CHAPTER 175: 175 ~ MIRA

Lisbon was everything I didn’t know I’d been missing. It felt different now that I was back here with Jace. The last time I was here, I was hiding from the man I loved. But now I was back here, nestled in his arms as my eyes opened that morning.

The morning air smelled faintly of the sea. It was fresh, sharp, and alive. The sky was that kind of blue that made you feel like the world was finally starting over again.

I stood at the window of our hotel room, coffee in hand, watching the light spill over the red rooftops below. Jace was still in bed behind me, half-asleep, shirtless, and looking sinfully good even in his quietest moments.

"You’re staring this time," he murmured, voice low and husky from sleep.

I smiled to myself. "You say that like it’s a bad thing."

"Depends on what you’re thinking."

I turned, leaning against the window frame, watching as he stretched. "I’m thinking about how nice this feels."

His lips curved into a lazy smile. "You mean boring?"

"Peaceful," I corrected, rolling my eyes.

He sat up, running a hand through his hair. "We can fix that."

"Don’t you dare," I warned, already knowing that mischievous look in his eyes.

But of course, Jace Romano never listened.

He took my lips in his, regardless of morning breath and pinned me to the bed before I could run away.

He parted my legs with his knees, and let his fingers trail my already wet pussy. Yup, it didn’t take much to get me turned on when it came to him.

He looked at me and smiled. We were thinking the exact same thing. I blushed as red as a tomato.

His thumb pressed on my clit, making me gasp at the sensation. Pushing my panties aside, he rubbed on it slowly and inserted his index and middle finger into me.

"Hmm," I shut my eyes and threw my head back as I hummed, feeling the pleasure course through me.

"Look at me," he rasped out.

My

eyes opened and they met his gray orbs that were staring at me so intently, my orgasm rolled out shortly after. It didn’t take much for him to make me come undone.

I kissed him even more deeply, while my hands trailed to his cock that has been bulging against my thigh.

He hissed softly when fingers slowly trailed the tip.

"Fuck." He cussed under his breath when I repeated the process.

Soon I flipped things over, making me stay on top.

Then I let myself crawl down, releasing his cock and fitting it into my mouth.

I gagged and almost choked as it hit the back of my throat.

But hearing him nose in pleasure made me want to carry on so I did, tasting the salty precum as my head bobbed back and forth.

He soon wrapped my hair with his fingers and my jaw kept at it. I increased the tempo when I heard him make a very familiar sound. He was close.

In just a matter of seconds, he spilled his seed into my mouth and I swallowed every drop.

I sighed in content as I saw his eyes close.

But I was in for a surprise, when he pulled me up and slipped inside me before I could blink.

That morning, Jace alternated between fucking my like a whore and making love to me. I didn’t know which part I loved more.

~

By noon, he had me dressed and out of the hotel before I could finish my second cup of coffee. No guards, no calls, no heavy conversations. Just us.

"Where are we going?" I asked for the fifth time as he guided me through a narrow street lined with colorful buildings and tiled walls.

"You’ll see," he said, pretending to study the map on his phone even though I could tell he already knew exactly where we were going.

The city buzzed softly around us with locals chatting in Portuguese, the sound of tram wheels on cobblestone, music drifting from a nearby café. Jace didn’t seem like the kind of man who blended into crowds, but here, with his sunglasses and that faint smile he wore just for me, he somehow did.

We stopped at a small flower shop tucked between two cafés. He bought me a single white daisy and tucked it behind my ear without saying a word.

"What’s this for?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Because you looked like you needed one."

I laughed softly, shaking my head. "You’re impossible."

"Charming," he corrected.

"Delusional." I retorted amid laughter.

He chuckled, slipping his hand into mine as we continued walking.

We ended up at the Mercado da Ribeira. It was a massive open-air market that smelled of spices, pastries, and grilled seafood. My heart practically skipped when I saw the rows of pastel de nata displayed behind the glass.

"Now this," I said, eyes lighting up, "is heaven."

Jace grinned. "Knew that would get your attention."

He bought us a box, and we sat on a wooden bench outside, sharing the pastries while the city hummed around us. I caught a bit of custard on my lip, and before I could reach for a napkin, he leaned in and kissed it away.

"Jace," I hissed, swatting his arm even though my face was burning. We were in public for goodness sake and people could be so judgemental.

"What?" he said innocently. "Waste not, want not."

"Stop making excuses."

"Stop looking so kissable, then."

God, this man.

I tried to glare at him, but it melted into laughter. And for a moment, it hit me how rare this was. It felt so good to laugh freely, to breathe without fear sitting heavy on my chest. Few years ago or even few months back, it was a different story entirely.

Later in the day, we took a tram up to Alfama. The city stretched below us. It was a beautiful maze of old buildings, tiled balconies, and laundry fluttering in the wind. I leaned out slightly, gripping the rail, my heart racing from the height and thrill of it.

"Careful," Jace said behind me, his hand wrapping around my waist.

"I’m fine," I said, smiling as the wind tangled my hair.

"Still," he murmured, pressing a kiss to my temple. "I’d rather not risk it."

His arm stayed there, holding me against him the rest of the way. And maybe he didn’t notice it, but that small gesture, the quiet way he kept me close without making a show of it meant everything.

When the tram stopped near the Miradouro de Santa Luzia, we stepped out to a breathtaking view of the ocean. The sun was dipping lower, painting the city in warm gold. Street musicians played soft fado tunes, and a few couples danced quietly to the music.

It felt like a dream. That kind of dream that comes after too many nightmares.

"Hungry?" Jace asked, his hand resting lightly on my lower back.

I shook my head. "Not really."

"Good." His lips twitched. "Because I’m stealing you for something else."

He led me down a narrow path that curved away from the crowds, to a quiet spot overlooking the water. There was a small café there, half-hidden behind flowering vines, the kind you only found if you weren’t looking for it.

He didn’t make reservations or tell anyone we were coming. He just ordered us two glasses of wine and a plate of olives, and we sat outside under a canopy of bougainvillea, watching the sunset spill over the ocean.

For the first time in a long time, Jace wasn’t a don, and I wasn’t the woman who had survived his world. We were just two people, a man and a woman sitting by the sea, laughing, sharing quiet glances and stolen touches.

"You know what I realized today?" I said softly.

"What’s that?"

"I think this is the first time I’ve seen you without your guards in years."

He smiled faintly, swirling his wine. "Feels strange, doesn’t it?"

"Kind of." I tilted my head, studying him. "You look... younger."

He laughed quietly. "I’ll take that as a compliment."

"It is." I reached across the table, brushing my fingers over his hand. "I like this version of you."

He looked at me for a long time. It was that calm, steady look that saw right through me every time. "Good," he said finally, his voice low. "Because this version only exists when you’re around."

I didn’t have words for that. I didn’t need to.

We just sat there, watching the last light fade from the sky, the sound of the waves filling the quiet between us. And when he reached across the table to kiss me, it wasn’t fiery or rushed. It was slow, deep, and full of every unspoken thing we’d survived to get here.

By the time we got back to the hotel, the city had gone still. The kind of stillness that felt like a heartbeat.

He helped me out of my shoes, his fingers brushing against my ankle before sliding higher.

"Jace," I whispered, my pulse catching.

He looked up, his eyes dark and tender all at once. "What?"

"Don’t stop."

And he didn’t.