Page 32 of Cardinal

Just as my mouth opened to make a comment, a low growl in my ear made me shudder and gasp. "I would be careful with your next words, principessa." His warning sent a wave of heat down to my nether regions, making me throb and ache as I looked back into Luciano's dark and possessive eyes.

Guess Evie didn't get let off the hook either because Aidan hooked his finger around her black leather collar and yanked her back against him before wrapping his hand around her neck. Then, he leaned in close to her ear and said something to her that made her body shiver and melt into him as her eyes softened with pure submission. There was a quick moment where her lips grew into a cheeky smile before a quick jerk from Aidan wiped it away.

Nervously, I chewed my lip as I looked back at Luciano, who studied me with such calculating eyes that made me feel naked. "H-he looks like he's a good fighter and might win." I stammered while averting my eyes. "Y-your body looks a lot better and hotter anyways," I muttered under my breath with a blushing pout.

I haven't seen Luciano completely naked or anything, but I might or might not have occasionally watched him work out and train in the home gym. It wasn't like I stalked him; I just happened to be passing by when he worked out sometimes and got a nice eyeful of his glorious muscles. Seriously, those arms and legs were so perfect. And don't even get me started on his ass because that—mhmm!

"You better not be getting turned on because of him, or I will have to add another name to my list tonight." I couldn't tell if Luciano was being playful or not with the unreadable smirk on his face.

"It's not him, I swear," I said in a shaky breath as I leaned back into Luciano.

"Then who are you thinking about?" Okay, now he was being a cheeky bastard with that question in such a playfully smug tone.

I stuttered as heat flooded my face. "Y-you." I wouldn't be surprised if the cameras panned onto us, and I found myself looking like a damn tomato up on the big screens.

My nipples tightened almost painfully as my stomach knotted with arousal with his reply. "Good girl. I should only ever be the only man in your damn mind."

Fucking hell, that needs to be illegal. Actually, he needs to be illegal because he is a hazard to panties.

Because I was pretty sure they were completely soaked from that growl of his.

"Maybe you should show me why it should be you and only you."

Big fucking mistake.

Chapter 19

Luciano

Fuck me.

I didn't give a fuck about the damn fight, not when she says things like that. The only thing on my mind was getting my hands and lips on Juliet's lovely body to mark it all up with love bites and bruises in the shape of my hands.

"Luc—ah!" Her cry cut out with her choking gasp the moment my hand ended up around her neck and squeezed.

"I am one shred away from lifting your dress and shoving myself into you and fucking you for everyone in this place to see who you belong to," I growled deeply against her ear with a hard thrust of my hips for her to feel the raging hard-on her words gave me.

Taking in a deep breath of her intoxicating scent of citrus and berries, I calmed myself a little. "The only thing stopping me from doing that or pulling you back into the locker rooms to hike this dress of yours up to fuck and fill your cunt with my cum is the fact that you aren't ready." Even in my lustful haze, her well-being remained a priority.

The last thing I wanted to do was add to her trauma or, God forbid, become her next trigger.

Whimpering, she softly pressed herself back against me hesitantly. "What if I am?" Her voice was a little hoarse from how tightly I held her neck.

Easing my grip, I softly shook my head at her. "You are not, even if it feels like you are right now." Damn me for having a conscience when it came to Juliet; I blue-balled myself for fuck's sake. "I won't touch you until we have a long talk about boundaries and limits and set a safe-word."

Pouting, Juliet reached down and slipped a hand between our pressed bodies to palm my hard bulge. "Can I at least have a taste, please? I just need to touch you and feel you somehow, please." Damn vixen wrapped me around her fingers with such sweet words.

And fuck me for giving in.

In one swift movement, I stood up, grabbed Juliet's hand tightly, and dragged us to the private locker area. "Out. Now." I demanded the few fighters in the area with a fiery glare, making them scurry out without a peep of protest.

Pulling her over to a bench, I pulled her down into my lap again after setting my own ass down. Only this time, I made her straddle my lap and face me. With one hand splayed against her lower back, I reach my other hand up and hold her face to bring it to mine. My forehead settled against hers with a deep breath, keeping our lips a thread apart. "You are in control, Juliet. I won't touch you or do anything unless you ask, say, or guide me otherwise." She had the reins now, even if it went against every dominant bone in my body, and this was how things had to go for now.

Granted, I wasn't bothered by it much because any true dominant knew that the one truly in control is the submissive. As contradictory as it sounded, that was how the dynamic worked. The submissive set the foundation for the dominant to build upon; without rules and boundaries from the sub, there was nothing.

"Kiss me." She demanded with a breathy smile, her soft hands cupping my face eagerly.

The hand on her face immediately slipped into the back of her hair and gripped it to smash her lips against mine in a hungry kiss filled with red-hot lust. Shivers ran down my spine at the feeling of her soft tongue tracing the seams of my lips for entrance. Groaning with a smile, I parted my lips to let her in for a few seconds before forcing her tongue into her mouth with my own.

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