I pulled my hand away and I wanted to keep the image of her face pressed in my mind, so desperate and needy for something only I could give her. Something she would only seek from me. “I deal with everything from now on. Promise me, you won’t get yourself involved in anymore business.”
“I promise.”
“Good girl.” I kissed her deeply and her hands went straight to my pants, starting to unbuckle them as she searched for her high. I pushed her pants and underwear down past her hips and she stepped out of them before hitching her leg up around my waist. Picking her up, I pressed her back up against the bookshelf and guided myself into her.
Her fingers dug into my shoulders, clinging to me like I was the answer to every question she’d ever had. The residual anger at the situation remained and morphed into a carnal desire for my wife. Every movement was a reminder of what I had and what I could not lose. My lips found hers again, tongue forcing its way into her mouth as I pounded into her. The bookshelf shuddered with the movements and there was a definitive thud as a book fell to the ground but even Mia, who prioritised her novels above most things, didn’t seem to care as she tugged at my hair.
There would never be a moment that I didn’t love this woman. She could ruin every plan I had. She could try to take control. She could unravel under my touch. Every single iteration of Mia drove me to the brink of madness, and I wanted no antidote for it.
The sweet, primal sounds that left her spurred me on, thrusting harder into her until she tightened around me. Her mouth found my neck and she bit hard, sending a burst of pleasure through the pain. The strangled cry of my name was muffled against my skin as she found bliss and I followed soon after, finishing inside her.
Slowly, Mia’s legs came down from around me as I slid out of her. I helped keep her upright, her eyes hazy from the orgasm and legs unable to support herself. “I love you,” she breathed.
“I love you too.” That would never change.
As she regained the strength in her legs, Mia went to retrieve her discarded clothes from the floor, but I caught her arm and she looked up at me from under her lashes. She was flushed pink, lips swollen, and her hair had come loose from her bun, tumbling around her shoulders. My hand wrapped around her hair and tugged to pull her head back, letting me appreciate just how beautiful she looked. This was a version of her that only I was blessed with.
“I’m not done with you yet,” I informed her and the smile that graced her lips as she sank to her knees confirmed that she would be my undoing.
Chapter Fifteen
Lucas
Mia’s skin sported dark bruises that developed while we slept. I hadn’t been gentle in my handling of her last night. As she dressed, I walked over and wrapped my arms around her waist from behind, kissing the purple marks across the top of her back where the shelves had done their damage. Mia reached back to swat at me with a soft smile on her face, a silent gesture that said she didn’t mind my handiwork. She’d left her own mark, blossoming dark on my neck, but I wasn’t as shy about it.
“Plans for the day?” I asked partially out of curiosity and partially because I wanted confirmation that she wasn’t planning on doing any more damage.
“Taking it easy. Everything aches,” she said, and I smirked against the nape of her neck before kissing the words that were inked there. “You?” But she tensed as she asked the question.
“Paying a few visits,” I mumbled against her skin. My tongue flicked out and ran along the side of her throat, and she shivered. “Nothing for you to worry about,” I whispered in her ear.
Mia turned in my arms. “Reconsider,” she said, fingers playing with my hair and looking at me with large eyes.
This fucking woman was lethal when given half the chance. She knew how to play me. Mia knew of every weakness and vulnerability I had. The smallest movements, the carefully chosen words, Mia had them all and if I wasn’t careful, she could ruin me.
I dotted a kiss on the tip of her nose, refusing to fold to her. “No chance.” She sighed and I continued, “You promised me last night that you’d let me deal with business. Are you going back on your word?”
“No,” she told me. “I just don’t think we should be making any rash decisions right now.”
“I’ve had all night to think on it.”
“Take a few days.”
“Time is a luxury we can’t afford.”
She dropped her head against my chest. “It’s the only luxury I want.” She took in a deep breath and stepped away from me to pull her t-shirt over her head. “At least try and talk to them first.”
I rolled my eyes, crossing the room to Link’s basket. Dante brought him back home last night when Mia and I were done working out our frustrations.
“I’ll get him,” she said to me.
“It’s fine,” I replied, smiling down at my son. “We need our morning debrief.” Mia laughed as I plucked Link out of the crib and into my arms. Too young to join the family business, I’d started a routine of debriefing Link on the day before I left for work. I didn’t want to be a Dad who barely knew his kid. It wasn’t Mia’s job to raise our brood alone. We made Link together and he’d have both of his parents play an active role in his life.
“You’ve been letting things slip, son,” I said to him, walking past Mia to head downstairs. “Your momma is a tricky one, but you need to be firm. We need to be sharp or she’ll walk all over us and you know what trouble that will cause.” Link made sounds at me and I nodded in agreement. “I know, it’s been a busy week for you, but we need to up our game, cub.”
“I’ve been thinking,” Mia said from behind me as she followed down the stairs.
“Mia, love, every time you start with that, I think you shave a few years off my life.” There was a sting as she slapped my ass. “Not in front of the baby.” I’d get her back for it later.
