Fuoco Tensione~ Fire Tension

6

Emilia

I'm a shitty person.

I was on the phone with my boyfriend and my mind kept drifting to moments I shared with another man.

“So basically we had all these buildings and—” Adrián’s voice droned on from the other end of the phone.

I murmured at the right moments, though my attention had already slipped. My eyes traced the room from the bed, to the chair to the nightstand.

And there it was.

The vibrator Nora had bought me gleamed like a quiet promise my body noticed before my mind could.

“Totally,” I responded to whatever Adrián said, while my hand stretched toward the vibrator.

The moment my fingers brushed it, heat pooled low in my stomach.

This wasn’t cheating, right? I just needed something, anything, to replicate the rush I felt that night.

I pressed the toy against my wetness, groaning as the vibrations pulsed through me.

No, this wasn’t cheating. I was just exploring myself. Besides, I was chasing a feeling, not a person.

My hips rolled instinctively, grinding down onto it, my body trembling with need.

I angled the phone away from me, letting Adrián’s voice fade into the background, careful so he wouldn’t hear a thing.

“Fuck,” I sighed, moving one hand to my chest, cupping my breast and pinching my hard nipple between my finger and thumb.

My body tingled, and with it slipped the memory of the man from that night.

“You're so easy for me” I pictured him whispering into my ear.

I should have stopped. I really should've. But it felt too good.

I chased the image of him from those hands that wrapped around me during the explosion to the way his voice would sound dragging against my skin.

I spread my legs wider, squeezing both breasts now, my thumbs circling my nipples while I kept grinding down on the toy.

My hips moved desperately on their own, chasing the fire that built faster with every stroke and pinch.

“Oh fuck yes!” I moaned into my hand.

The buzz of the vibrator, the ache of my nipples, and the slick heat between my thighs collided into a storm that consumed me entirely.

I threw my head back, as the waves of my orgasm hit hard, my body shaking uncontrollably , clenching around the vibrator.

“Babe… you there? I think I heard something.” Adrián’s voice came through, and the wave of guilt slammed into me like a tidal force.

He paused, waiting for my answer, the way he always did.

I picked up my phone again, forcing deep breaths so my voice wouldn’t betray me. “Yeah… I’m here. What did you say again?”

He continued talking, oblivious, while the guilt sank deeper, coiling in my chest.

This was wrong. So, so wrong.

At least I knew one thing for certain, I’d never see him again.

Raffaele de Luca.

__________________

“I’m just saying, you should’ve gotten his number, we’d have the best double date with his friend,” Nora said as we walked toward the hall, still managing to do her eyeliner perfectly while in motion.

She was the only person I told about what happened.

Well… except for the part where I’d pleasured myself thinking of another man last night, and the guilt that still burned like acid in my chest.

“He's a dangerous man, Nora,” I repeated, shaking my head as we entered the hall, already buzzing with murmuring students.

I was halfway through my art assignment when they called all the students of every major to the Bocconi hall for an alumni talk, where a successful former student would share their journey and experiences.

Perfect. Another person here to tell me how rich, successful, and amazing they are while I’m still figuring out if I can boil pasta.

“Girl, please… dangerous is hot,” Nora scoffed, as we both sank into random seats in the middle row.

I rolled my eyes, ignoring her as I pulled out my phone to distract myself.

The static from the mic on stage barely registered as scrolled on my screen.

Till I heard a voice.

It was low, smooth, impossibly familiar. The kind that made my stomach knot before my brain even processed it.

My head snapped up so fast I was sure I’d pulled one or two muscles in the process.

“I’d risk so many things just to get a piece of that,” Nora whispered from beside me, while I wished the ground would swallow me whole.

I froze as our eyes collided. He didn’t break eye contact, still speaking into the microphone, the professional words about "market volatility" coming out of his mouth while his eyes remained focused entirely on me.

“He’s staring at you,” Nora nudged me, practically vibrating with excitement.

Now would be the perfect time to be struck by lightning.

He pointed at me, a sly smile tugging at his lips. “Why don’t you come up here, young lady? I can tell you’re paying more attention to me than the talk.”

Kill me now. Literally. Someone, please.

I shook my head frantically, but the students were already clapping, and Nora was practically shoving me toward him with a strength I didn’t even know she had.

“Shoot your shot, Emi!” Nora yelled as soon as I reached the front of the stage, making everyone in the hall burst out laughing. “Fuoco Tensione!”

My face went from pale to red in three seconds flat.

“We’re going to be seeing a lot of each other soon, Tempesta,” Raffaele said, that sly smile still tugging at his lips as he stretched out his hand for me to take.

I froze for a second, my chest tightening, before I finally took his hand.

“What the hell do you mean by that?” I whispered.

He turned to the crowd, grin widening. “See, everyone? Some of us need a little encouragement to join the fun…don’t worry, I promise I don’t bite,” he said, making the students laugh.

He leaned close, his hand resting lightly on my back, enough to send tingles shooting up my spine. “You’ll find out what I mean soon enough,” he whispered, his lips brushing my ear.

As if on cue, my phone buzzed. I stepped away, to check it while he continued addressing the students, his voice smooth and effortless.

Dad[11:20AM] : I'm coming to Italy. Stay put, Emilia. We need to talk.

The blood drained from my face so fast the world tilted.

My dad coming to Italy? Now?

“Raffaele de Luca, everybody!” someone announced. The hall erupted into cheers and applause as he waved.

The crowd kept cheering, but his eyes were no longer on them. He looked at me, sharp and calculating, like a predator spotting its prey.

Then he leaned slightly, just enough that only I could see, and slowly mouthed words that sent a chill crawling up my spine

“You’re mine now.”

I didn’t feel terrified at his words.

And somehow… that felt worse.