CHAPTER 17

As their tongues moved against each other. Jamie tried to forget that thiis man is a murder, a killer. Matteo bit his bottom lip. Jamie moaned out in both pain and pleasure.

“What are you thinking about when when we are doing this?” he asked with a small frown marying his brows.

Jamie huffed staring at him.

Matteo smirked. “ I guess I have to make you too distracted to think.”

He unbuttoned his shirt with precise fingers shrugging it off exposing his broad muscular chest and abdomen leading to a V in his trousers.

Jamie pulled of his tshirt in response. They stared at each other. Matteo devoured his lips again lifting his hands to tug at Jamies exposed hardened peaks. He moaned into his lips rutting against his legs.

“ Fiesty.” Matteo mummered into his ears causing him to shudder at the deep voice.

His trousers were pulled off along with his briefs. He lay in the bed naked leaking the result of his arousal. Matteo looked down at him with so much hunger. He growled.

Jamie stared at the massive bulged in his pants. He gulped.

“ Fuck me.” he whispered.

It was like a blur. Jamie could feel him all the way into his stomach. He moaned out listening to his grunts filling his ears.

Heavy breathing filled the room, Jamie wrapped his legs around Matteos waist taking in his rough thrusts using his hand to cover his mouth to prevent moans from escaing.

“ Don't hide your voice from me.” Matteo growled pulling his hands over his head holding it there.

Jamie writhed underneath him.

Yes, Make me forget

Later, when Matteo sat on the edge of the bed, Jamie handed him a glass of water.

“In case you have a headache.” Jamie said lightly. “You’ve barely slept.”

Matteo hesitated. " So have you."

Jamie took a sip from the glass and pressed his lips to Matteo feeding him the liquid. Matteo gulped it down. Staring at him as if he wanted to devour him. Jamie feed him the water until the glass was empty.

Jamie watched his throat move as he swallowed, heart slamming so hard he thought it might give him away. He kept his face calm, affectionate, fingers brushing Matteo’s wrist like he wasn’t counting seconds in his head.

“You’re trembling,” Matteo said quietly.

Jamie smiled. “You scare me sometimes.”

Matteo chuckled softly. “Good.”

Minutes passed. Jamie could see what was coming. To soften the blow he pressed his lips to Matteo’s brow, cheek, nose then lips.

Matteo’s movements slowed. His voice softened, words blurring at the edges.

Jamie eased him back onto the bed, pulling the sheets up like a lover, not a traitor.

“I’ll be right here,” Jamie whispered placing his head on his chest.

It was the last lie he could stand to tell.

The walk to the cove felt endless.

The night air was cold, biting through Jamie’s clothes, but fear kept him moving. Every shadow felt like eyes. Every sound felt like footsteps.

Lucas was already there. With arms wrapped around himself.

“You scared the hell out of me,” Lucas whispered. “What is hell going on?”

Jamie grabbed his arm pulling him towards the entrance of the cove.

“We’re leaving. Now.”

“What—Jamie, it’s the middle of the night.”

“They own this place,” Jamie said, voice breaking. “They own people. They kill people. Greg—”

Lucas froze. “Greg?”

“He’s dead,” Jamie said. “I saw it. I saw everything.”

Lucas’s face drained of color.

“You should’ve told me. Why didn't you tell me?”

“I tried,” Jamie whispered. “They’re always watching.”

The tide was low enough.

Barely.

The cove loomed ahead of them, dark and narrow, the sea whispering like it knew what they were trying to do.

They stepped into the water.

The sea had risen.

Jamie saw it too late.

What had once been a narrow stretch of shallow water was now swollen and violent, the cove completely flooded, waves crashing hard against the rock walls like they were trying to seal the passage shut. The moonlight reflected off the surface in sharp silver shards, beautiful and deadly.

“No,” Jamie whispered.

Lucas stopped short beside him. “Jamie… that wasn’t there before.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Jamie said, already stepping forward. Panic roared in his ears, drowning out reason. “We can swim it. We have to.”

Lucas grabbed his arm. “Are you insane? Look at the current!”

Jamie shook him off. “I’m not staying here.”

He ran.

The water was freezing, shocking his system as it swallowed him whole. For a split second, adrenaline carried him forward. He kicked hard, lungs burning, arms slicing through the dark water toward what he thought was the other side.

But the current grabbed him.

It pulled, twisted, slammed him sideways into rock. Salt filled his mouth. His strokes grew frantic, uneven.

“Jamie!” Lucas shouted from the shore.

Then Lucas was in the water too.

“Get back!” Jamie screamed. “Lucas, go back!”

Lucas ignored him, fighting against the current to reach him, arms flailing, face tight with fear. A wave crashed over them both, dragging them under. Jamie felt Lucas’s fingers brush his fingers—then slip.

Lucas went under again.

This time, he didn’t come back up.

Jamie’s chest seized.

“Lucas!” He tried to dive, but the current slammed him into the rocks again, knocking the air from his lungs. His vision blurred. Panic clawed at him, sharp and vicious.

Strong arms suddenly wrapped around Lucas, hauling him out of the water like he weighed nothing.

Enzo.

He moved with terrifying efficiency, dragging Lucas onto the sand and rolling him onto his side. He lay motionlessly on the beach floor.

Enzo performed CPR. Breathing life back into his body. Lucas coughed violently, water spilling from his mouth as he gasped for air, chest heaving. There was blood on the side of his head. He got hurt. He was alive..unconcious but alive.

Jamie collapsed onto his knees, sobbing. “I’m sorry—God, I’m so sorry—I didn’t know—”

Enzo rounded on him.

The look on his face wasn’t anger alone.

It was disappointment. Cold. Absolute.

“You almost killed him,” Enzo said quietly.

Jamie couldn’t breathe. “I just wanted to leave.”

“And you would’ve drowned trying,” Enzo replied. “Along with him.”

Lucas groaned weakly as if trying to fight unconciousness.

Jamie crawled toward him, but strong hands grabbed his arms and yanked him back.

Matteo stood there now too, face pale, jaw clenched so tightly it looked like it might crack.

“Take him,” Enzo said.

Jamie struggled. “Lucas! I’m sorry—”

Lucas reached out weakly then slumped.

Jamie was dragged away, his cries swallowed by the roar of the sea.

As he was pulled toward the mansion, kicking and shaking, Jamie caught one last glimpse of Lucas wrapped in a blanket, Enzo crouched beside him, speaking low and steady like nothing had almost happened at all.

Jamie realized then—truly realized—He was a prisoner.

And he would never free.