needs. We were both panting slightly when we separated.
“I still want my painting back,” she muttered under her breath. I laughed and reached for her again.
***
Lucia:
Fuck. He was a good kisser.
I thought his mouth would crush mine, that his tongue would invade my mouth. But no. His lips were soft and persuasive. He seduced. He nibbled. He sucked my lip into his mouth till I was helpless with need, and my mouth parted open. Even then, his tongue darted, fleeting, until I growled and deepened the kiss. I could have kissed him all evening.
I could feel his hands stroke the sides of my body, staying clear of my breasts, conscious of the fact that we were on the street where anyone could see us. Finally, I pulled away.
“It’s a lovely night for walking,” Antonio said. “Shall we, Lucia?”
“Where are we going?” I asked him.
“Dinner,” he said. “I thought we might have a meal together.” He grinned. “Not that I haven’t enjoyed our previous encounters, of course.”
I laughed. “Do you need to steal paintings to get girls to have dinner with you?” I asked him, a challenge in my voice.
He winked at me. “Sometimes,” he said. “Do you like seafood, little thief?”
I nodded. We wound our way through the narrow streets until we arrived at the Piazza San Marco. A warm summer evening, the square was crowded with tourists. As we walked, I noticed we were being followed at a discreet pace by two men.
“Just guards,” Antonio murmured. “Relax.”
“They go everywhere with you?” I asked.
“Clearly not.” I flushed as I thought of Antonio’s dungeon, and he chuckled at my expression. “Come,” he said. We were in front of Quadri, one of Venice’s best restaurants. The prices here were significantly beyond my income level.
I rolled my eyes. “Am I supposed to be impressed?”
He laughed. “The food is pretty good, little thief.”
Chapter 14
Lucia:
We were greeted deferentially and seated instantly in a discreet alcove. A bottle of wine was brought, our glasses filled, then our waiter retreated.
“Is this how the other half lives then? Must be nice.” My voice was wry.
“Indeed,” Antonio said. “To your health.” He lifted his glass towards me.
“To the speedy retrieval of my Madonna,” I retorted. His lips twitched but he didn’t reply. His eyes just watched me, amused.
“I recommend the tasting menu,” he said. I nodded, our orders were taken, and we were alone once again.
I took a sip of my wine. It was delicious, and I sighed softly. “Lovely,” I muttered.
“Indeed,” he said. “You have a little drop on your lips, here…” His fingers were at my lips, and I kissed them as he wiped the wine. I flushed again. I was making a habit of kissing his fingers as they brushed past me. It was pathetic.
He had noticed, but before he could remark on it, I cast around for a topic change. “Tell me about yourself,” I asked him.
He smiled. “What do you want to know, Lucia?”
“How did you become the head of Thieves Guild? Is that hereditary?”
He shook his head. “I’m an orphan; I never knew my parents. When I was thirteen, I ran away from the orphanage to live on the streets of Venice. I was soon desperately hungry, and I tried stealing some fruit from a vendor. Almost got arrested. An old thief saw me. He felt sorry for me, took me in and showed me how to steal properly. The rest is history.”
I looked at him. There was a world of pain in that story, but his voice had been without emotion; a dry recitation of facts. “You stole the Madonna when you were sixteen, you said.”
He grinned. “My first major job. I should have fenced it right away. But I couldn’t. Something held me back. Guido was so angry with me…” His voice was remembering.
“In that case, I’m surprised I didn’t end up in the canal when I tried to steal it,” I commented.
“You are too beautiful to end up in the canal, little thief,” he smiled at me. We were
“I still want my painting back,” she muttered under her breath. I laughed and reached for her again.
***
Lucia:
Fuck. He was a good kisser.
I thought his mouth would crush mine, that his tongue would invade my mouth. But no. His lips were soft and persuasive. He seduced. He nibbled. He sucked my lip into his mouth till I was helpless with need, and my mouth parted open. Even then, his tongue darted, fleeting, until I growled and deepened the kiss. I could have kissed him all evening.
I could feel his hands stroke the sides of my body, staying clear of my breasts, conscious of the fact that we were on the street where anyone could see us. Finally, I pulled away.
“It’s a lovely night for walking,” Antonio said. “Shall we, Lucia?”
“Where are we going?” I asked him.
“Dinner,” he said. “I thought we might have a meal together.” He grinned. “Not that I haven’t enjoyed our previous encounters, of course.”
I laughed. “Do you need to steal paintings to get girls to have dinner with you?” I asked him, a challenge in my voice.
He winked at me. “Sometimes,” he said. “Do you like seafood, little thief?”
I nodded. We wound our way through the narrow streets until we arrived at the Piazza San Marco. A warm summer evening, the square was crowded with tourists. As we walked, I noticed we were being followed at a discreet pace by two men.
“Just guards,” Antonio murmured. “Relax.”
“They go everywhere with you?” I asked.
“Clearly not.” I flushed as I thought of Antonio’s dungeon, and he chuckled at my expression. “Come,” he said. We were in front of Quadri, one of Venice’s best restaurants. The prices here were significantly beyond my income level.
I rolled my eyes. “Am I supposed to be impressed?”
He laughed. “The food is pretty good, little thief.”
Chapter 14
Lucia:
We were greeted deferentially and seated instantly in a discreet alcove. A bottle of wine was brought, our glasses filled, then our waiter retreated.
“Is this how the other half lives then? Must be nice.” My voice was wry.
“Indeed,” Antonio said. “To your health.” He lifted his glass towards me.
“To the speedy retrieval of my Madonna,” I retorted. His lips twitched but he didn’t reply. His eyes just watched me, amused.
“I recommend the tasting menu,” he said. I nodded, our orders were taken, and we were alone once again.
I took a sip of my wine. It was delicious, and I sighed softly. “Lovely,” I muttered.
“Indeed,” he said. “You have a little drop on your lips, here…” His fingers were at my lips, and I kissed them as he wiped the wine. I flushed again. I was making a habit of kissing his fingers as they brushed past me. It was pathetic.
He had noticed, but before he could remark on it, I cast around for a topic change. “Tell me about yourself,” I asked him.
He smiled. “What do you want to know, Lucia?”
“How did you become the head of Thieves Guild? Is that hereditary?”
He shook his head. “I’m an orphan; I never knew my parents. When I was thirteen, I ran away from the orphanage to live on the streets of Venice. I was soon desperately hungry, and I tried stealing some fruit from a vendor. Almost got arrested. An old thief saw me. He felt sorry for me, took me in and showed me how to steal properly. The rest is history.”
I looked at him. There was a world of pain in that story, but his voice had been without emotion; a dry recitation of facts. “You stole the Madonna when you were sixteen, you said.”
He grinned. “My first major job. I should have fenced it right away. But I couldn’t. Something held me back. Guido was so angry with me…” His voice was remembering.
“In that case, I’m surprised I didn’t end up in the canal when I tried to steal it,” I commented.
“You are too beautiful to end up in the canal, little thief,” he smiled at me. We were
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