Between The Flames ⚜️Il Paradosso Book Two⚜️

Chapter eighteen

It's part of our human instinct to steer clear of the people who carry too much baggage on their shoulders.

Because you know that no matter the efforts invested in that relationship, it's likely to crumble to bits.

I awoke to my own terrifying screams for the third time since my near-drowning experience over a week ago, palpitations beating so roughly that it almost felt like I was having a heart attack.

I kept having the same dream, splashing into water, sinking deeper and deeper until it faded into black.
How was I able to hear the sound of my voice if I was under water? This didn't feel like floating and the surface underneath me was soft and solid?

I was on a bed.

I let out a high-pitched shriek when my eyes fluttered open to see Antonio hovering over me, with a remote expression on his dark features.

"I'm here, baby. It was just another nightmare. You're safe."

His placate reassuring words didn't register, for the last images of him lingered in my flustered mind.

"Get away from me!"

Pulling my knees up I pushed against him and he moved away before pinning my legs down, preventing me from kicking him again.

"You should have let me die!" I cried out, thrashing my arms to hit him in the chest but he grabbed my wrists, holding them above my head.

"Calm down, Adriana. It was a fucking dream, you're going to hurt yourself if you don't quit throwing punches around!"

What?

Before I could protest his mouth was on mine, shoving my nonsense back into my throat in reverse.

I tried to refuse but the calming effect of his lips brought me to the surface of reality and I allowed them to soothe the agony.

"You're in the safety of my embrace. There's nothing to be afraid of. I will never let anything happen to you."
Was I in a trance? Had I died and awoken in heaven where the storm had subsided and the burning flames of havoc had extinguished?

Where the hell was I?

"Where am I?" I heard myself whispering against his lips. "Am I dead?"

Antonio chuckled as he proceeded to plant fluffy kisses along my jawline and I scoffed, digging my fingernails into his sides.

He wasn't wearing anything and I felt his manhood rub against my thigh.

"Don't laugh, Antonio, it was terrible."

"Mm, tell me about it." His hand wandered over the silky gown, brushing against my nipple and I sighed before succumbing to the desire of being loved by him again.

"And you told me that you had to get rid of me."

The same reoccurring visions, reassembles of a mirage and it was exhausting.

"Go on," he replied while lowering the left strap off of my shoulder, caressing the skin with his kisses.

"Antonio, stop! You told me you didn't love me anymore and that we couldn't be together!"

He paid no mind to my revelation. Instead, continued to tease my body with his full attention on my breasts now, taking turns licking and groping.

"But we are together, can't you see? Soon I will be in you forever. I can't guarantee that it will be painless for you've been a very... very bad girl."
Wake up, Adriana.

My heart was racing as his fingers slid the thin material down my body, leaving me naked and fully exposed to him.

"Look at yourself, Adriana." A groan resounded from his throat as he took in the lacy thong that barely left anything to the imagination.