CHAPTER 24

Genesis's POV

                The space between us was closing. Each step he took sped up the rhythm of my heart, causing a frisson of nerves to dance up my spine. His deep, husky voice that possessed his cords sent my mind into an uncontrolled, captivated spiral.

I watched him suck on a thin stick of cigarette that sagged loosely from the corner of his lips as the tip of our toes touched. He withdrew from it and lowered his head to my face, never for once blowing out the flames. He held on, hanging it on his lungs. I don't know what compelled me to do it. I don't know what made me slack my jaw - to part my lips but I did and when I did, he released. He released the smoke from his mouth, exhaling it into mine and I inhaled it without so much of a second thought.

I closed my eyes, letting the flames catch in my lungs, letting it all sink deep into my bloodstream. A wonderful buzz started in my ears accompanied with a mild feeling of euphoria as a small smile cracked the corners of my mouth.

He canted his head to the other side, squinting his eyes to stare down at me. I looked up at him, cataloguing every inch, every corner, every hidden place of his face into my memory. I reached up, brushing my fingertips against his skin, tracing the lines and contours of his face. He leaned into my touch, fluttering his long dark eyelashes as a sorrowful look crossed over his countenance.

Even in that, he was beautiful. So very beautiful.

"You're so beautiful." I whispered.

He opened his eyes, catching mine instantly. We stared speechlessly into each other's eyes. In there, I saw a lot of pain, a lot of heartache, hurt and damage. It had sat there for his lifetime, trapped in the confusion we all carry.

I breathed, heart racing, "Dario."

"Mi ricordo di te. Ma non ti ricordi di me. A volte sento che è meglio così e altre volte mi rattrista molto." (I remember you. But you don't remember me. Sometimes, I feel it's better that way and other times, it makes me very sad)

In the vibrations of his voice were the purest form of emotions and honesty. It felt like he was cutting himself open, wide enough for me to peek inside. It felt like in this moment, he was letting me in, showing me this part of him he never let anyone else see. In this moment, it felt like he trusted me.

"Ti guardo e tutto quello che vedo è la sua...caduta. La vedo che mi fissa ed ero troppo tardi per salvarla tutta a causa tua." (I look at you and all I see is her...falling. I see her staring back at me and I was too late to save her all because of you)

I blinked, swallowing down a pool of saliva as he tenderly cupped my cheek in his palms, boring his green eyes into mine. I watched as his long dark eyelashes sweep across the base of his eyes as they fluttered.

"Perché sei dovuto presentarti di nuovo? Perché ho dovuto vederti di nuovo Genesi? Perché sei inciampato nella mia vita per rendermi le cose difficili? Fai quanto sei difficile fare questo? Non ti voglio intorno a me ma eccoti qui con la mia migliore amica e non so lo cos'altro fare al riguardo. Sei davvero qualcos'altro, vero?" (Why did you have to show up again? Why did I have to see you again Genesis? Why did you stumble into my life to make things difficult for me? Do you know how hard you're making this? I don't want you around me but here you are dating my bestfriend and I don't know what else to do about it. You're really something else, ain't you?)

There was something in his tone of voice, a pain behind it. I watched. I watched his eyes. Then I knew. The anger was nothing but a shield for pain, like a cornered soldier randomly throwing out grenades, scared for his life, lonely, desperate. He breathed in real slow, fluttering his long dark eyelashes again, boring them into mine once more.

Then, he slanted his head, his breath perching on my lips.

He confessed, "I'm scared to breathe."

I gulped, voice soft on a whisper, "Stop holding your breath."

"You make it so hard."

"Then - then let me help you. For every time you breathe in, I-I will breathe out. It's like we - we are breathing together. Like we are breathing....as one." He stilled for a moment, creasing his brows like he was trying to make sense of my words. My breath caught in my throat and my stomach churned. Deep relief coursed through me when he nodded, leaning his mouth closer to mine and paused. A slight brush against the skin accerelated my heart beat. I waited. I waited for him to close the distance but he didn't. His brows were furrowed, his eyes screwed shut and lips pressed so tight at the seams. It felt like he was fighting something back and obviously loosing.

I don't know why I did what I did but in that moment, it felt right. At that moment, my thoughts failed to move an inch without bumping into thoughts of tasting his thick red lips, feeling it wrap wholly all over mine and tasting its flavour again. I stretched my neck, dipping his head towards me. I pressed my mouth softly against his.

The instant our lips touched, he opened his mouth so wide to take mine in. There was everything different with this kiss and the previous ones we shared. He kissed me with everything he had. With power and passion, hunger and desire. He was giving me everything, holding back nothing. His lips were soft and careful, moving gently against mine, palms tenderly groping the sides of my face like he was scared to break me - like I was somthing fragile.

His arms snaked around my waist, pulling me impossible closer to him, while my arms wound tightly around his neck. He began to move, guilding our bodies towards the bed. He gently laid us down, hovering over me, never for once breaking the kiss. His lips were pure temptation, soft, bitable, sensual in a way only a man's mouth could be.

His mouth began to move down slightly, from my lips, to my eyes and my neck and back to my lips, delving his tongue inside to taste the flavour that I brought. His hands moved to loosen the ropes tied firmly on my dress. Lowering his head, he kissed the skin along my shoulders, creating a pathway to my chest. His mouth closed around my left breast. Through my bra, he began to suck and I almost yelped from the sensation. He paused and slowly dragged my bra down to expose my full chest. I saw his eyes turn a darker shade of green as his head descended and his mouth slowly twirled around my nipple, breathing over it to suck it inside his warm mouth. I didn't resist this time. I moaned instantly.

It felt so good. I closed my eyes, enjoying the feeling of his mouth over my sensitive skin. He continued to twirl, to lick, suck and nibble and I thought I would explode into tiny pieces from the overwhelming sensations. My hips started to jerk. He pressed down on them, holding me still.

Soon, I felt the loss of his tongue on my breasts when he removed his lips, lowering his head, touching, grasping, kissing, roaming his hands all over my body as he began to slide down over me, body over mine. It felt like my whole body was set ablaze. I was hot and needy. I was pulsating and thoughts of him all over me made my thighs clench. Heated sensations around my core, I craved for his touch everywhere. I was in flames, flames only him could put out.

I lifted my body off the sheets to lean on the balls of my elbows. My breath caught in my throat to find him kneeling down and his head in between my legs, eyes staring up at me.

I rasped, "Dario, what are you...."

"Giuro che non mi fermerò finché non tremi in modo incontrollabile." (I swear I will not stop until you are shaking uncontrollably)

"Dario..." And then he sank down. When did he take off my pant? My breathing hitched when I felt his tongue slide over my womanly area. My head fell back against the sheets. Mouth open, tongue flicking, he sucked like it was his last day on earth, slow and moist, gliding in between my lips to sought for my clitoris. My hands gripped the sheets tightly as he licked from top to bottom and got busy at the middle. He licked and sucked, tasting every part, driving me crazy with his tongue. I thrusted my hips up against his mouth with each suck on my core. My legs were spread wide open as he devoured my centre with no pity or mercy for the layers of flesh.

He took it to the extreme, plunging his tongue in, licking every ounce of wetness dripping, lapping it up with his experienced tongue. My back arched, chin tipped up to the high heavens and my shoulders lifted up off the bed when I felt a finger slide into me. Not a finger. God, but two. He thrusted them hard, in and out as deep as they could go, never letting up on his oral assault. He kept thrusting, sucking, the wet sound of his fingers slipping in and out me matching the rhythm of his mouth on my vagina.

"Oh God. Oh Dario...please...I..." I squirmed, trying to get away, highly overwhelmed by the immense pleasure he was showering on my body. He grabbed the back of my thighs with both hands and drew me back, latching his mouth even harder on my vagina, sucking, licking and feasting on my special spot till my vision started to blur and I thought I would pass out.

When he lifted his head up for air, I instinctively pushed it back in between my thighs.

"More." I panted, out of breath. "I-I want more. Oh God, I....Christ....please."

A low growl rumbled from deep inside his chest, fizzling past his lips. My hands gripped the sides of his face, directing him to where I wanted him to be. He began to lick me again, furiously now, hard and desperate, like he was possessed. I felt him slide his fingers into me again, gliding in and out, fast and consistent.

"Oh Dario." I gulped, squeezed my eyes, pulling roughly at the sheets. "I can't...." My legs began to shake as an intense surge of pleasure swarmed inside me. A warm buzz in my lower body spread out to the inside of my thighs. The build-up quickly became a whole skin tingle, my thighs and buttocks twitched, inside up to my breasts as they experienced a stoking sensation and pressure.

The buzzing gripping breathlessness took over my whole body and my spine arched so far off the bed. It lasted for like thirty seconds but seemed to go on for much longer. Still, he didn't let up. I felt him thrusting and licking, sucking and biting on my nub till I began to feel light headed within a few seconds. My throat and jaw tensed and buzzed with pleasure sensations as I writhed beneath him. My thighs closed tight around his head and my toes curled. My eyes rolled to the back of my head as light flashed beneath my eyes. I cried out in pure ecstasy, shaking without control.

I lifted myself up off the bed and quickly stretched my hands in between my thighs to drag him up and kissed him so hard. I kissed him with so much fervour and passion, tasting my flavour on his tongue. I slid my tongue inside, taking all of it. I burned beneath him, wrapping my hands around his neck, locking him in between my legs as he kissed me crazily, madly, deeply.

A hard jab on the door brought back my senses into focus. My eyes rounded as I pulled away. We were immensely surrounded by the passion and lust we let take over us as laughter drifted off the hallway. Immediately, I lightly pushed him off me, bolting out of the bed while my hands reached my sides to pull down my dress.

"I-I have to leave." I said, straightening the creases on my dress, looking everywhere else but him but his tone of voice this time made me glance up.

"Yeah leave. Just go." There was a hard edge to his voice. My brows furrowed as I took him in. His deameanour had completely changed, resuming its usual texture. His eyes once soft and innocent now a hard, furious glare.

Then he yelled, "I said go. Get out." Pouring his venom all over me.

I breathed, "Dario." Unable to understand him. I thought we had gone past this.

"Fuck." He tugged at his hair, scowling wildly at me. "You said you wanna leave. Then, leave. Go. Get the fuck out. Now."

Immediately, I spun, doing as he said. His voice rang in my ears. I heard his footsteps heavy behind me.

"Get the fuck out of my room."

Surprised at his sudden change in attutude, I rushed out, taking the elevator to get back to the beach. My head swirled with possibilities and my stomach tensed so hard. Tears stung my ears but I didn't let it spill.

Why had he behaved like that?

Dario was a maelstrom. He was hot and cold. He was black and white. In and out. You never know with him. With him, you just never know what to expect.

As soon as I spotted Keegan, a deep sense of guilt curled deep inside my guts. I dashed to him, hugged him tightly, nestling into his hard, chiselled chest. He swaddled me into his arms, kissing the side of my face.

"You took so long." He whispered.

My stomach fell, "I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

But I was apologizing for something entirely different.

My mind flashed back to what his tongue, fingers and lips made me experience back in his room and my body immediately betrayed me. Moisture pooled in between my legs and my breasts hardened at the nipples. I pressed my thighs together and immediately, my eyes stretched so wide at the shocking realization.

I was completely bare underneath.

***

I was angry. Mad even. Furious if you want me to be more precise. I felt used and trashed, dumb and stupid. Why had I even let it go that far? I had forgotten who exactly he was, forgotten how cold his heart was.

Of course, Dario couldn't be anything less than a heartless beast.

My anger only elevated when I watched them kiss, twirl their tongues together. The sights of him putting his mouth on her after where it had been aggravated me the more. He knew what he was doing. I know it. He only wanted to bother me and God help me because, he was accomplishing exactly that.

I glared harshly at the two of them, throwing my head back to gulp down the liquid. As soon as it hit my throat, it burned like fire, scorching my throat. Tears stung my eyes, I grimaced, grabbing another gulp as my stomach churned to watch them. This had to be my sixth shot at least, not that I was certain.

The loud music filled my ears, tingling my body from the tip of my feets to the crown of my head. My vision blurred. I felt dizzy. I could barely make out the world around me. I coerced my eyes away from them and reached to grab another shot of liquid but paused when I heard Amelia's voice beside me.

"You sure about that? You've been drinking since the party started. Genesis, are you sure you're okay?"

I gulped, burping, not bothering to turn to look at her, "I'm fine."

"It doesn't seem so...." I threw the liquor into my mouth and cringed. It tasted so bitter. So bad. How do people even drink this everytime? "Lord Genesis, are you okay? You're scaring me."

I couldn't help it. I just couldn't. After what he made my body go through in his room, I was finding it hard not to look. Not to take a peek. Those lips. Those lips that made my body go through a lot was on her, kissing her, sucking on her, making her go wild. I hated it. I hated it so much and I wanted him to stop. I gulped down another shot, letting it sizzle inside me. My eyes burned and I felt like I would throw up anytime soon.

"Did you find him?"

"Yeah I did." From the corner of my eye, I saw Michael come up beside me.

Then I heard his voice, by my side. I felt his hands on me. His touch on my skin, his scent engulfing me wholly.

His words cut deep inside me, "Baby, are you okay? Your friends told me you ain't feeling well. What's wrong?"

White knuckles from clenching my fists so hard and gritted teeth from my effort to remain calm and composed. His fingers lifted my chin to look up at him and in his eyes, I only saw love and concern dancing deep beneath. It only aggravated me more. I was mad at myself. I turned in my seat and grabbed the bottle of the unknown alcohol to pour it into my mouth this time but he grabbed it from me.

"Hey, hey, slow down. Fuck, what's wrong? What happened? Tell me."

I gritted out, "Let it go. It's nothing."

"It's something. Don't listen to her. She's been like this since the party started." I sneered, turning to face Michael.

"Genny, please talk to me."

"I said I'm fine."

From my peripherals, I saw him. I saw him looking at me. I turned my head in his direction, meeting his gaze. From across a crowded room, his eyes sought me out. I saw nothingness in them. They were emotionless. The girl I had seen him mercilessly pounding into the previous night was on his laps, swaddling him, licking him up and down, kissing him all over, putting her unclean mouth where his had previously been - in between my thighs and that was when I mentally snapped.

In the blink of an eye, I grabbed Keegan's head and lowered his head to mine, shoving my tongue straight into his mouth. He took it all in, tucking his hands inside my hair to kiss me so deeply.

I opened my eyes and locked them hard on Dario while kissing his bestfriend - my boyfriend.

I could do it too.

I could play dirty too.

Two can most definitely play this game.

**Please, don't forget to vote and comment**