There is nothing easy about the feel of her young, ripe body wriggling under me.
“I’m tired of thinking about the reasons it shouldn’t happen.”Her lips skim my throat, and I close my eyes, weak, throbbing under her little hand.
She’s been thinking about this as I have.Curse me for being a piece of shit, but knowing it makes doing the right thing feel that much harder.
Almost as hard as I still am when I force myself away from her.“This isn’t a joke.Now you need to straighten yourself out and get up to the house before anyone comes looking for you.We both know I will be the one paying the price.”
Thinking fast, I add, “But you would be lucky if you didn’t get your ass ripped out of college over this.Tell me I’m wrong.”
My eyes have adjusted to the darkness, allowing me to watch a hundred thoughts and emotions race across her expressive face.Her swollen lips tighten, her eyes narrow to slits.But she doesn’t argue, does she?She knows I’m right.
And thank God for that because I can’t clench my fists tighter than they are now.I have to be strong.One of ushasto be strong.
“This isn’t over,” she promises, running her hands over her hair like I do to mine, tugging the hem of her skirt to make sure it’s in place.When she opens the car to grab her things from the back seat, the overhead light shines on her flushed face.
“It never started,” I reply, tucking my cock into my waistband with a frustrated sigh.“Hang out a minute.Calm yourself down.Anybody would know from looking at you what you were doing in here.”
“It’s not over,” she insists, but she’s talking to my back now as I stride out through the side door, leaving her behind.
I wish it were that easy to leave her behind for good.She can’t be more than a hundred and fifteen pounds soaking wet, but I couldn’t find the strength to push her away.My entire existence depended on another kiss, another touch, another moment when she was mine.Nothing else existed but us, and I can’t remember the last time anything felt so right.
I’m supposed to give that up?
“If you have one talent, it’s the uncanny ability to make life harder for yourself.”One of Dad’s favorite quips, but for once, he had a point.What am I thinking?I’m not thinking, and that’s the problem.I was doing things right for once, and now I’m back at square one.
Actually, it’s worse than that.Now I have the memories to plague me every time my thoughts wander, which is a regular occurrence nowadays.
I’m so conflicted, the sudden buzzing of my cell makes me cringe as I cross the grounds.
Rocco: Come see me up at the house.
My heart seizes.
It’s impossible.
He can’t know.
There are no cameras in the garage—no one was watching, either.No, he probably wants to talk over the explosion at the warehouse and probably tighten up security with Giulia.I doubt anyone would go after her, but I also know what desperate men are capable of.They haven’t gotten to the Santoros yet and might start throwing darts wildly, hoping to hurt him any way possible.
They don’t know they’ll have to get through me to get to her.Nobody gets through me.
I’m clearheaded or at least close to it by the time I reach the hall outside Rocco’s study.His isn’t the only voice coming from inside.There are two others, one of which makes me clench my fists again.I’ve managed to avoid Luca since he came back from his honeymoon last weekend, but all good things come to an end.So long as none of them know what was going on in the garage a few minutes ago, I can grit my teeth through a meeting with that spoiled little prick.
“Alessandro.”Rocco waves me in, civil if not exactly warm.Professional.Setting an example for his second son?“I’m glad I caught you.”
“Yes, I’m sure the life of the driver is hectic.”Luca doesn’t bother hiding his smirk.
I don’t bother hiding my disdain as I look him up and down.“You got a nice tan overseas,” I observe.
“I got a lot of things overseas.Some very interesting conversations too.”He settles back in the leather armchair across from Rocco’s desk, tipping his head to the side before adding, “I’ll have to tell you about them sometime.”
I’m not interested in his childish, thinly-veiled threats.Instead of engaging him for another minute, I look at his father.“Is there anything I can do for you?”Luca’s strangled groan only makes my smile widen.He hates watching me get along well around here, which makes it easier to kiss a little ass.
“In light of these latest developments, I’m not sure how comfortable I feel with Giulia going to school.”Rocco tents his fingers under his chin before blowing out a sigh.“I’m considering making arrangements for her to attend virtually.The administration has already agreed to be flexible.”
“Just trying to think ahead,” Dante explains.“In case we go into sudden lockdown.”
“We can’t take any chances with things escalating the way they are,” Rocco mutters with an angry growl running under his words.“She’ll have to step away for a while.”
