Fragments of Desire
Her memories lay in shattered fragments. The few that remained flickered from one location to another. The dining room table. Tezman's desk in the study. The bathtub. And finally, the bed. With every shift came the accompanying vision—her breasts bouncing painfully up and down, and the relentless image of his cock sliding in and out of her entrance.
“Haah...”
She had lost all sensation below from the sheer number of times they'd done it. The area felt almost foreign now. She was even beginning to worry whether she might still be gaping open in the exact shape of him.
Su-a cautiously lowered her hand. She only meant to check. Twisting her body, she forced apart legs that refused to cooperate. The moment her fingers slipped between the slightly parted folds and began to explore—
“Su-a.”
A hot breath ghosted against her ear.
“Were you planning to fuck yourself with your fingers?”
Her head snapped back on reflex.
“It seems I still haven't satisfied you enough.”
How long had he been awake? Su-a's face burned crimson in an instant. She hadn't realized he was right beside her while she'd been lost in those memories.
“N-no, that's not... it's not like that...”
“Then what is it?”
“I was just... wondering if I was still open down there...”
He let out a soft chuckle and swept her hair back from her face.
“You are. Still nicely stretched.”
“What?”
A powerful arm drew her close, trapping her against his chest. He buried his nose in the curve of her neck, inhaling deeply as if savoring her scent.
“I can't hold back anymore.”
“Hngh!”
The sudden upward thrust lifted her body, but Tezman's locked arms kept her firmly in place.
“Even after staying inside you all night, it's not enough. Maybe we should just stay connected like this.”
“W-wait... ah!”
Tezman showed no sign of stopping. The climax crashed over her the moment he moved, her eyelids fluttering shut as she took everything he gave her.
Su-a forced her heavy eyelids open and bolted upright. The sudden movement made her head spin, but she didn't stop. She whipped her head toward the empty space beside her. Tezman was gone. She reached out and swept her hand across the sheets. The lack of warmth suggested he'd left the bed quite some time ago.
She held her breath, listening. The sound of voices from the study told her he was likely working. Relief washed over her, and her body sagged back onto the mattress. At last, she could rest properly. She closed her eyes, shifting comfortably, then opened them again.
“...When did Tae-in say he was leaving?”
The intense night with Tezman had made her forget that Tae-in was returning to Korea—and that he'd promised to contact her before he left. Su-a rose from the bed. The moment her feet touched the floor, her legs trembled violently.
It was only natural after taking him inside her for so long.
“Ugh...”
She made her way to the dressing room one shaky step at a time. Opening a drawer, she retrieved the phone she'd left there.
One missed call. Three unread messages.
It was from Tae-in. If he was returning to Korea tomorrow, it would be a long time before they could meet again. Whatever feelings he might harbor for her, the fact remained that he was like family to Su-a.
She dressed quickly. The marks Tezman had left on her neck were impossible to hide completely, and the warm weather made a turtleneck out of the question. Su-a did her best to cover them with her hair before heading to the study.
The moment the bedroom door clicked open, every eye in the study turned toward her.
Tezman, Leroy, Duhan, Cact, and several capos she had seen a few times before. Su-a offered an awkward smile.
“Ah... I'm sorry for interrupting.”
“Su-a.”
Tezman rose from his seat and gestured for the others to leave.
“No, you don't have to do that because of me. I only came to say hello...”
“We were just finishing up.”
Tezman approached her, then shot another pointed look at the men still standing there. No one dared argue with his command. Only Duhan glared at her with obvious displeasure, his eyes flashing with resentment. As the others bowed their heads and quietly filed out, Leroy and Cact offered her subtle nods of greeting. She gave them a small wave in return.
“Did you sleep well?”
Even though not everyone had left yet, Tezman showed no hesitation in showering her with affection. He pressed a kiss to the crown of her head, gently stroked her hair, then kissed her forehead again.
The others lowered their gazes, unable to watch their master's rare display of tenderness.
“You should have stayed in bed longer. Why did you get up?”
“Well... I received a message from Tae-in.”
At the name, she saw the muscles in his jaw tighten. Knowing about the confession, hearing Tae-in's name from her lips had to be difficult for him. When a dangerous glint appeared in Tezman's eyes, Su-a quickly grabbed his hand.
“I know what you're worried about. But I want to say a proper goodbye. There's no telling when we'll see each other again.”
He stared down at her in silence, his expression daring her to continue.
“I know you naturally dislike him. But Tae-in and I grew up together. He's like family to me. He'd never think of me in a romantic way.”
Su-a's gaze remained steady as she spoke clearly.
“I won't do anything that would worry you. And I... for you, Tezman...”
He tilted his head slightly and echoed her words.
“For me?”
She felt too embarrassed to say she liked him. After a moment's hesitation, Su-a lowered her head and murmured almost to herself.
“...If I'm willing to give up becoming a nun, doesn't that say everything? I gave up the one thing that meant the world to me... so I think of you that much.”
To his ears, her words sounded like a heartfelt confession of love. That she thought of him enough to abandon the path of a nun she had cherished her entire life. The tension in his face melted away instantly.
“Of course you should meet him. After all, it may be a long time before you see each other again.”
His tone was gentle. His smile even more so.
“Really?”
“But there is one thing you need to do for me first.”
The way his lips curved was incredibly dangerous.
The heavy silence pressing down on his shoulders made Tae-in exhale sharply. The car carrying him raced toward some unknown destination. It moved so continuously that he began to feel as if the same scenery was repeating. He had tried to memorize the route, but unfamiliar with Italy's geography, it proved nearly impossible.
Tae-in gave up and turned away from the window. He could feel eyes flicking toward him through the rearview mirror. The surveillance was blatantly obvious.
The car belonged to Tezman. After hearing that Su-a wasn't feeling well enough to go out, Tae-in had been invited to Tezman's estate instead. The man Tezman sent to the hotel was now escorting him there.
Tae-in glanced at the driver. Closely cropped hair, a solid build that suggested regular training, and cold eyes. A capo? Or a soldier? Definitely not a consigliere. Whatever the case, it didn't matter. They wouldn't kill him. After all, he was like family to Su-a.
Like family. A bitter laugh escaped him. He was admitting it to himself. Strictly family, nothing more. He decided to empty his mind. Thinking about it only brought him pain.
After traveling for some time, the car entered a quiet area. They crossed an expansive vineyard, and soon a grand mansion straight out of a fairy tale came into view. Despite his efforts to remain composed, the elegant yet imposing sight left his mouth hanging open.
“We've arrived.”
The driver stopped the car and spoke in Italian. Tae-in pretended to understand and replied with a “thank you.”
As he stepped out, Cact was waiting for him. Dressed in a suit that perfectly matched the estate's old-world elegance, Cact gave off an aura that immediately told Tae-in this man was no ordinary servant.
This must be Tezman's consigliere, Tae-in thought, instantly raising his guard. Cact, however, remained perfectly at ease. He smiled and spoke.
“Welcome. We've been expecting you.”
English. Relieved it wasn't Italian, Tae-in responded.
“Hello.”
“My name is Cact. Please follow me. I'll show you the way.”
Cact led the way. Tae-in's heart pounded as he followed. The anticipation of seeing Su-a mixed strangely with a surge of adrenaline at the undeniable gap between himself and Tezman. To own an estate like this... And it was completely different from any organization Tae-in had dealt with before. In fact, comparison was impossible. The infamous gangs that traded drugs with knives and guns in hand would look like mere street thugs to these people.
He tried to appear calm as he trailed after Cact. They passed a hallway lined with works of art, then entered a bright, open space with a view of the garden. Cact spoke.
“This is the drawing room. Please have a seat and wait here.”
Tae-in nodded and was about to sit on the sofa when someone called his name.
“Tae-in.”
It was Su-a.