Page 12 of Vicious Reign

6

MADDIE

“You're here.”I breathe the words a second before we collide.

His hands slide through my hair to grip the back of my head as he pulls me close and presses a possessive kiss against my lips. It’s over as quickly as it begins, and then he clutches me in a heart-clenching embrace and walks us out of the middle of the walkway. It feels like he wraps his entire body around me, enveloping me in everything that makes up him. My eyes unexpectedly fill with tears, and I sniff them back.

Matteo pulls back a few inches, his gaze frantically scanning every inch of me. “Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine,” I murmur as I smooth my hands up the lapel of his suit coat, following the fabric as it goes around his neck. His muscles flex and twitch under my fingers, and something about feeling him so solidly settles me.

He’s here. Which means we’re one step closer to being okay.

“I don't know what happened, Matteo. One minute, I’m at the table, and the next, Leo’s—”

“Leo will be alright,” he interrupts. “We’ll get him.”

I sniff, glancing toward the side before looking back at him. “Promise?”

“You have my word, Cherry.” His fingertips apply a little pressure, and my neck arches back. Dark thick brows lower over his hazel eyes, the color more brown than green. “You’re sure you’re okay?”

“Don't worry about me, I’m fine. But what about you? Where’s the sling—your shoulder’s still recovering.” My fingertips flutter over the spot where I know he was hurt just a few days ago, my lips pinching together.

“It’s nothing, Cherry.” His mouth ticks up in the corner as something like relief shines from his eyes.

Before either one of us gets another word out, a warm hand settles around my bicep, pulling my gaze to my right. Dante’s serious face fills my vision.

“Dante—”

I don’t get to finish my sentence before Dante hauls me out of Matteo’s arms. Some unnamed emotion I can’t identify tightens the corners of his eyes as the air thickens around us. It feels tangible, like I could hold it in my hands.

He backs me against the wall, the coolness seeping through the thin material of my dress. His arms thud against the wall on either side of me, palms flat. I lift my chin, letting his sharp gaze blaze as it runs over every available inch of my skin. My chest rises and falls quicker with each moment that passes between us. Ten seconds feel like a year as I wait on bated breath for him to say something.

No sooner than the thought enters my head, he dips his head and claims my lips with a level of passion I wasn’t expecting. My lips part on a gasp, and he doesn’t miss a beat, thrusting his tongue inside my mouth like it’s the last thing he’ll ever do.

Unlike Matteo and even Aries, Dante doesn't seem to give a fuck about where we are. His lips demand penance for our separation, and if this is how he commands it, I'll gladly offer it.

A low moan slips from my mouth as his tongue twirls with mine and everything else slips away. The low murmurs of passengers waiting for flights, the clinking of glasses from the nearby bar, the low hum of the hand dryers from the bathrooms—all of it fades away until it’s just Dante.

My head feels light, clouded with lust and anticipation. I arch my back, my shoulders digging into the wall behind me, desperate to feel him against my skin. He clamps a hand on my hip and gently pushes me flat against the wall. His fingers feel like hot brands on my skin, even through the fabric of my dress.

I revel in the feeling of being pushed up against the wall with Dante’s powerful body crowding me in a way that feels dominant and possessive. It sends a shot of desire straight to my core. I curl a hand over his wrist beside my head and tip my head back, changing the angle of our kiss. A low noise reverberates from Dante, and my toes curl as the sound causes another throb of pleasure.

A second later, his hand leaves my hip to cup the back of my neck. If I thought he was possessive before, it’s nothing compared to the way I feel when he touches me like this. Need pounds at my temples as I totally lose touch with everything but the way Dante feels against me. I shift from foot to foot, my thighs rubbing together and slipping through the high slits.

Suddenly, I can’t remember why it would be a bad idea to shove my hand down the front of his suit pants and take what I crave.

“Jesus Christ, Dante. Did you forget where we are?” Matteo snaps.

“Or what we’re doing?” Aries asks.

Dante unhurriedly pulls back a couple of inches, as if it’s physically difficult for him to separate us. I slowly blink, opening my eyes to see his eyes so dark brown, they look almost black. The silver flecks remind me of the night sky, endless and powerful.

He doesn’t move any further or tear his eyes from mine, impervious to Matteo’s words. He leaves his hand cradling my neck, his touch soft but firm. His other arm braces against the wall by my head, bringing us just shy of touching. Ragged breaths pass from my parted lips into the scant space between our mouths.

I have a delirious thought that our auras are leaking out of our mouths in brilliant, swirling colors and bonding together. Like if I looked down, I would see the different threads weaving together, braiding themselves into something precious.

Soul mates.

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