Page 116 of The Mafia Enforcer's Temptation

The door creaks open, and he kisses me. Hard.

TWENTY-SEVEN

seamus

My sweetest thing melts,burning under the desperation of my mouth and hands. I skim over her hips, holding her tight, the dress she’s wearing hiking up as her thighs part to make room for me.

Pretending to lose myself in her is damn easy when it’s not a pretense but the truth.

And I’m like a man who just shot himself up, right into overdose territory because the night’s been a drought and she’s my deadly, euphoric hit.

Fuck. It hasn’t been all night. It’s been all fucking day.

Our tongues tangle and coil together, changing the violence of the kiss to a molten, slow burn softness, the kind that’ll torch any house to ash.

Somewhere out there are voices, but I want to delve into her, I want?—

“Seamus.”

Cal’s voice pierces our carnal bubble, and I break the kiss, letting my hand wander down to her hip, a little lower, into the small pocket of her dress where she keeps her lipstick, and… whatever Romanov gave her. I palm that, grateful for the fall of the dress and the fact it has pockets.

I was awake before Dec headed out to kill the fucks who hurt the animals and made Ava want to cry.

She didn’t cry, though.

She’s very good at not crying. She’s excellent, in fact, at hiding all emotions other than her shield of hate, distrust, and dislike.

I was awake because the bitter guilt wouldn’t let me sleep.

So I went with him and took it out on the asshole animal killers. We rescued a whole bunch of cats and dogs and kittens and puppies. Some are at the vet, the others Lucie’s made sure are with good people who run excellent no-kill shelters. And I’ll be keeping tabs on them. So will Dec.

The poor creatures were in a terrible cramped space, underfed, and uncared for. There was also a cage labeled “runts.” I guess when they had enough, they dumped them.

There was a pregnant dog and cat that are being cared for and we’re having the rest fixed.

I lean on the table, lifting Ava up from our sprawled position. “Cal… Ivan… and Lev, isn’t it?”

Ava stiffens in my trap of arms.

This is the real reason why I was up late. We’re going to betray her.

Here. Now.

A double whammy.

But to do it, to win, to find and bring down Hanlon and keep this bratva safe and running, I have to destroy a woman I think I more than like.

It’s… complicated. I just know there’s never been anyone like her in my life.

And there never will be again.

I take in a breath, get my head in the game, and smile at everyone. “Newlyweds. We got carried away.”

“So I see,” Lev says, looking around the room, a mix of greed and puzzlement on his face.

“My bride wanted me to see the office I’ll be ruling from.”

“My office,” Ava says. “I’mruling.”