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It was desperate, hungry, like a man starved for something he thought he’d never taste again.

His hand cradled the back of her head, the other wrapped tightly around her waist, refusing to let her go.

When he pulled away, his forehead rested against hers. “Say it,” he whispered. “Tell me you love me.”

Breathless, Krystal’s breath came out shaky. Her voice barely above a whisper.

“I love you.”

He smiled, not with triumph—but with relief. Like her words had put life back into him.

Without another word, Lorenzo picked her up in his arms. She let out a small gasp, but didn’t fight him.

He carried her inside the building, straight to his apartment—the one he'd bought just to be near her. As they stepped inside, the automatic low lights flickered on, casting a warm glow over the room. He walked her straight to the bedroom.

He set her gently on her feet, his hands rising to cradle her face as his eyes found hers and held them, full of longing.

The moment he saw Krystal looking at him with those wide, wanting eyes, something inside him snapped. He leaned in and kissed her—hard. His mouth crashed against hers with a hunger that felt almost feral. Tongue plunging deep, teeth grazing her bottom lip.

His hands were already tugging at her nighty, impatient, ripping the fabric apart like it was offending him for standing between her body and his need. Her cloth tore at the seams, the silk falling somewhere onto the floor. Her bra didn’t last either. Snapped off with a swift tug and tossed aside without a glance.

She gasped as cool air hit her bare skin.

Lorenzo hovered over her, his eyes locked on hers, but there was something darker in his gaze now—something ravenous. His breath fanned hot across her lips, but he didn’t kiss her.

Instead, he shifted lower, dragging his mouth down to her jaw.

Then her neck.

He started with a soft kiss just beneath her ear. Krystal’s breath caught immediately.

Then his tongue darted out, licking a trail down to the curve of her neck. She shivered as his warm, wet tongue traced along her skin, so delicate there it felt like fire licking over silk.

He sucked hard, his lips sealing over a spot just beneath her ear, drawing the skin into his mouth until it throbbed. A sharp nip followed, just enough to make her gasp.

Then he soothed it with another soft lick.

Krystal’s fingers tangled in his hair.

He kissed her again, lower this time, right in the crook of her neck where her pulse beat hard and fast. He licked her there, slow and sensual, then bit down, making her arch up into him.

“Lorenzo…”

Her whisper turned into a moan as he trailed lower, licking and kissing every inch of her neck like it was sacred. His tongue moved along her collarbone next, warm and wet, tracing the sharp edge with a hunger that made her stomach tighten.

He paused and sank his teeth into her shoulder, dragging them lightly across the flesh before sucking another bruise into her skin.

“You like that,” he whispered, his voice thick, raw. “I can feel how fast your heart’s beating.”

She moaned softly, hips shifting beneath him, her skin buzzing.

Then he moved again, lower, kissing the tops of her breasts, like he was worshipping them. He kissed the soft swell first, then dragged his tongue around the curve, deliberately avoiding her nipples.

Krystal squirmed beneath him. “Lorenzo… please…”

He chuckled low in his throat. “Patience.”

His tongue moved to her cleavage, licking down the center of her chest, then up again, warm breath following every slick path he made. He finally closed his lips around one nipple—hot, wet, sucking deep.