Page 17 of Claimed By the Don

"I've got you," he murmurs into my filthy hair, over and over. "I'm here, amore. I've got you."

I lose time then, drifting in a haze of shock and relief. I'm vaguely aware of Dante releasing the cuffs, carrying me out of the warehouse, barking orders to his men. He bundles me into the warm cocoon of his car, never releasing his iron grip on me. As if he's afraid I'll disappear if he lets go for even a second.

And God, I know that fear intimately. Even now, some small, damaged part of me whispers that this is all a beautiful mirage. That I'll blink and find myself back in that dank corner, alone and broken.

But Dante keeps me anchored to reality with the sheer force of his presence, his worry and anger and desperate relief a living thing between us. His hands never stop moving over my body as his driver heads to God knows where. He keeps stroking my arms, my thighs. As if he's trying to memorize me by touch alone.

When he finally breaks the heavy silence, his voice is a raw scrape. "I thought I lost you," he says, and the anguish in every word flays me open. "Christ, Ginetta. When Enzo told me that piece of shit Gallo had you...it was like my whole fucking world ended."

My heart clenches painfully, the last vestiges of anger and pride crumbling to dust. How could I ever have doubted this man's feelings for me? He marched into hell itself to bring me back, laid waste to his enemies for daring to touch what's his.

There's a savage kind of purity in that, a dark and ruthless need that should probably terrify me. But all I feel is cherished. Protected. Like the most precious thing in his world.

"I'm sorry," I whisper, my voice cracking on a sob. "I'm so fucking sorry, Dante. For running away, for not letting you explain. I was just so scared of getting hurt again."

"No," he cuts me off fiercely, his fists clenched. "You have nothing to apologize for, tesoro. I'm the one who fucked up. I should have been honest with you from the start, told you everything. Let you make your own choice about whether you could handle my world."

He drags in a shuddering breath, his jaw tight. "But I was a selfish fucking coward. Convinced myself it was better to keep you in the dark, preserve your innocence or some bullshit. Really, I was just terrified of losing you. Losing the one pure thing in my life."

Tears sting my eyes, my throat aching with all the emotion welling up inside. "You'll never lose me," I manage to choke out, gripping his thigh like a lifeline. "I'm in this, Dante. For keeps this time."

His hand covers mine, big and warm and perfect. "Gonna hold you to that, bellissima," he rasps. "Cause now that I've got you back, I'm never fucking letting you go again."

His dark promise sends heat licking through my veins. But it's a vow, too, one I intend to seal with more than words.

The car stops at a small, nondescript house on the outskirts of the city; some kind of safehouse, I assume. He keeps me tucked protectively into his side as he leads me inside, his eyes never stopping their restless sweep of our surroundings.

But the second the door closes behind us, he's on me. His mouth slants over mine in a desperate, devouring kiss, tongue delving deep. One hand fists in my hair, holding me captive to his onslaught. The other spans my lower back, crushing my aching body to the muscled broadness of his chest.

I moan brokenly into the hot cavern of his mouth, my hands scrabbling for purchase on his shoulders. He's almost brutally thorough, staking his claim, relearning my taste like a man half-starved. Like he wants to crawl inside me, take up permanent residence beneath my skin.

I know the feeling intimately.

My flimsy blouse gives way with a hard yank, buttons pinging musically to the hardwood floor. I gasp as the cool air hits my overheated flesh but Dante just deepens the kiss, walking me backwards until my shoulders hit the nearest wall.

His hands are everywhere, gliding over my ribs, cupping my breasts through the delicate lace of my bra. I arch helplessly into the hot cradle of his palms, my nipples puckering into aching points. He groans his approval, kneading the ample mounds as he rocks his heavy erection against my belly.

"Need you," he grits out between drugging kisses, his voice guttural and strained. "Need to feel you, amore. Need to be inside you."

Yes, yes, please, yes.

I'm already nodding frantically as he reaches for the button of my filthy, tattered jeans. Distantly, it registers that I'm covered in grime and blood and the stale sweat of fear. That I should probably clean up, take a minute to catch my breath before we do this.

But the lust pounding through me is relentless, undeniable. I need his hands on me like I need air in my lungs, the reassuring heat and hardness of him surrounding me. Anchoring me to the here and now.

Dante seems to be of the same mind, growling his impatience as he pushes the denim down my legs. My plain cotton panties follow, leaving me bare and aching before him. He pulls back just far enough to rake his gaze over my trembling body, something wild and fierce igniting in those midnight eyes.

"Fucking beautiful," he rumbles, running a work-roughened palm up the inside of my thigh. "Never letting you out of my sight again, tesoro. Gonna keep you in my bed, on my cock, forever. Fuck, I need a taste..."

And then he's dropping to his knees, throwing one of my legs over his broad shoulder as he buries his face between my thighs. The first hot swipe of his tongue over my swollen sex has me keening, my head thudding back against the wall.

Oh God. Oh fuck. Nothing could have prepared me for the shocking pleasure of Dante going down on me like a man possessed. He licks and sucks and nibbles until I'm a writhing, mewling mess, completely at the mercy of his wickedly talented mouth. His hands grip my ass cheeks, holding me open for his sensual assault as he tongue-fucks me ruthlessly.

"Dante," I sob, my fingers sinking into his dark hair. "Oh God, yes. Right there, don't stop...ah!"

He growls against my clit, the vibration zinging through me like a live wire. I'm so close already, my body drawn taut as a bowstring. Every pull of his lips, every flick and swirl of his tongue stokes the fire burning me up from the inside out.

When he seals his mouth around my throbbing nub and suckles hard, I detonate. My orgasm crashes through me in waves of molten bliss, stealing my breath and obliterating every thought. I'm distantly aware of Dante lapping at me greedily, wringing every last tremor from my shaking body.

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