His face brightened for a second, giving me a true loving smile as he responded, “I love you so much, my little ray of sunshine. You make this all worth it. Now, go get some shut eye.”
I nodded, leaving him with his sleepless night as I wished for the hundredth time in my life that my mom didn’t die. Not for me, but for my dad, so he could have some shred of happiness again. He deserved it. He was the best dad a Mafia princess could ask for.
As soon as I opened my door, I was transported to my short time with Lex. Even though this room was my actual room, I felt like it wasn’t complete without my little stalker. Damn, that man had made an impact on me, but how could he not have. The whole time I was with him was full of love declarations and amazing sex; how could a thirsty girl like me not get addicted to that psycho.
I looked around the room, pointing out all the small insignificant differences between that room and mine until my eyes landed on a lump in my bed. Did Lex already get here and was trying to surprise me?
I stepped carefully to the side of the bed, peeking over the covers to ensure he couldn’t get the drop on me. I didn’t see a lush head of dark-raven hair, but, instead, an almost buzzed cut of platinum-blond hair. I stepped up closer, and Cosmo was lying there, sleeping with a frown on his face.
Guilt hit me hard at the dark circles around his eyes. For him to be sleeping in my bed, he must’ve been very anxious and worried about me. I thought that maybe I could get into bed with him, like when we were little, but then I caught a whiff of my own stink and knew I needed to take a shower first. I would not make a mess of my pristine sheets with this almost two-day smell.
I went around the corner, sluggishly making my way into the bathroom. While my bedroom was all accented with whites, grays, and blacks, my bathroom was the opposite. It was a soft glow of yellow, brightening up the room when I turned on the lights. I had painted it this color so it would not only wake me up but bring some soft bright color into my life. Right now, I regretted that decision.
It was almost too bright, blinding me as soon as I looked in the mirror. I could see the imperfections, dark spots in my soul, the frown on my face, the worry in my eyes. I didn’t like seeing myself so raw when I needed to always look like the powerhouse I was.
Unable to stand the sight, I quickly turned around, pushing past the frosted curtain as I turned the faucet all the way to the left, getting it as hot as I could. Peeling off my clothes, layer by layer, felt like I was taking off the past thirty-eight hours.
I climbed into the shower and let out a sigh as the burning liquid ran down my body, causing little heat trails of smoldering pleasure. My hand reached out for my jasmine and shea butter shampoo that created that healthy glow to my hair, and the scent filled up the space around me and brought my mind at ease with the steam keeping the parts of my body that the water wasn’t hitting warm.
Closing my eyes, I threw out all thoughts and feelings that concerned anything outside of this moment. I cleared my mind, focusing on the pounding of the water on my body, the scent of the shampoo, and the warmth I was engulfed in like a giant hug. I should’ve known this wouldn’t last for long.
The curtain pulled open, and I was shoved up against the shower wall, naked and vulnerable, when my body clenched, and my eyes flew open to see my attacker.
My heart pounded harder when a familiar set of violet eyes drilled into mine like they could eviscerate me where I stood. Before me was Cosmo still dressed as he boxed me against the wall, heaving as the water beat against him. He looked like a vicious beast, something out for blood, and I was having a hard time keeping my body from reacting to the gorgeous sight.
His rumbly voice brought me back online. “Where have you been, Rayla?”
I didn’t know what was wrong with me, but having his voice sounding so dark and depraved and his eyes staring into mine like he would never let me go, had a shiver running down my back and a puff of sexual desire slipping from my lips.
His gaze left mine and collided with my lips as he licked his own. Pure desire flashed in his eyes, and my belly quivered. The tension between us was so palpable I could scoop it from the space between us and slather my body in all that want and need. I wanted this, I have wanted this for so long, but I knew he didn’t. I knew he was riding on his worried feelings and would turn back into the straitlaced brother that only looked at me with steadfast devotion, the kind from a loyal friend rather than a lover.
I pushed at his chest, closing my eyes to not get lost in his and then get disappointed later. “Cosmo, let me finish my shower, and I will come out and tell you everything. I just need a moment.”
I waited to hear the curtain being pulled, to feel the absence of the body in front of me, but it never came. I flinched as lips grazed near my ear as he cooed, “No. I’m not moving an inch until you tell me where you have been. Why you didn’t call me? Why you left me to worry about you for thirty-eight hours, seven minutes, and forty-two seconds?”
My eyes popped open when a hand wrapped around my neck, squeezing while his thumb rubbed along my carotid artery. My heart stilled a beat as the hunger and desire didn’t leave his eyes and how his body only pressed into me harder as his grip on my neck tightened in warning.
“I didn’t have my phone. I was kidnapped, you see—”
He got right in my face, and his voice burned with hate. “Who, Rayla? Who fucking kidnapped you? I will find him, skin him alive, and make you a throw rug for the fireplace with it.” He moved in closer, his lips only a centimeter from mine as he whispered, “I will eviscerate him for touching what’s mine.”
1My mouth dropped at his admission, but he didn’t even give me a moment to relish in that as his lips smashed into mine, taking what he wanted from me as his tongue explored my mouth. I was still stunned from this whole experience that I just let him do it, frozen in disbelief, at least until he pulled away panting.
He positioned his thumb underneath my chin and pushed up, and his eyes pleaded with me to understand as he whispered, “I need you, Ray. I can’t live without you. I need it.” I nodded to him, unable to deny him anything as he looked at me like that. I just didn’t expect him to rear his head back and sink his teeth into my neck.
I gasped as my body curved into his and off the cool tile as an electrifying high took over, spreading from where he was pulling at my blood to the tips of my toes. It was orgasmic—the feel of his pulling need and hunger at my throat, the bruising grip he held me in, and the way my thighs rubbed together to cause a smidgen of the friction I was desperate for.
He pulled away from me too soon, and I wanted more of me to be inside of him, filling him from the inside out so he didn’t know where I started and he ended. I wanted that full claim over him like nothing else I have ever wanted.
Almost like a switch had been turned, his arms shook, and his eyes widened as regret filled them. He backed away, shaking his head as he opened his mouth. I knew he was about to apologize, about to shut the door on this, maybe forever, but I would not let him. A surge of anger, frustration, and hunger filled my veins, and I used my vampire speed to grab his shirt, turn us around, and slam him into the tiles I had been up against.
I didn’t give him a moment of breath before I said, “My turn,” and I yanked his neck down to my level, shoving my teeth into his shoulder so hard we both groaned out as he slumped against the tiles.
I shuddered at the familiar taste of sweet cherry syrup and the oaky burn of whiskey flowing smooth and strong down my throat. I gripped onto him harder, not liking the shirt in the way of our skin touching. Grabbing the collar, I ripped the shirt in half, and didn’t stop the pull of his red-hot nectar as I dug my fingers into his pecs.
He shivered, and his breathing was short and choppy, so I pressed my naked body up against him, hoping to keep him a little warmer as I stole the warmth from his veins.
I was surprised to feel the length between his legs grow as his arms tentatively encircled me to bring me even closer to him. His breath was a soothing balm to my fury as he said, “Yes, Ray. Take it. Take it all from me. Suck me dry, only until you’ve had your fill. I want you to.”
