Page 99 of Ruthless Desire

As the afterglow fades, reality starts to creep back in. What have I done? How can I keep fighting this – fighting him – when my body so clearly craves what only Dante can give me?

But even as doubt gnaws at me, I can't deny the sense of rightness I feel in his arms. Like I've finally found where I belong, even if it's the last place I ever expected.

Dante must sense my inner turmoil, because he tilts my chin up, forcing me to meet his gaze. "Stop overthinking, solnyshko," he says, his voice uncharacteristically gentle. "This is where you're meant to be. With me."

I want to argue, to tell him he's wrong. But the words stick in my throat, because deep down, I'm starting to wonder if he might be right.

Chapter 28 Dante

The first rays of sunlight filter through the curtains, painting Natalie's naked body in a golden glow. My eyes trace the curves I've memorized, the marks I've left. Mine. All mine.

But even as desire stirs in my gut, my mind races with plans and threats. The Corsinis. Sergei. A thousand ways this could all go to hell.

I ghost my fingers over Natalie's flat stomach, imagining it swollen with my child. Why isn't she pregnant yet? We've fucked enough to populate a small country. The thought of her carrying my heir, a physical manifestation of my claim on her, makes my cock throb.

Natalie stirs, those stormy eyes fluttering open. For a moment, there's peace in her gaze. Then reality crashes in, and I watch the walls go up.

"Morning, solnyshko," I murmur, voice still rough with sleep. "Sleep well?"

She stretches, catlike, and I have to fight the urge to pin her to the mattress. "As well as can be expected," she says, wariness creeping into her tone. "What's the plan for today? More running and hiding?"

I chuckle, dark and low. "Oh, moy voron. We're done hiding. Today, we start fighting back."

Natalie's breath catches, a mix of fear and something darker – excitement, maybe – flashing in her eyes. "What does that mean, exactly?"

Instead of answering, I capture her lips in a bruising kiss. She resists for a heartbeat before melting against me, her body betraying her like always. I growl into her mouth, grinding my hardness against her thigh.

"It means," I pant when we break apart, "that I'm going to show you exactly how my empire runs. And then I'm going to fuck you senseless before I go to war."

A shudder runs through her, but she doesn't pull away. Progress.

I'm about to make good on my promise when my phone buzzes. Cursing, I reach for it, keeping Natalie pinned beneath me. The message is encrypted, but I decode it quickly.

Nazarov on the move. Heading to the old warehouse district. Possible meeting with Sergei. - A

My blood runs cold, then hot with fury. Sergei, that two-faced son of a bitch. The urge to put a bullet between his eyes wars with the need to keep Natalie safe, to bury myself in her warmth and forget the world outside.

"Dante?" Natalie's voice pulls me back. "What is it?"

I debate how much to tell her. She's stronger than she knows, my little raven. But every piece of information I give her is another way she could get herself killed.

"Business," I say finally, rolling off her. "Get dressed. I've got something to show you."

Thirty minutes later, we're walking through the lower levels of the villa. I watch Natalie take it all in – the state-of-the-art security systems, the hidden armory, the command center that would make the Pentagon jealous.

"Jesus," she breathes, eyes wide. "This is..."

"Power," I finish for her. "This is what it takes to stay on top in my world."

I lead her to a reinforced door, punching in a code. It swings open to reveal a room full of screens, each displaying a different part of my empire. Casino floors, shipping docks, even the streets of Accel City – all under my watchful eye.

"This is how I keep us safe," I tell her, wrapping an arm around her waist. "How I know everything that happens in my city."

Natalie's silent for a long moment, taking it all in. Then she turns to me, something like awe in her expression. "Why are you showing me this?"

I cup her face, thumb tracing her cheekbone. "Because you're mine, solnyshko. My queen. And it's time you understood exactly what that means."

Her pulse quickens under my touch, and I can't resist claiming her mouth again. She responds eagerly, her hands fisting in my shirt. I hoist her up, her legs wrapping around my waist as I carry her to the nearest flat surface – a control panel, as it turns out.

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