It's been an hour or two since we arrived at the club, and Aurora is now completely drunk, barely able to stand on her own two feet. We're waiting outside for Stefano to pick us up, the cool night air a welcome respite from the stuffy, smoke-filled interior of the club. I had called him earlier, knowing that neither of us was in any condition to drive.

Throughout the night, Aurora didn't bring up the forced marriage again, and I found myself wondering if I should tell Stefano about it. I know he would try to handle it in his own way, but I couldn't see the situation ending well, no matter what he did. At the same time, the thought of Aurora being forced to marry someone against her will made my stomach churn with unease.

I'm snapped out of my thoughts by the sound of a car pulling up in front of us. Stefano steps out, his brow furrowed with concern as he takes in Aurora's drunken state.

"How much did she drink?" he asks, rushing over to her and wrapping an arm around her waist to keep her upright.

"Hi, big brother!" Aurora slurs, grinning from ear to ear as she slaps her hand against his chest in an uncoordinated attempt at a greeting.

"A lot," I reply, shaking my head at her antics as she reaches up to pinch Stefano's cheeks.

He sighs and scoops Aurora up into his arms bridal style and, carefully places her in the back seat of his car.

I follow after them, settling into the passenger seat as Stefano makes sure Aurora is comfortable. Once he's satisfied, he walks around to the driver's side and slides in behind the wheel.

As he starts the car and pulls out of the club's driveway, Stefano glances over at me. "So, tell me what's wrong."

I hesitate, not wanting to betray Aurora's trust but also feeling the weight of the secret pressing down on me. "She didn't talk," I lie, knowing that if I admit she confided in me but refuse to share, the conversation will only drag on longer.

"Even with all that drinking?" Stefano asks, glancing at Aurora's passed-out form in the rearview mirror.

"She didn't," I confirm, avoiding eye contact and fidgeting with my fingers in my lap.

Stefano is silent for a long moment, and I can feel the tension in the air between us. Then, he says, "Hmm... alright."

"Yeah," I whisper, watching the city streets blur together as we drive home, my mind still heavy with the weight of Aurora's revelation.

***

I carefully tuck Andrea into her bed, making sure she's comfortable and safe. Stefano had been kind enough to help me carry her upstairs, her body limp and heavy with the weight of the evening's revelations and the alcohol coursing through her veins. I brush a stray lock of hair from her face, my heart aching for my best friend and the impossible situation she finds herself in.

Stepping out of her room, I expect to find the hallway empty, but to my surprise, Stefano is waiting for me, leaning against the door to my own room. His presence sends a shiver down my spine, the air between us suddenly charged with a tension I can't quite name.

"Why haven't you left?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper as I approach him.

"Because I needed to do something first," he replies, his voice low and rough with an emotion I don't dare try to identify. In one swift motion, he pulls me into my room, backing me up against the door as he shuts it behind us.

My heart pounds in my chest as I stare up at him, my breath catching in my throat. The way he looks at me, his eyes dark and intense, makes me feel like I'm the only person in the world.

"What?" I manage to ask, my voice trembling slightly as I gaze at him through my lashes.

"This," he breathes before smashing his lips against mine in a passionate kiss that steals the air from my lungs. He pulls me flush against him, his body hard and unyielding against my own. I melt into his embrace, losing myself in the sensation of his mouth on mine, all thoughts of Aurora and the night's drama momentarily forgotten.

"I've wanted to do that for so long," Stefano murmurs against my lips as he moves to trails kisses down my neck, his breath hot and damp against my skin.

I'm about to respond, to tell him how much I've wanted this too when suddenly, the shrill ring of my phone cuts through the moment. I try to ignore it, but it just keeps ringing, so I pull away from Stefano. I don't miss the curse that leaves his lips and quickly answer the call.

"Hello, Santiago," I say, answering the call.

"I am very angry with you, young lady," my brother says in a stern voice.

I wince, knowing I deserve his frustration. "I'm so sorry, Santiago. I know I said I'd fly home a few days ago, but something came up, and I had to postpone."

"Something came up?" He scoffs. "You might be my sister, but I have a company to run. I can't have you as acting VP and not available when you're needed."

"I know, I know," I say, running a hand through my hair. "It won't happen again. I'll be back this weekend, I promise."

There's a pause on the other end of the line. When Santiago speaks again, his voice has softened slightly. "Good. Just... don't let me down again, okay?"

"I won't," I assure him. "Thanks for understanding. I love you, big brother."

As I put my phone away, Stefano's voice cuts the silence. "You're not leaving," he states, his tone a mixture of command and plea.

I sigh, moving my hands to his hair and running my fingers through the soft strands. "I would love to stay longer, but I have to go back," I say, my voice tinged with sadness about leaving him.

Stefano's brow furrows, his green eyes searching mine. "Why? It's not like the company can't run if you don't go back for another month."

"Another month?" I repeat, looking at him in disbelief. "You wish for me to return to Miami in a month?"

His hands tighten around my waist, pulling me flush against him once more. The heat of his body seeps through my clothes, a comforting warmth that makes me want to melt into him. "If I had my way, Luce del sole, you would never leave my side," he murmurs, burying his nose in the nape of my neck and inhaling deeply. His hot breath against my skin sends shivers down my spine, goosebumps spreading across my flesh.

"I would love that, Stefano," I whisper, my voice thick with emotion, "but it's not that simple."

He pulls back, his gaze intense as he studies my face. "What do you mean?" he asks, curiosity and concern evident in his voice.

I hesitate, wondering if I should reveal the real reason behind my need to return. My relationship with my father isn't exactly a secret – the man never cared to hide his disdain for me – but discussing it with Stefano feels different, more intimate.

"I'm listening, Luce del sole. Talk to me," he urges softly, his thumb tracing soothing circles on my back.

His gentle encouragement breaks down my last defenses. Taking a deep breath, I tell him everything – about my father's impossible expectations, his constant criticism, and my desperate need to prove myself worthy of his company, of his approval.

As I speak, I watch a furrow deepen between Stefano's brows, his jaw clenching with barely contained anger. When I finish, he's silent for a moment, his eyes blazing with a protective fury that takes my breath away.

"Your father's lucky I can't touch him," Stefano growls, his voice low and dangerous. "If not, I would fucking blown his brains out for thinking you're anything less than perfect and worth so much more than working in his damn company."

My eyes widen in surprise, my heart swelling with a mixture of gratitude and affection. In that moment, I realize just how deeply Stefano cares for me, and how fiercely he's willing to defend me – even against my own family.

I've revised the scene to add more emotional depth and sensory details while maintaining the overall tone and intimacy:

I close the gap between us, placing a soft, tentative kiss on Stefano's lips as I wrap my arms around his neck. He responds immediately, his strong arms tightening around my waist as he releases a low groan into my mouth. The sound sends shivers down my spine.

Stefano's lips leave mine, trailing hot, open-mouthed kisses down my neck and across my shoulder. Each touch ignites a fire beneath my skin, and I feel a familiar heat building in my core - an ache I haven't experienced in years. His hands glide down to my thighs, and in one fluid motion, he lifts my dress over my head, breaking our kiss for only a moment.

A fleeting thought of self-consciousness crosses my mind, but it's quickly overwhelmed by the desire coursing through me. Stefano's eyes roam over my body, dark with hunger.

"Beautiful," he murmurs against my lips before capturing them in a deep, passionate kiss that steals my breath away.

I arch my back, throwing my head back as his lips resume their journey down my body. Each kiss feels like a brand on my heated skin. When his hot mouth closes over my breast, then my peaked nipple, a gasp escapes me. The sensation is exquisite - a delicious mix of pleasure and anticipation that has me trembling in his arms.

My fingers tangle in his hair, holding him close as waves of sensation wash over me. "Stefano!" I moan, my eyes fluttering closed.

In one fluid motion, Stefano lifts me into his arms. I wrap my legs around his waist as he carries me the few steps to the bed, laying me down gently on the soft sheets. He kneels at the foot of the bed, his hands caressing my thighs as he spreads them apart. The heat of his gaze travels up my body, making me shiver with anticipation.

"You're so beautiful," he murmurs, his voice husky with desire.

My core throbs with need, pooling with wetness. Stefano slowly trails his fingers up my legs, his touch igniting a fire everywhere it lands. He pulls my panties down achingly slow and sniffs them before putting them in his back pocket. I find myself holding my breath in anticipation as he settles between my thighs, his mouth hovering just inches from where I ache for him most.

A sharp inhale escapes me as he finally closes that gap, but I end up wincing instead of moaning as he pulls back, staring at me from between my legs.

"Has anyone ever done this to you before, luce del sole?" he asks, his intense green eyes boring into my soul.

"No," I whisper, which isn't a lie.

"Good, because..." he murmurs, and I gasp a second later, feeling his mouth on my core, hot and eager to please. He licks my folds, parting me open to him, and I suck in a sharp inhale, feeling earth-shattering pleasure ripple through my core. "I want to be the only one who has," he says, his voice a growl against my sensitive skin.

"Stefano," I moan, looking down at him, but my eyes close as he thrusts his tongue slowly in and out of me. Pleasure radiates through me, stealing the air from my lungs. I tangle my fingers in his hair, arching into his touch, silently begging for more.

"You taste divine, luce del sole," he murmurs against my core, his words sending shivers down my spine. "I could worship you for hours." He licks me more, his tongue hitting that perfect spot that makes me see stars.

"Fuck, Stefano," I moan as his tongue sends shockwaves of desire through my body. I curl my toes, tangling my fingers more tightly through his hair.

"So fucking amazing," he says, adding fingers inside of me, slowly filling me, stretching me in the most delicious way, and I gasp at the feeling. His fingers flick against my clit, and I cry out, my hips bucking off the bed. He holds me down, his hands strong and sure, and I surrender to the exquisite torture he's inflicting on me.

"Oh God, Stefano," I moan, gripping his hair tightly, my knuckles white, as I try to ground myself against the overwhelming sensations threatening to sweep me away.

"No God here, just me," he cockily mutters and thrusts his fingers and tongue with expert precision, building the pressure inside me to an unbearable peak. I'm teetering on the edge, every muscle in my body tensed and ready to snap.

"Cum for me, luce del sole," he murmurs, his voice a rough command that I can't resist. His words push me over the edge, and I shatter, waves of pleasure crashing over me, leaving me breathless and trembling.

Stefano doesn't stop, pulling his mouth away but keeping his fingers moving, prolonging my climax. He stares at me intensely, his green eyes filled with a desire like I had never seen before.

"I gonna ruin you for all other men," he growls, his fingers working expertly to do just that. "So that you'll only be able to reach such peaks with me."

I close my eyes, my body consumed by pleasure as he draws out every last bit of it until I'm a quivering mess. Each thrust and flick of his fingers sends another wave of ecstasy crashing through me, my moans echoing in the room.

"Stefano," I gasp, my voice a mere whisper as the pleasure continues to ripple through me. My body is on fire, every nerve ending alight with the sensations he's eliciting. He doesn't let up, pushing me further and further until I'm nothing but a trembling, breathless heap beneath him.

Finally, he slows, his fingers gently easing out of me. I open my eyes to find him watching me with a look of satisfaction and possessiveness. The intensity in his gaze sends a shiver down my spine, and I feel the lingering aftershocks of my climax as his hand trails softly up my thigh.

"You're mine," he whispers, leaning down to press a gentle kiss to my forehead. The tenderness in his touch contrasts with the fierce passion of moments before, grounding me as I come down from the high. I'm still trembling, my breath coming in ragged gasps, and my cum staining the sheets. "Sleep," he commands, and I don't even protest, closing my eyes.