IV

Both me and Gio entered the room together, and my belongings were already here.

I didn't move from my spot. I was still trying to figure out what to do and what Gio wanted, as we were now alone in the room.

I looked in his direction. He was loosening his tie. The top three buttons of his dress shirt were undone, revealing a glimpse of his chest.

I took a deep breath as I remembered seeing his entire body once.

I shook my head. This is not the time to think about that! And then what did Gio do? He left you the next morning!

Gio walked over to the bed and sat on the edge of it. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, and I could see the veins in his forearms when he moved.

"What are you doing? Come here, Millie. We have unfinished business to attend to."

I slowly walked towards him, my heart racing with nervousness. He's just too intimidating! You can't even tell if he's pleased or not because he always shows the same expression—cold and dark. Okay, that's two.

When I was in front of him, he pulled me closer, and I sat on his lap.

I'm not a coward. Sure, I have a lot of trauma from my childhood, and sometimes it gets triggered. But I'm not a coward. There are only two people who can make me feel weak and powerless—Papa and my husband. When they're in front of me, I'd rather just obey than question them because in the end, I know I'm the one who will suffer.

I let out a sigh as Gio's hand moved up and down my side, inching toward my underboob. My face heated up from the embarrassment of not stopping him.

"I have three house rules." His warm breath brushed against my cheek as his hand trailed down to my neck. Given our proximity, I could smell his cologne.

I nervously fiddled with my hands, feeling like a child waiting for someone to instruct her, afraid of making a mistake.

"First, obey me. Second, follow everything I say. Third, don't defy me. Because if you're going to disobey me, I'll make sure to discipline and punish you."

Technically, those three rules were just the same. He was basically telling me never to go against his wishes.

I wondered what kind of punishment he had in mind. Would it be similar to the punishments my father imposed on me? Maybe there wasn't much difference between the two.

"Do you understand that?" His voice was calm yet carried a dangerous and threatening undertone.

I nodded involuntarily. I didn't have a choice; if I disagreed now, it would probably be considered my first offense.

He caressed my side again, this time reaching higher, causing me to close my eyes and let out a soft moan. I quickly bit my lip when I realized what I had done.

I looked at Gio, aware that my expression might not be appropriate right now, but it was beyond my control. The way he touched me sent shivers down my spine.

"Do you have any questions, Millie?"

Even his use of my name sent electric shocks through my body. I clenched my thigh as my body pulsed with desire.

I mustered the courage to meet Gio's gaze. His cold and dark expression was unwavering, as if nothing could change it.

Gio was a handsome man. Actually, ‘handsome’ was an understatement. I didn't think words were enough to describe him. He was sexy, hot, and masculine. I had been pursued by men before, and I could confidently say that, appearance-wise, none came close to Gio.

"Are you leaving again?" Of all the questions I wanted to ask him, that was the one that slipped out.

I regretted it immediately, especially when I noticed his raised eyebrow. It felt like he didn't appreciate my question.

"What do you mean?" His hand remained on my waist. My heart raced so fast that I felt he could hear it.

"I mean, like before, are you going to leave without saying anything? I just want to know so I won't be surprised." Lies! I was asking because it made me sad. It was disheartening to wake up one morning and find the man you were with the night before was gone. So many thoughts would cross your mind, wondering if I was the reason he left or if he would ever return. I just wished Gio would at least say goodbye if he planned to leave again for an extended period.

He stared at me for a long time before speaking. "The next time I leave, you're coming with me. If not, I'll make sure to let you know that I'm leaving."

My face lit up with joy. My heart leaped with happiness at Gio's words. It was a simple statement, but it meant the world to me.

I hadn't even noticed that I was smiling at Gio. I quickly suppressed the smile and bit my lip to keep from grinning again.

Gio's gaze descended from my eyes to my lips, which I had been gently nibbling on. My breath grew heavier as he fixated on my lips. Unconsciously, I stopped biting them, leaving them slightly parted.

I couldn't help but also look at his lips. I noticed a small cut from when I bit him earlier. I wanted to touch it, to run my finger along it, but then I remembered that Gio might not appreciate me touching him without permission.

I observed Gio's face drawing closer to mine, still locked on my lips. My heart raced so fast because of his movements that I ended up biting my lip again.

A low, almost inaudible groan escaped him. What happened next surprised me.

He grasped my nape and pulled me closer to him. Gio kissed me passionately, his kisses aggressive and filled with hunger, unlike the ones he had given me at my father's house.

I moaned and clung to his shirt as he kissed me this way. It felt like I was being consumed by him.

His tongue grazed my lips, tasting every inch of them. When I parted my lips, he entered with his tongue.

I surrendered to the sensations coursing through me. I knew there was no use resisting because I had been feeling something strange between my legs for a while now.

"Hmm..."

I decided not to bite Gio's lip again, fearing that it would end this moment, just like what happened earlier.

His hands found their way from my shoulders down to my breast. He kissed me even deeper as he slipped his hand beneath my clothes.

The way he fondled my breast sent shivers down my spine. I broke our kiss and arched my back. It just gave him access to my neck, which he kissed and sucked on. The sound of him sucking on my neck filled the room.

My breathing quickened, and my nails dug into him. Even though not much had happened yet, I already felt like I was losing my mind.

I was too sensitive.

"Gio…"