Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 94720 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 474(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94720 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 474(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
“You’re looking at me like that again, Principessa.” He brought the joint back to his lips and took another puff. He exhaled slowly as his eyes raked over me. I walked closer to him. His mouth pulled up slightly when I stood in front of him with my arms crossed, hoping he couldn’t hear how fast my heart was beating.
“I already told you I’ve always looked at you like this,” I said.
He nodded, his gaze running down my neck and exploring my body before his eyes met mine. The fire in them was palpable. He took another puff and offered it to me, a challenge in his eyes that made my mouth pull up slightly. He thought I was so innocent, and maybe I was in many ways, but not with this. After all, I’d been at boarding school my entire life. What did he think we did for fun? I took the joint from his hand and inhaled. I tilted my head up to exhale the smoke, and he made a sound that rumbled through me. When I looked at him again, his eyes were on fire.
“You’re staying in there?” He jutted his chin toward my bedroom. I nodded. He chuckled, shaking his head. “Of course you are.”
“Will that be a problem for you?” I took another puff, tilted again, exhaled, and looked at him with a coy smile. “Will you not be able to contain yourself?”
His eyes darkened. “Do you want me to?”
“You know I don’t.”
“How can someone be so innocent and so fucking sexy at the same time?” he asked so quietly that I wasn’t sure he was even talking to me.
The next time I inhaled and looked up to exhale, his mouth was on my neck. It was so unexpected I almost choked. He kissed and sucked his way up to my ear, and my legs turned to jelly. I held his thick forearms to steady myself as he explored my neck, the sensitive spot behind my ear, and dragged his mouth down to my clavicle, licking the dip between. I held on tighter and inhaled sharply when one of his hands palmed my breast. I was wearing a silk purple wrap blouse. He tugged the knot I’d made to close the blouse with his other hand. His touch made me feel like I was on fire. He was tugging on the knot when his phone buzzed. Just like that, he was off of me. The joint fell out of my shaky hand as I tried to catch my breath. I pressed a hand to my chest, willing my heart to chill out. He looked perfectly composed. He was completely unaffected by what had just happened as he answered the call.
“Yeah, I think she’s still here,” he said. “I’ll knock on her door and walk her over now.”
He disconnected the call and took a huge breath as he pocketed his phone. “Let’s go, Principessa.”
I could only nod and follow him. We met Nico in the kitchen, and he decided to walk with us, which meant we couldn’t discuss what had just happened. In my head, I chanted that it was fine. It was. I’d been mentally and emotionally preparing myself for failure on the Rocco front, which was not very De Luca of me, but the way he kissed me and the heat in his eyes when he looked at me. . .he wanted me.
11
ROCCO
“There were two cases of Havana Club missing,” I said, checking my phone to see if there was an update on this mess.
“No shit. You’re sure about that?” Dom asked.
“I ordered three, and only one arrived, so I’m sure.”
“Were they stolen?” Dom asked.
“I think they were. Loren wants me to let him know before I make accusations.” I scowled.
“Damn. Will one box be enough to hold you over?”
“Definitely.” I checked my email and saw one from Veronica about a private event. “We’ve been splitting the boxes between my place, Gio’s, and Dean’s.”
“It won’t be a big deal. We’ll get some boxes from Isabel’s,” Gio said, putting an arm around his wife.
I nodded. It wasn’t like everyone ordered it; I just didn’t like running low on supplies. I needed to stop thinking about it. I read the rest of Veronica’s email. She wanted to bring some of the employees from Oui to Scarab for a special event. I’d have to sit down with her and Dominic to discuss this.
“Hypothetically speaking, what would happen if Lenora doesn’t marry the Duke?” Isabel asked Dominic.
My ears perked up. I pocketed my phone and waited for Dom’s answer. Only because I was curious, not because it mattered. I didn’t want to marry Lenora. I decided I would give her what she wanted and move on. I thought about the balcony and her taste when I licked her neck. It was lemon and vanilla and fresh. She might look like an angel, but a little devil was inside her, and I was dying to unleash it. The thought of having her underneath me, on top of me, however, I could get her, was making me hard again. I was such an asshole for thinking about fucking her as I stood next to her brother.