Page 107 of Angelic Vengeance

Not even if she tried to claw her way out of my arms.

I whispered into the dark, “I love you.”

CHAPTER 34

Present

I PULLED ON MY TIE, loosening it, as I walked into the dark apartment, heading straight for the master bedroom.

“You’re still awake?”

Maria glanced up at me from her book. She was lounging on my bed, wearing the tiniest, tightest, white pajama set I’d ever seen. The cropped tank top hugged her waist, her cleavage near popping out of the thin fabric. The shorts molded around her hips, contrasting against her smooth, tan skin. My chest warmed just at the sight of her still in my bed.

She smiled, shutting her book and shuffling to the edge of the bed. “Couldn’t sleep.”

I stopped in front of her, my hand cupping the side of her face. “Missed me?”

“Yeah.” She breathed softly, leaning into my touch.

My hand went into her hair as I leaned down, capturing her top lip between mine, kissing her with a sweet pull. Her tits pressed against my abs as her hands held onto my belt for support.

“What’s wrong?”

“Tired.”

Exhausted.Three shipments had come in tonight from South America. Matteo was supposed to handle two for me while I took the third and made sure other things went smoothly. Of course, in classic Matteo-style, he randomly flew to Vegas with Tony to gamble. I appreciated my brother for sacrificing everything when we were kids, but whenever he flaked on me like this – it fucked with my whole day.

I brushed my lips against hers one more time, before pulling away and heading for the bathroom. “Gon’ take a shower.”

Once I came back, I pulled on a pair of grey sweatpants and threw myself on the bed next to Maria. Relaxing into the pillows, my eyes closed, I threw an arm around her waist only for it to fall flat against the mattress.

But then, I felt her sit on my lower back. I didn’t tweak until she pulled the band of my sweatpants lower.

I raised a brow over my shoulder. “What are you doing?”

“Relax. I’m not going to peg you,” She muttered, spreading lotion over my back.

I chuckled; the sound muffling into the pillows. Hooking my arms around her thighs, I relaxed, enjoying the feel of her hands on me.

“Yet.”

A beat passed before my whole body shook with laughter. “MARIA ANGELA PÉREZ. You menace.”

She burst out laughing, and the harmonious sound filled the dim room, making my heart ache with how full it felt.

My hand landed on her thigh with a hard smack before gripping roughly. “You gon’ pay for that later,hermosa,” I murmured, already feeling myself melting into the mattress, and I heard her soft laugh again.

Her palms massaged my back, rolling out knots and loosening my muscles. I tried to stay awake by focusing on moving my hand up and down her thigh in lazy strokes.

I’m not sure when it happened, but I fell asleep. I must’ve been dreaming because I thought I felt the softest kiss on my cheekbone, followed by a whisper.

“I love you,too.”

I couldn’t stop thinking about last night. Had it been real? Did I imagine it?

After waking up with her in my arms, it took me a lot longer than usual to get out of bed. I wanted to stay there forever, just to hold her.

I’d never done any of this before her – share a bed, talk for hours, kiss and hug every few minutes like it was a necessity – and now I knew why. I’d been waiting for her all along. I just didn’t know it.