Page 167 of Sins of the Orchid

He didn’t make sense. None of this made sense. With his dark gaze on mine, he gripped a fistful of my emerald dress near my thigh and tugged it up. I should be protesting it, pushing him away. Yet my hands gripped his shirt, holding on to my rock, as soft whimpers slipped through my lips.

It was okay to kiss him now, right? The news of the engagement spread like wildfire. It wasn’t how I envisioned it, but I wantedhim. Loved him for so long. I’d take him. Made men took whatever they wanted. I’d take what I wanted too.

He fisted the fabric of my dress, skimming up my legs, his rough knuckles brushing against my skin and it sizzled. An empty ache formed low in my stomach, and I had to bite my lip to hold back a plea. I wanted him to touch me, overwhelm me.

One hand braced on the wall beside my head, his other touched the bare skin of my inner thigh. The ache between my legs pulsed with intensity. I parted my thighs, my body begging him for release.

“You want my cock in your pussy?” His words ignited fire through my veins.

His hand slipped between my thighs, cupping me over my panties and a moan vibrated through the room.

My palms lay flat on the wall, my back arching off it. My body was betraying me in the worst way possible. I didn’t care.

I pulled at his lower lip, hungrily. His taste was addictive, like whiskey and sin. My eternal sin. Our tongues tangled, stroke for stroke. Finally losing the battle, my hands reached around his neck while he ran his hands down the back of my thighs, hoisting my legs up. I wrapped them around his waist and my back pressed against the wall.

Just like before, the thought came through. My first kiss was in The Orchid, with him. The man I loved forever.

CHAPTER64

Amore

Iloved him. I had always loved him. I tried to stop, but I couldn’t. It was like trying to stop breathing.

But did he love me? Yes, he’d laid claim, but mafia men were possessive. It was in their DNA.

I gently pushed against him, breaking the kiss and gaining an inch of space. I opened my mouth but before I could say anything, the door flew open and slammed against the black tiled wall. My father, my brothers, Adriano, Grandma, and Uncle Vincent stepped in.

“Someone better explain to me what the fuck’s going on,” Dad shouted. “Right. The. Fuck. Now!”

Luigi and Dad pointed their guns at Santi’s head and my heart froze with fear. Instead of applying some of the skills DeAngelo taught me, I stood paralyzed. I didn’t want to lose another person I loved.

Santi immediately lowered me, using his body as a shield and pulled out his gun.

I was painfully aware of everyone’s eyes. In particular, Adriano’s. His gaze flicked to me and took in the situation. There was no misunderstanding what just happened. My hair was a tumbled mess, my lips were swollen.

I tried to sidestep Santi, but he refused to let me come around him. Instead, he pulled me to his left side, his arm wrapping tightly around my waist. My eyes darted frantically between my family and the Russos. Adriano’s eyes were focused on Santi, his jaw clenched tight.

“Well, Bennetti, if you need it spelled out,” my grandmother answered. “It seems Amore and Santi got frisky with each other. And by the looks of it, she liked it.”

“Grandma,” I exclaimed at her crudeness while my cheeks grew hot. Why did she have to do that?

Ignoring her, I turned my eyes to my father. A girl never wanted to be caught in her lover's embrace by her family. This was humiliating, to say the least. Even worse was the fear of what Dad would do. I was under no illusion of who and what he was.

“Dad,” I whispered, pleading clear in my voice.

Dad’s disappointment washed over me like a cold shower. He didn’t even bother glancing my way and a cold sweat trickled down my back. Dad and Santi stared at each other, both of their expressions grim.

I swallowed hard. “Luigi, please put your gun down,” I begged. It was futile. He was more than happy to get Santi for shooting him. I looked at Lorenzo and was surprised to find him calm. He winked… again, while I was perspiring here. Lorenzo wasn’t the winking brother type. Maybe his eye was twitching from all the stress.

My eyes traveled to Adriano. “Adriano,” I rasped. It wasn’t how I wanted him to find out about his brother and me. I tried desperately to communicate with my eyes, telling him I was sorry. “Please let me—”

“Congratulations on your engagement, Amore,” Adriano deadpanned, his voice cold as ice. We stared at each other, all the years of friendship burning like a wicker house. “Sins of The Orchid finally coming to light, huh?” My throat squeezed tight. “I’m guessing something similar happened the night before you went to Italy, three years ago too.”

“What?” Dad snapped, his expression turning dark.

“I-It wasn’t like that,” I rasped.

Dad’s gaze snapped to me, and his expression darkened. “Luigi take your sister home.” His voice was firm and cold. He refused to look my way.