It’d never be as hard for her as it was for me. I was stuck with Maddox…and I’d never escape.
“Hades, I love you so much.”
I closed my eyes because I regretted my outburst. If I’d kept my emotions in check, this conversation wouldn’t be happening. It wasn’t helping either one of us. Only making it a million times worse. I liked knowing she was still in love with me…but I also hated it at the same time.
Now I didn’t know what to do. I could leave and wait until Andrew was born, but all the emotions were already on the table. I was already hurting, and I couldn’t hurt more. It didn’t matter what I did next because the end result would be exactly the same.
Sofia crossed the distance between us and moved into me. When her hands went to the crooks of my elbows, I knew what would come next. But this time, I didn’t want to fight it. This time, I needed it.
She cupped the back of my head, her fingers moving into my hair, and she pulled my face to hers and kissed me. She instantly took a breath when our mouths combined. The electricity burned her just the way it burned me.
My hand wrapped around her waist, and one hand dug into the back of her hair. I tugged her flush against me, feeling our son between us as I kissed her with all the feeling in my heart. I released all my longing, all the aches and pains in my chest, and I threw myself into her.
She clung to me just as hard, crushing our lips together as she kissed me with more passion than she ever had. Her tongue moved into my mouth, and she found mine before they danced together.
I pulled her nightdress over her head and continued to kiss her without skipping a beat. My hands moved to her thong and yanked it down so I could grab her cheek with one hand and squeeze. This woman could be mine for a little longer before I had to let her go forever. When she’d left me, I didn’t really have the opportunity to treasure her. Everything happened so fast, and we were both too upset to appreciate our final moments together. But now we were ready to say goodbye, to have this final chance.
She pulled my shirt over my head and got me undressed, barely pulling her lips away from mine long enough to take a breath. She tugged my boxers over my hips and got me down to my skin before she guided me to the bed. She was the one who shoved me back.
I lay back on the bed and propped myself up on my elbows. The sight before me was so erotic, I forgot to breathe. Both of my hands formed fists, and my entire body turned just as hard as my dick as I watched Sofia move on top of me. She straddled my hips and widened her thighs so she could sit on my dick and slowly lower herself until only my balls were free.
I closed my eyes and moaned because it was almost too much to take. Her belly, her tits, everything was so perfect. I lay there as if restrained and watched her bounce up and down and ride my dick just the way she used to. I was too weak to do anything but enjoy it, to let my broken soul escape my chest and wrap around hers. “I love you, baby.”
She moved up and down and rolled her hips, her eyes on mine. “I love you too…”
10
Sofia
I sat across from Hades at the restaurant. It was the middle of the day, and we’d decided to get out for lunch. The last two days had been spent mostly in silence. He told me he loved me, and I said I felt the same way…but we never really spoke of it again. He’d slept beside me for the last few nights, and we weren’t bothering to try to resist what we really wanted.
We went at it all night.
I appreciated every second we were together because it calmed the chaos around us. I missed being connected to someone like that, to feel the passion and so much love. I missed this man with all my heart, and I didn’t know if I could ever let him go.
I was uncomfortable all the time because of my ridiculously big belly. The chair was hard on my back, and I couldn’t sit close to the table because I was too big. But it was nice to get out instead of sitting at home and waiting for the baby to come.
Hades glanced at the menu before he lifted his gaze and looked at me. “What are you getting?”
“Everything.”
The corner of his lip rose in a slight smile, a rare event for someone like him. He set down his menu and continued to look at me.
I missed seeing him wearing his wedding ring. When he used to wear it, he didn’t attract so much female attention. But now most women looked at him, trying to figure out if he was available or not.
I had that pregnancy strength, so I would knock them out if they tried.
He continued to watch me with his brown eyes, the same eyes that looked into mine when he was on top of me in the darkness of my bedroom. There was always a slight hint of affection in his gaze, his heart on his sleeve.
The waitress came over and took our orders, then we were left alone again.
We spent so much time talking about us, I never asked him about him. “How are things in Florence?”
He took a long time before he answered. “The same.”
“And things with Maddox…?” I never asked about that man because I despised him, but I wanted to know that Hades was okay.
His gaze darkened noticeably, and his mood soured like he’d been provoked. “I don’t want to talk about that.”
“Why?”
He shook his head slightly. “I just don’t.”
“You can always talk to me about anything.” I knew he didn’t have Damien at his side anymore, and Ash was here in the city. If Hades wasn’t sleeping around, then he had no one to share his life with. Regardless of what happened between us, I would always be there for him.
“Maddox is crazier than I ever thought he was. He’s smart, calculating…but his greatest asset is his unpredictability. I’ve never met anyone like him. Now I understand how he’s survived so long.”
“You talk about him almost like you admire him…”
Now, he looked consumed by rage. He was dead silent, so rigid it looked like his muscles would tear. It seemed like he wanted to say so much in response to my observation, but the only thing he managed to get out was a simple response. “No.”
I knew I should let it go because he was so angry, he couldn’t see straight. The thing keeping us apart would keep us apart forever. I wanted to go home to Florence and move back into my bedroom, but then I realized I’d made the right decision staying in Rome. I could never go back…not while that psycho was in charge.
“Don’t ever ask me about him again.”
I held my silence and didn’t provoke him. Maybe he was right. Maybe we could never talk about this. I grabbed my glass of water and took a drink, my lipstick smearing on the glass. When I set it down, I rubbed my hand over my stomach. “I can’t believe this is almost over. I’ve loved being pregnant, but I’m so ready for it to end. I can’t wait to see if he looks like you, if he has your eyes or mine.”
“I’m sure he’ll be perfect.”
“Are you nervous?”
“Why would I be? I’m not the one who has to push him out.”
I smiled at the comment. “I’m not worried about that. But raising a son…that’s a big deal.”
He nodded slightly then fell into a quiet composure. His eyes drifted away, and he looked at nothing in particular as he remained deep in his thoughts. Minutes passed before he turned his gaze back to me. “You’re going to be a great mother, Sofia. I have no doubt.”