"Not enough to charge anyone. Yet." He guides me back to his chest, running his fingers through my hair. "But she's persistent. Eventually, she'll have to choose between her career and your friendship."
The words hit like a punch to the gut. "Salvatore—"
"I'm not asking you to stop seeing her." His expression softens. "But I need you to be aware. The world we live in, the life you've chosen… it comes with complications. Lindsay is one of them."
"I didn't choose this life; you chose it for me."
"Valentina, we both know you could have escaped by now. You want to be here, with me. I can tell by the way your body presses against me that you crave this life."
"It's not the life I crave."
He takes a deep breath. "You can't have one without the other,mia regina." He slides from behind me and sits in front of me, looking into my eyes. "Do you want to leave?"
"No." The word comes out raw, certain.
"Why not?"
I meet his eyes, my heart thundering. "Because I love you, Salvatore."
His grip tightens on my hips, possessive, fierce. The hunger in his eyes turns molten.
"Say it again." A command, not a request.
"I love you."
He crashes his mouth to mine, claiming me with a kiss that devours. His lips drag down my jaw, teeth grazing my throat hard enough to leave marks. He doesn't ask permission just takes, his mouth blazing a path down my body like he owns every inch of skin. When he settles between my thighs, his eyes lock with mine, dark and predatory.
"Salvatore, I'm so sore." My protest dissolves into a gasp as his tongue works me with devastating precision. I clutch his head, fingers tangling in dark hair, trembling as he devours me like a man starved.
"Then tell me to stop," he murmurs against my skin, the challenge vibrating through me.
But he knows, knows my body won't be satisfied until he wrings every last tremor from me, until I'm boneless and spent.
His tongue is relentless, perfect, finding every sensitive spot that makes me cry out. Just when I'm trembling on the edge, ready to shatter, he stops.
He stands and spins me around in one fluid motion. My leg is lifted onto the chaise, bending me over slightly, and then he's there, thick and hard, slamming into me from behind.
"Salvatore."
"Oh, baby," he growls against my ear, his hand sliding up to wrap around my throat. Firm, possessive, holding my back flush against his chest. "Don't worry. Your body will adjust for me. Your body is mine, your pretty little cunt is mine, you are mine, Valentina. I. Am. Your. King." He punctuates each word with a deep thrust that makes my vision blur. "Make sure Lindsay knows it."
The mention of her name sends a jolt through me, shame and arousal tangled together.
"Say it," he commands, his teeth grazing my ear, his breath hot against my skin.
"Yours," I gasp, my voice breaking. "I'm yours, my King."
"Good girl." Then he moves, sliding in and out with increasing intensity, his grip on my throat tightening just enough to make me lightheaded.
The pressure builds impossibly fast, and when I come, it's so hard my body goes weak, my legs trembling violently. He holds me up, keeps moving, drawing out every last pulse of pleasure until I'm whimpering.
He pulls out, and I hear his sharp intake of breath. "Look how wet you've made my cock, baby." His voice is rough, hungry. "I'm so fucking hungry for you, Valentina."
He guides me down onto the chaise, positioning me on my hands and knees. My body is flat against the cushion when his hand cracks across my ass once, hard enough to make me gasp.
"Beautiful," he murmurs, then slides inside me again.
I try to move, to adjust, but his large hand presses firmly against my back, holding me in place.
