Page 36 of Modern Romance May 2026 Books 1-4
She felt no inhibitions in moaning her pleasure. On the contrary. She felt free. As light as a bird. And, just like a bird, she was soaring as Domenico’s pleasuring fingers worked their magic, and when she came, it was with an unrestrained cry that had barely echoed away when he lifted her by the hips and then pulled her back down to sink onto his hard length. His mouth hot on the side of her neck, he held her securely as he thrust up into her with rapid strokes that brought him to his own rapid climax with an unrestrained cry of his own.
Only when she felt the tension of his orgasm loosen did she laugh and turn her face to kiss him. Grinning, he returned the kiss before lifting her enough to slide his deflating erection out of her.
Once she’d resettled back between his legs, he gave a contented sigh and wrapped his arms back around her…back around her because that’s how they’d started.
With the solid comfort of Domenico’s body behind her, his arms covering her stomach and the warmth of the bathwater cocooning her, Marnie closed her eyes. She felt like she could finally fall asleep. She’d come close a few times, but a switch in her brain had refused to turn off.
Her dream had finally come true. It had come better than true. The man she’d worshipped for the whole of her adult life had made love to her, not through furious, pride-induced anger but through genuine, heartfelt emotion. Falling asleep meant waking back to reality, and she hadn’t been ready for that. Not when she didn’t know what the reality of tomorrow would look like.
Maybe it had been the same for Domenico because he’d shown no sign of wanting to fall asleep either. Instead, they’d made love again, and then again. And still neither had fallen asleep, but by the time he’d lazily suggested a bath, the reality of what tomorrow would bring no longer frightened her. It was already tomorrow. The sun would soon be rising, and the birds she felt as free and as light as would awaken.
‘Tell me something,’ he said softly, breaking through her contented thoughts.
She stretched her legs and stroked his arms. ‘What do you want to know?’
‘Why you didn’t fight me over the settlement. It wouldn’t have taken much fight. I offered it out of spite, you must have known that. And you must have known I never expected you to agree to it.’
‘I wanted a clean break, and besides, your money belongs to you, not me. You earned it.’
‘But you were my wife and entitled to a decent settlement, and you knew that too. You didn’t have to be greedy, just smart, and youaresmart. You’re one of the smartest people I know. One letter from your lawyers and I would have handed over the money for you to buy yourself a decent place to live. You didn’t have to return to that shithole.’
‘That shithole is my home,’ she reminded him. ‘It’s the only home I’ve ever known.’
The breath of his sigh danced into her hair. ‘I thought that might be the case. You were born there?’
‘Technically, I was born in a hospital, but yes, I’ve always lived there, and I know it’s gone to the dogs in recent years, but it wasn’t always like that. When I was growing up, there was a real sense of community about the place. Everyone looked out for everyone.’
‘But in your flat, it was just you and your parents?’
‘Only until I was ten, and then it was just me and Mum.’
‘I never did ask you how she died, did I?’ There was a sadness in his voice as he said this.
‘No.’ Until the last week, Marnie’s past had never come up in conversation between them.
‘I’m sorry for that. I should have asked.’
‘It’s okay. I’ve never really liked talking about my parents.’
‘So how did she die? Was it cancer?’
‘No. Cirrhosis of the liver.’ She felt his body tense. ‘My mother was an alcoholic. She basically pickled herself to death.’
He exhaled a drawn-out oath.
‘It’s why my father left. She drank all the time. I mean,allthe time, and she was a mean drunk. I don’t remember my father being an alcoholic, but his behaviour wasn’t much better. They were always fighting and screaming at each other. The neighbours were always banging on the walls for them to shut up. It was a very abusive relationship.’
‘Why didn’t he take you with him when he left?’
‘I don’t know. I haven’t seen him since he walked out.’
He swore again. ‘He left you with an abusive alcoholic?’
‘She never abused me. Half the time, she didn’t even notice I was there. I think Dad waited until I was old enough to fend for myself before packing his bags.’
‘At ten?’ Disbelief resonated in his voice.
‘I could cook by then—we were taught simple dishes at school. He knew I wouldn’t starve. I’d also perfected the art of forging Mum’s signature and could access her phone for anything that needed to be done digitally. Once he’d gone, I ordered food deliveries every week, and when I needed something like a new school uniform, I would just order it online too. Mum must have known what I was doing, but she never cared. As long as she had her vodka, she didn’t care what I was doing.’
