Page 97 of Their Princess

The door flew open at the same time Adelina said, “What?”

Her voice dripped with venom like her hair dripped with water, trickling down her skin. But as soon as she saw me, the pissed-off-as-fuck around her eyes softened.

“Oh.” Her eyes roamed down my body like she was expecting Sas. “It’s just you.”

“Expecting someone else?” I asked, and a yawn slipped out on the tail end of the question.

Still holding a towel up to cover the front of her clearly naked body, Adelina furrowed her brows. “You look like shit.”

“Didn’t sleep.”

“Then why are you here, wearing leather like you’re?—”

“Ready to ride? I am.”

She turned her back to me, leaving the door open.

“Get dressed.”

Adelina scoffed and glanced over her shoulder. “You’re ordering me around now too?”

“If need be.” The words came out strained as I got a full glimpse of her newly inked belladonna, revealed by the towel draping down her bare back. The flowers themselves scared the fuck outta me, because I’d always believed Adelina’s grandmother would slip some in my wine. But they did something for Adelina.

Or maybe I could just drink her poison down and still be addicted.

She wasn’t the pure little angel Massimo thought she was, and I doubted she needed me to show her around a gun. But still, here I was, waiting like a good soldier.

And drooling over her.

The dark tattoo lines peeked over the crest of her shoulder blade. I hoped she didn’t wear a dress with a low-cut back for the wedding, because her father would see it immediately. Her mother might faint. Her grandmother, if she were still alive, might keel over from a heart attack.

She could take out the Parisi family in one fell swoop, but what had Massimo expected from her when he sent her into a motorcycle club? All the men we’d met were tatted, and I was no exception. Massimo and most of the capos were tatted too, so why did I know beyond any doubt that such a simple defiance would cause so much angst?

She was only doing things that brought her closer to the guys, but she didn’t see how they all leered at her, like they wanted to sink their teeth into her creamy skin. Graff was just the first one who had.

Adelina bent over the dresser and pulled out some clothes. “Where are we going?”

“For a ride.”

She scoffed. “That much is obvious, Rafe.”

“You’ll see.” I held my position, the muscles in my arms tensing to keep me from rushing over and ripping off her towel.

Stop it! She’s your niece.

She slammed the drawer shut, and I flinched at the loud bang.

“Come in and close the door so I can get dressed,” she said.

“Um, maybe I should wait outside.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Rafe. I’ll step in the bathroom.”

I started to shake my head, but it turned into a full-blown bodily shudder.

“Rafe?” Adelina raised her eyebrows.

Just the way she said my name sent a shiver down my spine, and my jeans grew tight again. My damn cock didn’t care how wrong this craving for her was.

---