Page 31 of Light It Up Red
“What exactly are your intentions with Liliana?” He doesn’t move a muscle, and there’s no hint of emotion on his face. I have to remember never to play poker with this guy. He gives nothing away.
“I want to get to know her. I don’t have anything but good intentions when it comes to Lili.” I have no idea what her father wants to hear, what the right thing to say is. I also have no idea how much I should put my cards on the table. I don’t think saying I intend to keep her as mine is going to go over too well with a guy who’s used to maintaining control.
“You know who our family is?”
“I’ve become aware.”
“And you’re not worried?” Mr. Valentino’s lips tip up slightly with the question, like he finds it amusing.
I shrug. “She’s worth whatever bullshit comes my way.”
“That is something we can agree on,” he says. “You should know… if you do anything to hurt her, if she so much as sheds a single fucking tear because of you, I’ll enjoy tearing you apart bit by bit. And I do mean literally.” He pins me with a hard glare before adding, “Do you know how long someone can be kept alive while their body is cut to pieces? Because I do. Down to the second.”
“I have no intentions of hurting her, sir,” I tell him.
“Good. And this…” He gestures between us. “Never happened. I was never here.”
“Noted.” I nod my head and watch as the scariest fucking man I’ve ever met walks out the door, clicking it closed behind him.
I take a breath, grab my bag, and carry it into my bedroom. Checking the time as I go. I’m anxious to see Lili. Her family can continue to dish out threats. It doesn’t stop me from wanting her.
When there’s a knock on my door a few minutes later, I walk back out to the foyer and open it. My arm snakes around Lili’s waist, pulling her inside, and my lips slam onto hers. “Fuck, I missed you,” I say into her mouth before pushing my tongue inside.
“Mmm, I missed you more.” She smiles against the kiss. When she pulls away, she looks me up and down. “What he say to you?”
“Who?”
“My father. I know he was here. So what’d he say?”
“How do you know he was here?”
“I ran into him downstairs, and he looked like he’d just been caught sticking his hand into the cookie jar. What’d he say?” she asks again.
“Nothing much.” I shrug. “I want to take you out. To dinner. But, fuck, I really want to fuck you too.” I step back and really look at her. She’s wearing a tight little pencil skirt and a light-pink blouse that shows me the outline of her bra. “That’s how you dress at the office?” I shake my head. “Damn, if this hockey thing doesn’t pan out, I need to come work for you, babe.”
Lili laughs. “I think the hockey thing is working out just fine for you. So dinner? Where are you thinking?”
“Anywhere you want?”
“Mmm, do you like Italian?”
“I like eating you. You’re Italian.” I smirk.
“I’m also Russian.” She laughs.
“So fucking hot.” My hands find her waist again and I tug her forward.
“We can order in,” she says. “Eat naked, in bed, between orgasms.”
“That sounds like a great fucking idea, but you deserve better than that. Come on, let’s go.” I grab Lili’s hand and open the door before I’m tempted to take her up on her offer.
Lili sits across from me as her eyes bounce around the restaurant’s interior. “Have you eaten here before?” she asks me.
“No, but I’ve heard it’s good. Have you?”
“A lot. My family owns it,” she says.
“So I’m guessing the food’s good?”
