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Then he's gone, leaving me trembling, aching, and wondering if I'm about to make the biggest mistake of my life.
Or maybe I already have.
* * *
The elevator doors slide open, and I’m already halfway out before they’ve fully parted. Stefano’s hand is on the small of my back, guiding me forward with an urgency that matches the pounding of my heart.
The penthouse is vast, all glass and steel, with the city lights spilling in like a thousand tiny stars. I don’t have time to admire it. His lips are on mine before the elevator even dings closed behind us.
Kissisn’t the right word for it. This is something feral, something primal.
His mouth claims mine with a hunger that leaves me breathless, his tongue sliding against mine in a rhythm that sends sparks shooting through my veins.
I gasp into him, my hands clutching at his shoulders as he walks me backward, deeper into the penthouse. My back hits a wall, and he pins me there, his body hard and unyielding against mine.
“You’re trembling,” he murmurs against my lips, his voice low and rough. His hands slide down my sides, fingers digging into my hips as if he’s afraid I’ll vanish if he doesn’t hold on tight.
Maybe I will.The thought flickers through my mind, but it’s gone just as quickly, drowned out by the heat of his touch.
His lips move to my neck, teeth grazing the sensitive skin there, and I gasp, arching into him. My fingers tangle in his hair, pulling him closer, and he growls—a sound so visceral it makes my core clench.
“I told you,” he says, nipping at my earlobe, “I need to watch you fall apart.”
His words send a shiver down my spine, and all my doubts wash away. There’s only anticipation, a deep, throbbing ache that’s been building since the moment he backed me against that makeup counter.
His hands slide up under my shirt, calloused fingers brushing against my skin, and I whimper, my hips rocking against his of their own accord.
He pulls back just enough to look at me, his eyes dark and burning with need.
“Bed,” he says, and it’s not a request. It’s a command. And I obey without hesitation.
CHAPTEREIGHT
Stefano
“You’re mine,”I growl into her ear, my hands gripping her hips hard enough to leave marks. “Every inch of you. Every sound. Every fucking shiver. You’remine, Ava.”
She moans, her head tipping back, her body arching into mine. Her lips are swollen from my kisses, her cheeks flushed, her eyes half-lidded with desire.
She’s so fucking beautiful like this, having completely surrendered to me. I can’t wait to have her.
I push her down onto the bed, my eyes raking over her as I strip off my shirt and toss it aside. She’s trembling, her chest rising and falling with each quick breath, her eyes locked on mine. I crawl over her, pinning her wrists above her head, my lips hovering just above hers.
“You’re so fucking beautiful,” I whisper, my breath hot against her skin. “Ethereal.”
I kiss her hard, my tongue tangling with hers, my body pressing her into the mattress. Her whimpers are music to my ears, and I grind my hips against hers, letting her feel just how much I want her. She’s already wet, her arousal soaking through her panties, and I can’t wait to taste her.
I release her wrists only to yank off her blouse and bra, leaving her chest bare. Her breasts are perfect, her nipples hard and begging for my mouth. I don’t make her wait.
I suck one into my mouth, my tongue swirling around it, my teeth grazing the sensitive flesh. She cries out, her hands tangling in my hair, her hips bucking against mine.
“Stefano,” she gasps, her voice trembling, “please.”
“I’ve got you, baby,” I murmur against her skin, moving to her other breast. I lavish her with attention, sucking and biting until she’s writhing beneath me, her moans growing louder, more desperate.
I trail kisses down her stomach, my hands sliding her skirt and panties down her legs. She’s completely exposed now, and the sight of her has me throbbing with need. I spread her legs wide, my eyes devouring the sight of her glistening pussy.
“So fucking beautiful.” I trace her folds. She’s so wet, so ready for me. I push two fingers inside her without warning. She gasps, her back arching, her hands fisting the sheets.