Page 64 of Red Retaliation

“You think I give a flying fuck about them? Your father is my enemy, remember? He’s yours too, but you’ve yet to realize it.” Red moves back towards me, his dark brows furrowing. “I think you forget the position you’ve put me in. I’ve already told you your family is safe for now, but if they move against me, they are not.”

“How can my parents be my enemies? What they’ve done for me isn’t what people outside of our culture understand, but I do!”

I snatch air into my lungs before the supply cuts off from Red’s closeness. He’s in my face, and if I’d forgotten what position I’ve put him in, as well as myself, I haven’t now. It barrels back into my head with crystal clarity.

Against my will, my eyes fall to his mouth. I can’t look into his eyes - they hold too much hatred for me. Regardless, the throbbing in my center continues.

“I won’t be dictated to about what I should and shouldn’t do.” Red’s eyes dance with fury. “By anyone. And that includesyou.”

My throat closes as he trails his finger up my neck to my chin, forcing me to raise my eyes to look into his.

“We’ll play the game, Arianna, but you need to be less tense. Do not fear me. I have no need to force myself on women. Neither do I expect nor want you to follow through with anything behind closed doors.” He lowers his mouth closer to mine. “We merely play a part in public, as discussed. Now, there’s things I have to do, so I’ll leave you to it.”

My eyes close in anticipation, my nipples standing to attention. Before I can question what I’m doing, it feels the most natural thing in the world to push myself on tiptoes and brush my lips against his.

Red jerks back, his shock mixed with raw heat. My cheeks burn with shame.What the hell am I doing?

I don’t get to answer myself before his mouth crashes onto mine, the sheer ferocity of his kiss forcing all air from my lungs.

Molten fire liquidates within me as I’m pulled against him. His kiss deepens, his tongue searching my mouth. It’s hot, awakening my nerve endings, and my tongue dances with his. Burning desire overtakes me, and then my hands are in his hair, the outline of his rock-hard length tight against my stomach.

A small moan escapes my mouth, the heat in my core unbearable.

Then he pulls away.

I blink, my ears ringing.What the...?

Red stares at me with an unreadable expression. “Let’s just save it forthe public, eh?”

I scramble to make sense of the tumult of sensations flowing through me as he moves to the door. Pressing my thighs together only heightens the unfamiliar feelings. “I...”

Red opens the door. “I’ll return later. Like I said, I’ve got things to do. Now, go and have your bath.”

As the door closes behind him, I sink onto the bed, my arousal not abating. What the fuck just happened?

Holy shit! I’ve got to make these strange feelings go away.

CHAPTER

45

Red

IGET AS FAR AS the bottom of the stairs on the casino level before leaning against the wall to take a breath. My hard-on is still rigid, giving no hint of disappearing, and while all I’m thinking about is how it felt claiming Arianna’s mouth, it’s unlikely to.

I was right - her soft lips and mouth tasted of nectar, so how other parts of her would taste is beyond what I can bear to torture myself with imagining. All I know is that her cunt must taste like the elixir of life.

For fuck’s sake, I need to think about something else!

Making doubly sure no one is around, I readjust myself in my trousers.

Putting things into motion regarding Slater will take my mind off Arianna. If plotting that slimy fucker’s demise doesn’t deflate this persistent and obvious show of lust, I don’t know what will.

And I’ll put that plan in motion right now.

I stride towards my office. I’ll forget about Arianna, that kiss and what she does to me. Plotting Slater’s removal and setting a cast-iron defense for my firm, casino and everyone in it for when retaliationreallycomes, is the priority.

Concentrating on therealstuff, rather than dwelling on what just happened, is the way forward. It has to be because my hard-on is only just abating.