us long to stumble to his bed, for him to peel off the rest of our clothes, to hover his heavy, perfect body above me and kiss me until I melt into the sheets.

Heat gathers between all the places our skin touches, and his mouth tastes like a heady mix of cake batter and him and me.

"Nero," I sigh into his mouth, my fingers tangled into his dark hair, "My cupcakes are gonna burn."

A small, rough sound leaves the back of his throat, and he presses a hot, open kiss to my neck, tugging with his lips, no doubt creating a bruise on the soft skin. "You're not leaving me again for those fucking cupcakes," he mutters, his long fingers drifting to my thigh, a hand spreading my legs apart so he settles himself between them. "Not until I'm done with you." In just a couple of seconds he's slipped on a condom, discarding the foil package somewhere with our clothes.

I gasp when he enters me, the feeling as whole and consuming and incredible as I remember. "Are you going to punish me?" I whisper against his lips, my legs wrapping around him as he thrusts deeper. I can't help the whimper that escapes me.

He chuckles darkly, setting a pace that is hard and deep and rough and I'm panting, it feels so damn good. "How," he breathes, "do—you..." each word is separated by the heavy push of his hips, the length of him hitting just the right spot, every time, "want me... to do... that?" He sets his dark gaze on mine, his eyes sparkling.

My breaths leave me in short bursts and I can't answer through my moans, around the stars that have gathered behind my eyelids. "Ah," I begin nonsensically, "I'm... sure, oh," I know he's close, I'm so close, "you'll... think of," the pressure starts to build and when his hand comes to brush the slick folds between my legs, "somethin—fuck," I can't stop the waves from finally crashing, over and over and over, one last thrust, his orgasm filling me with warmth, our chests heaving together and a thin layer of sweat covering us both.

When we eventually come back down to earth, he groans into my neck. "Dolcezza," he sighs, running his fingers through my tangled hair, "There is no way we can possibly be that good."

I giggle, wincing a little when he slides out of me. "I'm going to be so sore tomorrow, so I'm glad that it was worth it."

When he falls onto his back, our fingers tangle together against his chest, and my eyes drift shut.

A beeping sound alerts me that the cupcakes are ready.

"Mhm," I moan, slowly getting up, already feeling the dull ache between my thighs. I grab his shirt from the ground, slip it on as I wander into the kitchen, my head still fuzzy from the aftermath of our sex.

As I rest the hot tray onto the island, Nero makes his way slowly from his room, still gloriously naked besides his tight black briefs. His hair sticks up in tufts, and I can't help but laugh at the sight of it, his mouth still red and a little swollen.

"I'm not eating these, by the way," I say, narrowing my eyes at him. "They're contaminated."

He chuckles. "Nothing that you haven't tasted before."

Okay, true. "Still gross."

He leans against the counter, lips tilting up a little at the edges while he watches me take them out of the pan to cool. "I'll eat them."

"I'm sure you will." I make it very obvious when I rake my gaze over him, top to bottom, focusing on the lean, tan muscle of his arms, his chest. "I never actually believed that you ate those cupcakes I gave you. Definitely didn't look like it."

He raises an eyebrow. "I used to like the way you pretended not check me out."

I flush, a little. "You didn't even bother hiding it."

He reaches an arm around my waist and tugs me against him. "The first time," he mumbles near my ear, "I thought you might have poisoned them."

My laughter falls into his neck. "Did you eat them anyways?"

"Yes, because I knew you weren't stupid." He leans back, runs his fingers softly through my hair and brushes it away from my eyes. "They were delicious."

A thought crosses my mind, and I look up at him, curious. "That reminds me." His fingers draw small circles through the fabric covering my hip. "How come you always went to sleep so early on the weekends and stayed up so late during the week? I could never figure it out."

His dark eyes sparkle with laughter. "You were analyzing my sleeping habits, too?"

I slap the back of my hand lightly against his shoulder. "Shut up. I noticed a pattern."

"Very observant."

I shake my head, narrowing my eyes at him. He runs a thumb down my cheek, across my parted lips, his other hand holding me to him by the waist. "Nothing exciting, dolcezza. My men did most of their dirty work at night. It was easier for me to stay up late to supervise, and then sleep in the morning until noon. By the time Friday came around, I would be exhausted." He gives me a wry smile. He speaks about that past life with a hint of guilt. "What was your theory?"

I purse my lips, "Well..." Our fingers tangle together, our hands suspended in the space between his chest and mine. "I just used to wonder when you had time to, you know, go out, or... have sex, or..."

His rough laughter falls against my face, and I don't meet his eyes. "How often did you worry about my sex life?"

I scoff. "Shut up, I wasn't worried. Just... curious."

"Mhm."

I plant a small kiss on the hollow of his jaw, escaping his arms to start working on the frosting.

He watches silently as I wash out the batter, fit the mixer back in place, peel the metallic wrapper from the butter and crumble it into the bowl. When my eyes drift up to him, he's already looking at me, his steady gaze making me blush.

I work in silence and he just watches, our eyes meeting every now and then, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, at the corner of mine.

Just as I untwist the bowl, shoving the spatula through the frosting once more, there is a loud thud against the front door, sudden, heavy knocking. My heart leaps in my chest.

Nero's smile melts into stone, and dread overtakes me when I see the look on his face, the darkness that fills his eyes.

"Rosalyn, lock yourself in the bedroom," he says, voice low, grabbing my wrist and tugging me out of the kitchen.

"What is going on?" He shakes his head, and I haven't felt fear rush through me like this in a long time.

"I have no fucking idea." He swiftly tugs on a t-shirt and sweats, and the pounding on the door just gets louder. I hear heavy voices through the door, barking in Italian. "Do not leave this room, Rosalyn."

He leaves and I lock myself in after him, pressing my ear to the door.

What the hell?

"What the fuck, Gabriel?" Nero says, and three (four?) new voices fill his apartment. I hear Nero arguing, others laughing, another man who sounds angry, and I can't understand any of it.

"Since when do you bake cupcakes?" I hear a man guffaw, and I swallow the terror and mortification. They will know I'm here.

Some more muffled things I can't catch. Then I hear a voice that sends ice through my veins. "So you are fucking that tight ass after all, aren't you?" Marco's rough, sleazy voice is unmistakable.

"Get the fuck out of here, Marco," Nero warns, and there is an edge to his voice that borders murderous, something that makes my blood freeze, a tone I have never heard before.

Marco tries to reassure him, and there is another flurry of yelling and accusations, and it seems like these men are trying to convince Nero of something.

Right away, I know it has something to do with the immunity deal.

I find my phone beside the bed and send a long text to Natalia about everything that is happening. Maybe she'll be able to piece things together.

Wtf Rosalyn, she replies. Who else is there?

I lean my head against the door, trying to catch more names.

Marco, Gabriel, Luca, and I think Angelo

Why are they here? Why are your

cousins making a deal with Marco?

Idfk Ros

What else are they saying?

I don't speak Italian!!!

For fuck's sake,

should I come over?

Don't you dare!!!!!

It's not safe Natalia

Text me when they leave okay?

Do they know you're there??

I don't know! Maybe? I left a tray of

cupcakes in the kitchen, they're still

warm, they must know I'm here

Fucking cupcakes, ros

Shut up

•§•

later, I hear the front door slam. I send Natalia a message that I think it's all clear.

There's soft knock on the bedroom door, and I hear Nero on the other side, "It's me, dolcezza. They're gone now." He sounds exhausted.

I gently push open the door, walk into his solid chest and wrap my arms around his waist.

A hand twines itself into my hair, pressing my face against his warmth.

"What did they want?" I mumble, feeling the waves of fatigue roll off him. It's nearly one in the morning.

His fingers drift through the hair at the back of my head. "They wanted to make a deal to save everyone. I told them it's impossible."

I tilt my head back so our noses brush. "What did Marco want?"

Even at the mention of his name, I feel Nero stiffen. "To make threats." He presses his forehead into mine, holding my face close. "I hate this, Rosalyn."

"I know, Nero." I'm sympathetic, but a small part of me knows that he's made his bed and he's gonna have to sleep on it, even if he comes up with fleas, or doesn't wake up at all. But I'd rather not think about it.

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