“Let them,” she gasps, defiant even as she trembles, and it’s enough to push me to the edge. I thrust harder, deeper, my hand slipping between us to find her clit again, rubbing tight, relentless circles until she’s shaking, her whole body tensing as she nears the edge.
“Come for me, Kasi,” I growl, my voice rough with need, my lips brushing her ear. “Let me feel you break.”
She does, her body shuddering, her cry muffled against my shoulder as she clenches around me, the intensity of it pulling me under. My release hits like a tidal wave, white-hot and overwhelming, and I bury my face in her neck, breathing in her scent—sweat, perfume, and that indefinable thing that’s just her—as I spill into her, my body trembling with the force of it.
I ease her down, careful to keep her steady as her feet touch the floor.
Her jeans are still bunched at her thighs, her sweater askew, and she looks so beautifully wrecked that my chest aches. I adjust her clothes, my hands gentle now, smoothing her sweater, zipping her jeans with care. She watches me, her eyes soft, searching, like she’s waiting for me to pull away, to shut her out again.
I don’t. I grab a soft throw from a nearby bench—some overpriced art piece meant for show—and wrap it around her shoulders, shielding her from the chill of the room. I guide her to sit, kneeling in front of her to fix her hair, my fingers lingering on her cheek as I wipe away a smudge of her lipstick. “You okay?” I ask, my voice quieter now, softer.
She nods, her lips curving into a small, almost shy smile. “More than okay.”
24
ALARIC
The German contractrevisions might as well be written in Sanskrit for all the sense they’re making to me this morning.
I stare at the same profit margin analysis for the third time, but the numbers blur together. All I can think about is the sounds Kasimira made when I pressed her against that marble wall, the way her voice echoed off the ceiling when she whispered my name.
Focus, you bastard.
I slam the folder shut and reach for my coffee, but it’s gone cold. How long have I been sitting here, replaying last night frame by frame like some lovesick teenager?
The jacket from last night hangs on the back of my chair, and every time I catch a whiff of her perfume clinging to the fabric, my concentration shatters completely. Jasmine and something uniquely her that makes my blood burn.
This is exactly what I was afraid of. She’s gotten under my skin, into my head, and now I can’t function like a rational human being. Men in my position don’t have the luxury of distraction.One moment of weakness, one second where I’m thinking about her mouth instead of watching for threats, and we’re both dead.
I grab the jacket and walk to the fireplace, striking a match with more violence than necessary.
The silk catches fire immediately, expensive fabric curling and blackening as flames consume the evidence of my weakness. The scent of her perfume burns away with it, leaving only smoke and the bitter smell of my own stupidity.
“Sir?” Benedetto’s voice carries from the doorway. “Everything alright?”
“Fine.” I watch the last of the jacket disappear into ash. “Just disposing of something that outlived its usefulness.”
“The Torrino shipment arrived this morning. Tony wants to discuss distribution.”
Business. The one thing that makes sense in my increasingly complicated world.
“Send him up.”
Twenty minutes later, Tony Torrino sprawls in the chair across from my desk like he owns the place. At sixty, he’s still built like the enforcer he used to be, but his brain moves faster than his fists these days.
“You look like shit, Alaric.”
“Thank you for that astute observation. What do you want, Tony?”
“To discuss business. But first, I want to know if you’ve lost your damn mind.”
I lean back in my chair, giving him my full attention. Tony doesn’t mince words, which is why he’s survived forty years in this business.
“She’s changing you,” Tony continues. “Question is whether that’s good or bad for business.”
“It’s not affecting business.”
“Bullshit. You’ve been distracted for weeks. Missing details, delegating decisions you used to handle personally. The men are starting to notice.”
