Page 130 of Charity's Redemption

I didn’t turn around for fear of him seeing me bite back a smile and blushing cheeks.

“You take my three-hundred-thousand-dollar car, and you choose to come to a lake?”

“It’s a pond,” I corrected. “And your car is much too fast.”

I’d nearly lost control several times just pulling away from the stoplights. There was too much power behind those tires and no place to open it up and let the machine do what they created it for.

Luca’s footsteps approached with creaking wood, then stopped behind me. His warm hands slid down my arms and pinned my hands against the wooden railing, his lips on my ear.

“I’m going to ruin you, you know that?”

“Don’t make promises you won’t keep. It’ll take an awful lot to ruin me, and frankly, I just don’t think you have it in you.”

It wasn’t a threat but more of a seductive promise I wanted him to uphold. His heavy, deep timbre rattled my comfortable cage. I’m not sure why I taunt him. All I know is that it’s a blast poking those buttons to see which side of him I’ll get—like a game of roulette.

Getting him riled up sent a thrill through my body that settled deep inside my bones as I waited for his reactions. There is no other adrenaline rush that came close to this reward for what little effort I had to put into it.

“Get in the car, Charity.”

“But I thought you were going to beat my ass in front of everyone.”

“Well, seeing as you chose an abandoned location, my guess is you couldn’t handle the consequences.”

That hadn’t even crossed my mind. I picked this location because it was where I knew. It was what was… tranquil.

“I think you and I both know I can handle anything you throw at me.”

“We’ll see about that.”

“You’ll have to wait to dish out your punishments. I’m injured, remember?”

Max cleared his throat and turned away. “When you two are done word-fucking each other, let me know. I’ll be at home.”

“Bye, Max, have some popcorn ready,” I said, sliding in my own double entendre in there.

He shook his head and laughed as Luca pressed against me, pinning me to the railing, my hands still firmly attached to his and the railing.

“You didn’t care about your shoulder before when you provoked me. So why should I care about it now?”

I bit my lip as I pressed my ass against him, pressing one more button of his.

Luca released me, spun me around, then latched his hand around my throat and squeezed.

“Are you trying to punish me or turn me on?” I smiled up at him as he squeezed harder, my core throbbing.

“They are one and the same with you, Charity. A fine line you strum until you get what you desire. You enjoy it all.”

“Hmm, that I do.”

“So there is only one thing to do.”

“And what’s that?”

Luca slammed his lips on mine, his tongue invading my mouth like a deadly army seeking a rare treasure. I opened, allowing him to explore further, and moaned as he caressed the sensitive spaces inside my mouth.

Butterflies swarmed in my belly as he squeezed my throat a little harder. Then he released me and stepped away, sucking the oxygen from my lungs. “I’m going to ignore you.”

Luca walked away, climbed into his car, and drove away, leaving me dumbfounded, panting, and stranded.

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