CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR

          IT WAS FRIDAY MORNING AND THE BRUNETTE HAD WOKEN UP IN A HEAP OF WARM BLANKETS. Squinting her eyes as the rays of the autumn sun shone through the curtains, she pushed herself up on her elbows and glanced around the bedroom. The room was quiet, the faint smell of coffee brewing in the kitchen reached her nose and she looked to see his side of the bed empty.

The warmth of the bed almost made her hesitate to get out of it. The faint hum of the city beyond the slightly creaked open window was almost calming to her and she felt oddly normal. A sense of normalcy she hadn't felt in a long time. For a moment, she allowed herself to forget the chaos outside these walls and the danger, and especially the horrors that had played out in her apartment the week before. 

Lucy swung her legs over the side of the bed and got to her feet and pulled one of Rio's shirts off the chair before slipping it on. The material was soft against her skin and she could still smell the cologne he used, lingering on the piece of clothing. Her bare feet padded quietly against the hardwood floor as she slid the door open.

The woman had an immediate view of him in the kitchen by the way his loft was decorated. He had his back to her and he stood before the stove, flipping what smelled like pancakes onto a pan. The sight caught her off guard. A man who ran a criminal enterprise was making breakfast right in front of her, but it suited him.

"Morning," she said softly, making her way towards the kitchen island and sliding onto one of the bar stools.

Rio turned, glancing over his shoulder with a smirk playing at his lips. 

"Mornin, ma." he replied, voice still laced with sleep.

His dark eyes trailed over her frame and there was something possessive in the way he looked at her, which made her cheeks heat up at the attention he was giving her. It felt good to have someone look at her that way. It made her feel seen. His eyes dipped toward his shirt and he chuckled lightly to himself. 

"You look good." he grinned, turning off the stove and facing her. "I'm sure you'd look better spread out for me on the counter."

Lucy's cheeks flushed even more at his words and he grinned at the way her eyes widened just a smidge. Her heart skipped a beat and she had to press her thighs together as his gaze lingered on her. He was being absolutely serious. And now, sitting there in his shirt, with the soft morning light casting a glow on everything, she felt exposed in more ways than one. She might as well be completely naked.

She let out a shaky breath and tapped her nails on the counter, "Very smooth, Christopher."

Rio's grin widened as he ran his tongue along his teeth. "Ain't tryin' to be smooth, sweetheart. Just telling you the truth. Keep calling me Christopher, though, and i'll have you on top of the counter within the next few seconds."

Lucy scoffed and playfully narrowed her eyes at the man in front of her. Christopher was his actual name, which no one but Mick seemed to know. And now she did, too. Rio was the name he used for his work, but he was just Christopher whenever he wasn't working. And he really seemed to enjoy it when she called him by his actual name. 

"You're impossible, did you know that?" she muttered, taking the mug of coffee he slid her way.

Rio let out an amused chuckle and shook his head as he leaned against the counter and tilted his head to the side. "Nah, I just know what I want."

The brunette kept his gaze as he pushed off the marble and circled his way to where she was sitting, pancakes forgotten in the pan. His face was inches away from her own and she felt the heat of his body seeping toward her own. 

He grabbed her bare knee and twisted the bar stool so he could stand between her thighs. The warmth of his touch sent a jolt of electricity through her like it always did when he touched her.

"And what is it that you want?" she asked, her voice coming out softer than she intended, her lips only an inch away from his.

"You," he murmured, his eyes flicking down to her lips before meeting her gaze again. "Right here. Right now."

He leaned in even closer, his lips hovering just above hers in a teasing manner. His breath was warm against her skin and she hooked her leg around his own to pull him toward her. His hand, still resting on her knee, sent warmth coursing through and she wanted him to stop teasing. Her fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt as his hand slid up her thigh, slow and deliberate. 

Her voice was barely above a whisper as she said, "Then take me."

And that was all it took.

He closed the gap between them as his lips crashed into her own with a hunger that made her melt against his touch. It was rough, demanding and she wrapped her arms around his neck as she pulled him closer. He grabbed the flesh of her thighs as if he owned it and she let out a whine between kisses.

Rio groaned into the kiss, the sound vibrating against her lips as he lifted her effortlessly from the barstool, placing her on the edge of the counter. The cool surface against her thighs was a stark contrast to the heat between them, but she barely noticed. All that mattered was him and his hands on her, his mouth claiming hers.

The moment he set her down on the counter, his hands were everywhere, gripping her waist, running up her sides, and pulling her closer as though he couldn't get enough of her. Lucy's heart pounded in her chest, her breath coming in quick and ragged bursts as their kiss deepened. 

Rio's lips moved down her jawline, leaving a trail of hot, open-mouthed kisses along her neck, his stubble scratching against her sensitive skin. She arched into him, her fingers tangling in his hair, tugging him closer as he nipped at her collarbone. The sensation sent a jolt of pleasure through her, and she gasped, her body responding to his every touch.

His grip on her thighs tightened, pulling her hips flush against his as he pressed himself between her legs. The tension between them was intoxicating, her body aching for more of him. He was everywhere, and yet it still wasn't enough.

"You're mine," he growled against her skin, his voice rough and low and it send a shiver down her spine.

She couldn't speak, could barely think as her mind clouded with desire as he claimed her with his touch. All she could focus on was the heat of him, the way he moved against her, the way he made her feel like she was on fire from the inside out.

He lifted her hips towards the edge of the counter and pressed down onto her stomach gently until she was flat on her back. The cool marble beneath her contrasted sharply with the heat building between them, sending a shiver through her spine. His hands slid down her sides, tracing every curve, every line of her body with a slow deliberate touch that made her skin tingle with anticipation.

"Told you I wanted you spread out for me?"

Lucy bit her lip at that and held in a sinful moan. He leaned down, pressing soft, open-mouthed kisses along the inside of her thighs, his stubble grazing her skin with a roughness that sent waves of heat coursing through her. 

Each kiss was slow, deliberate. She gripped the edge of the counter, her fingers curling into the cool marble as a low moan escaped her lips, unable to contain the fire building inside.

His eyes flicked up to meet hers, a smirk playing on his lips as he continued his slow, torturous path along her skin. "You like that, huh?"

Lucy nodded, unable to form words, her chest rising and falling. Her body ached for him, her mind a haze of desire, every sense focused on his next move. The way his lips moved against her skin, the heat of his breath, the pace, it was too much and yet not nearly enough.

Rio's hands slid higher, caressing her hips as he murmured, "Told you I wanted you like this, ma." His voice was a low, dangerous growl, filled with promise and possession. "I always get what I want."

His words send a shiver through her entire body and her pulse quickened even more as his moved his hands towards her hips and firmly held onto her. Her breath came in shallow, unsteady gasps, her mind spinning with the tension building between them.

That was until he slid her panties to the side with his fingers, leaned down and licked his way through her folds. The woman gasped, her entire body arching as the heat of his mouth began to devour her. Each stroke of his tongue was warm and tantalizing, sending waves of pleasure coursing through her.

Her fingers gripped the edge of the counter tightly as she tried to ground herself amidst the attack on her core. Her breathing became ragged, every lick, every flick of his tongue sending her closer to the edge. The way he explored her, the way he took his time, was both maddening and irresistible.

"Rio..." she moaned, her voice a soft whisper, her head falling back as she surrendered completely to the pleasure he was giving her.

The man tskd and slapped her thigh, tearing his mouth away from the place she wanted it most. "Use my name, mama." 

"Oh god," she reached for the back of his head when he continued his assault. "Chris..."

He responded with a low satisfied growl and his hands held her hips firmly as he continued his movements. His tongue worked with a steady rhythm, his attention unwavering, making sure she felt every single sensation. His hands gripped her hips tightly, holding her in place.

Her breaths grew more frantic, coming in short, sharp gasps as he teased and tasted her. Her body was wracked with shivers and tremors, each flick of his tongue sending jolts of pleasure through her. She could barely think, her mind overwhelmed.

"Christopher, please," she begged, her voice trembling with need in a desperate plea for release.

He responded by increasing the pressure and pace, his tongue moving with a sense of urgency, pushing her towards the climax she was so desperately seeking.

When his teeth grazed her sensitive skin she managed to reach her peak, letting out a shuddering cry at the intensity of it and grabbed the hand holding her down tightly as her body convulsed. His name escaped her lips like a prayer, almost breathless. Rio kept pressing soft kisses to her skin as her body slowly relaxed onto the counter.

Rio gently let her leg down and squeezed her skin lovingly as he looked down at her, getting back to his full height. She looked at him through hooded lids and muttered, "I could use some pancakes now."

uhmmm i was planning for marcus to come over and then this happened ... anywaysss see ya'll next chapter. thanks so so much for the comments and votes the mean so much to me <3