Page 14 of Loyalties & Longings

“Are you okay, Lake? That’s the second time I’ve seen that piece of shit touch you. Correct me if I’m wrong here, but it didn’t look like it was welcomed either time.” His voice is hard but gentle at the same time, and I think I see concern in his eyes, even with the lighting being so bad back here.

I take another drink and wipe my mouth with the back of my hand before replying. The water feels so good going down, easing the burn in the back of my throat from holding back tears.

“It wasn’t,” I snap. “He doesn’t care what I want, or should I say,don’twant him to do, though. He looks at all women as though their sole purpose is to please him. Visually, physically, mentally, and sexually. It’s disgusting, and I’m no exception. He acts as though we are all below him. To add to it, though, he seems to only ever do anything to me when Dad isn’t looking, when he thinks he’s not going to get caught.” I swallow the lump forming in the back of my throat again.

Blaze moves a step closer into my personal space. I can feel the warmth radiating off him. I stiffen as the stark contrast between his body heat and the cool night air making my skinprickle.

“Has he hurt you, Lake?” he asks, brushing a piece of hair off my face, stuck there with sweat, and wrapping it behind my ear. His eyes are narrowed, brow furrowed.

“No,” I answer, almost too quietly, my eyes diverted to the ground. Not because it isn’t the truth and I’m trying to protect Massimo but because I’m starting to feel like I want Blaze to take me right here. Heat starts to pool down below. My mind and body are so willing to open up to him.

“We should tell your father he has been harassing you.”

“No,” I snap. Besides the fact that Dad is busy with so many other things on his plate right now, if I tell him about Massimo, I’ll be nothing short of locked up in my room or stuck with Dad every minute of every day.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my dad, but I also love having autonomy.

Blaze dips his head to ensure my eyes are on his, letting it be known he is making me a promise right here and now.

“He’ll never touch you again, Lake. If he does, he is as good as dead.” He places a reassuring hand on my shoulder. It sends a shot of energy straight to my core, and my breath hitches. His touch is honest to God like fire. Well, the reaction it causes inside me is anyway. I try to control my breathing. I feel like I’m in the middle of a marathon. I nod slowly—I believe him. But something in his eyes tells me that he has just made it his law.

This small gesture, coupled with his words, makes me want him so much more.

I put my hand on his forearm still holding my shoulder and feel his muscles twitch under my hand. His eyes move from mine to my mouth as I lick my lips. He definitely wants this as much as I do. I’m sure of it. I close my eyes, taking a slow and steady breath. Before I open my eyes again, his lips are crushing mine. I drop my water, taken over by his whole presence.

His scent, his warmth, his taste.

He tastes like mint, but I bet my lips taste disgusting after the tequila but also a bit salty from sweat, thanks to my dancing session. He presses his whole body against mine, pinning me to the dirty wall. The rough, exposed bricks press against my back. But my focus is more on how damn hard he is at this momentfor me. He slowly grinds his hips into me, making me want to feel him inside me right now. I need him.

I love how dangerous this feels and the thought of having this sexy hulk of a man fucking me in the alley behind my dad’s club. I slide my hands down his rock-hard chest and rippling abs until I reach the top of his jeans and finger the top of them.

Toying with the idea even more, I slide my hand lower, cupping him—as much as I can anyway, he’s so thick—in my hand. He grinds into it hard, wanting, needing. He stops kissing me to let out a low growl. Trapping my hand between us, he continues to grind his hips and his manhood into me. Without breaking contact for a moment, he leans back in and kisses me. The move forces my hand to put pressure against my sex too. Moisture builds in my core.

Blaze breaks the kiss again and growls even louder, more of a frustrated groan this time. He grabs both of my wrists, raising them above my head and pinning them against the wall with one of his giant hands. He cups the side of my face with his other hand.

“I can’t, Lake,” he says, still grinding into me, fire in his eyes. He is saying one thing, but his body is telling a different story, that’s for sure.

“Blaze, if this is about the business and my father, don’t worry about it. I’m a big girl. I…” I plead, needing more of him, all of him, on menow.

“It’s not about that, Lake,” he says, cutting me off with regret in his voice. Before I get a chance to ask him to elaborate,he drops his mouth to my ear before growling, “I will fuckingdestroyyou.”

My head falls back with a moan, and he takes it as an unspoken invitation to move his mouth to my neck. His lips barely touch my skin, and I almost think they aren’t there. I let out a slight whimper. I’d be a puddle on this dirty ground if he weren’t holding my body up with his.

Vibrations run down the skin of my neck as he gives another long and throaty growl. The vibrations travel right through me, right down to the junction of my thighs. I’m now aching for him, feeling the moisture pooling even more.

His cell rings, breaking our breathy rhythm.

“Fuck!” he yells, and his shout echoes through the alley.

My thoughts match his—great fucking timing. He peels his body from mine, never letting me go, leaving my hands still pinned above my head. He pulls his cell out of his pocket with his free hand. His eyes jump from the device in his hand to my gaze.

“Enzo,” he says, clearing his throat and voice of lust. He drops my hands and adjusts his hard-on in his jeans.

“We’re fine. Yeah. We’ll be back shortly,” he claims, pulling the keys from his pocket. He jerks his head, motioning for me to follow him. Walking out of the shadows and protection of the alley, we go to collect Dad’s car.

My eyes dart around the entire time, searching for my only real threat—Massimo.

Chapter Nine

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