3. Those Thighs Around My Waist

ROCCO

Hot water ran down my back while I braced myself against the shower wall, trying to shake the noise in my head. Middle of the night. Dead quiet except for the water. Then I noticed something wrong—it was backing up, spilling over the shower ledge, making a wet trail toward the room.

“You've got to be kidding me.”

I killed the water, grabbed a towel, wrapped it around my waist. Looked down. Clogged drain.

Perfect. Just what I needed.

Pulled the plunger from under the sink, crouched over the drain, and went to work. Pumped and released, pumped and released, trying to dislodge whatever was blocking it. A few minutes in—crack. The handle snapped right in my hand.

“Are you fucking serious?” I tossed the broken piece aside. “Nothing in this shit room works.”

I stood there, staring at the flooded bathroom. Water kept spreading, turning the whole thing into a soaked mess.

“Can't believe I have to deal with this now.” Frustration building. Checked the clock on the wall—still hours until sunrise. Spending the rest of the night fixing this crap? Kill me now.

Deep breath. Stay calm.

Then—a noise at the door.

I cracked it open, chain still on, and peeked through. Giuseppina stood on the other side, mumbling something under her breath like she was casting a spell.

“Open sesame, open up, you shall open...” She was clearly drunk. Wine bottle in one hand, a bag in the other. Little shit must've snuck out while I was in my room.

I pulled the door open. She smiled, stumbling slightly.

“It worked.” Drunk laugh.

“No, I opened it, you crazy woman.” I grabbed her arm and pulled her inside before she caused more trouble. “Where the hell were you?”

She looked at me. Noticed the towel. Her eyes traveled down my chest, tracing every tattoo. Kept going lower. Stopped at my navel.

“You have... a lot of interesting tattoos.” Voice slurred. Her hand came up toward my dick. “Wonder if you have more down here?” Half laughing, half serious.

I pushed her hand away. Firm.

“They let you drink like this at the convent?”

She laughed, swaying.

“No good stuff at the convent.” Raised the wine bottle.

“Clearly.”

“Hey, why are you mad at me?” Slow blink. “Because I tried to touch you?” Smile. “Just wanted to see if the tattoos were real.”

“Go to bed before you say something dumber.”

She laughed again, stumbled toward the door—then ducked past me and jumped on the bed, bouncing like a kid.

“Hey! What are you doing? Get down!”

“Come get me.” Laughing, jumping, making noise.

“Get. Down. Now.” I grabbed for her leg. She dodged, laughing harder, running across the bed.

I chased her around that damn mattress like an idiot. Every time I got close, she slipped away. More noise. More laughing.

BAM BAM BAM. Someone pounded on the door.

“SHUT UP!” A rough, pissed-off voice from the hall. “If you want to fuck, get a motel! Perverts!”

Diana stopped jumping, still laughing. I was breathing hard, pissed.

“See what you did?” Grabbed her arm, finally pulled her down. “Enough. Fun's over.”

Before I could react, she jumped on me. Legs wrapped around my waist. Full body impact. Almost knocked me over. Drunk laughter in my ear. Her angel face inches from mine, skin warm, thick thighs around my hips—

My body reacted. Couldn't help it. The towel was thin. She felt everything.

“Are you always like this, Rocco?” Eyes on my mouth.

“Like what?”

“So serious.” Face closer. “Sometimes you just need to relax.”

“How am I supposed to relax when you make everything harder?” Staring at that mouth. Those red lips.

I was hypnotized. Her thighs around my waist. This was so wrong. The mafia princess. If Alessandro knew I was looking at his sister like this? That psycho would execute me without blinking.

“Want to know something?”

“What?”

She smiled. Slow. Dirty.

“I’m not wearing underwear.”

That snapped me out of it.

“FUCK!” I dropped her legs. Hard. “Get back to your room. NOW.”

She smiled. Unbothered. Satisfied.

“Okay, okay. I'm going.”

That look in her eyes—she knew exactly what she'd done. I stood there, trying to pull myself together, body still on fire.

“You're such a pain in the ass, Rocco.” Laughing, walking back to her room. “But I like it.”

“Go to sleep, Giuseppina!”

I slammed the door. Leaned against the wall. Heart pounding. Still hard.

This woman was going to destroy me before sunrise.

Deep breath. Tried to erase the image—those thick thighs around my waist, her whisper about no underwear.

She had no idea how dangerous this game was. I was no saint. Far from it. But I knew what was at stake. Had to control myself. Had to keep her safe.

Had to survive this fucking night.