“Yeah, he was real specific on that call,” I said. “Even tossed out his bank account numbers and home address.”
“Fair enough.”
“Mott,” Alessio repeated, sitting forward. “Did he say anything else?”When I shook my head, he pushed back from the table and got to his feet. “I’ll take care of this.”
Without another word, he started toward the door, and I jumped up. “Alessio, wait. This isn’t on you. Let’s figure it out together.”
He spun around, eyes wild and narrowed, looking like a man out for vengeance. “Let me handle this. I’m going to find this motherfucker.” He looked at us one at a time, like he dared us to disagree, and then continued toward the door. I thought I heard him say under his breath, “If it’s the last fucking thing I do,” before he slammed it behind him.
10
SHEP
“WELL. I THINK we shocked the shit out of everyone tonight.” Theo moved his hands beneath my jacket to curl his fingers under the waist of my pants. I leaned back against the wall of the private elevator that led up to my loft as he stepped in closer. “Although I don’t believe for a second Lucien had a clue.”
I was careful wrapping my arms around him, since his ribs were still tender and his bruises had turned a violent blackish-purple that made me want to shoot that kidnapping motherfucker again every time I saw them.
“Actually, I think he did,” I said, angling my head as Theo nibbled the sensitive skin beneath my ear. “He gave me a look at the wedding and I told him to mind his fucking business.”
“You did have such a stick up your ass that day.” He grinned, and as the elevator doors opened up directly into my loft, he backed out, pulling me with him by the fingers he had curled into my pants.
I put my hand over his, stopping him from going any farther. He glanced at me over his shoulder, but something in my expression had him turning around and asking, “What’s wrong?”
Shaking my head, I drew him in close and took his lips with mine the way I’d been wanting to for hours. Sure, I’d stolen a kiss at Libertine, but it was nowhere near enough to satisfy the need I felt to keep him this close. It wasn’t even just desire with Theo now, but an overwhelming possession that I couldn’t fight even if I wanted to. The second we’d decided to do this, I was all in. It was just the way it was, the wayIwas, and I didn’t know how to be any less.
My hands were gentle as I held his head between them, but my mouth was anything but as it crashed down on his, my tongue sweeping past his lips to get a thorough taste. He let out a muffled moan of surprise and pleasure, kissing me back with the hunger I felt. There was something addictive about the faint taste of his clove cigarettes that lingered, a sweetness that balanced Theo’s sarcasm and intensity, a flavor that was so uniquelyhim, and I couldn’t get enough.
Tonight it wasn’t even about the sexual desire I felt anytime he was near. No, it’d been a long couple of days, and just his being out for a few hours had to be taxing on his body. He’d been yawning in the car until we arrived at my place in Tribeca, but I didn’t expect this second wind to last much longer.
I kissed him until we were both breathless, until Theo was looking up at me with dazed eyes.
“You kiss me like you’ve missed me.”
“I have.”
“I was beside you all night.”
“Are you complaining?”
His grin grew wide even though it strained on the side that was still healing. “I’ll never complain about you being obsessed with me.”
“You say that now…”
“I do, and I’ll say it tomorrow and a year from now. Ten years from now. A hundred?—”
My groan and eye roll cut off his words. “Now you’re just making fun of me.”
“Would I do that?” When I arched a brow, he chuckled and hauled me in close. “Be obsessed with me, Shep. Because I sure as fuck can’t get enough of you.”
Butterflies exploded in my chest as he sealed that confession, his lips taking mine. I could feel the way he meant it as he kissed me, and it made everything that happened over the last few hours—the worry, the fear, the what-ifs—all fade into the background.
Nothing else mattered with Theo Rinaldi’s mouth on mine?—
Until his stomach gave a ravenous growl.
“Oh shit,” I said, pulling back. “You didn’t eat before we left, did you?”
“I meant to. But…”
