cold hearted and feared by many, but I want my niece to be happy. You know I see you as my daughter, that's why I'm telling you that if you continue to lie, everything you love and learned to love will slip away from your fingers."
Suddenly, I was aware of my wet cheeks, tears streaming down my face as I listened to the reality of my uncle's words.
"Complete your duty, Xena, and leave before he finds out."
"Xena?" My eyes widened when I glanced over to see Antonio in the room, a look of concern on his face when he noticed my tears.
"I've got to go, I'll take in what you said. Please look into everything I asked for." I murmured to my uncle.
"Look after yourself, lyubov." Uncle said, hanging up the phone.
"Xenia?" Antonio questioned again, making his way towards me as I placed my phone onto the beside table, quickly wiping my tears away so I could face him. "Why you crying?"
I stood up to face him, smiling to hide the pain but he saw through it all, I wasn't quick enough.
"I'm f-"
"Bullshit." He growled with narrowed eyes. "Who were you talking to?"
I hesitated, about to lie when I saw the warning look he sent my way. I closed my eyes as I whispered, "My uncle."
"Your uncle? What did he want?"
His brown eyes was confused, conflicted, masked with something that I couldn't put my finger on. I sighed, closing the distance between us by pressing my lips against his, silencing all the questions he wanted to ask. He quickly responded, gripping onto my waist to pull me closer to him, my hands on his chest, feeling it rise up and down steadily.
"I've missed you, Antonio." I whispered when we broke away for a short movement to catch our breath before kissing again. There was something in this kiss that felt different, it felt more needed, more emotion, it felt like love.
"I've missed you too, Xena." He murmured before pulling away. "Why are you upset, amore?"
I smiled sadly. "My uncle told me that I need to be heading home soon, there's a family issue that we need go solve, that's all."
If he knew that there was more to what I had told him, he didn't show it, instead he kissed me again, more hardly, more passionately, his tongue plunging into my mouth, exploring every inch of me, eliciting a moan out from me.
"Mine." He growled predatoritly. He lifted me up, my legs wrapping around his waist and my arms around his neck instinctively as he pinned me against the wall. "You're mine, Xena. You're not leaving."
I cried out when he removed his lips from mine and sucked against the crook of my neck, my back arching, wanting more than what he was giving me.
"Antonio!" I squealed when he tore my top off, disregarding the material onto the floor, removing all hm item of clothing quicker than I could blink. Suddenly he was in me, claiming me.
"You." Thrust. "Are." Thrust. "Mine."
Antonio grunted, pounding against me mercilessly, imprinting me with his claim just as his lips imprinted me with love marks on my body for everyone to see who belonged to. I dug my nails into his back as I cried out his name, drawing out blood, staking my claim, whilst he played with my body like a doll.
"Who do you belong to, Xenia?" He asked, his eyes balzing with such passion it frightened me but at the same time turned me on.
"Yours!" I screamed out. "Fuck, fuck, please Antonio, please."
I sobbed, begging him to allow me to come to my release.
"My name, tigre." He growled animalistically, teasing me, pushing me to my limits but not allowing me to reach those limits. "Louder for this entire estate to hear you. Who do you belong to?"
"Antonio!" I shouted, tugging on the nape of his hair. "Antonio, Antonio Antonio."
I chanted incoherently, my words muddling up as I didn't know whether to say his name or to moan and cry in pleasure.
"I belong to you, I'm yours!" I cried and with one final and harsh pound, we both came to our high, melting into each others arms in exhaustion, basking in our after sex glow.
"That's right." He panted breathlessly, resting his forehead against mine. "You're mine, Xena. Don't think about leaving because I'm not going to let you. You belong to me only Xena. From this day on and forever, remember that, amore."
Breathing heavily, I lifted my head up to meet his eyes. "From this day and forever."
That beautiful and heart stopping smile made its way onto his face as he kissed me softly, caressing me as if I was fragile like glass.
I'm sorry, I thought as he held me in his arms. I'm sorry for loving you, Antonio.
•••••
Prepare to cry next chapter?
Thank you go for waiting so long, it will be worth it, I promise.
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