Page 59 of Ruthless Royalty

He grins, sharp and predatory, like he’s just been handed thebest fucking challenge of his life. “I wouldn’t want it any other way, babygirl.”

When we pull up outside his Suite, my heart skips a beat. The place is as imposing as ever, all dark stone and sharp edges, but tonight, it feels different. Tonight, it feels like the start of something I can’t quite put into words.

He kills the engine, but neither of us makes a move to get out. The silence stretches between us, heavy with all the things we haven’t said yet.

Finally, he turns to me, his eyes searching mine. “Last chance to back out, Kitten,” he says, his voice low and serious. “We both know what happens once you walk through that door.”

I meet his gaze, feeling a surge of defiance rise up in me. “I’m not going anywhere,” I say, and I mean it. Whatever this is, whatever happens next, I’m in it with him. All the way.

He studies me for a moment longer, like he’s trying to read something in my expression, then nods once.

“Good girl,” he says, his voice a little rough around the edges.

He gets out first, coming around to open my door, always the gentleman when he wants to be. I step out, my legs feeling like they’re made of lead, and he’s there, his hand at my back, guiding me toward the Suite like he’s leading me into some kind of fucking paradise.

Giovanni doesn’t say anything as he leads me further inside. The silence is thick, charged; but I can feel his resolve in the way he moves, in the way his grip tightens ever so slightly as we walk.

When we reach the living room, he finally turns to face me, his eyes locked onto mine. There’s something fierce in his gaze, something that sends a shiver down my spine.

“You know why I brought you here, don’t you?” he asks, his voice low and dangerous.

I nod, my heart pounding in my chest. “Yeah,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper. “I know.”

“And you’re still here,” he says, more a statement than a question, but I can hear the underlying note of disbelief in his tone.

I take a deep breath, steadying myself. “I’m not going anywhere, Gio,” I say, meeting his gaze head-on. “I told you—I’m yours.”

For a moment, he just looks at me, his expression unreadable. Then, slowly, a smile spreads across his face—a dark, wicked smile that sends a thrill of anticipation through me.

“Damn right you are,” he says, his voice a low growl. “And I’m going to make sure you never fucking forget it.”

Before I can respond, he steps forward, closing the distance between us in a heartbeat. His hands are on me in an instant, pulling me against him, his lips crashing down on mine with a force that takes my breath away.

The kiss is fierce, possessive, like he’s staking his claim all over again. And I’m more than happy to let him. I kiss him back just as hard, my fingers tangling in his hair, pulling him closer, wanting more—needing more.

He growls low in his throat, his hands sliding down my back, gripping my hips as he pushes me up against the wall. The impact makes a soft thud, but I barely register it, too lost in the feel of him, the heat of his body against mine.

His hands slide down to my waist, and I can feel the hard planes of his body against mine, the heat of him searing through my clothes. I wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him even closer, losing myself in the taste of him, the feel of him.

“You drive me fucking crazy, Chiara,” he mutters against my lips, his breath hot on my skin.

I don’t get a chance to respond before he’s kissing me again, his hands sliding up my sides, fingers digging into my skin like he can’t get enough. And I can’t either. Every touch, every kiss, it’s like he’s branding me, marking me as his, and I want it—I want all of it.

When he finally pulls back, we’re both breathing hard, the air between us charged with electricity. He rests his forehead against mine, his eyes closed, his breath coming in harsh, ragged gasps.

“You ready for this, baby?” he asks, his voice barely above a whisper, but there’s no mistaking the intensity behind it. Giovanni usually takes what he wants, but the fact that he keeps confirming my choice lights me up from the inside.

I nod, swallowing hard as I try to catch my breath. “I’ve never been more ready.”

He smiles, that dark, wicked smile that makes my pulse race, and leans in close, his lips brushing against my ear.

“That’s my girl,” he murmurs, his breath hot against my skin.

The words send a shiver down my spine, and I can feel the anticipation building inside me, a heady mix of excitement and desire. I’ve never felt anything like this before—this raw, unfiltered need, this all-consuming fire that burns between us.

And I know, without a doubt, that there’s no turning back now.

I don’t say anything, because there’s nothing left to say. I made my choice, and there’s no going back now. Instead, I pull him down for another kiss, this one just as fierce, just as desperate as the last.

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