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“Woman, you taste like heaven,” he rasps. “I’ll be right back.”
Then his glare snaps to his men, and he stalks past me, his bare feet hitting the ground hard, and stops in front of the first guy, towering over him.
“What the fuck did you just say to her?”
The guy shrinks, shoulders hunching. “Boss, we didn’t know—”
“Didn’t know?” Adriano grabs him by the collar, jerking him up so fast his boots leave the floor. “I said I don’t want to see anyone. She’s not anyone, you fucking idiot. She will never be just anyone to me, is that clear? The next time she says she wants to see me, you let her see me. I don’t care if I am with the freaking president, you let her through. And don’t you ever treat her like that again.”
The second guy shifts, smirking like it’s a joke, and that’s a mistake. Adriano releases the first one, letting him stumble back, and turns on the other. He moves fast, grabbing the guy’s throat with his good hand, and slams him against the wall.
“You think this is funny? You laugh at her again, I’ll rip your tongue out and shove it down your throat.”
The guy chokes, hands clawing at Adriano’s iron hold, face turning red. “Sorry, boss,” he wheezes.
Adriano squeezes harder, his knuckles whitening, then shoves him down. The guy hits the ground, coughing. Adriano steps back, blood seeping through his bandages, staining his skin red. He points at them both, voice a snarl.
“Next time you disrespect her, I’ll bury you alive. No warning. No mercy. You touch her, you die. Got it?”
They nod quickly, heads down, muttering, “Yes, boss,” like scared dogs. He then turns to me. His eyes soften, just a flash, but the fury’s still there, simmering under his skin.
“Come here,” he says, rough but steady, holding out his good hand.
I run to him now, legs shaking but sure, and crash into him. His arm wraps around me, tight and possessive, pulling me against his bare skin. Blood smears onto my jacket but I don’t care.
“You’re here,” he murmurs, voice raw, his breath hot against my hair.
“I had to,” I whisper, fisting his skin, my nails digging in. “Gianna told me you came. She sent you away, but I couldn’t stay away.”
His thumb brushes my cheek, smearing a tear I didn’t know was there.
I kiss him, hard and desperate, tasting salt and him, my body pressed tight against his. He groans, pulling me inside, slamming the door shut. We stumble to the couch, his hands everywhere, mine tearing at him like I can crawl inside him.
“I love you,” I gasp between kisses, raw and unfiltered. “I’m done fighting it.”
He stops then straightens. “You can still walk away. I’m not good for you. You know that.”
I shake my head, closing the gap until our boots nearly touch. “I don’t want to walk away. I tried. It sucks.”
A rough laugh escapes him. He reaches out, brushing his knuckles along my jaw. “I haven’t been myself since I’ve been away from you. I want you. All of you.”
My breath hitches. His touch sends sparks down my spine, but it’s his words that gut me. “Then take me,” I whisper, grabbing his shirt and pulling him closer.
He hesitates, eyes searching mine. Then he crashes his mouth against mine, hard and desperate. I kiss him back, just as fiercely. He groans, backing me against the wall, pinning me there with his body. His lips move to my neck, teeth grazing my skin, and I gasp, digging my nails into his shoulders.
“You sure about this?” he murmurs, voice low, rough with need.
“Shut up and fuck me,” I say.
He growls, lifting me off the floor. I wrap my legs around his waist as we stride through the penthouse and he takes me to his private office. There, he plants me on the edge of his desk. Papers scatter, a glass tips and shatters. He doesn’t care. Neither do I.
He’s on me in a second, hands tearing at my shirt, buttons popping loose. I arch into him, skin burning where he touches. It’s messy, frantic, perfect.
But then he slows, pulling back to look at me. His eyes soften, just for a moment. “You’re my everything, you know that?”
I freeze. “Don’t get soft on me now.”
His lips curl, but there’s warmth in it. “Too late.”