Page 58 of Stolen Touches

I open my eyes and find Salvatore looking down at me. His fingers are still tangled in my hair. I raise my hand and move one of the black strands that has fallen over his forehead.

“That was a lot of pent-up aggression, Salvatore,” I say and brush the back of my palm down his cheek. “Where am I with my debt now?”

“Right where you were two hours ago.”

“That doesn’t sound quite fair.”

He lowers his head, leaning toward my face. “I don’t give a fuck.”

I sigh, then pull his head down until our lips touch. “So, I still owe you everything?”

“Everything, Milene,” he whispers without lifting his mouth off mine.

Chapter 18

I ground to a halt at the threshold as I’m leaving the bathroom, staring at my bed. Empty. Milene was still sleeping when I went to take a shower, so she’s probably gone to her own room to do the same. She should be here. I grind my teeth and head toward the closet.

I have a meeting with Arturo and Nino in fifteen minutes, and one thing I truly hate is being late. Once I put on my prosthesis and get dressed, I quickly head down the hallway, only to stop in front of Milene’s door. The sound of a hairdryer can be heard from the other side. With a shake of my head, I continue toward the elevator but pause after a few feet. Squeezing my hands into fists, I take another step and stop again. Fuck! I turn around and head back toward Milene’s room.

“Hey.” She turns off the hairdryer when she sees me enter. “Do you need something?”

Yes. Her in my room. In my bed. The fact she’s not there inflicts a feeling of restlessness in the back of my head which I can’t shake off.

“No,” I say. “I have a meeting, so I’ll skip breakfast today.”

“Okay.” She leaves the hairdryer on the dresser and comes over. “Is something bothering you?”

“No. Why?”

“You seem... angry.” She places her hand on my forearm and brushes it lightly.

“I don’t get angry, Milene.”

She arches her eyebrows. “You could have fooled me.”

I grab her around the waist and pull her to me. She smiles. It’s one of the smiles I like—the one where her eyes seem as though they’re twinkling.

People rarely smile at me, and I don’t really want them to. I just need them to do what they’re told.

Squeezing my arm more tightly around her, I smash my lips against hers, stealing that smile. It’s mine. She’s mine. Along with everything else she has to give. Every smile, every kiss, every moan. They’re all mine.

“I can’t... breathe,” Milene mumbles against my lips.

I ease my hold slightly.

Her eyes dim a little, and she looks puzzled. Concerned, even. She brushes the back of her hand down my cheek. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Of course I am.”

Milene nods, kisses the side of my chin, then steps into her walk-in closet.

“I need to take Kurt to a vet. He’s been scratching his hind leg like a maniac for three days.”

“If that thing brought fleas into my home, I’m going to strangle it.”

“He doesn’t have fleas,” she throws back over hershoulder. “It looks like some kind of allergy. There’s a veterinarian’s office two blocks from here. I found them online. I’ll call to see if they have some availability today.”

“Call Nino when you know the time. He’ll have the bodyguards waiting for you downstairs.”