His fingers brushed my lips, his voice low and husky. “So… there is something between us, huh?”
Heat surged through my body. I blinked slowly, silently confirming what he already knew.The corner of his mouth curved into a slow smirk, his gaze darkening with intensity.
I reached up and traced his tattoo, my fingers grazing the warmth of his skin. And then his lips were on mine, soft, tender, but full of a hunger that made every nerve in my body stand on edge.I kissed him back, pouring everything into that moment.
He shifted, sliding his body fully over mine, deepening the kiss.His weight pressed me into the mattress, one hand tangled in my hair, holding me there, pinned to him.
After several minutes of relentless kissing, my lips began to tingle when he finally pulled back, half-rising over me. He grabbed the hem of my top and peeled it off swiftly. His hands pushed my bra up, exposing me fully.
He paused for a moment, his eyes dark with appreciation as he took in the sight of my bare breasts.A slow, admiring smile curved his lips as he shifted between my thighs, leaning in over my body. He pressed a wet kiss to my stomach, sending a ripple of pleasure through me.A soft sigh escaped my lips as my eyes fluttered closed.
Then his rough voice broke through the heat between us. “I haven’t even started yet, and you’re already sighing. I’m going to drive you crazy.”
He moved back up, his gaze locking with mine, wild, excited, full of eager anticipation.
His lips found my neck, leaving a wet, lingering kiss before he leaned into my ear, voice low and dangerous. “I promised I wouldn’t hurt you, but that doesn’t apply to the bedroom.”
My eyes widened in surprise. He bit down on my lower lip. “I’m going to ravage you like nothing you’ve ever imagined, Emily. And trust me, you’re going to thank me for it.”
He cupped my breast, squeezing just enough to pull a moan from my lips. A delicious mix of pain and pleasure. Then his mouth moved to the other, biting before sucking deep and rough. As his lips alternated between my breasts, his hand suddenly slipped into my panties, seizing my sex without hesitation.
A flood of emotions surged through me… desire, fear, excitement, anticipation, all tangled together, too much to contain. I opened my eyes, and went rigid. The sight of his head hovering above me made everything vanish.
His eyes didn’t scare me, but that head always stirred something dark inside me. The lust that had consumed me a second ago evaporated into creeping fear. My hand found his shoulder, trembling as I gently pushed and whispered his name.
He snapped his head up, a deep frown darkening his features. “What’s wrong?”
I don’t know what he saw in my expression, but he immediately pulled his hand from my panties and lifted his weight off me. I scooted back, sitting up and hugging my knees to my chest.
He didn’t move, didn’t take his eyes off me. “What’s wrong?” he asked again. “Did something trigger a memory?”
“No, it’s just…” God, how was I supposed to explain this? Seeing the expectation on his face, I hesitated, then cautiously explained. “It’s your head.”
He huffed, clearly irritated. “What’s your problem with my head? Did the fucker who raped your friend happen to be bald or something?”
“No. Honestly, I don’t know why. Every time I look at it, it turns me off.”
He narrowed his eyes, skeptical.
“I think I’ll get used to it eventually!” I added quickly.
He got off the bed with a grunt, pulling on his usual black T-shirt and jeans. “You better.”
Then he walked out.
FOURTEEN
Emily
Sitting cross-legged on the library floor, I rolled the dice and called out, “You got a three!” then I moved Giorgio’s piece forward on the board.
He glanced up with a smirk, still sprawled out on the couch, long legs crossed, phone in hand. He never reallytalkedto me, but if I asked something, he’d usually answer, unless it touched on anything “family business.” Those questions always went ignored.
Since he flat-out refused to play Snakes and Ladders with me—despite all my begging, bargaining, and even mild threats—I’d been playing both sides of the game myself.
“Have you heard from Carlo?” I asked. “Do you know when he’s coming back?”
He didn’t look up. “Boss doesn’t share his schedule. Nobody knows when he’s coming or going.”
