Page 40 of The Perfect Deception

“Frankie.” He grips me hard. The way he holds me feels almost sacred as he pushes me toward another orgasm. “Oh fuck, Francesca.” His movements become frantic, yet he doesn’t pull away, keeping us connected until he finally comes inside me.

We’re tangled together, a sweaty mess of arms and legs, panting and grinning at each other like two lovesick fools.

In love.

“Damien.” My fingers trace down his spine as he gently rolls us over, pulling me half on top of him, that irresistible grin on his face.

His fingers thread through my hair. “Francesca, I’m so crazy about you.”

It might not be love yet, but honestly, at this moment? It’s more than enough.

I laugh and slide my hand down his body, stopping just before his cock, still sticky from my juices. “Show me.”

“Oh, I plan to,” he moans, kissing me until I’m wet and hungry for him.

For more.

For everything.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Frankie

I wake up disoriented, my head pounding and my mouth dry. Panic rises in my chest as I realize I don’t know where I am. I bolt upright, trying to figure out where I am, but my thoughts are hazy.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” a soothing voice says beside me. I turn to see Damien, his face etched with concern.

“What happened? Where are we?” I ask, my voice shaking.

Damien sits up and wraps his arm around me. “We’re in our suite on the yacht. We’re on a cruise. Are you okay? Did you have a bit too much to drink last night?”

“I feel like I’ve been drugged or something.”

“Drugged? What do you mean, kitten?”

“I don’t remember anything from last night. Nothing. My mind’s just blank. What happened?”

He raises an eyebrow, looking slightly amused. “I remember everything, and you were a total wildcat last night.” He leans in and kisses me, not caring about morning breath. “It was incredible.Youwere incredible, Francesca.”

I lock eyes with him, searching for clarity. “You remember what happened last night? We had the same food and drinks.” I think. “Didn’t we?”

“We did and I do remember last night.” He licks his lips, his eyes narrowing slightly as he recalls. “You were wonderful.”

That doesn’t help. “Damien! I woke up not knowing where I was, and I can’t remember anything after dinner. This isn’t funny!”

He kisses the top of my head, his tone steady. “Kitten, I’m not laughing. You probably just had too much to drink. It happens.”

I shake my head, the uneasy feeling growing. “No. This isn’t alcohol. It has to be something else. Damien, what if someone drugged me? What if it was meant for you?”

I can’t stop my mind from racing, trying to grasp onto details from last night, but everything’s a blur. I don’t remember being any kind of awildcat.

“Are you okay? Do you feel like you’ve been drugged?” I ask, scratching the side of my head. “This doesn’t add up. Do you think someone was trying to get to me?” I stare at Damien and then a thought crosses my mind. “What if they were trying to get to you? Dammit, Damien!”

“Francesca, come on. You really think the killer you’ve been chasing is on this ship? You’re letting your imagination run wild.”

I want to argue, but what good will it do? “What if someone drugged me to rob me? Or worse?”

“You just need to relax and not jump to conclusions. We had cocktails last night. This is nothing to panic about.”

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